Rhizome of transforming economies and territories

The Olatukoop network is made up of cooperatives, associations and other community organisations working in the transformative social economy (TSE).

The aim is to transform the socio-economy and the territories of the Basque Country to make habitable lives possible. We set new practices in motion by answering the questions what and how, thinking together.

Transformative Social Economy

It is a set of initiatives that intend to move towards an alternative socio-economic system that has as its sole objective the maintenance and improvement of life; because that, and no other, should be the objective of the economy (without adjectives).

Social economy organisations and practices with a transformative vocation differ from other organisations that are part of the social economy in that, on the one hand, they prioritise the satisfaction of people’s needs over profit and, on the other hand, they seek the current economic and social transformation. In other words, they want to progress in the social economy, but as an alternative to the capitalist economy and not to legitimise it.

If a social economy project aims to achieve its objectives from an TSE perspective, it should act according to the following 5 criteria:

About us

We are now more than 60 cooperatives, popular associations and cooperative socio-economic agents involved in and connected with the Transformative Social Economy. In total, we are around 600 workers and, in addition, many user partners or service partners who are grouped within Olatukoop’s partner consumer cooperatives.

Partners, members and territorial networks:

Open bases

01
We understand that work is part of the life project and, through work, we cover our needs and desires, beyond the distinction between productive and reproductive work. The aim is to focus on practices that have a positive impact on the habitability of life, which is why we work on a daily basis for a social, transformative, cooperative, (trans)feminist, Basque, anti-racist and decolonial economy.
02
We do the work of putting the economy at the service of our lives in a sovereign way, i.e. the main decisions about work are in the hands of the workers. We internalise a comprehensive view of work and from self-training and non-capitalist relations, we create, manage and recreate dignified and common work.
03
Our objective is to collectively manage the property and the control of productive resources and of decision-making processes with criteria of integral participation, economic democracy, equality, social justice and economic sustainability. Therefore, transparent information, fair distribution of income and results, and practices of equality are at the basis of our work, promoting solidarity mechanisms both among project members and among community members.
04
From our projects and communities, we develop inter-cooperation with other economic and social agents of our environment to create collaboration mechanisms and sustainable common wealth and networks for the future. Furthermore, by using ethical finance and promoting non-commercialised relationships, we work towards an economic pluralism that guarantees financial autonomy and viability.
05
Our projects actively participate in the processes of transformation of the territory to bring to the centre lives and territories abandoned by capitalism and build sovereign horizons. In order to do so, we participate and connect in the socio-economic and political fabric of our neighbourhoods, towns and regions and we are committed to contributing to the common local culture and heritage.
06
Ecological sustainability is also the basis of our activities: the sustainable use of energy and materials, to reuse, the waste management and the control of short commercialisation channels are our commitments, with the aim of achieving an ecological balance.

Strategic lines of work

Building a model of our own
Cooperative Social Entrepreneurship
Intercooperation and Mutualism
Territory and Social Transformation
Raising awareness of the Transformative Social Economy and recovery of the cooperative memory
Livable Lives and Cooperativism for all

Transformative socio-economic ecosystems in the Basque Country

We are developing and extending social entrepreneurship and territorial transformation projects throughout all the Basque Country, seeking answers to their needs with local agents. In fact, we believe that we must move from entrepreneurship to territorialisation, implementing different tools and forms of intervention.

To act while thinking

The book Ekonomia eraldatzaileak

This essay, result of the experiences acquired by Olatukoop throughout its 10 years of existence, brings together the evolution and new proposals within the framework of the theory and model of the Transformative Social Economy defined in 2014, with a view to the future, as fertiliser for the construction of an Economy for Life.
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The guide Herri kooperatibak

A popular cooperative is a popular socio-economic structure for promoting projects and offering services that a village, neighbourhood, region or territory needs or that are a collective desire. In this guide we include keys and examples of how to set up a popular cooperative.

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