![pic12.jpeg](https://guides.imgix.net/63125978-fe88-4a59-861f-cc4838cd9e09/pic12.jpeg?auto=compress)
This photo captures the creative dynamism of putting
Principle 6 into action. By co-operating with each other,
three brazilian co-operatives meet their members' needs. tourists
taking thrilling rides across sand dunes in the dune buggies owned
by Co-op buggy are transported by Co-op balsa on rafts across the
shallow river Pitangi, in Natal, brazil. the Co-op balsa member
punting the raft wears a Unimed t-shirt. Unimed is one of the
world's largest health co-operatives providing health services and
health insurance to millions of brazilians and to
tourists.
Future Challenges
Future challenges in applying this 6th Principle of Co-operation
among Co-operatives will include:
- •Balancing dialogue with action: not meeting with other
co-operatives in regional, sectoral or national structures simply
to talk to each other, but planning and taking action to advance
the co-operative economy to mutual advantage. Passive participation
in inter-co-operative structures can drain energy and have a
negative impact on others.
- Effective power sharing: larger or better resourced
co-operatives will need to ensure that their size and influence
does not dominate and dictate debate and action, but that they
enable smaller co-operatives to participate effectively in control
and decision making in inter-co-operative organisations.
- Transcending barriers: barriers such as geographical location,
language, political and religious divisions, disparities in
organisational size and scope must be addressed and overcome to
ensure effective debate and action.
- Working across sectors: different co-operative business sectors
have different histories and cultures which need to be understood
and valued if common action is to be taken.
- Awareness building: ensuring that co-operatives are aware of
each other's nature, differences and the social and economic
challenges they face.
- Effective communication: maintaining regular and effective
communication with other co-operatives is always a challenge when
members and managers are faced with the day-to-day pressures of
running a co-operative business.
- Developing a shared sense of purpose: the priorities of one
co-operative or one sector of co-operative enterprise may not be
the same as that of others.
- Periodic assessment of the application of the 6th Principle:
co-operatives need to commit adequate resources to achieve social
and economic benefits from co-operation among co-operatives. they
also need periodically to review the application of this 6th
Principle and challenge their engagement to ensure that it is
effective.
- Developing effective global co-operative trade: the
international co-operative movement is challenged by the absence of
globally-driven inter-co-operative trade. Consideration should be
given to developing such trade under global co-operative trading
agreements or partnership arrangements.
- Developing effective global co-operative banking facilities and
insurance arrangements: the global co-operative movement should
consider it necessary and desirable to establish an international
co-operative bank and insurance organisation. Such an international
co-operative bank and insurance co-operative, driven by the
Co-operative values and Principles, could service global
inter-co-operative trade and business.