The CG Scop, Confédération générale des Scop, is the spokesperson for 67,000 employees of sociétés coopératives et participatives (Scop) (cooperative and participatory companies) and sociétés coopératives d’intérêt collectif (Scic) (collective interest cooperatives) with the public authorities and political, economic and social actors.
It leads and coordinates the action of the network’s bodies, i.e. 9 regional unions and 4 trade federations (construction, industry, communication and CAE). The network offers a complete service to Scop and Scic members and to project leaders: reception and personalised follow-up, legal support, financing solutions adapted to the creation of companies as well as to their development, training, exchanges, professionals, etc.
Promoting the objective of democratic, joint and efficient governance to members
“The cooperative model is conducive to women’s access to management. While 28% of the senior managers of cooperative companies are women, cooperatives resulting from the transformation of associations stand out with 35% of women in their senior management.
Women leaders of cooperative companies are present in all sectors of activity. The education, health and social work sector comes first (44% of the members of the management are women), followed by trade (38%) and services (31%) sectors.
It should be noted that Scops encourage young women to become managers. Indeed, one third of female managers are under 40 years of age, compared to a quarter of male managers.
The principle of governance of the cooperative company implies that the management is often shared by several people. Based on this observation, the analysis by company shows that 32% of cooperative companies have at least one female (co)director at their head.
In a context where the principle of equality between women and men is fully at the heart of the debates, the social and solidarity economy (SSE) has recently strengthened its commitment to the issue through the adoption, on 7 February 2017, of the first report on gender equality in the SSE provided for by law, with a related action plan.
In 2017, the Higher Council of the Social and Solidarity Economy, of which CG Scop is a member, adopted a guide to good practices for SSE companies as well as a gender equality report.
Alongside the major SSE networks, the CG Scop has a firm ambition and is committed to achieving parity in the governance bodies of the SSE by March 2022. The Confederation undertakes to promote this goal among its members. Its ongoing statutory developments are proof of this.
Integrating gender equality in national and regional bodies
“To shift the lines of our bodies and ensure a more democratic, modern and parity-oriented governance, the National Executive of January 30, 2021 passed three measures. With the first measure, the National Executive adopted the fact that in the national bodies, the Bureau and the National Executive, there is total parity between men and women. And, at regional level, it will be necessary for the boards of directors of regional unions to be composed of at least 40% women.”
Renewing bodies through parity
“While today, the National Executive of Scops has three representatives per regional union, the second measure adopted foresees that the National Executive will be enlarged, from the next term of office, to four representatives per regional union, including two women and two men. This will give us perfect parity. The third measure, which is complementary to the others, provides for the mandates of confederal president, regional union president and federation president being limited to two 4-year terms of office. This will make it possible to broaden the pool of elected officials in order to better renew mandates and to promote parity.”