From its origins in 1914 as a Western Australian farmers' cooperative, Wesfarmers has grown into one of Australia's largest listed companies. Headquartered in Western Australia, its diverse business operations covers supermarkets, department stores, home improvement and office supplies; coal mining; energy; insurance; chemicals and fertilisers; and industrial and safety products. Wesfarmers is one of Australia's largest employers and has a shareholder base of more than 450,000.