Building a Better World Together: Cooperative Contributions to the SDGs is a policy brief series developed in support of the UN International Year of Cooperatives 2025 (IYC2025) to highlight how cooperatives advance sustainable development by strengthening resilience, promoting inclusion, and supporting people and communities through collective action.
The SDG 6 brief – Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all, demonstrates how cooperatives play a vital role in expanding access to safe drinking water, improving sanitation, protecting freshwater ecosystems, and strengthening community resilience. Through democratic governance and community ownership, cooperatives provide sustainable, locally driven solutions that improve service delivery, enhance environmental stewardship, and ensure that water resources are managed for the long-term benefit of people and communities.
Drawing on case studies from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, the brief showcases how cooperatives deliver affordable water and sanitation services, improve waste management, protect watersheds, and empower communities to manage essential public services. Produced by the UN Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC) and the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), the brief highlights cooperatives as trusted partners in accelerating progress towards SDG 6 through inclusive, people-centered, and locally rooted approaches.
The policy brief is available for download in English, French and Spanish coming soon.