National strategy
Business as usual cannot solve the social and environmental challenges we face.
We need more innovation and collaboration that puts people and the planet first.
Social enterprise is in a unique position to help. It uses the power of business to test and scale new ways to make the world a better place. This makes it a key tool for creating the changes we need.
But many people don’t know what social enterprise is or how to get involved, and we need better systems for more social enterprises to reach their potential.
Changing these things will grow Australia’s social enterprise sector and its impact.
Social Enterprise Australia works with the sector to lead its national strategy to change these things.
Foundations
The approach to strategy is based on two research reports by Griffith University:
It is challenge-led, focusing on priority areas where social enterprise can drive the most impact.
It is a sector strategy, not an organisational strategy, where there is a high degree of control over what will be done to achieve goals. A sector strategy involves the efforts and energy of diverse people and organisations working towards shared goals. It focuses on coordination, alignment, and shared impact, rather than direct control or detailed plans.
On this basis, people across the sector have established:
Vision, purpose and challenge areas - our shared direction
Values and principles - agreed ways to work together
A commitment to decolonisation - we commit to shifting power and decision-making to respect First Nations ways of being and doing
Infrastructure for collaboration - the supports we need to do this together
The offer and ask - the impact potential of social enterprise and what’s needed to unlock it.
The strategy
Vision, purpose and challenge areas
Our vision, purpose and challenge areas provide shared direction to align the efforts and energy of diverse people and organisations so that big change is possible. It guides innovation and collaboration, while leaving space for many voices and solutions.
Our vision is working together to ensure all people, places and the planet thrive.
Our purpose is to foster a vibrant and connected Australian social enterprise sector that provides:
Environmental care
People-centred services
Access to decent work
Community-led innovation
Values and principles
Our values and principles are how we agree to work together. They name behaviours to strengthen the basis for ongoing collaboration to put people and planet first.
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Authenticity:
I strive to be honest with myself and with others
I seek to be transparent and clear in my communications, talk with others not about them, and do what I say I will. I take on difficult conversations, decisions and actions rather than avoid them. I aim to own my mistakes and limitations. I seek to be kind to myself and others.
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Creativity:
I help create space for imagination and innovation.
I see that the future is not determined and is ours to create. I foster space to dream big, explore, and make mistakes or get it right. I recognise that it’s ok and sometimes good to change my mind and for others to change theirs. I seek to emerge ideas, take action and learn together.
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Justice:
I seek to enable the full participation of all.
I recognise that some people are excluded and their voices are not heard. I aim to identify and reject discrimination and to value lived experience and self-determination. I seek to be aware of any exclusion or privilege of my own.
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Collaboration:
I plan, act and learn with others. I will be generous.
I aim to be aware of my ego, assumptions and emotions and to keep in check how they affect me and others. I seek joint responsibility rather than credit. I am upfront about my own interests to identify when they could undermine or help shared goals.
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Diversity:
I seek out views that are different from my own.
I recognise that there are different ways to participate and create impact. I ask people what they mean, listen with curiosity and seek to understand rather than make assumptions or speak for them. I celebrate the contribution of others and recognise that I always have things to learn.
A commitment to decolonisation
All people should be part of the decisions that affect their lives, and this has disproportionately not been the case for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We commit to the work of seeing and undoing the systems, structures and mindsets that sideline First Nations people, and shifting power and decision-making to replace them with ones that respect First Nations ways of being and doing.
Infrastructure for collaboration
To support the social enterprise sector to work together effectively towards its national strategy, Social Enterprise Australia will build momentum and infrastructure for:
Engagement and connection
It will provide pathways for people to engage and co-create around place, mission and sector development. It will connect existing collaborations and activities and facilitate new ones that the sector sees as critical, including cross-sector and global initiatives. These will inform shared direction and action.
Knowledge and learning
It will provide ways to share and learn about social enterprise and evolve to meet the interests and needs of the sector. This will include capturing data and knowledge from the sector and shared evaluation. It will be done to enable real-time understanding of practice and impact and to support decision-making.
Shared direction and action
It will lead a national strategy and work with others to build public will, advance policy, grow markets, and mobilise resources. These functions will be co-owned and shaped by all who support the vision, mission, values and principles of the sector.
Our theory of change sets out our thinking and approach.
The offer and ask
A social enterprise is a business that puts people and planet first. They trade like any other business, but exist specifically to make the world a better place. They combine the power of business to test and scale new ideas with a compass of public good. This makes them a critical tool for social and environmental innovation, and a wellbeing economy.
When diverse social enterprises and challenge-led collaborations work towards shared goals, they can drive powerful social and environmental innovation.
There are an estimated 12,000 social enterprises in Australia, but they need targeted support to reach their potential. Because social enterprises sit between traditional business and charity, many fall through the gaps in the supports that exist. They do the job of both without the enablers of either.
To change this, we ask people and organisations to partner with the sector to design, implement, and evolve systems to unlock the impact of social enterprise.
The systems needed are:
Help shape what comes next
Together, we can drive change.
Our Members work together to unlock the impact of social enterprise, for an economy that puts people and planet first.
They help govern Social Enterprise Australia and take part in our shared work through input on the national strategy.