What Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation does

Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (CSC) is an Australian Government statutory corporation, established under the Commonwealth Superannuation Act 1975, that serves as trustee and administrator of 11 superannuation schemes for current and former Australian Public Service employees and Australian Defence Force (ADF) members. CSC manages over 750,000 member accounts across accumulation products (PSSap, ADF Super), closed defined benefit schemes (CSS, PSS, DFRDB, MilitarySuper), and a retirement income stream (CSCri), supplemented by integrated insurance offerings (lifePLUS, ADF Cover, lifePLUS Protect) delivered in partnership with AIA Australia.

The operating platform is anchored by CSC Navigator, a proprietary 24/7 member portal enabling account management, investment switching, beneficiary nominations, and super consolidation via the SuperMatch tool, alongside CSC Retirement Profiles — a retirement planning framework that segments members by financial circumstances, home ownership status, and lifestyle expectations. The investment function operates an integrated ESG and risk management system (the first of its kind in Australian superannuation, operational since July 2009) and includes direct alternative asset capabilities, evidenced by early-mover positions in data centres (Canberra Data Centres, 2016), satellite infrastructure (Kacific, 2020), and sustainable natural-resource mandates (Osmosis Investment Management, 2015).

CSC is structured as a not-for-profit superannuation fund and generates revenue solely through member fees calibrated to recover operating costs and investment management expenses; employer contribution rates are 15.4% of salary for APS employees and 16.4% for ADF members, materially above the statutory 12% Superannuation Guarantee. Member acquisition occurs through direct engagement with Australian Government and ADF employers at point of hire, supported by in-person consultations at ADF bases, a dedicated Vets Hub community for veterans, Super Specialist advisory teams, and a digital self-service channel. The entity holds RSE Licence No. L0001397 and AFSL 238069, operating exclusively within Australia.

Name

Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation

Legal name

Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation

Website

https://csc.gov.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1922

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation is an Australian Government statutory corporation that administers 11 superannuation schemes for over 750,000 Australian Public Service employees and Australian Defence Force members, delivering accumulation, defined benefit, retirement income, and integrated insurance products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Canberra

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Superannuation management fees: CSC is a not-for-profit superannuation fund. It charges members fees necessary to operate the fund and deliver investment returns. Fee revenue covers fund administration, investment management, and member services. Employer contribution rates are 15.4% for APS and 16.4% for ADF, exceeding the standard 12% Super Guarantee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (CSC) is an Australian Commonwealth statutory corporation that provides superannuation (pension) products and services to Australian Public Service employees, Australian Defence Force members, and certain other eligible individuals. It administers multiple defined benefit and accumulation funds, manages member investments, and provides insurance cover and financial advice to its membership base.

Product overview

Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (CSC) operates as a multi-fund superannuation provider offering a portfolio of superannuation and retirement products. The core offerings include ADF Super (accumulation fund for Defence Force members) and PSSap (accumulation fund for Australian government employees), which serve as the primary products open to new members. CSCri provides retirement income solutions. The product suite includes insurance products—lifePLUS for PSSap members and ADF Cover/lifePLUS Protect for ADF members—both offering Death, TPD, and Income Protection cover. CSC also administers closed defined benefit funds (CSS, PSS, DFRDB, MilitarySuper) for existing members. Member services are supported through digital platforms including CSC Navigator (online account management), Vets Hub (veteran financial wellbeing portal), Boost Your Super (cashback rewards), and SuperFinder (account consolidation tool). The architecture follows a platform-plus-modules model where accumulation funds serve as the core, supplemented by insurance add-ons, retirement income products, and digital service tools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• lifePLUS: Insurance product for PSSap members providing flexible life, income protection, and TPD cover.
• ADF Cover
• lifePLUS Protect
• Vets Hub
• CSC Navigator
• 3rd Act Community
• CSCri

