When Think Social 2 lit up the South Eveleigh precinct on 28 May 2025, the cameras weren't just there to record who was in the room. They were there to capture the real asks — the practical, often urgent, calls for change from Australia's social enterprise leaders.
The conversation was split into three arcs: opening with a discussion on what social enterprise is and how it's defined; moving into a showcase of diverse enterprises from across the country; and then drilling into where Australia's sector stands today — with a sharp focus on the barriers and asks of enterprises, particularly those operating in New South Wales.
Hosted by Kyriakos Gold, CEO of Just Gold and Chair of the Aurum Foundation, the second instalment of the Think Social Series combined sector definitions, buyer perspectives, and unfiltered community stories to answer one core question: what do we need next to grow the movement?
1. Setting the Ground Rules — Credibility and Market Access
Monique Ward, Executive Director of Innovation & Services at Social Traders, opened with the fundamentals: "Primacy of purpose. Revenue from trade. Sustainability. These aren't just boxes to tick — they are the DNA of a credible social enterprise." Her call was clear: treat certification as a lever for market trust and better trade, not an administrative burden.
From the buyer side, Melissa Raby, Head of Social Impact at John Holland, reinforced that social procurement must be measurable, meaningful, and embedded at every stage of the supply chain.
2. The Community's Asks
Fiona Harrison – Chocolate On Purpose: Fiona's ask was for access to lending and investment products that work for purpose-led businesses, especially those operating regionally and led by First Nations women. Without fair finance, she argued, enterprises like hers can't scale to meet demand.
Rebecca McCash – FutureTech: Rebecca's ask was about making procurement processes genuinely accessible to neurodivergent-led enterprises — with clearer language, flexible formats, and an understanding of different communication needs.
Sally Caruana – Sheforce: Sally called for long-term partnerships with construction companies to create gender-diverse training pipelines, not just short-term hiring drives.
Dean Tavener – Pixii: Dean's ask cut straight to the point: make period products freely available and normalised in every workplace, venue, and public facility. Access, he argued, is a matter of equality, not luxury.
Annette Brodie – The Reconnect Project: Annette's call was for systemic support to close Australia's digital divide — from sustained funding for device refurbishment to partnerships that can expand digital skills training in disadvantaged communities.
Racha Abou Alchamat – Racha Kitchen: Racha asked for more opportunities to integrate cultural food programs into mainstream events, schools, and workplaces, positioning food as a bridge for intercultural understanding.
Craig Fairweather – Mill House Ventures: Craig's ask was aimed at policy-makers: recognise and resource intermediaries who connect small, regional social enterprises with the buyers and capital they can't reach alone.
3. Why It Matters
These asks were not abstract ambitions. They were specific, actionable steps — and hearing them side-by-side revealed the sector's shared priorities: unlocking finance, normalising equity in products and services, embedding inclusion in procurement, and valuing intermediaries as infrastructure.
Think Social 2 didn't just document the "what" of social enterprise — it archived the "what next." And that archive is growing, episode by episode, into a national record of the sector's direction, ambition, and collective will.