From the 5th to the 7th of September 2024, the Asian Confederation of Credit Unions (ACCU) held its yearly Asian Credit Union Forum in Bali, Indonesia.
Hosted by the Credit Union Central of Indonesia, this year’s theme Rooted Resilience - Bridging Gaps for a Sustainable Future reflected the commitment to navigating challenges, fostering innovation, and bridging the gaps between credit unions and a sustainable future.
The purpose of the Forum is to provide an opportunity for attendees to immerse themselves in thought-provoking discussions led by industry leaders, exploring the challenges and opportunities in the credit union sector. It also provides a networking experience unlike any other, where like-minded professionals in the industry can exchange ideas and build collaborative partnerships to help shape the future of Asian credit unions.
This year, the Forum offered various break-out sessions to focus on key areas: resilience, governance, and gender equality. These sessions allowed collaborative interaction between delegates from a diverse range of countries with 37 nations represented from Asia, Africa, Lithuania, USA, Canada and Australia.
Representatives from the Australian Mutuals Foundation (AMF) attended the Forum, participating in an array of workshops whilst also contributing to the event by delivering presentations or leading various plenaries.
Gillian George, the Australian Mutuals Foundation Chairperson and Gaylene Quitadamo, Unity Bank’s People and Culture Manager, helped to conduct a three-day workshop at the Forum, providing critical insight into young professionals and how they play a vital role in credit unions. Paul Dawson, Manager of the Australian Mutuals Foundation also provided valuable assistance, joining Lena Giakoumopoulos the Global Women’s Leadership Director of the World Foundation of Credit Unions, helping to run a three-day workshop for 40 women from 10 Countries on Gender Equality, Breaking Down Barriers.
The workshop conclusions and recommendations from the Form will be used by ACCU in creating a business solution for Asian credit unions to use, to help them achieve better engagement with women in their market as well increasing the number of females in senior management positions.
Another representative from the Australian Mutuals Foundation presenting at the Forum was Mark Worthington, CEO of Australian Mutual Bank. Mark Worthington helped to facilitate a three-day workshop specifically for Credit Unions National Federation CEO’s attending from across Asia. Mark also delivered a powerful presentation addressing socio-economic challenges in Asia.
Over the course of the Forum, the AMF delegates took advantage of opportunities to reconnect and engage with international representatives from various credit cooperatives and unions. In addition to gaining insights into the progress of other countries, they also exchanged valuable ideas and experiences, fostering stronger global relationships within the cooperative movement.
The Forum highlighted the vital role credit unions play in creating a more equitable and sustainable world. By bridging gaps in access to financial services, fostering innovation, and building resilient communities, credit unions continue to pave the way for a brighter future. We thank those who attended on behalf of the Australian Mutuals Foundation and contributed to the success of the Forum.
About the Association of Asian Confederation of Credit Unions
The Association of Asian Confederation of Credit Unions (ACCU) is the regional organisation for credit unions that represents more than 54 million members from more than 35,900 credit unions in 25 countries. Established in 1971, ACCU works in partnership with members to promote and strengthen credit unions as effective instruments for the socio-economic development of people. ACCU, through the Asian Credit Union Forum, provides a platform for learning to leaders and professionals in credit unions.
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