In November 2024, a bold new chapter began for the global cooperative movement.

At the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) Global Conference in New Delhi, India, we officially introduced The Principle 6 Cooperative—a cooperative of cooperatives, built to unite the movement, break down silos, and empower cooperatives everywhere through shared tools, intelligence, and innovation.

The launch, presented during the opening session of the conference, featured longtime cooperative leader and Principle 6 founding member Howard Brodsky. His message to over 100 countries was clear and compelling:

“We are facing a world on fire—climate change, inequality, political instability—and no one cooperative, no matter how strong, can solve these problems alone.
We launched Principle 6 to give our movement the infrastructure and intelligence to act together.
Because it takes each of us to make a difference for all of us.”

What Is Principle 6?

Principle 6 is more than a platform—it’s a shared system of collaboration, knowledge, and support, built by and for cooperatives.

At launch, the platform introduced:

• A dynamic knowledge bank to capture and share solutions from co-ops around the world
• CoopGPT, a cooperative-exclusive AI assistant
• Survey and benchmarking tools to help co-ops grow, compare, and improve
• And most importantly, a structure of democratic, cooperative ownership—meaning the platform is governed by the movement itself, not an outside entity

The response was immediate. Cooperatives from every region recognized that this was the next evolution of cooperative collaboration—and they signed up to be part of it.

Why It Matters

Cooperatives everywhere are doing extraordinary work—but too often, they do it in isolation. Principle 6 exists to change that.

By connecting cooperatives across sectors and continents, we create the conditions for collective action, smarter decision-making, and shared success. The platform allows us to scale what works, support those who need it, and accelerate innovation across the global movement.

Want to Get Involved?

If you’re reading this, you’re early. And that’s a good thing.

Here’s how you can take your next step:

👉 Explore more of the platform here.

👉 Ask a question or request more info.

👉 Request an access code to explore the platform.

Whether you’re a federation, a cooperative, or a passionate cooperator, there’s a role for you in this movement. The tools are ready. The community is growing. And the moment is now.

Let’s build something extraordinary—together.