The IRU’s aim is to promote cooperation between cooperative organisations on a global scale. Founded in 1968 as an association registered in Bonn, the International Raiffeisen Union embodies the principles and legacy of Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen, the pioneer of the cooperative movement. With 50 members in some 33 countries, the IRU plays a central role in promoting and preserving those cooperative values. The IRU’s main member cooperatives in Western Europe come from the banking world.

The IRU is primarily dedicated to improving the cooperative regulatory framework worldwide. The principles of Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen are the foundation on which the IRU’s work is based. However, the IRU recognises the need to adapt those principles to current market developments. This means remaining flexible while retaining the fundamental values which guide cooperatives. The IRU is committed to finding a balance between tradition and innovation to ensure the sustainability of the cooperative model. It strives to create an environment where cooperatives thrive and can be dynamic, forward-looking enterprises. The IRU also encourages the creation of new cooperatives, offering communities around the world the opportunity to organise themselves collectively to achieve their goals.

The IRU remains resolutely committed to its mission of cultivating Raiffeisen’s ideas, promoting them openly and, above all, fostering the exchange of experience and skills between member organisations. In this way, the IRU creates a powerful synergy for solving today’s challenges.

In today’s world, more than 900,000 cooperatives with around 800 million members in over 100 countries operate in accordance with the principles propounded by Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen. The IRU plays an essential role in preserving that heritage and promoting cooperation.