Social Firms

What is a social firm? A social firm is a not-for-profit business with a purpose to create accessible employment for people facing barriers to work as a result of mental illness, disability or other disadvantage.

A social firm has a supportive work environment that:

  • employs between 25% and 50% of employees with a disability.
  • pays all workers at award/ productivity-based rates.
  • provides the same work opportunities, rights and obligations to all employees.
  • generates the majority of its income through the commercial activity of the business.
  • any modifications required for the employee in need of support are built into the design of the workplace.

The social firm model originated in Italy in the 1960s and is one type of social enterprise. A social enterprise is a business that trades for a social purpose.

Our Social Firms

Asteria

Asteria established their property maintenance Social Firm in early 2011, and are working closely with neighbourhood renewal locations to secure contracts. Fourteen people with a mental illness and/or a disability have gained employment at this Social Firm.

Bonsai The Imagination Tree

Bonsai The Imagination Tree is a wholesale bonsai nursery that grows and sells a wide range of exotic and native bonsai trees. Bonsai The Imagination Tree is a division of Knoxcare's Yarra View nursery providing employment and training to people with a mental illness and disability.

The business was purchased by SoFA, Social Ventures Australia and EACH in 2006 and converted into a social firm, it now operates as a division of Knoxcare. 

http://www.sashieda.com.au/

Cleanable

Cleanable is a successful cleaning business by Westgate Community Initiatives Group Inc (WCIG). Cleanable was established in 2005 with support from SoFA and Social Ventures Australia. Cleanable operates across Melbourne and provides employment and training to many people with a mental illness. 

Futures Maintenance

Finding Futures purchased a maintenance business in Ballarat in early 2011 and with support from SoFA are developing it into a social firm providing employment for people with a mental illness and/or disability. 

Incito Maintenance

Incito Maintenance is a property maintenance social firm launched in July 2010. This social firm operates as a stand alone business unit within the broader WISE Employment structure. Incito Maintenance also has a proactive relationship with a social housing provider, offering employment opportunities to tenants looking for work.

http://www.incitomaintenance.com.au/

Outlook Environmental

Outlook Environmental operates 3 waste transfer stations in Darebin, Knox and Hampton Park on the social firm principles. These are commercially viable and integrated workplaces that also achieve significant environmental outcomes. SoFA is partnering with Outlook to replicate these resource recovery centres around Australia.

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Click here to view the SVA Social Return on Investment report on Outlook Environmental.1.18 KB

Software Testing Social Firm

The software testing social firm is based on the highly successful Specialisterne in Denmark and the development has been a partenrship between SoFA, Infoxchange and Alpha Autism. Infoxchange commended operations of the social firm in mid 2011 and will be employing a number of people with Aspergers Syndrome.

The Mission Caters (TMC)

Prahan Mission with the support of SoFA has developed several social firms in 2010 and 2011 including:

  • Three retail outlets (Prahran, Richmond and Dandenong),
  • The Mission Caters (TMC) a hospitality social firm operating as a catering business and a cafe, and 
  • Hartley's Cafe which caters to staff, clients and friends of Prahran Mission.
http://www.prahranmission.org.au/

The Victorian e-Waste Social Firm Alliance

The e-Waste Social Firm Alliance is a partnership between SoFA  and four Australian Disability Enterprises. The four social firms will provide a statewide solution to the recycling of e-waste as well as ongoing employment for people with disabilities and/or mental illness.

VATMI Industries

VATMI Industries operate three MRFs (Municipal Recycling Facilities) as social firms in Wangaratta, Bendigo, and Stawell. Recent Social Return on Investment (SROI) reports 

http://www.vatmi.com.au/
"Working's good most of the time. Even when I don’t like it, it still gets me out of bed every day. Getting out of bed gets me to the shower. Having a shower gets me dressed and out the door. And then I am at work and I haven’t spent the day in bed."
John. social firm employee
“With respect to disability pensions, 60 billion dollars per year is spent in Australia. 28% of this or 16.8 billion dollars per is spent on people with mental illness.”
Harmer J. Pension review Background Paper, Department of Fam
With appropriate support, many of those who have the potential to work, but are not currently working because of economic or social inequalities, illness or acquired or congenital disability, can access the benefits of work.
The Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental M

Social Firms Australia ltd
ABN: 90 110 698 489

10/49 Smith St Fitzroy Vic 3065
P: 03 9445 0373 F: 03 9445 0375