The International Labour Organization (ILO) underscored the vital role of cooperatives and the broader social and solidarity economy (SSE) in redefining global progress beyond traditional GDP-based measures to include human rights, equality, and sustainability. During the Expert Roundtable on “Embedding Human Rights in Metrics of Progress,” held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on 8–9 October 2025, policymakers, experts, and practitioners explored new indicators that better reflect well-being, inclusion, and environmental responsibility. The discussions contributed to the work of the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Expert Group on Beyond GDP, whose recommendations are expected in early 2026.
Simel Esim, Head of the ILO’s Cooperative, Social and Solidarity Economy Unit and Chair of the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Social and Solidarity Economy, emphasized that economies should serve people rather than the reverse. She noted that an overreliance on GDP obscures the social, cultural, and environmental dimensions of development. Esim highlighted that cooperatives and SSE entities embody human rights values by fostering equality, participation, and sustainability, offering tangible examples of people-centred economic models.
The ILO is working to advance global statistical standards and participatory methods that capture the broader contributions of cooperatives, aiming to shift focus from “value-added” to “values-based” measures in line with its social justice mandate. Esim also pointed to ongoing collaboration between the ILO-chaired UNTFSSE and the UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights to explore the relationship between the human rights economy and the SSE.
Experts at the roundtable agreed that developing new progress metrics is not only a technical issue but also a political and ethical responsibility. They called for community-driven, participatory monitoring to ensure inclusivity and fairness in how societies measure well-being. The ILO’s engagement, as part of the 2025 United Nations International Year of Cooperatives, reaffirmed that cooperatives and the SSE are essential to advancing more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development pathways that put human dignity at the centre of economic policy.
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