Political Representation is Key to Credit Union Growth
2025-07-16
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Prioritizing political representation and influence is key to growing your credit union movement.
That was the clear message from financial cooperative sector representatives from the UK and Brazil during a Wednesday breakout session.
Sistema OCB, which serves as the single, unified policy voice for cooperatives across Brazil, has influenced lawmakers and political candidates to enact policies which have allowed credit unions to triple their membership to 22 million over the last 10 years.
"We rely on key tools that communicate our priorities. During national elections, we present policy proposals to the presidential candidates and position cooperatives in their platforms and public policies," said Clara Pedroso Maffia, Institutional Relations Manager for Sistema OCB.
Matt Bland, CEO of the Association of British Credit Unions Ltd (ABCUL), and Robin Feith, CEO of the Building Societies Association (UK), also laid out the ways they have influenced policy to allow the UK financial financial cooperative movement to double its membership in the last decade.