COMING TOGETHER TO ADDRESS COMMON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL NEEDS
Banking & Financial Services
Customer-owned banks
Offer better value financial services products
Over time, mutuals consistently provide better value products to their customers because their businesses are focussed on long term plans rather than short term market disruption.
Provide price competition against profit maximising competitors
The existence of customer-owned banks in a market dominated by large profit maximising banks means that they are able to provide the only meaningful competition on the basis of service proposition and price.
Provide better customer service
Customer service is the focus for customer-owned banks and they consistently provide high quality service and greater customer satisfaction compared to investor-owned banks.
Are more ethical/demonstrably honest businesses
In a market where trust is generally low, customer-owned banks provide an alternative to the profit maximising banks by consistently focussing on the needs of customers rather than shareholders.
Operate different business strategies, helping to mitigate against the overall risk of the sector to the economy
In economies hit hard by the global financial crisis, customer-owned banks acted as a bulwark against large banks operating the same business strategy. The fact that they were less damaged by the crisis helped to mitigate risk in those economies and ultimately costs to the taxpayer.
Remunerate their executives reasonably
Spiralling executive remuneration in listed banks has become a problem in Australia, with the added agency risk of short term performance being linked to pay. This has driven behaviours that are not present in customer-owned banks, where salaries are cash based rather than incentivised by shareholding.
Share a higher percentage of their profits with their community
Customer-owned banks are smaller than shareholder owned banks but still manage to return a higher proportion of their profits to communities, charities and member supported activities.
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
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
Industry: Banking & Financial Services
Cuscal
Cuscal’s business is payments. They are Australia’s leading provider of end-to-end payments solutions whose capabilities include card and acquiring products, mobile payments, fraud prevention, EFT switching and settlements, plus running the rediATM Scheme, one of Australia’s largest ATM networks.
Year established: 1978
Type: Mutual
Industry: Banking & Financial Services
Rabobank
Rabobank is active in the Netherlands and many other countries worldwide. As a socially responsible bank, Rabobank is committed to contributing to welfare and prosperity in the Netherlands and to solving the global food issue.
Rabobank is a cooperative with members rather than shareholders. Customers can demonstrate their involvement with the bank by becoming members. Nearly two million customers are currently members of Rabobank. They have a voice in deciding the bank’s course.
Year established: 1972
Type: Customer Owned, Mutual
Industry: Banking & Financial Services
Summerland Credit Union
Since 1964, Summerland Credit Union has been helping families manage their finances, buy their homes and cars, fund their businesses, insure what’s important to them and grow their wealth.
Year established: 1964
Type: Mutual
Industry: Banking & Financial Services
Woolworths Employees’ Credit Union
Woolworths Employees’ Credit Union (WECU) offers its members a better alternative to banks and other deposit taking institutions. With an understanding and knowledge of the lifestyle needs of the employees of the Woolworths group of companies, WECU provides quality financial products with competitive interest rates, minimal fees and a friendly, personalised service. WECU’s range of services includes a selection of savings and investment accounts, loans for any worthwhile purpose, general and health insurance and financial planning.
Year established: 1971
Type: Customer Owned, Mutual
Industry: Banking & Financial Services