Products and services

• PSSap (Public Sector Superannuation accumulation plan) An accumulation-style superannuation product for Australian Public Service employees, providing retirement savings with employer and member contributions.
• CSS (Commonwealth Superannuation Scheme) A defined benefit superannuation scheme for eligible Australian Public Service employees, providing a pension on retirement based on final salary and years of service.
• PSS (Public Sector Superannuation Scheme) A defined benefit superannuation scheme for APS employees, providing retirement benefits based on a formula tied to salary and service.
• ADF Super An accumulation superannuation product for Australian Defence Force members, providing retirement savings with ADF contributions and member contributions.
• MilitarySuper A defined benefit superannuation scheme for ADF members, providing lifetime pension benefits based on salary and years of service.
• DFRDB (Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits) A defined benefit retirement and death benefits scheme for former ADF members who served prior to MilitarySuper commencement.
• CSCri (CSC Retirement Income) A retirement income product providing account-based pensions to members who have retired and wish to draw down on their superannuation balance.
• lifePLUS (Death and Total and Permanent Disablement insurance) Group insurance cover providing death and total and permanent disablement benefits to eligible members.
• ADF Cover Insurance cover specific to ADF Super members, including death, total and permanent disablement, and income protection benefits.
• lifePLUS Protect Voluntary additional death, disablement and income protection insurance cover available to members for an extra premium.
• CSC Navigator (financial advice service) Personalised financial advice and guidance service for CSC members on superannuation, retirement and investment decisions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average CSC member projects to retire with 35% more than ASFA Comfortable Retirement Standard lump sum estimate (September 2025)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• KacificminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020CSC invested US$50 million to refinance a next-generation broadband satellite operated by Kacific. The investment was recognised as IJGlobal's Asia Pacific Telecoms Deal of the Year 2020. The financing supports sustainable growth in remote and smaller communities across the Asia-Pacific region while aiming to provide financial returns to CSC members.
• Canberra Data Centres (CDC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016CSC was the first Australian superannuation fund to recognise data centres as critical future infrastructure and made a significant pioneering investment in Canberra Data Centres (CDC) in 2016 to capture an early-mover premium, betting on the trend towards centralisation of data storage in efficient, purpose-built centres.
• AIA Australia LimitedcoreTechnology or IntegrationCSC's insurance partner providing lifePLUS insurance for PSSap members (Income Protection, Death, TPD) and lifePLUS Protect for ex-ADF members. AIA provides integrated wellbeing programs including My Psychologist and AIA Vitality Starter to eligible insured members. The partnership delivers income protection for up to five years, longer than many competing funds.
• Boost Your SupercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCashback rewards platform where CSC members earn free super contributions when shopping with 730+ partner retailers. CSC members receive a 50% boost on top of displayed cashback percentages. CSC's Vets Hub community offers exclusive bonus boosts for members. The program drives member engagement and voluntary super contributions.
• Vets Hub Community partnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVets Hub community offers exclusive member discounts and offers through partnerships with Boost Your Super and other unnamed partners, providing financial wellbeing services and rewards to Australian veterans and military families.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Australian Retirement Trust: Formed from the merger of Sunsuper and QSuper, ART is one of Australia's largest industry super funds with strong public-sector and government employee coverage (Queensland). Comparable to CSC in scale of AUM, multi-fund structure, and employer onboarding model.
• AustralianSuper: Australia's largest super fund (AUM well over AUD 300B) and the dominant incumbent across the broader Australian superannuation market. While not exclusively government-focused, AustralianSuper is the most direct comparability benchmark for CSC on investment performance, member services, and operating scale.
• Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments): One of the world's largest pension investment managers (C$600B+ AUM), operating as a statutory Canadian Crown corporation. Comparable to CSC on institutional pension investment scale, alternative-asset innovation (data centres, infrastructure, private credit), and the Crown/statutory governance model.

Direct peers

• Cbus: Industry super fund for the Australian construction industry. Directly comparable to CSC as a sector-specific accumulation and DB-style super fund with employer onboarding, insurance products, and a national member base.
• NGS Super: Industry super fund for non-government schools. Comparable to CSC as a sector-specific super fund serving employees of a defined employer group, with accumulation and retirement income products.
• UniSuper: Industry super fund exclusively serving Australia's higher education and research sector. Highly comparable to CSC in the niche employer-mandate model, accumulation + defined benefit offering, and member education/advice infrastructure.
• REST (Retail Employees Superannuation Trust): Industry super fund for retail and fast-food employees. Comparable to CSC on multi-fund structure, employer-embedded distribution, accumulation phase focus, and member scale (~2M members).
• Hostplus: Industry super fund for hospitality, tourism, and sport. Comparable to CSC as a major accumulation super fund with strong investment performance reputation, member services, and integrated insurance offerings.
• Aware Super: Formerly First State Super, Aware Super serves NSW and other Australian public sector employees — directly comparable to CSC's APS mandate. Offers accumulation, defined benefit, and retirement income products, with a similar employer-embedded distribution model.

Regional players

• Public Service Pension Plan (Canada): Defined benefit pension plan for Canadian federal public service employees. Structurally comparable to CSC's CSS and PSS closed DB schemes — same employer-mandate, statutory framework, and defined benefit pension mechanics, though in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@commonwealthsuperannuation
• Facebookfacebook.com/CommonwealthSuperannuationCorporation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/commonwealth-superannuation-corporation
• Instagraminstagram.com/cscsuper

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation