AAC2024: Co-operatives as models of social business in the Asia-Pacific

03 December 2024

BCCM CEO Melina Morrison and Special Advisor Michael Pilbrow (Director of Strategic Development Group) will join the panel “Total value creation: Co-operatives as models of social business in the Asia-Pacific” at the 2024 Australasian AID Conference this week, hosted by the Development Policy Centre.

Co-operatives are a proven model for inclusive economic development, supporting the livelihoods of 10% of the world’s working population. Globally, the top 300 co-operatives and mutuals have a combined turnover of more than US$2.4 trillion.

There is a strong case for the Australian government to commission co-design work that lays out the opportunities to support Asia-Pacific co-operative development in 2025 and beyond, including through:

1. improved legal framework for co-operatives to operate, supporting governments with national legislation, regulations, strategies and regional harmonisation; and
2. supporting Minsters from the Asia-Pacific in their call for the establishment of a Pacific Network of Co-operatives.

Chair: Michael Pilbrow, Director and Chairman, Strategic Development Group

Panelists:

• Melina Morrison, CEO, Business Council of Cooperatives and Mutuals
• Dulce Bustamante, Chairperson International Cooperative Alliance, Asia Pacific Committee on Youth Cooperation & Executive Director, Union of Legitimate Service Contracting Cooperatives, Philippines, International Co-operative Alliance
• Setareki Macanawai, Global Disability Inclusion and Equity Advisor & former CEO of the Pacific Disability Forum

Follow the conference livestream on the Devpolicy YouTube channel.