The rise of social enterprise

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So, what is a social enterprise? 

There are many definitions of a social enterprise but in general the broad sense is that it’s a business that trades goods and services, is purpose and mission-focused, and puts at least half of its profits back to achieving its mission.

Social enterprises are not driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners. We are an innovative breed of businesses that exist to create an equitable and more sustainable world. Social enterprises provide a market solution to societal problems.

Collective Leisure is Australia’s first social enterprise leisure management company. Our work is focused on providing education, services, and opportunities to those most in need.

Our “Why” is to reduce physical inactivity and improve population health, whilst providing access to training and employment for people from marginalised communities as a work integration social enterprise (WISE). This is summarised in our purpose statement of “enabling well-being without boundaries”.

People have said to me you can’t make profit while doing good. Why not? If you’re structured correctly with the right people, partnerships and purpose with a collective mission this can absolutely be achieved, and we are doing it.

I passionately believe social enterprise can help build an alternative future. I have no doubt that other organisations will enter the leisure, health and well-being sector as legitimate social enterprises or organisations pivot in the near future, which I welcome.

Collective Leisure is proud to be a member of the Social Enterprise Council of NSW & ACT (SECNA) which is a member-led peak body that represents the interests of social entrepreneurs and social enterprises across New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory.

Excitingly, there is a Social Enterprise National Strategy (SENS) being developed to create a long-term national strategy for the Australian social enterprise sector that unlocks positive social, cultural and environmental impact and a purpose-led recovery to COVID-19. The shared ambition is to make social enterprise business as usual.

This is perfect timing with the world’s largest social enterprise conversation Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF) coming to Brisbane in September 2022. SEWF is an opportunity for social enterprise leaders and practitioners from around the world to network and exchange ideas.

Concurrently, there is gathering momentum for a national physical activity strategy with 70% of children and 66% of adults not meeting the physical activity guidelines.

Its recommended children and young people (5 to 17 years) do at least 60 minutes each day of moderate to vigorous physical activity that makes the heartbeat faster. This can be full 60 minutes at once or several shorter sessions through the day to work.

For adults (18 to 64 years) it is recommended to do either 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate intensity physical activity or 1.25 to 2.5 hours of vigorous intensity physical activity. The fact that the majority of the population is not meeting the guidelines is frightening with the statistics getting worse.

There is a wonderful opportunity for the impending SENS and national physical activity strategy to combine objectives and resources to reduce health inequalities and improve population health by getting more people moving with social enterprises leading the way within the system.