Uploaded May 2023 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
I’m talking with Matt Hancock, who’s been heavily involved with the co-operative movement in Emilia Romagna – the region of Italy around Bologna. There’s a huge, very successful co-op sector in ER. I want to try to find out in this interview is why – what’s special about ER, and can it be emulated elsewhere?
Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/why-is-the-co-operative-movement-so-successful-in-emilia-romagna-with-matt-hancock-no-not-that-one
We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the new economy.
Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org
MH Consulting: it.linkedin.com/in/mattlhancock
Introduction to co-operatives: lowimpact.org/categories/co-operatives
About Emilia Romagna: https://www.investinemiliaromagna.eu/ and base.socioeco.org/docs/emilia_romagna_by_david_thompson_110604.pdf
Here’s what we mean by new economy: https://www.lowimpact.org/categories/...
Highlights:
• In ER, firms are not just small, but agile too. If a firm gets too big, skilled workers often decide to set up on their own, rather than work for someone else.
• In a region of 5 million people, there are 4000 co-operative businesses, that employ 250,000 people – just under a quarter of the entire workforce.
• There’s not the sense of competition that exists in the Anglo-Saxon world, and certainly not in the US. It’s cultural and deep-rooted. The origins can’t be replicated, but the practices can. The legislation and support for the co-op sector followed long after the practices.
• The economy is stronger and unemployment is lower than the rest of Italy in ER. There’s a very strong co-operative sector that’s part of a unique social partnership model of governance. Decisions get made co-operatively between workers’ organisations, the municipalities, the regional government, co-operative associations and other employer associations.
I’m talking with Matt Hancock, who’s been heavily involved with the co-operative movement in Emilia Romagna – the region of Italy around Bologna. There’s a huge, very successful co-op sector in ER. I want to try to find out in this interview is why – what’s special about ER, and can it be emulated elsewhere?
Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/why-is-the-co-operative-movement-so-successful-in-emilia-romagna-with-matt-hancock-no-not-that-one
We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the new economy.
Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org
MH Consulting: it.linkedin.com/in/mattlhancock
Introduction to co-operatives: lowimpact.org/categories/co-operatives
About Emilia Romagna: https://www.investinemiliaromagna.eu/ and base.socioeco.org/docs/emilia_romagna_by_david_thompson_110604.pdf
Here’s what we mean by new economy: https://www.lowimpact.org/categories/...
Highlights:
• In ER, firms are not just small, but agile too. If a firm gets too big, skilled workers often decide to set up on their own, rather than work for someone else.
• In a region of 5 million people, there are 4000 co-operative businesses, that employ 250,000 people – just under a quarter of the entire workforce.
• There’s not the sense of competition that exists in the Anglo-Saxon world, and certainly not in the US. It’s cultural and deep-rooted. The origins can’t be replicated, but the practices can. The legislation and support for the co-op sector followed long after the practices.
• The economy is stronger and unemployment is lower than the rest of Italy in ER. There’s a very strong co-operative sector that’s part of a unique social partnership model of governance. Decisions get made co-operatively between workers’ organisations, the municipalities, the regional government, co-operative associations and other employer associations.
