Co-operatives build a better world

01 December 2025

2025 has been a landmark year for co-operatives and mutuals in Australia and internationally. As we celebrate the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC), we reflect on the impact our movement has had in building stronger communities, driving innovation, and delivering solutions to some of society’s most pressing challenges. This edition, focused on the IYC theme of “Co-operatives build a better world”, showcases how co-ops are making a difference across care, energy, housing, regional development and beyond. Thank you for your ongoing support and interest in the movement. We look forward to building on this momentum in 2026.

Care: transforming social and health services

Co-operatives are leading the way in designing and delivering care services tailored to local needs, empowering communities and improving lives.

• Glen Innes Health Hub
  The Glen Innes Health Hub is a milestone for rural and regional healthcare. It was launched through a community-owned co-operative formed via our Care Together program. Local residents co-design care services around their priorities, supported by Regional Australia Bank.
• Girudala Community Co-operative Society
  Girudala is a 50-year-old Aboriginal Community Housing Organisation (ACHO) providing social services, housing, and primary healthcare to members in Bowen, Queensland. Supported by Care Together, Girudala is a beacon for community-led solutions.
• Murrumbidgee Aged Care Network Co-operative
  This new co-operative was formed by a cluster of smaller, community-owned aged care services to share back office functions, ensuring sustainability and community control. Supported by Care Together, the network keeps aged care in community hands.
• Eurobodalla Community Care Co-operative
  Sole trader disability home support workers across Bega-Eurobodalla have formed a co-operative to share registration, back office functions and work together in solidarity as a flexible care workforce, supported by Care Together.

Energy: community-led solutions

Co-ops are helping Australians take control of their energy future, supporting community-owned renewables and fairer energy systems.

• Cooperative Power
  Cooperative Power is a non-profit co-operative working to put power back in people’s hands. It delivers affordable energy services, supports community-owned renewables and helps households reduce energy use. Members vote on how impact is maximised, supporting projects such as the Goulburn Community Energy Cooperative, the solar and battery system in Deir Al Sudan Women’s Cooperative and the Seed Indigenous Youth Climate Network Grassroots Gathering.
• Original Power
  Original Power supported Borroloola community members in the Northern Territory to launch Ngardara Co-operative, a majority community-owned solar and battery microgrid. The project is lowering energy costs and emissions, and is part of a growing movement of community energy co-operatives delivering cleaner, affordable power under local control.

Co-op Housing: finding co-operative solutions

Co-operative housing offers innovative, community-focused solutions to Australia’s housing challenges, putting people before profit and fostering security and belonging.

The BCCM is proud to support the Australian Co-operative Housing Alliance (ACHA) — the first peak body for co-operative housing in Australia. This year, ACHA hosted its second Co-op Housing Summit at the MCG, bringing together sector leaders, policymakers and advocates to advance co-operative housing solutions nationwide.

Regional development: supporting local economies

Co-ops are breathing new life into regional communities, supporting local businesses, jobs and essential services.

• GNP360
  GNP360 is a community-owned co-operative in Gnowangerup, Western Australia, focused on improving rural life. With support from The Bunya Fund, funded by BCCM members, GNP360 utilised a $25,000 grant to secure an additional $250,000 for a local hotel refurbishment, thereby strengthening sustainability and positive impact in the region. The Bunya Fund has distributed $350,000 in grants to emerging co-operatives and mutuals over the past three years, with a fourth round of $100,000 funded this year by CBH Group, Australian Unity, Bank Australia and APS Benefits Group.
• Australian co-op and mutual directory
  The BCCM and SGS Economics and Planning’s new national interactive directory makes it easy to discover co-operatives and mutuals near you. You can search by location, sector, service type or BCCM membership. There is also a dedicated interactive map of Australia’s care co-operatives and mutuals, developed as part of the Care Together program.

International engagement and global leadership

The BCCM is part of a global network, advancing co-operative solutions and sharing expertise to build a fairer, more sustainable world. We continue our international engagement through memberships with the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA), International Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Federation (ICMIF) and the European Association of Co-operative Banks (EACB).

This week we represented the Australian Co-op and Mutual sector at CICOPA Asia Pacific committee meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The meeting, part of the 17th ICA-AP Regional Assembly, spotlighted the urgent need for innovative, sustainable models in social care, with co-ops stepping up to deliver quality, affordable, and people-centred care, especially for women, who make up the majority of the care workforce. We were honoured to present the Care Together program, highlighting achievements in supporting new co-operatives, fostering innovation, and building capacity in regional, rural, and remote areas.

We welcomed global leaders in the movement to our Leaders’ Summit in Adelaide this year, including Jeroen Douglas (Director General, ICA). Jeroen leads the world’s largest network of democratically controlled enterprises, 3 million co-operatives that represent at least 12 per cent of the global population and generate around 280 million jobs. Under his leadership, the ICA advances a more inclusive, democratic and sustainable economic model aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and beyond.

We were also delighted to host Andrew Pakes, Labour (Co-op) MP for Peterborough, UK, and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Mutuals. Andrew has championed co-operative housing, introducing legislation to give renters more security through co-op tenure. His work focuses on expanding the co-operative economy, supporting businesses and communities built on mutual ownership and democratic principles. As the UK Government’s envoy for co-ops and mutuals, Andrew is leading the commitment to double the size of the UK mutual economy.

The Power of Co – Rohan Mead, Australian Unity – YouTube