Coop FR

Coop FR is the representative organisation of the French cooperative movement. It speaks for cooperative enterprises across sectors and promotes the cooperative model — 'entreprendre ensemble pour un profit partagé' (undertaking together for shared profit) — as a distinct way of doing business rooted in democracy, shared ownership and service to people and territories. Its official site presents the cooperative enterprise as an agile, modern and widely applicable form of business, and positions Coop FR as 'la voix des entreprises coopératives françaises' (the voice of French cooperative enterprises). The organisation was founded in 1968 under the name Groupement national de la Coopération (GNC). It later rebranded as Coop FR, a name that emphasises the cooperative identity and the French national scope of its mission. Coop FR is a member of the International Cooperative Alliance (Alliance coopérative internationale), the global apex body of the cooperative movement, and it participates in international cooperative governance. Coop FR's work is primarily representational and promotional rather than commercial. It advocates for cooperative enterprises with public authorities, produces and shares key statistics on the cooperative economy, explains the cooperative model to the general public, and provides resources for people who want to create a cooperative. Its website offers practical pathways such as 'créer une coopérative' (create a cooperative), 'promouvoir le modèle' (promote the model), 'me documenter' (learn more) and 'vous suivre' (follow the organisation). It also addresses common misconceptions through a 'FAQ du sceptique' and publishes a cooperative manifesto. Coop FR is closely associated with the French social and solidarity economy (ESS — économie sociale et solidaire), presenting cooperative enterprises as major actors within that ecosystem. Its communications highlight the scale and performance of cooperatives, the international reality of the cooperative movement, and the 2025 International Year of Cooperatives. The organisation is led by a president and a secretary general; Jean-Louis Bancel served as president from 2015 to 2023, and Jérôme Saddier has held the presidency since 2023. Bastien Sibille, secretary general of Coop FR, was elected to the board of the International Cooperative Alliance, marking France's return to the governance of the global cooperative movement.

Coop FR traces its origins to 1968, when the Groupement national de la Coopération (GNC) was founded as a national grouping of the French cooperative movement. The GNC served as a common platform for cooperative organisations across sectors, giving the movement a single representative voice in dealings with public authorities and in public debate. Over the following decades the organisation consolidated its role as the national representative of cooperatives. It became a member of the International Cooperative Alliance, linking the French movement to the global cooperative network. Its work expanded from representation to include statistical reporting on the cooperative economy, public education about the cooperative model, and support for the creation of new cooperatives. The organisation later adopted the name Coop FR, a rebranding that placed the cooperative identity and its French national scope at the centre of its public profile. Under this name it has continued to promote the cooperative model as a modern, agile and widely applicable form of enterprise, and to position cooperative businesses as major actors in the French social and solidarity economy (ESS). Leadership of the organisation has included Jean-Louis Bancel, who served as president from 2015 to 2023, and Jérôme Saddier, who has held the presidency since 2023. Bastien Sibille, secretary general of Coop FR, was elected to the board of the International Cooperative Alliance, a development presented by Coop FR as France's return to the governance of the global cooperative movement. In its current communications, Coop FR highlights the scale and performance of cooperative enterprises, the international reality of the cooperative movement, and the 2025 International Year of Cooperatives. It publishes a cooperative manifesto and a 'FAQ du sceptique' addressing common preconceptions, and it provides practical pathways for creating a cooperative and for promoting the model.

• 2026

  Bastien Sibille, secretary general of Coop FR, elected to the board of the International Cooperative Alliance.

• 2025

  International Year of Cooperatives, highlighted by Coop FR.

• 2023

  Jérôme Saddier becomes president.

• 2015

  Jean-Louis Bancel becomes president.

• 1968

  Founding of the Groupement national de la Coopération (GNC), the predecessor of Coop FR.

The national voice and representative body of French cooperative enterprises, promoting the cooperative model within the social and solidarity economy and internationally.

• Representation and advocacy

  Representing French cooperative enterprises before public authorities and in public debate.

• Key statistics

  Publishing and sharing key figures on the French cooperative economy.

• Cooperative model education

  Explaining the cooperative model to the public, including a 'FAQ du sceptique'.

• Guidance for creating cooperatives

  Resources for those who want to create a cooperative.

• Cooperative manifesto

  A manifesto promoting the strength of collective action ('la force du nous').

1. 1Accueil | Coop FRentreprises.coop
2. 2Coop FR — Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Coop FR — Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org