"The words ‘despair’ and ‘frustration’ cannot adequately express the depth of my feelings. I wish I could shelter all of the people I see now living in the streets in my heart and protect them from the violence and cold nights. And yet, we too, as humanitarian workers are not immune to this suffering"

Article

Authors: Raymond Saner Lichia Saner-Yiu

Publication date: 14 April 2026

Publication categories: Working papers

Tags: Cooperatives; Cooperative ESG; Governance; Boundary workers; Members versus externals; Platform support

Cooperatives are frequently presumed to align with sustainability due to their democratic governance and community focus, yet empirical evidence on their implementation of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards remains fragmented. This article analyzes ESG practices across six cooperative sectors—agriculture, finance, housing, consumer/retail, utilities, and worker/platform cooperatives—using comparative document analysis, sectoral case studies, and emerging federation guidelines. We introduce the cooperative boundary of responsibility to examine how ESG and Decent Work obligations extend beyond member-owners to employees, contractors, seasonal laborers, and platform workers. Findings reveal that while cooperatives excel in democratic governance and community-oriented social metrics, ESG adoption varies significantly by sector. Performance weakens where labor relations diverge from membership structures, particularly in outsourced, seasonal, or digitally mediated work. Environmental reporting is inconsistent, with gaps in accountability for non-member workers. For example, agricultural cooperatives often lack robust environmental metrics, while platform cooperatives struggle to ensure fair wages and protections for gig workers.
By synthesizing cross-sector evidence, this study advances debates on cooperative governance by demonstrating how institutional design, labor models, and sectoral constraints shape ESG outcomes. It highlights the tension between cooperatives’ member-centric ethos and the broader sustainability expectations of global supply chains, regulatory frameworks, and consumer demands. The article concludes with actionable recommendations: (i) strengthening ESG capabilities through federation-led training and capacity-building initiatives; (ii) standardizing reporting frameworks to address sectoral disparities and improve transparency, and (iii) reconciling cooperative identity with global sustainability expectations, particularly for non-member labor. The analysis underscores the need for policy and managerial interventions to close responsibility gaps and uphold ESG commitments across cooperative ecosystems. By addressing these challenges, cooperatives can better align their operations with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and reinforce their role as drivers of inclusive, sustainable development.

Raymond Saner (2025) “Emeriti Professors as entrepreneurs”
Emerald Publ. UK

Retirement and average life expectations in the European and North American regions indicate that retired persons, in general, are in good health between 60/65 to 80/85 years of age. Some use this window of longer life expectations to work because their pension fund is insufficient to live a decent life. Others enjoy the new freedom of not having to work and choose to explore interesting tourist attractions, cultural events and other activities like gardening or caring for their grandchildren. However, an increasing number of retirees express interest in continuing to work and engage in meaningful jobs or contribute to solving important societal problems. A small group who has accumulated financial resources during their work life is interested in sharing their knowledge and skills and helping new start-up companies or associations active in the solidarity and social economy.

VMR - Voluntary Metropolitan Review

According to the OECD, metropolitan areas are defined as a population between 500 000 and 1.5 million people. For instance, the region of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) has several such metropolitan areas which are often agglomerations of different separate cities and towns which became integrated into a larger size urban areas. These separate areas often retain some form of autonomy making it very challenging for the larger metropolitan agglomeration to coordinate sustainable growth of its infrastructure, personal mobility, safeguarding food security, managing waste and social development such as education, health, security and housing rules and regulations. This side-event focuses on the implementation of SDG 11 at a metropolitan scale which goes beyond the traditional VLR (Voluntary Local Review) reporting and introduces instead a VMR (Voluntary Metropolitan Review).

Concept Note

For more information, please click here

VMR - Voluntary Metropolitan Review

IIAS/DARPG Conference, 11 February 2025

Session Chair: Raymond Saner, Basle University & CSEND, Geneva, Switzerland

Stronger Together Voluntary Metropolitan Coordination Across Local Boundaries on SDGs and Governance - Cases from Europe and Asia

Are there any models and mechanisms for effective planning and governance coordination within metropolitan and mega-urban regions? How can the rapid growth of urban areas be guided toward sustainability in Asia, Africa, and South America? Can urban regions be planned and governed in coordination across local administrative boundaries, including land- and resource-efficient, low-carbon, climate-resilient, inclusive, and competitive urban development in a country and in growing urban regions?

November 7, 2024 | 15:00 - 16:30, SDGs in Action

Summary
Are there any models and mechanisms for effective coordination within metropolitan and mega-urban regions on planning and governance? How can rapid growth of urban regions be guided towards sustainability in Asia, Africa and South America? Can urban regions be planned and governed in coordination across local administrative boundaries, inclusive of land- and resource efficient, low-carbon, climate-resilient, inclusive and competitive urban development in a country and in growing urban regions? How can effective models be replicated?

Urbanization often is not well managed and urban development goes in many or most cases well beyond the territories of local city administrations. This happens for small and medium cities, and it is normal for metropolitan and mega-urban regions. These ‘natural cities’ don’t have administration and coordination which makes effective land use planning, effective and efficient infrastructure and service provision, and risk- informed planning to minimize and manage climate-related disasters very challenging. Coordinating and integrating master planning, land use, transport and open space protection planning will result in synergies and benefits for all areas, jurisdictions and residents. There are cases in which such coordination is practiced and in various forms of mechanisms and institutional and governance arrangements. Various models of successful national planning and urban region coordination will be shared, including top-down and voluntary approaches. Agreeing on achieving SDGs can be an incentive to coordinate across local jurisdictions.

Raymond Saner & Lichia Yiu

CSEND, April 2024.

A growing number of P.O.s expressed interest in contributing to the SDGs and the international and multi-stakeholder efforts to find solutions to the multiple crises and long-term issues pertaining to sustainability, such as pandemics, war, food insecurity, poverty, climate change, and a general sense of insecurity. POs keen on joining the international community to contribute to the implementation of the SDGs are advised to visit the sources given in this article and subsequently assess their strengths and weaknesses in regard to Advocacy, Diplomacy, and Capacity Building in the domain of the SDGs in Developing and Least Developed countries.

Raymond Saner, “Implementing the SDGs by subnational governments- urgent need to strengthen administrative capacities”, WASD Conference, Thematic Panel/Knowledge Partnership, Geneva 12 April 2018

Raymond Saner, “Financing the localization of the SDGs through PPPs: Need to assess advantages & disadvantages by local governments”; International Conference on the Localization of the SDGs and the Co-Construction of the Means of Implementation, Yonsei University, South Korea ROK, 23-24 February 2019