Senior leaders from Australia’s co-operative and mutual sector gathered in London and Brussels from 6 to 11 September, for a programme of meetings organised by the Business Council of Cooperatives and Mutuals (BCCM) through its International Mutual Leadership Program 2026.
Through meetings with leading member-owned businesses, policymakers and sector bodies, the programme examined how co-operatives and mutuals can grow while remaining true to their members, purpose and communities.
Delivered by the BCCM in collaboration with Mutuo, the programme was designed to foster knowledge exchange, strengthen international relationships and identify practical lessons that can support the growth, competitiveness and influence of co-ops and mutuals in Australia.
Delegates compared approaches to organic growth, mergers and acquisitions, member value, purpose, place and public policy influence.
The programme also created opportunities to build relationships that can support future international collaboration across the co-operative and mutual movement.
Writing on the apex’s website, BCCM chief executive Melina Morrison said the issue of growth had been a key focus of the week.
“Not growth for growth’s sake,” she said, “but growth for the fulfilment of our mutual purpose, benefiting our members and by extension the communities where we operate and live. When mutuals and co-ops grow, it’s a net positive for society through inclusive economic development and the social impact of our business model.”
Morrison said there were lessons from the scale of the European sector, with 25% of banking delivered co-operatively. “In France, it is more than 60% of banking. In Germany, more than 70% of small business banking is done by co-operatives. In Britain, you are more likely to have your mortgage with a building society than any other type of bank. In the UK, the third-largest food company is Arla, larger than Coke.“ This Danish-originated dairy company also exports to more than 100 countries.”
Related: Doubling the co-op economy on opposite sides of the world
The delegates met trade officials at Australia House in London to discuss how important co-operatives are to the marketing, manufacture and export of Australian made products and services.
“With impeccable timing,” said Morrison, “on the same day, BCCM member Almondco received news of the co-op’s induction to the Australian Export Hall of Fame. Based at Renmark in SA’s Riverland region and founded in 1944, Almondco is grower-owned and represents more than 85% of the country’s almond growers. Congratulations Almondco and all our member exporters for your long-term contribution to the Australian economy.”
The purpose-led nature of the co-op and mutual sector was another focus of the visit, said Morrison. “Throughout the tour, we heard many examples of the innovative and creative ways co-operatives and mutuals have found to respond to their members’ needs. With members being their purpose, they are free to pursue the common good. What fuels this is commercial success.
“The focus on profitability and sustainability was a common theme of our meetings and something which co-ops and mutuals regard with pride. If a co-operative is not making money it can’t pursue the social good it intends to deliver. And, efficient capital use is necessary since it is the members’ money.”
The tour brought together leaders from co-ops and mutuals in the agriculture, banking, care and motoring sectors:
- Brenton Woolston, managing director, Almondco Australia
- Duncan Macdonald, acting chief integration and transformation officer, Bank Australia
- Nick Hislop, managing director, Mutual Care Services
- Chris Malcolm, chief data and propositions officer, P&N Group
- Nicholas Tseros, chief member officer, Police Bank
- Tim White, chief financial officer, Royal Automobile Association of South Australia
- Erica Pickford, chief operating officer, Teachers Mutual Bank
- Melina Morrison (BCCM), CEO, BCCM
The delegation was joined by Mutuo’s managing partner Peter Hunt and partner Mark Willetts, as they examined the decisions, conditions and leadership approaches that can enable co-operative and mutual businesses to grow while preserving their distinctive purpose.
Co-op and mutual leaders who met the delegation for discussions included Newcastle Building Society CEO Andrew Haigh; Labour/Co-op MP Andrew Pakes and members of the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group for Mutuals; Clare Sarson, head of co-operatives and mutuals policy at the UK Department for Business and Trade; and Ian Adderley, secretary of OurCoop and former Financial Conduct Authority technical specialist on co-operatives and mutuals, for a discussion of policy and regulation.
Delegates also met with Andy Walsh, a founding member of FC United of Manchester and formerly of the Football Supporters’ Federation, for a session on fan ownership and democratic governance in sport.
At Bayes Business School, University of London, the delegation met representatives of Confebras, Brazil’s national confederation of financial co-ops, for a session on the business environments, challenges and opportunities facing co-ops and mutuals in Australia and Brazil.
The delegation also visited leading mutual Royal London, meeting Steven Hill, head of policy and external affairs; Simon Burt, senior social impact manager; and Nadia Robinson, senior manager, brand strategy and campaigns. They discussed how mutuality can be embedded across policy, social impact, brand strategy and member engagement, with customer ownership offering competitive advantage by building trust, strengthening member relationships and creating long-term value.
Steve Hughes, group CEO at the Coventry Building Society, met delegates to discuss the organisation’s growth strategy, including its acquisition of the Co-op Bank. And Debbie Crosbie, CEO of the Nationwide Building Society, shared insights on leadership, growth and the contribution of mutuals to the economy.
From the agri sector, the delegates met Arla Foods’ agricultural director Paul Drover, communications director Nicola Morgan-Hulme and public affairs adviser Gavin Devine, for a discussion of how a large farmer-owned co-op balances international scale with member value, sustainability and long-term investment.
In Brussels, the delegation met Nina Schindler, CEO, European Association of Co-operative Banks, to discuss advocacy, regulation and the policy environment shaping co-operative banking across Europe. And Hans Groeneveld, professor of financial co-operatives at Tilburg University, shared perspectives on the distinctive strengths of member-owned businesses and their contribution to stable, diverse and resilient economies.
The group also met with P&V Group’s chair Hilde Vernaillen and CEO Jeroen Spinoy, who explained how the insurance co-op combines commercial sustainability with its mission to provide accessible insurance and create positive social impact.
“Co-operatives and mutuals may grow organically,” wrote the BCCM after the tour, “through mergers and acquisitions, by strengthening member value, by investing in place and community or by improving the policy and regulatory environment in which they operate.
“What connected the discussions was the importance of commercial discipline, long-term thinking and a clear understanding of member purpose. Growth is not separate from mutual purpose. When pursued deliberately and sustainably, growth increases the capacity of co-operatives and mutuals to invest in their members, employees and communities.
“The BCCM will continue to create opportunities for Australian co-operative and mutual leaders to exchange knowledge with international peers. These relationships expand the ideas, evidence and practical experience available to the sector as it works to increase its contribution to Australia’s economy and communities.”
