COMING TOGETHER TO ADDRESS COMMON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL NEEDS

About Mutuals

A mutual (also called a mutual organisation or mutual society) is an organisation based on the principle of mutuality. That is, people coming together to meet their shared needs. The members of a mutual are its customers, who do not usually contribute to the capital of the organisation through direct investment. Instead, they support the mutual through using its services.

A mutual is a co-operative when each member has one vote and the organisation is guided by the seven co-operative principles.

Defining Mutuality explains what co-ops and mutuals are and how they fit together as a unified sector.

Examples

APS Benefits Group

The APS Benefits Group is a mutual which offers personal and financial products and services to more than 30,500 members and clients Australia-wide.

Year established: 1905

Type: Mutual

Industry: Banking & Financial Services

Australian Unity

Australian Unity is a national healthcare, financial services and independent and assisted living organisation with over 7,000 employees providing services to nearly a million Australians, including around 260,000 members nationwide. Australian Unity’s retirement communities assist over 3,000 older Australians to continue to live as independently as possible in communities with friends and supports. Australian Unity’s history as an independent mutual dates back 175 years.

Year established: 1840

Type: Mutual

Industry: Healthcare, Insurance & Risk Protection, Private Health Insurance

Bank of us

Bank of us is Tasmania’s only customer-owned bank with more than 31,000 customers, eight branches statewide and more than $1 billion in assets. Bank of us offers a comprehensive and competitive range of banking products and services designed to meet all personal and business banking needs – from term deposits, everyday and savings accounts through to home loans, personal loans and general insurance.

Year established: 1870

Type: Customer Owned, Mutual