World Social Enterprise Day

Social Enterprise Day is global movement which celebrates and acknowledges the importance of social impact entrepreneurship.

In 2024 Social Enterprise Day marks the halfway point in our 5-year Future Bedford strategy.

Our transformative vision to diversify Bedford is coming to life and we are proud to employ hundreds of South Australians across our social enterprise businesses. These businesses continue to amplify our purpose to offer choice and opportunity in employment pathways for those experiencing barriers to work, including people living with disability.

First launched in 2023, Bedford-backed Social Enterprises are making real life impact.

The benefits of open employment can create a cascade of social, financial and health benefits for employees with disability, in addition to economic benefits through increased wages and taxes, reduction in Disability Support Pension payments and NDIS payments.

To quantify it, we have partnered with the Centre for Social Impact at Flinders University to calculate these social and economic benefits, so we can measure and value the impact these social enterprises will deliver to the wider community.

• People with disability transitioned to open employment: 25
• Social Impact*: $272,450
• Average increase in hourly wage: 79%

*No. of People with disability in open employment x % increase in wage x no. of hours in FY24

For over 80 years, Bedford has provided jobs to people with disability, giving meaning, purpose, independence, and connection.

In response to a lack of jobs in the community for people with disability, Bedford has established a portfolio of social enterprises that offer a diverse range of open employment jobs to those experiencing barriers to work.

These businesses lead to more career pathways for people of all abilities and an opportunity to earn an award wage. This results in a cascade of social, financial and health benefits for employees, in addition to the economic benefits that flow through to the government and broader community through increased wages, and therefore income taxes, reduction in Disability Support Pension payments and a reduction in NDIS payments towards supported employment.

A social enterprise is essentially a business for good. It is a commercial business that has a strong purpose and reinvests its profits into its purpose. In the case of Bedford-backed social enterprises, they create employment opportunities for people who have faced barriers due to disability, life experience or background.

GreenInc landscape construction delivers large scale custom landscape design and implementation, community recreation space establishment and maintenance and green waste management.

Cultivate Food and Beverage offers large contract food manufacturing capabilities will full supply chain solutions including procurement, production, storage, logistics and packaging. The stable of delicious Cultivate brands includes Emmaline’s, Barossa Pizza and Emma and Myrtle’s Bakehouse.

Dovetail Advanced manufacturing specialises in the manufacture of quality timber products and furniture such as wardrobes, kitchen cabinetry and office fit-outs for consumers and businesses.

Beacon Laundry is a commercial laundry that gives a sheet. It creates local jobs who are shut out of the mainstream jobs market by offering a premium laundry and linen service to the healthcare, aged care, hospitality and accommodation sectors. Beacon Laundry is currently transitioning to an open employment social enterprise.