Criteria & Nominations
ICA Standards of Cooperative Cultural Heritage based on the Statement on the Cooperative Identity
Cooperative Cultural Heritage Assessment
A thirteen-point set of international standards on Cooperative Cultural Heritage was drawn up by the ICA Working Group on CCH in fall 2025. These standards, the first of their kind, will build on experiences through 2026, by which time, the ICA aims to list at least 50 CCH sites and 15 CCH intangible elements (through a separate set of criteria) from across all regions, representing all ICA sectors, selected through a nomination process open to ICA members and their constituents. A unique ICA-CCH label will be granted to selected sites that meet all 13 criteria, along with a Statement of Recognition, in a post-launch (November 2025) exercise.
The International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) invites its member organizations to take an active role in identifying, celebrating, and safeguarding the living legacy of cooperation around the world. The process of recognizing Cooperative Cultural Heritage Sites is not only an act of preservation but also a reaffirmation of the cooperative identity—rooted in values of democracy, solidarity, and collective progress.
This initiative seeks to shine a light on the spaces, institutions, and communities that embody the cooperative spirit across generations. From historic buildings and archives to contemporary centers of learning and community action, these sites serve as tangible witnesses to the cooperative movement's profound contribution to social and cultural development.
They are places where the cooperative ethos has shaped livelihoods, fostered innovation, and strengthened communities through shared ownership and mutual aid.
Through a transparent and participatory nomination process, ICA member organizations are encouraged to identify and propose sites in their countries that meet the established criteria. These criteria ensure that recognized sites not only possess historical and cultural significance but also continue to nurture cooperative education, engagement, and sustainability in the present day. The nomination process provides an opportunity for members to document, interpret, and share their cooperative heritage with both local and global audiences.
Ultimately, this Charter and its recognition framework aim to weave cooperative heritage into the broader fabric of world culture making it visible, accessible, and celebrated as part of humanity's shared story. Each nominated site becomes a living testament to cooperation as a force for social good, reminding us that the cooperative model is not only an economic structure but also a cultural tradition that connects past, present, and future generations.
Charter of the Cooperative Cultural Heritage
Preamble
Recognizing that cooperatives are not only enterprises but also bearers of culture, history, and identity, this Charter establishes a framework for the recognition and safeguarding of cooperative cultural heritage sites. These criteria aim to ensure that cooperative heritage is preserved, celebrated, and integrated into wider cultural narratives while continuing to inspire present and future generations in line with the values of democracy, equity, solidarity, and sustainability. This Charter affirms the commitment of the cooperative movement to recognize, preserve, and promote its cultural heritage. By adopting these criteria, cooperative heritage sites shall become living symbols of solidarity, education, and international cooperation.
Evaluation Criteria
Version 1.0 - 2025
1. Historical Significance
Sites must be at least thirty (30) years old, preferably sixty (60), or directly associated with foundational events, milestones, or figures in the cooperative movement.
2. Connection to Cooperative Pioneers or Communities
Sites must demonstrate a tangible link to cooperative pioneers, enterprises, federations, or communities that shaped cooperative practice and identity.
3. Archival, Architectural, or Symbolic Value
Represents milestones in cooperative development. Preserves stories, traditions, or knowledge tied to cooperative evolution.
4. Active Cooperative Connection
Sites must either remain in operation as cooperatives or be explicitly dedicated to preserving and interpreting cooperative history.
5. Living Practice of Cooperation
Sites shall embody cooperation as a living tradition, encouraging participation, democratic practice, and mutual aid, beyond static commemoration.
6. Educational Mission
Sites shall actively promote cooperative literacy through exhibitions, archives, guided tours, and programmes that teach the ICA Statement on the Cooperative Identity.
7. Research and Knowledge Sharing
Sites shall contribute to cooperative research and knowledge dissemination, in collaboration with universities, archives, and digital platforms.
8. Community and Member Engagement
Sites shall be embedded within their communities, ensuring active participation, ownership, and collective stewardship by local members and residents.
9. Accessibility for All
Sites must guarantee accessibility to the public—physically, digitally, or through interpretive materials—and ensure inclusivity for all people regardless of age, gender, background, or ability.
10. Preservation and Safeguarding
Sites shall commit to the safeguarding of cooperative records, artifacts, oral traditions, and buildings through sustainable conservation strategies.
11. Visibility and Symbolism
Sites shall enhance the visibility of cooperation in public spaces through monuments, plaques, murals, and symbolic interpretation integrated within broader heritage narratives.
12. Sustainability and Inclusivity
Sites shall embody cooperative values of social and environmental sustainability, inclusivity, gender equity, youth engagement, and cultural diversity.
13. Networking and International Solidarity
Sites shall connect to cooperative networks—regional, national, and international—participating in exchanges, research, and cooperative tourism to strengthen global cooperative heritage.
Nomination form
Access the form to nominate elements of Cooperative Cultural Heritage from your country. Please feel free to contact help@culturalheritage.coop if you need any assistance or support.