Supporting marginalized workers

The Challenge

• The cooperative movement in India, once a symbol of economic autonomy and social justice, has stagnated due to outdated policies and lack of regulatory innovation.
• Current legal frameworks favor corporate structures, leaving cooperatives—especially urban, worker-owned ones—underdeveloped.
• There is limited awareness and media visibility on the benefits of cooperatives, leading to misconceptions and low adoption.
• Marginalized and informal sector workers lack access to sustainable livelihood models and economic security.

Our Approach

• Policy & Research Support: Commissioned a detailed study in collaboration with ICA Domus Trust (IDT) to explore cooperative viability in Chennai.
• Pilot Implementation: Facilitating registration of worker-owned cooperatives in sectors like transportation, rag-picking, conservancy, and domestic work.
• Capacity Building: Conducting workshops on cooperative management, taxation, legal compliance, and governance.
• Media Engagement: Developing campaigns to reshape public perception of cooperatives through articles, press releases, and social media.
• Consultation & Dialogue: Organized a day-long multi-stakeholder consultation involving policymakers, cooperative experts, labor representatives, and researchers.

Our Vision

• Create a thriving cooperative ecosystem in Chennai that serves as a replicable model for other Indian cities.
• Empower informal and marginalized workers with equitable income, ownership, and long-term livelihoods.
• Promote democratic, inclusive, and sustainable enterprises driven by the community and for the community.
• Advocate for policy and legal reforms that modernize the cooperative sector and make it accessible to new economies, including the gig platform economy.

Our Partners

• ICA Domus Trust (IDT) – Research partner affiliated with the International Cooperative Alliance, Asia-Pacific.
• Greater Chennai Municipal Corporation (GCMC) – Government collaboration to scale the cooperative model.
• Cooperative Development Consultant (CDC) – Leading training, legal registration, and business planning for new cooperatives.