Competitive Stakes Rise for Aussie Social Enterprise

Applications are open for the 2014 Social Enterprise Awards, expanded by new categories recognising those investing and buying in the social enterprise sector.

In their second year, the ‘SE Awards’ are hosted by specialist social enterprise development organisation Social Traders.

The awards will showcase organisations operating across all sectors of the economy that are led by an economic, social, cultural, or environmental mission delivering public or community benefit, and for the first time, those supporting social procurement and investment in the Australian social enterprise sector.

Social Traders said the new categories highlighted those working the market for good and breaking down the barriers between business and community to grow a more responsible form of capitalism.

Winners, to be presented in June at an event led by international guest Nancy Neamtan, are set to receive financial rewards and international conference trips as prizes.

Neamtan is the President and Executive Director of the Chantier de l'économie sociale, a Not for Profit organisation administered by 28 representatives of various networks of social enterprises (cooperatives and Not for Profits), local development organisations and social movements.

For the inaugural awards in 2013, Social Traders received more than 100 applicants and shortlisted twenty-four organisations.

Winners included STREAT for their innovative financing model which enabled them to acquire another social enterprise café chain; Thankyou Water, who have cracked the major supermarkets in Australia to get their products in every major food retailer in the country; Great Lakes Resource Recovery who have been creating employment out of waste for the Tuncurry community for 21 years and Connecting Up who have saved the NFP sector over $50 million through their discounted software sales.

Thankyou Water co-founder Dan Flynn said it had been fantastic to see the awards bring recognition to the social enterprise space and raise the profile of the sector in Australia.

“For us as an organisation, winning the Youth-Led Social Enterprise of the Year award last year has really helped in boosting the credibility of our organisation, which has led to new and exciting opportunities in a range of different areas,” he said.  

Entry is free and closes on March 28 2014. Find out more here.