Cooperatives as Key Actors in a Social-Ecological Transformation

The project “Cooperatives as Key Actors in a Social-Ecological Transformation” (Genossenschaften als zentrale Akteure einer sozial-ökologischen Transformation, GENOTRAFO) explores the social-ecological potential of cooperatives, particularly in rural areas, where many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face challenges in attracting suitable employees and identifying successors. For example, if a village bakery or a rural inn is unable to secure a successor, its employees could continue operating the business as a cooperative, with responsibility shared across a team rather than resting with a single individual.

Supporting business start-ups and succession is essential to maintaining economic structures and preserving employment in peripheral regions. This is the focus of GENOTRAFO, which works in close collaboration with partners from industry, research, and civil society. The project investigates cooperative models for business start-ups and succession through academic research while co-developing practical solutions with its collaboration partners.

The project also plans to establish a research focus at the University for Sustainable Development Eberswalde (HNEE), together with an information platform designed to raise the profile of cooperatives in rural areas, consolidate existing knowledge, and promote cooperative entrepreneurship. GENOTRAFO builds on the findings and formats developed through the completed German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) project „Inno4Ufo“ and transfers them to the context of cooperative business start-ups and business succession.