Italy 2015 Report. Introduction and summary

From a reflection that takes into account the various empirical evidence and analyses contained in the Report–summarized in the pages of this Introduction–it is possible to draw two main orders of conclusions, which should be taken into account both in assessing the relevance of the cooperative sector and in identifying supportive policies.

First of all, the analysis shows that in Italy cooperatives as a whole contribute very significantly to gross domestic product formation and employment. Their contribution then takes on particular relevance both in certain strategic sectors for the Italian economy such as, for example, agribusiness, and in activities that directly influence the well-being of citizens, especially those in situations of greater hardship (such as, for example, users served by social cooperatives). Moreover, in general and especially in sectors often characterized by poorly protected and remunerated forms of employment, cooperatives guarantee regular and largely stable employment. Moreover, if one takes into account at the same time the dynamics, more positive than those of other businesses and public administrations, that have characterized cooperation since the 1990s of the last century, that is, and especially since 2011, and the ongoing processes of tertiarization, it is entirely predictable that the growth of cooperation is destined to continue. In other words, long-term trends show that enterprises formed by people who come together to meet needs, rather than to make a profit, continue to be an indispensable player in the management of activities where human capital, and in particular its quality and motivation, assume particular relevance. And this is also in light of the demonstrated ability of cooperatives to respond to emerging needs through changes, not only in business sectors, but also in objectives and governance models.
The second conclusion is that cooperatives have really reacted to the crisis in a markedly different way from other forms of enterprise, and that this has been mainly due to their particular form of ownership and governance. Indeed, they are not supposed to protect the value of invested capital, but to satisfy, as far as possible, the needs of their members, whether related to consumption, work, or the management of segments of the business activity. As a result, faced with the decline in demand and/or member incomes caused by the crisis, cooperatives have reacted by trying to increase or at least maintain the services they offer and, therefore, also the levels of production and employment, while reducing operating margins. In other words, cooperatives have managed the crisis internally without offloading its burdens on public finances through the massive use of social shock absorbers.