Spotlight on Australia as UN declares 2025 the International Year of Cooperatives

09 December 2024

The impressive economic and community role played by Australian co-operatives and mutuals will be centre stage next year with the UN declaring 2025 as International Year of Cooperatives.

As the national peak body for co-operatives and mutuals, the Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals (BCCM) will spearhead Australia’s IYC 2025 celebrations, leading a public campaign to remind key policymakers and regulators about the vital contribution made by this $43 billion sector to the national economy.

“We look forward to collaborating with the thousands of co-op members across Australia as well as Federal and State Governments during IYC 2025, ensuring that the socio-economic contributions of the nation’s co-operative and mutual enterprises are recognised and celebrated,” said Melina Morrison, the CEO of the BCCM.

“Australian co-ops and mutuals thrive in the economy’s most competitive sectors. Their successes and quiet commitment to provide members with worthwhile and satisfying livelihoods based on a community-first business structure represents beacons of hope for a positive reassessment of what the national economy can achieve in years to come,” Ms Morrison said.

IYC 2025, declared by the United Nations, celebrates the unique ability of co-operatives and mutuals to drive social and economic development. With the theme “Cooperatives Build a Better World,” this global initiative puts a spotlight on how co-operatives address critical challenges and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Co-ops and mutuals have been serving Australians for more than 175 years, and these days 8 in 10 Australians are members of at least one mutually owned organisation in industries ranging from farming to finance, health to housing, motoring to manufacturing. Co-ops and mutuals have a staggering combined membership of 33.3 million in Australia,” Ms Morrison said.

Co-operatives and mutuals are significant employers and help thousands of business owners run profitable and sustainable businesses through trade credit and bulk buying groups. In 2023, Australian co-ops and mutuals directly employed 89,046 people and had more than 68,236 small business members.

The previous International Year of Cooperatives in 2012 was marked by joint celebrations between industry and government, including Australian engagement with the United Nations in New York, the commissioning of a commemorative coin, industry events and the publication of a book showcasing Australian co-operative stories.

One enduring legacy of the 2012 celebration was the formation and continued growth of the BCCM, which began as the industry secretariat for the event, supported by foundation members.

Visit the BCCM’s IYC 2025 Australia website to find out more about IYC 2025 in Australia, upcoming events and the follow and contribute to the BCCM Icons campaign, which will showcase the power of co-operation and mutuality to address local, national and global challenges and build a brighter future for all.