Mutual Value Lab

Mutual Value Lab is demonstrating how social businesses promote growth, create and sustain markets, deliver competition and choice, and more.

Our objectives

What we do

We produce interdisciplinary and applied research on strategic measurement in the social economy, partnering with Co-operative and Mutual Enterprises (CMEs), social enterprises and not-for-profit organisations.

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Our research

Social enterprises

Developing research insights that help social enterprises understand and communicate impact and value to regulators, policy makers, funders and beneficiaries.

Co-operative and Mutual Enterprises (CMEs)

Investigating how the CME model operates and its role across aged care, disability, housing and childcare.

Featured Project

Mutual Value Framework

The Mutual Value Framework (also known as the Mutual Value Measurement (MVM) Framework) is a groundbreaking strategic performance measurement framework that is globally awarded. It received the 2024 AMBA, UK commendation for Best Business School and Industry Partnership. The MVM framework has been adopted by co-operative and mutual enterprises in Australia, the UK and the US.

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Our people, partners and impact

Our people and partners

Learn more about our global team of experts and researchers.

Research partnerships

We’re building aged care co-operatives with measurable social value outcomes and enabling a national food charity to measure and communicate the social impact of its program.

News, media and opinion

Our members contribute regularly to, and diversify public debate.

The latest from Mutual Value Lab

Accounting team wins global recognition for food relief research

As cost-of-living pressures mount, this award-winning research is helping strengthen support for families doing it tough.

NEWS

Could cooperatives fix rural Australia’s aged care crisis?

As regional aged care fractures, a new study suggests community-owned cooperatives offer a realistic route to restoring local care.

Impact

Weathering the storm: New tool a lifeline for lobster fishing industry

When the COVID-19 pandemic threatened to capsize the Geraldton Fishermen’s Co-operative, it found an unlikely compass to help navigate the choppy waters.

Impact

Rethinking the broken grocery competition model

Could community-owned supermarkets deliver fairer food prices to regional Australians? New research suggests they may be the solution to a broken system.

Impact

Observing The One Box

We observed The One Box management team rally as the CEO made decisions relating to the COVID-19 pandemic that would ultimately save the company.

Video

Supermarkets inquiry final report

Mutual Value Lab made significant contributions to the ACCC inquiry into issues relating to supermarkets and their consumer experience, retail competition, supply chains, and margins.

ACCC Report

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