Finding Australia's Social Enterprise Sector 2015 - Interim Report

Finding Australia’s Social Enterprise Sector 2015, supported by Social Traders and led by Professor Barraket (now at the Centre for Social Impact at Swinburne University) have completed the first stage of this on-going national research by interviewing 75 participants across 13 focus groups in 6 states.

THE BIG 5 ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE RUNNING SOCIAL ENTERPRISES IN AUSTRALIA

Social Procurement

There are vast untapped marketplace opportunities for social enterprise to deliver goods and services and social impact. The concept is gaining traction but the challenges to procurement-as-usual and SE capacity are significant.

Governance and staff

Social enterprise struggle to find the staff and boards that can straddle the social and economic goals of the business. This carries over to adapting staff profiles and governance arrangements as social enterprises move through the lifecycle.Have your say in Australia’s only national research into social enterprise by registering and completing an online survey. All registrations will receive the intermediate report and the full report of this important research upon release. This survey provides valuable information critical in educating and informing policy and creating a stronger identity for the social enterprise community in Australia.

Partnering and SE to SE purchasing

There are untapped opportunities for supply chain development and partnership between social enterprises and between social enterprises and other business types.

Social Finance

There are significant challenges associated with accessing suitable social finance, particularly at consolidation and expansion stages of development.

Coordinated Advocacy

There needs to be more and clearer messages to both governments and the public in relation to the benefits and needs of social enterprise.