Federal Association for the Promotion of the Cooperative Idea

The Bundesverein zur Förderung des Genossenschaftsgedankens e.V. (BzFdG) — in English, the Federal Association for the Promotion of the Cooperative Idea — is a German non-profit registered association dedicated to communicating and propagating the cooperative principles of self-help, self-responsibility and self-administration. Its stated purpose is to promote the practical, political and academic implementation of these principles. It describes cooperatives as communities in which people pool their strengths and resources for the economic, social or cultural benefit of their members, and as organisations that often have a stabilising effect on their surroundings and contribute to sustainable future security. The association was founded on 14 March 1986. It is based in Leipzig and operates primarily in Germany. Its activities include documenting the current state of the cooperative sector, organising information events for people interested in founding cooperatives, publishing materials and newsletters, and engaging in political lobbying. It supports people who want to choose and use the cooperative organisational form, and offers interested parties the opportunity to communicate and further develop the cooperative idea. In November 2001 the Bundesverein was, together with the Bank für Sozialwirtschaft, the GdW Bundesverband deutscher Wohnungsunternehmen, the Zentralverband deutscher Konsumgenossenschaften and others, a co-founder of Innova eG, a consultancy for prospective founders and existing cooperatives as well as a provider of further training for managers. Innova eG is described as a subsidiary and cooperative consultancy of the association. The association contributed substantially to the "revitalisation" of cooperatives and to research on them after 2000. More recent activities concern, among other things, the reflection of cooperative principles in other corporate forms and the restoration of Paragraph 27 of the German Cooperative Act (§ 27 GenG), which would give members of larger cooperatives more say and responsibility in company decisions. In September 2024, together with the Institut für ökologisches Wirtschaftsforschung (IÖW) and other associations, the Bundesverein co-founded the network Kooperatives Wirtschaften – Social Solidarity Economy Germany e. V. (VKW), dedicated to promoting the solidarity economy. The association is led by a board; its current chair is Jan Kuhnert. Known members include Burghard Flieger (board assessor) and former officeholders such as Hans-Ulrich Klose (chair 1986–1989), Oswald Paulig (board member 1986–1990) and Walter Schöler (deputy chair 2000–2016). It publishes a newsletter (Genoinfo) and has issued publications including a 2007 volume marking 20 years of engagement for a democratic economic form, and works on social cooperatives and the archive of new cooperatives. Its website is genossenschaftsgedanke.de.

The Bundesverein zur Förderung des Genossenschaftsgedankens e.V. (BzFdG) was founded on 14 March 1986. It is a non-profit registered association (gemeinnütziger Verein) dedicated to communicating the cooperative principles of self-organisation, cooperative economic activity and democratic participation in Germany. Its work includes documenting the current state of the cooperative system, organising information events for new foundations, and political lobbying. In its early years the association was led by Hans-Ulrich Klose as chair (1986–1989), with Oswald Paulig on the board (1986–1990). In 1987 it published the pamphlet "Stärkt den Genossenschaftsgedanken. Solidarische Hilfe eröffnet Zukunft. Was will der 'Verein zur Förderung des Genossenschaftsgedankens'?" In 1998 Waldemar Schindowski published, under the association's name, an archive of new cooperatives, alternative economy and employment initiatives in the AG SPAK series. In November 2001 the Bundesverein, together with the Bank für Sozialwirtschaft, the GdW Bundesverband deutscher Wohnungsunternehmen, the Zentralverband deutscher Konsumgenossenschaften and others, co-founded Innova eG, a consultancy for prospective founders and existing cooperatives and a provider of further training for managers. Innova eG is described as a subsidiary and cooperative consultancy of the association. Walter Schöler served as deputy chair from 2000 to 2016. After 2000 the Bundesverein contributed substantially to the "revitalisation" of cooperatives and to research on them. In 2003 Burghard Flieger published, with the association, a work on social cooperatives as ways to more employment, civic engagement and future forms of work. In 2007 the association published a volume marking 20 years of engagement for a democratic economic form (1986–2006). More recent activities of the BzFdG concern, among other things, the reflection of cooperative principles in other corporate forms and the restoration of Paragraph 27 of the German Cooperative Act (§ 27 GenG), in order to give members of larger cooperatives more say and responsibility in company decisions. In September 2024, together with the Institut für ökologisches Wirtschaftsforschung (IÖW) and other associations, the Bundesverein co-founded the network Kooperatives Wirtschaften – Social Solidarity Economy Germany e. V. (VKW), dedicated to promoting the solidarity economy. In 2024, a work co-authored by Johannes Blome-Drees, Philipp Degens, Greta Franke, Lukas Lapschieß, Christian Lautermann, Joschka Moldenhauer, Jonas Pentzien and Carla Young on cooperative economic activity in civil society was published by Campus. The current chair of the board is Jan Kuhnert; Burghard Flieger is a board assessor. The association maintains a website at genossenschaftsgedanke.de, publishes the Genoinfo newsletter, and offers membership with a contribution schedule and accession form. In 2026 it launched the project "Geno-Wissen teilen" and published analyses such as a comparison of cooperatives in Germany and Italy.

• Bundesverein zur Förderung des Genossenschaftsgedankens e.V. founded.

• Hans-Ulrich Klose serves as chair of the board.

• Oswald Paulig serves as a member of the board.

• Publication of the pamphlet 'Stärkt den Genossenschaftsgedanken. Solidarische Hilfe eröffnet Zukunft.'

• Waldemar Schindowski publishes an archive of new cooperatives, alternative economy and employment initiatives under the association's name.

• Walter Schöler serves as deputy chair.

• Co-founding of Innova eG together with the Bank für Sozialwirtschaft, GdW, Zentralverband deutscher Konsumgenossenschaften and others.

• Publication with Burghard Flieger on social cooperatives.

• Publication of '1986–2006. 20 Jahre Engagement für eine demokratische Wirtschaftsform'.

• Co-founding of the network Kooperatives Wirtschaften – Social Solidarity Economy Germany e. V. (VKW) with the IÖW and other associations.

• Publication of 'Kooperatives Wirtschaften in der Zivilgesellschaft' by Campus.

• Launch of the project 'Geno-Wissen teilen'.

• Publication of an analysis comparing cooperatives in Germany and Italy.

Non-profit association promoting the cooperative idea through information, events, publications and political advocacy in Germany.

• Genoinfo newsletter

  Newsletter of the association, available for subscription.

• Innova eG cooperative consultancy

  Consultancy for prospective founders and existing cooperatives, and further training for managers, co-founded by the association in 2001.

• Information events for cooperative founders

  Events informing and forming opinions on the objectives and development of the cooperative system.

• Publications

  Books and materials on cooperatives, social cooperatives and cooperative economic activity.

1. 1Genossenschaftsgedanke | Bundesverein zur Förderung des Genossenschaftsgedankens e.V.genossenschaftsgedanke.de
2. 2Über uns | Genossenschaftsgedankegenossenschaftsgedanke.de
3. 3Bundesverein zur Förderung des Genossenschaftsgedankens e.V. – Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Bundesverein zur Förderung des Genossenschaftsgedankens – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org