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 mainstream 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 trading for the purpose of creating social value.

Trent Bartlett was the founding Chair of Social Business Australia and Australia's Secretariat for the International Year of Co-operatives 2012. Trent stepped down as SBA and IYC 2012 Chair in September 2011.