Saya Wahrlich, CEO of Cooperative Business New Zealand

Why Cooperative Business NZ chose BVO Audit as their audit partner

Cooperative Business New Zealand is the national peak body representing the country’s co-operatives and mutual societies. They advocate, educate and support a sector responsible for a substantial share of New Zealand’s economic and social value. That also means they hold themselves to a high standard of governance. Their members expect it.

When Cooperative Business NZ needed a new audit partner, the timing was not ideal. Their existing auditor announced a fee increase that would make the arrangement unsustainable for a lean, member-funded organisation. Their financial year ends 31 May. Their AGM is in August. There wasn’t much room to manoeuvre.

According to CEO Saya Wahrlich, “Only some firms truly understand both associations and co-operatives. We needed a partner who understood the governance model and the rhythm of how we report to members.”

Cost mattered, but not at the expense of sector understanding. They wanted clarity, credibility and confidence. And they needed someone who could hit the ground running.

Why BVO Audit

After reviewing recommendations, and other auditor referrals, BVO Audit became the clear choice.

They stepped into the role with little runway and delivered the full audit and performance reporting cycle calmly and on schedule.

Saya was pleased to report, “They managed to turn around our audit, without knowing anything about us, very quickly. This year has been a repeat of a very smooth process.”

Information flowed cleanly between BVO and the organisation’s finance lead. The audit was completed with minimal disruption and no unexpected issues.

This sense of ease was echoed by Anna Younger, Finance Administrator, “For an organisation like ours, trust and transparency matter. BVO understood the cooperative governance model and the expectations of our members. They asked the right questions and delivered an audit that strengthens confidence across our board and membership.”

A meeting of values

What Cooperative Business NZ valued most was that BVO understood both the Association member mindset as well as the world of cooperatives and mutuals.  Alex Houghton from BVO said, “Supporting values-led organisations with clear purpose and strong operational discipline is exactly the kind of work we want to be doing.”

And as Saya notes, “In a tight economy, conscious choices matter. When you choose to support a co-operative or a mutual, that money stays in New Zealand and benefits the community. The same applies to choosing audit partners. Pick one that understands your model and strengthens it.”

To read more about co-operatives and mutuals and the work of Cooperative Business New Zealand read our interview with Saya Warhlich here