| 3 “Because profits are distributed back to members, money is retained in New Zealand, and it boils down to co-operatives having a different purpose, and viewing the world in a different way than businesses.” Cooperative Business NZ T T Virginia Wright Co-op model offers many benefits Saya Wahrlich: “They’re hugely positive for their communities and for the people that are members.” REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT The names of some of New Zealand’s enduring co-operatives such as Fonterra, Zespri, and Southern Cross Health Society are widely known, but they are just three of the roughly 330 organisations operating under the co-operative model. These businesses and organisations are of all different sizes, shapes and forms, including industrial and provident societies, friendly societies, credit unions, mutuals and co-operatives. The definition of a co-operative business is that it is “member-owned and controlled from which benefits are derived and distributed equitably on the basis of use”. What makes them different from other types of businesses is that they are not controlled by outside investors. They meet their members’ needs, rather than maximising the co-operative’s profits, and they return surplus revenues to their membership in proportion to their use of the co-op, not in proportion to their investment or share ownership. Cooperative Business NZ’s chief executive officer since the start of the year is Saya Wahrlich. Her background includes time with the global organisations New Zealand Trade and Enterprise as digital director, and Kiwi Expat Association (KEA), where she was chief operating officer. Both positions meant Saya worked across a variety of sectors with different businesses and different people, just as in her current position, and what really resonates for her is the focus on what is good for New Zealand. “The co-operative model absolutely supports and underpins so much of New Zealand,” Saya explains. “For instance, in banking in our regional communities, with entities such as First Credit Union, Rabobank or SBS Bank; or stores in small towns through Farmlands or RuralCo. “Because profits are distributed back to members, money is retained in New Zealand, and it boils down to co-operatives having a different purpose, and viewing the world in a different way than businesses. “They’re all about ‘what can we do for our members’, not ‘what can we get from our members.’ They’re hugely positive for their communities and for the people that are members. and many of them are household names such as Foodstuffs, ITM or Mitre 10.” Every co-operative draws up its own constitution according to its members’ needs, which differ depending on whether, for example, they are a producer, a grower or a buying group co-op. Because the co-operatives are both owned by and governed by their members, governance training is an important area where the Cooperative Business NZ operates, helping co-operative businesses ensure their boards have a robust and diverse skill set, and that directors are comfortable when it comes to taking off their member hat and putting on their board hat. 2025 is the United Nations International Year of Cooperatives, so along with training and education, Cooperative Business NZ is updating research into the co-operative economy in New Zealand last done in 2020. “What’s the combined revenue of the top 30 or top 50 co-operatives? How many people do they employ” What do they contribute back to the economy? How do they support communities and how does that revenue retention in New Zealand show up?” says Saya. “We’ll use the international focus to raise awareness with stakeholders of the co-operative business model and some of the special needs they have that aren’t taken into account through policy or legislation.” Saya is looking forward to more New Zealanders understanding the benefits this business model brings to its users. As democratic, autonomous, self-help organisations, which include working for the sustainable development of their communities through policies approved by their members, she believes they are a powerful tool for adding value to businesses that goes well beyond their bottom lines. 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