Eliza’s Project: Women Leading the Future of Co-operatives and Mutuals
24 Feb 2026
Women’s leadership has been a cornerstone of the co-operative movement since its earliest days.
In this spirit, the Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals (BCCM) developed Eliza’s Project, an initiative that brings together current and former women chief executives from across co-operative and mutual industries to champion gender equality at the highest levels of leadership.
The network is named after Eliza Brierley, a trailblazer whose decision to join the Rochdale Pioneers in 1846 marked a transformative moment in co-operative history. By paying her £1 membership fee, she secured not only her place in the organisation but also her right to participate and vote—decades before women gained the right to vote or to join trade unions.
Her legacy embodies the principles of parity, inclusion, and democratic participation that continue to shape co-operative identity.
Eliza’s Project builds on the BCCM’s research Eliza’s Project: Gender Inclusion in the CME Sector in Australia (2017), which revealed persistent gaps in women’s representation in senior leadership roles. Although co-operatives and mutuals are rooted in values of democracy and equality, women remain under-represented in executive positions, and representation declines at higher levels of organisational responsibility.
This trend mirrors global patterns, yet the co-operative sector’s long-standing commitment to empowerment creates a unique responsibility to lead change. Gender equality in leadership strengthens governance, enhances organisational resilience, and contributes to more inclusive and sustainable communities.
A Network for Influence and Transformation
Eliza’s Project brings together women chief executives to:
Strengthen professional networks
Exchange leadership experiences and strategic insights
Advocate for gender-inclusive governance
Ensure that co-operative values of democracy and equality are reflected in decision-making
Through this collective effort, the initiative aims to expand opportunities for women leaders and reinforce the sector’s commitment to gender inclusion.
A Sector-Wide Commitment
Through Eliza’s Project, the BCCM reaffirms its commitment to fostering a co-operative and mutual sector in which women have the opportunity to lead, influence, and inspire—continuing a legacy of inclusion that has defined the movement for generations.
Back row L-R: Cathy Main, CEO, Barossa Co-op; Lorraine Thomas, CEO & Managing Director, HCF; Fiona Herman, Chair, CEHL; Liz Thomas, Managing Director, CEHL; Alison Holloway, Principal and Partner, SGS Economics & Planning; Michelle Bagnall, CEO, Bank First; Elizabeth Crouch, Chair, Customer Owned Banking Association; Liz O’Connell, CEO, Kudos Services.
Front row L-R: Saya Wahrlich, CEO, Cooperative Business New Zealand; Sheena Jack, Former CEO, HCF; Shirine Khoury-Haq, Group CEO, The Co-operative Group, UK; Melina Morrison, CEO, BCCM; Samantha Martin-Williams, Chair, NGM Group.
Photo taken during the launch of Eliza’s Project at the BCCM Leaders’ Summit in Adelaide.
This is an initiative of the Gender Equality Committee of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), developed within the framework of the ICA Action Plan 2025.
The campaign highlights real stories of women who, through their cooperatives, are driving economic, social, and community transformation in their territories. During the month of February 2026 and up to 8 March –International Women’s Day– representative stories from around the world will be shared on ICA’s official website and social media channels.
Aligned with the International Year of Cooperatives 2025, this initiative celebrates the leadership and contributions of women who are building a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable cooperative movement.
💜 If you have a story and would like to share it, please write to us at gec@ica.coop.
