About us
Social Business Australia (SBA) was formed in 2009 by a group of like-minded social businesses, to assist Australian social businesses to develop and grow in the competitive environment of the 'real economy'.
Sometimes described as social enterprise, social businesses have social objectives at their core, and diverse ownership structures. The businesses we support are different to not-for-profit and for profit types of enterprise - the former do not make profits and the latter use profits to reward capital.
SBA activities raise the profile of a range of business forms such as co-operatives, employee-owned enterprises, and social entrepreneurs, that trade for the purpose of creating social value.
sustainable business | shared prosperity | social value
'sustainable business'
- Social businesses are proven, sustainable business models. Contrary to the trend among private corporations, Social businesses have survived and many have prospered in the Global Financial Crisis - they continue to take care of business, to serve members, to protect their workforces and the environment, and to benefit the community better outcomes for all!
'shared prosperity'
- Social businesses trade for the purpose of creating social value whether it is to serve members better, to generate community benefit, or to trade more ethically or environmentally. Social businesses share prosperity with all of their stakeholders members, customers, employees, and the community. They make profit (or surplus) in the service of their social goals.
'social value'
- the social value of our actions should concern us now, and for the impact on future generations. How we do business and why we do business is no exception. Social businesses show how market efficiencies can be harnessed for social good, not just to reward capital. To meet the challenges of global warming, the financial and food crises, we need businesses that can deliver on the bottom line, and also on social outcomes, job security, environmental sustainability, and community empowerment only social forms of business deliver on all these fronts.
SBA wants to help increase the number of social businesses operating successfully in the Australian economy and to educate the wider public about a different, more ethical and sustainable way of doing business.
SBA has strong links with the national and international social business movement. We provide a platform for these developments to be shared with the Australian business community, the public and the media and we encourage debate and discussion on the merits of moving to a more values-based mixed economy.
SBA wants existing social businesses to have access to the resources and support they need to scale up and trade successfully in the real economy.
Network:
SBA creates opportunities for sharing knowledge, skills and best practice, through wider communication, industry talks, international speakers, case studies and advocacy. If you would like to know more about SBA or wish to attend one of our events, join our mailing list by sending your contact details to : sba_capricorn.coop
Support:
• Access to training and education for social business
To get established and grow, social businesses need access to a range of learning opportunities, particularly in the technical areas critical to their commercial success including - market analysis, investment strategies, ownership structures, social impact assessment, governance, organisational development and membership planning.
• Greater capital investment in social business
To encourage more enterprises to take up the social business option, SBA supports initiatives to grow the market for greater capital investment in businesses that have social purpose at their core. SBA encourages finance providers, such as credit unions, mutuals, CDFIs (community development finance institutions) and industry super funds to invest in social forms of business.
• Better industry profile
Social businesses can grow their competitive advantage in the market by successfully communicating their differences. SBA activities raise the profile of all types of social business and help communicate the social business advantage.
Trent Bartlett
Founding Chair of SBA.
As CEO of one of Australias leading social businesses, Capricorn Society Ltd, Trent understands the commercial and ethical imperatives of growing a sustainable social enterprise in the global market. Trent is proud to be associated with an organisation that aims to deliver the foundation skills and technical services to realise the real growth of social business in the mainstream Australian economy.
Alan Greig
Alan has advocated for employee and community ownership solutions since the 1980s. He has been a member of the Management Committee of the Australian Employee Ownership Association (AEOA) since its inception in 1986 (www.aeoa.org.au). The AEOA has set up an Employee Buyout Centre - the Australian Employee Buyout Centre (www.aebc.org.au) - which is funded by the Federal Government to support and advise on employee buyout strategies for saving jobs in distressed businesses. Alan Is Interim President of the Centre.
Suzanne Henderson
Suzanne has delivered strategic marketing and media services
to government, the third sector and tertiary education clients for the past three decades. As founding Editor of Community Cooperative Connections (CCC eNews) and an associate-editor of the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) Digest, Suzanne has reported on co-operative and social enterprise development in Australia and around
the world for over ten years.
sba_capricorn.coop
Melina Morrsion
Associate-Editor of the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) Digest, Melina was previously an associate-editor of CCC eNews, Australias online newsletter combining the co-operative, community, not for profit and social economy sectors. As a Senior Associate of Sommerson Communications (Third Sector communication specialists), Melina has wide experience engaging the media in ideas around building social capital.
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Social Business Australia Pty Ltd ACN: 142 242 108
