Research

The BCCM researches the size and contribution of co-operatives and mutuals in Australia to provide evidence for the competitive advantages of member-owned businesses.

The BCCM is the only non-governmental organisation collecting annual data on the state of the sector.

Improving the collection of data on co-operative and mutual businesses by government was a key recommendation of the 2016 Senate inquiry into the sector.

BCCM reports

National Mutual Economy Report

Annual report on the size and contribution of the Australian co-op and mutual sector. It provides a yearly update on the health of the sector.

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Blueprint for an enterprising nation

A policy guide to how Australia’s co-operative and mutual businesses can contribute to our nation’s growth and prosperity.

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Woman in mask. Photo: Engin Akyurt, unsplash.

Leading the Resilience Report

Report on the response of leading Australian co-ops and mutuals to the COVID-19 pandemic, staying resilient and true to the purpose of serving their members.

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Browse our reports

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2024 National Mutual Economy Report (NME) – Australia’s Top 100 CMEs

The 2024 National Mutual Economy (NME) Report measures the size and the performance of the Australian co-operative and mutual sector.

Gender diversity of chairs and CEOs among the top 100 CMEs

Report detailing gender diversity of chairs and chief executives among the top 100 co-operative and mutual enterprises in Australia (2016 – 2021).

Doing business together

This report, commissioned by the BCCM, examines Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ inclusion in the Australian co-operative and mutual sector.

Disability inclusion in the cooperatives and mutuals sector in Australia report

Explore ways in which businesses in the CME sector in Australia can position themselves as ‘employers of choice’ for people with disabilities, and meaningfully increase their engagement and...

Primary producer co-operatives: The beating heart of community resilience and recovery

This report, commissioned by the BCCM, looks at four case studies around Australia where a local co-operative has been the backbone of community resilience and recovery following disaster.

Developing a pedagogy for co-operative education in Australia

Recommendations on the need for co-operative educational framework in Australia. Co-operative Farming has used this report for its Educational and Accreditation Framework.

Learning on the go

Identifying barriers and opportunities for the formation and development of agricultural co-operatives in Australia.

Purposeful, Sustainable Business

This report examines the nature of company boards’ understanding and familiarity with the concept of social responsibility and the importance of their corporate footprint being open to scrutiny.

Action to Empower: Why Australia needs more co-operative and mutual enterprises in health, community, and social services

This report focusses on the potential contribution of co-operatives and mutuals to innovation and reforms in aged care and disability services, informed by Australian experiences and a BCCM study tour...

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Community investment for Australian co-operatives: A handbook

For communities who want to work together to build an enterprise that serves their needs and aspirations. Updated 2021.

Co-operative Farming: Blueprint for future proofing Aussie farmers

This report highlights thriving agricultural co-operative businesses, focusing on how co-operatives are good for farmers, fishers and foresters; regional Australia; and Australia.

Discussion paper: Co-operatives and mutuals as social enterprises

How co-operatives and mutuals sit alongside contemporary definitions and accreditation processes for social enterprise and the alignment between the objectives of social enterprise policymakers and...

CoopConnect: A Coop Eco-System to enhance connectivity and promote innovation in the Cooperative Enterprise sector

This report presents CoopConnect, an initiative to transform the CME sector by creating an innovative environment that will leverage CMEs’ distinctive capabilities.

Eliza’s Project: Gender inclusion in the CME sector in Australia

Women had equal voting power in co-operatives decades before the success of the women’s suffrage movement. This report looks at the current position of gender inclusion.

Who knew Australians were so co-operative?

The size and scope of mutually owned co-operatives in Australia.

Sticky Money

An outline of the commercial value of Australian co-operatives and mutuals

Browse the BCCM Resource Library

Research projects

The BCCM works closely with universities and researchers to increase research into the Australian co-operative and mutual sector.

Mutual Value Lab

On 16 August 2023, the Mutual Value Lab officially launched in Melbourne. The MV Lab is a partnership between the BCCM and Monash University to measure the value co-ops and mutuals create for their members and their community.

The lab is the latest addition to the Monash Business School’s pioneering Impact Labs initiative and the first research unit of its kind in the world. It builds up the successful research collaboration between the BCCM and Monash, which led to the rollout of the Mutual Value Measurement Framework©.

Co-operative Enterprise Research Unit (CERU) – University of Western Australia

Led by Professor Tim Mazzarol, a multi-disciplinary unit covering business, economic and social aspects of co-operatives and mutuals, with a global research network. CERU has produced:

Australia’s Leading Co-operative and Mutual Enterprises
Sustainable Co-operative Enterprise Research Study
Australian Co-operative and Mutual Enterprise Index (ACMEI)
Co-operatives and Mutuals Strategic Development Program

Co-operative Research Group – University of Sydney

The Co-operatives Research Group (CRG) provides a forum for research into and teaching about all forms of mutual organisations, including; consumer, social, worker, finance, producer co-operatives and other membership-based democratic organisations.

The CRG’s research projects include the Visual Historical Atlas of Australian Co-operatives (download project overview), which has received funding from the Australian Research Council, the University of Sydney Business School and the BCCM. The Atlas is a valuable research tool for the sector that currently contains historical data on approximately 8,000 co-operatives.

Other projects completed include a commissioned history of the Macleay Regional Co-operative. Throughout the year, the Co-operatives Research Group hosts seminars and events.

Monash Business School - Monash University

The BCCM has partnered with the Monash Business School’s Department of Accounting to create an industry value framework for co-operatives and mutuals termed a Mutual Value Measurement© (MVM). The project totals $1.1 million, including a $0.6m contribution from industry.

Measuring the value created by Australia’s co-operatives and mutuals
Putting a value on social impact
Measuring CMEs value videos playlist
‘People before profit’ – How mutuals are teaching banks a lesson – an episode of Thought Capital, Mutuals and co-ops are having their moment, with Professor Matthew Hall and Dr Paul Thambar.

Centre for Business and Social Innovation – University of Technology Sydney

Building and sustaining an innovative environment is an integral part of building successful Cooperative and Mutual Enterprises (CMEs) in Australia. This report presents CoopConnect, an initiative to transform the CME sector by creating an innovative environment that will leverage CMEs’ distinctive capabilities. CoopConnect also proposes a branding exercise, whereby CMEs will broadcast their distinctive position as community oriented, sustainable and socially responsible enterprises.

Per Capita

The BCCM partnered with independent think tank, Per Capita, again in 2017 to undertake research into disability inclusion in Australian CMEs.

Browse the Disability Inclusion Toolkit and report.

The BCCM’s previous collaboration with Per Capita was the gender inclusion research Eliza’s Project.

Towards a Co-operative State: Securing the Social and Economic Prosperity of South Australia through corporate diversity

Dr Guy Turnbull is a leading UK social care expert involved in the co-operative and social enterprise sector since 1988.

Dr Guy Turnbull has set out to explore how corporate diversity can empower people with disability as citizens so they are able to exercise real choice and control in a diversified marketplace of providers.

Read the Towards a Co-operative State: Securing the Social and Economic Prosperity of South Australia through corporate diversity report.