Building a Better World Together: Cooperative Contributions to the SDGs is a policy brief series developed in support of the 2025 UN International Year of Cooperatives to showcase how cooperatives drive progress across the Sustainable Development Goals. The policy brief on SDG 8, “Promote Sustained, Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth, Full and Productive Employment and Decent Work for All,” highlights the role of cooperatives in generating quality employment, advancing workers’ rights, and fostering inclusive and sustainable economies.
Drawing from real-world examples—from worker cooperatives promoting fair wages and safe conditions, to youth and women-led enterprises reducing inequality in employment—the brief illustrates how cooperatives create decent work opportunities and empower people to participate more equitably in the world of work.
Produced by the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC) and the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), with contributions from the International Labour Organization (ILO), this brief affirms the unique role of cooperatives in advancing SDG 8 during the 2025 International Year of Cooperatives and beyond.
The policy brief is available for download in English, French and Spanish.