Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg have today been challenged to lay down their plans for growing the mutual sector.
In recent weeks there has been a flurry of speeches and statements by the parties about their support for co-operative and mutual initiatives.
Today the mutual sector has responded with its plans for putting people at the heart of business and society in the first ever Mutuals Manifesto.
The economic crisis has shown the fragility of investor owned business, and the importance of the diversity of corporate forms to the British economy. Trust in institutions is at an all time low.
At the same time, Government is increasingly interested in how public services can be more accountable to their users, whilst harnessing a stronger culture of employee engagement.
Co-operative Financial Services have acted to support the launch of the Commission on Ownership to examine the role that ownership plays in our society.
The UK economy – as with most economies in the developed world – is largely driven by businesses that are owned by investors and for many decades, the profit motive has been its driving-force. While this ownership model provides a powerful driver, it also creates a problem. Being effective at delivering private benefit is all very well, but an economy based on the quest for the private benefit of some does not seek the common good of all.
The last ten years have seen a transformation of the UK mutual sector. Download this informative review of Mutuals in the UK.
Media reports have shown a recent surge in interest providing public services through mutuals. This article outlines the opportunity for policy makers.
A report published for the Building Societies Association (BSA) reveals a strong case for converting failed banks into mutual organisations and urges the Government to consider seriously returning Northern Rock to the mutual sector.
The report, written by the Centre for Mutual and Employee-owned Business at the University of Oxford, concludes that there are three economic arguments for a mutual sector of critical mass as part of a mixed financial system: bio-diversity, risk appetite and competition.
Debates and Questions - News - All Party Parliamentary Groups
Peter Hunt of Mutuo and Chris Ham of the Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham, were commissioned to review the membership governance of NHS Foundation Trusts. Their report, published in July 2008 gives an interesting insight into how membership is beginning to influence NHS Foundation Trusts.
Mutuals are organisations that are owned by, and run for the benefit of, their current and future members.
Mutuals take many forms and operate in a wide range of business and social environments. Most people recognise mutuals through one or more of the long established building societies, co-operatives, friendly societies and mutual insurers. But the sector encompasses many more types of organisations – some large and well established like housing associations, clubs and employee owned businesses to smaller, specialist bodies such as credit unions, football supporter trusts and community mutuals.
Chief Executive
Peter has been Chief Executive of Mutuo since 2001, which he founded as the first cross mutual sector body to promote mutual governance to opinion formers and decision makers.