A conversation with... Anne-Laure Degris

Anne-Laure Desgris is Co-Chief Executive of Smart (Belgium)

Tell us about your organisation?
Smart is a cooperative based in Belgium that enables thousands of workers — whether they are artists or project holders from other sectors — to host and develop their professional activities within a shared enterprise. Rather than working alone, members can pool resources and tools, and grow their activities in an autonomous and secure way, while benefiting from the social protection of salaried employment. 

Being a cooperative allows us to place people at the heart of our economic model, with participatory governance and services designed collectively, with and for our members. Smart was founded in Belgium a little over 25 years ago and has since expanded to other European countries, including Italy and Germany.

How does Smart impact its members? 

Smart enables people to formalise their income and secure their professional activity. By becoming an employee of Smart, each person can develop their project while benefiting from a protective and collective framework. 

I could share many stories from theatre directors to musicians, or even a sheep shearer. Often, people struggle to manage contracts, invoices, and social and tax declarations on their own. With Smart, they can focus on their core profession while benefiting from employee status, social protection, and a supportive community. 

Beyond individual support, Smart creates spaces for cooperation, solidarity, and experimentation. We host collective projects, mutual aid groups, and democratic spaces where members actively participate in shaping the future of the cooperative. 

Why is the CM50 important? 

Because it brings together cooperative and mutual leaders from around the world to share experiences, build alliances, and promote a more democratic economy. I chose to get involved because I believe cooperatives must, of course, support their members locally – but also contribute to global change. The CM50 is a space to amplify our voices, learn from one another, and advocate for systemic transformation. 

The goal is to strengthen the cooperative movement as a political and social force – one that can respond to today’s challenges with solidarity, sustainability, and democracy. We are a movement that must proudly uphold its values of equality and inclusion – across gender and origin – and its commitment to human dignity and respect for the planet. 

What are your hopes for Doha and beyond? 

The World Social Summit brings together activists, cooperators, and changemakers from around the globe. I hope this event will help connect the cooperative movement with broader social struggles: for climate justice, gender equality, decent work, and democratic governance. 

My hope is that cooperatives will be recognised not only as economic actors, but also as political and social forces capable of transforming systems for a fairer future. Beyond Doha, I want to see lasting alliances built between cooperatives and other movements for social transformation. We need to build bridges, share tools, and create spaces where collective action can thrive. The future we envision is one where cooperation is no longer the exception — but becomes the norm. 

How do cooperatives build a better world? 

By proving that democracy is not just a political ideal – it can be the foundation of how we work, produce, and live together – in solidarity with one another and with respect for our planet.