OCB System International Operation

Our mission is to promote the Brazilian cooperativism and raise its flags. We act daily to show that the cooperative business model is capable of transforming realities bringing the economic and social factors together. This work happens not only in Brazil, but all over the world. On this role of international representation, we direct our efforts to four great lines of action. And we always do everything in line with the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA).

International Representation

We are the voice of the Brazilian cooperatives in important international forums. Today, we are present in 13 of these forums. As ICA members, we participate in the main world debates about the sector, with representation in the Regional and Global councils of the International Co-operative Alliance.

And we went from a macro level to segmented discussions. We also have followed closely the debates on agriculture and work within ICA, with an active participation in the International Co-operative Agricultural Organisation (ICAO) and in the International Organization of Industrial and Service Cooperatives (CICOPA). Also, we reaffirm our support to other initiatives signed by the entity towards world cooperativism.

In other places sectorial debates sectorial matters

This attention to sectorial debates also happens in other fronts, and in all of them we make a point of highlighting the vision of the Brazilian cooperativism. We are members of the Organisation of Cooperatives of the Portuguese Speaking Community (OCPLP), which includes seven more countries, in addition to Brazil.

We also act when we discuss specific cooperative matters which are part of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur). In fact, we are one of the founders of the Specialized Meeting of the Cooperatives from Mercosur, RECM. The objective of the group is to promote integration, trade and intercooperation among the cooperatives of the four member countries of the block.

In all these forums, the intent is to make a joint reflection and seek interesting paths for the development of the cooperative business model. With this in mind, we were pioneers in organizing the first BRICS Cooperatives Meeting, the economic block among Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, in 2011. Since then, the meeting happens annually, with the participation of cooperative leaders from the five countries.

In search of good practices examples to follow inspuring examples

When thinking on the growth of the Brazilian cooperativism, we also look at models developed in other countries. We are working side by side with our state units and cooperatives to identify good practices which can help us follow a steady path for better results. The organization of prospection and benchmarking missions is part of this work and it is supplemented with research and studies on cooperative practices in other parts of the world.

International Cooperation

As cooperative members, we are well aware of the importance of intercooperation and sharing experiences to improve processes and reach new goals. It is a practice which is valid for the cooperative movement all over the world. And we do our part, we are involved in projects which seek to strengthen the cooperative system not only in Brazil, but in other countries as well. In Mozambique and Botswana, for example, we are acting for the improvement of the management of local cooperatives and, at the same time, we contributed for the drafting of a proper legislation which contemplates the particularities of the cooperative model. In order to supplement this interchange and this joint construction, we presented the good practices developed in Brazil to foreign partners and received in our country delegations of many nations.

International Promotion

We are also focused on searching new markets for the products and services of the Brazilian cooperativism. To make this happen, we are involved in projects which aim to promote the exports of our cooperatives. We developed a tool which helps us on this mission. It is the Brazilian Catalog of Export Cooperatives, translated annually to ten different languages and released in all the world in partnership with the Brazilian embassies, international organizations and tradings. In the catalog, we gather information on the Brazilian cooperatives that act in the international market, detailing their products and services, as well as direct contacts for negotiations. Also, we are always aware of the organization of international fairs and other opportunities offered by the Brazilian government to promote exportation.