Interview: Sustainability – going beyond climate action. The example of a small cooperative in Denmark

Log Ladies are among the final beneficiaries the SKI.F.T. project has the pleasure to accompany on a part of their transition journey, together with Kooperationen, the Danish cooperative employers’ organisation and social economy support structure. Below you will find an interview with Laura Klakk (Log Ladies) and Elsa Brander (Kooperationen). Inspiring thoughts on the definition of sustainability, regenerative construction and the need for local and national governments to experiment more.

Can you briefly introduce your organisation and its activities?

Log Ladies:

Log Ladies is a construction cooperative that, based on values of sustainability, community and diversity, carries out small and medium-sized carpentry/joinery tasks, holds construction workshops and participates in debates about ecology, feminism, counter-growth and craftsmanship.

We are trained carpenters and joiners with a mission for a more equal and sustainable construction industry. A sustainable construction industry is inclusive, caring and regenerative. Therefore, in our work, we focus on creating inclusive and safe learning spaces when we teach externally and help each other internally, a working life with co-influence, well-being and balance, as well as craftsmanship and construction that actively contributes positively to the well-being of the environment, the climate, nature and people.

Kooperationen:

Kooperationen is an organization dedicated to promoting cooperative principles and supporting cooperative enterprises in Denmark. With a strong commitment to sustainable development, Kooperationen actively works to foster innovation, collaboration, and resilience among its members, focusing on creating equitable and inclusive economic systems.

Kooperationen’s involvement in SKI.F.T. is driven by its belief in the transformative potential of cooperative and social economy enterprises. These businesses, with their emphasis on shared ownership, social responsibility, and long-term value creation, are uniquely positioned to lead in the green transition.

Log Ladies combines climate action, the fight for equality (also in the workplace) and anti-discrimination with democracy in the workplace. In your opinion, how are all these elements connected to each other?

Log Ladies:

At its core, it can be boiled down to: all forms of abuse are connected, and this realization holds potential for action towards an ecofeminist utopia.

By being a cooperative, we promise each other to take part in solving a social problem and to do so in a democratic way; for us, it is connected to he fact that there are few women in vocational training and that people have a disconnected relationship with nature and its resources. For many hundreds of years, a typical masculine approach to power has prevailed in both things, and women have been erased from history, education, the labor market, and thus up to half of the world’s voices have been removed. It is undemocratic.

What if our homes, food and working lives were conceived and carried out by women? We believe the world would look more balanced, caring and less in crisis.

What will Kooperationen have « on offer » for micro and small social economy enterprises in the coming months in the framework of SKI.F.T. and beyond?

Kooperationen:

Kooperationen, through the SKI.F.T. Skills for Transition project, offers mentoring, business development support, financial assistance, and tools to help micro and small social economy enterprises adopt sustainable business models, build local green partnerships, and showcase their green transition efforts.

What is your motivation for participating in the SKI.F.T. advisory and coaching sessions offered by Kooperationen, and what are your expectations?

Log Ladies:

With the massive negative impact the construction industry has on our climate, biodiversity and environment, we are extremely motivated to work not only with sustainable but also regenerative construction. In our vision of carrying out regenerative construction, we need competence building that we can use in our construction tasks and when we learn the craft further through our workshops. We see community as a cornerstone of change, which is why it would be valuable for us to join a network of motivated cooperatives and social economy enterprises across Europe.

We expect new experiences in the field of green transition, an expanded network and inspiration for initiatives that can move our company in an even more climate-conscious direction.

What would you like to change in your company in the short and long term? What will you need to achieve this (beside financing)?

Log Ladies:

We want to influence what good craftsmanship and construction are, and to strengthen the individual carpenter in the construction industry. To do this, we need more knowledge and practical experience of how we can build regeneratively. This in particular applies to knowledge about the production, usability and disposal of materials. We need facts when we are facing the customer. We want a strong communication basis, and that the carpenter who builds the house knows exactly what we are building with and appears as one of the experts and not just the manual part of the construction. The challenge in relation to ecological construction often lies in the building regulations, which are largely controlled by the industry’s major players, stakeholders and lobbyists.

We want to get familiar with the expertise from idealistic and progressive experts. In the ecological building tradition, the carpentry, bricklaying and painting professions are closely related, and therefore we want to expand our expertise over time and be introduced to clay plaster and ecological surface treatment of wood and clay. This will require that we periodically put aside construction and spend time on further education. This also means that we must subsequently dare to focus on some customers and tasks and say no to others, so that we can apply our new knowledge and put it into practice.

In SKI.F.T. we are discussing opportunities to promote the creation or strengthening of local “social green” short supply chains. Based on your experience of collaboration with other companies and organizations, what would be most necessary here? 

Log Ladies:

Local, social and strong collaborations require that municipalities and the state dare to experiment more. Through agreements with local recycling stations, we have gradually bent the rules for what is allowed – right now it is not legal to take furniture and building materials out of containers. It requires resources to facilitate this in a safe way, but it can be done. Both employees at the recycling station, citizens and companies like ours want to build and create things with recycled materials. There are also great demands for the building regulations to be changed and not influenced by large investors who do not have a sincere climate-responsible policy or interest. In many cases, it is impossible to build both in a green and legal manner, and in other cases it requires a lot of permits, and sadly the slowness in a crisis-chaotic age is demotivating.

What expectations does Kooperationen have regarding policymakers at different levels when it comes to facilitating green transition of small and micro social economy enterprises?

Policymakers in Denmark have limited interest and knowledge of cooperative enterprises. However, two key political agendas offer potential for the future of cooperatives: the Municipality of Copenhagen has increased its focus on the development of democratic enterprises and better framework conditions, and a new political agreement with subsequent recommendations – the first in 30 years – has been reached where the parties acknowledge the recommendation for a model for employee ownership succession.

Danish and European policymakers should create tailored funding and incentives to support green transitions for small and micro social economy cooperative enterprises. Simplified regulations and accessible resources are essential to reduce barriers. Efforts should focus on capacity building through training and knowledge-sharing while ensuring these enterprises gain recognition for their contributions. Additionally, fostering collaboration with local authorities and stakeholders can strengthen inclusive green value chains and drive sustainable progress. 

Overall, Kooperationen remains optimistic and actively works to ensure the cooperative business model receives the recognition it deserves.