---
name: ica-cooperative-identity
version: "1995"
date: 2026-07-29
category: philosophy
title: ICA Statement on the Cooperative Identity (1995) — a restatement
language: en
type: restatement
kind: principles
license: CC-BY-4.0
source_url: https://ica.coop/en/cooperatives/cooperative-identity
accessed: 2026-07-29
notes: "Restatement per IFP-22 Section 2.3. The Statement is published by the International Cooperative Alliance and is not free-licensed; this entry is the registry's own prose describing what it holds, as of the accessed date."
---

# ICA Statement on the Cooperative Identity (1995) — a restatement

The Statement on the Cooperative Identity, adopted by the International Cooperative Alliance at its centennial congress in Manchester in 1995, is the constitutional document of the worldwide cooperative movement: it defines what a cooperative is, names the values cooperatives live by, and states seven principles through which those values are put into practice. It sits deliberately between a business charter and a social philosophy, which is why this registry shelves it under philosophy. The authoritative text is at the source URL; this entry describes what it holds in the registry's own words.

## Definition and values

A cooperative, in the Statement's definition, is an autonomous association of persons who unite voluntarily to meet shared economic, social, and cultural needs through a jointly owned, democratically controlled enterprise. Its values are self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity, and solidarity — and, in the tradition of the founders, the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility, and caring for others.

## The seven principles

1. **Voluntary and open membership** — open to all who can use the cooperative's services and accept membership's responsibilities, without discrimination by gender, social standing, race, politics, or religion.
2. **Democratic member control** — members set policy and make decisions; in primary cooperatives, one member, one vote.
3. **Member economic participation** — members contribute capital equitably and control it democratically; surpluses serve the cooperative's development, the members in proportion to their participation, and activities the membership approves, with limited compensation on capital itself.
4. **Autonomy and independence** — agreements with governments or outside capital must preserve democratic member control and cooperative autonomy.
5. **Education, training, and information** — for members, representatives, managers, and employees, and public information about the nature and benefits of cooperation.
6. **Cooperation among cooperatives** — cooperatives strengthen the movement by working together through local, national, regional, and international structures.
7. **Concern for community** — cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies their members approve.

## Standing of this restatement

Prepared from the instrument as published at the source URL, read as of the accessed date. Corrections ship as a superseding version; this version remains published because citations to it remain outstanding (IFP-22, Sections 2.3 and 4).