Australia’s Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals (BCCM) has launched a storytelling campaign to celebrate the people and purpose behind the country’s co-operatives and mutuals.
Unveiled at the 2025 BCCM Leaders’ Summit in Adelaide, the Power of Co campaign aims to highlight the strength of collaboration and shared ownership through the voices of co-operative and mutual leaders.
BCCM says it wants “to elevate the visibility of co-operatives and mutuals and their role in shaping a fairer, more inclusive economy”.
Power of Co features a series of videos that explore what co-operation looks like in action – from community impact to business innovation.
The first video in the series features Rohan Mead, group managing director and CEO of Australian Unity, who speaks in his retirement year about the need to reform Australia’s healthcare system around the home and the individual.
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Reflecting on the future of co-operative enterprise, Mead says: “I am tremendously optimistic about the future because I see the generation that’s emerging as essentially extraordinarily sophisticated. This is a very exciting time, and I think there is a real application for firms like ours to be part of the solution-seeking genius of the corporate model.”
The campaign, adds BCCM, is designed to showcase how co-operatives and mutuals are delivering sustainable success — not just in business, but in communities across Australia. It invites viewers to discover the values that underpin the co-operative model: democratic ownership, long-term thinking, and a commitment to people over profit.
To support organisations in communicating the value of co-operation, BCCM has also developed a companion resource Purpose, Vision & Messaging for Co-operatives and Mutuals: A Book of Messaging for Co-operative Principles. This guide, it says, helps co-operatives and mutuals articulate their purpose with clarity and confidence.
BCCM CEO Melina Morrison said: “The Power of Co is about telling our story louder. It’s time to celebrate the co-operative difference and show how our model delivers real impact for Australians. Through this campaign, we’re inviting our members and the public to see co-operation as a force for change.”
