A note from our CEO, Luke Terry.
When I reflect on 2024, I feel both incredibly proud and grateful. With the support of our Board, partners and sector peers, it has been a milestone year for White Box, and jobs-focused social enterprise in Australia.
We now have four incredible social enterprises in the White Box family, and several innovative initiatives and programs underway which are changing the state of play for jobs-focused social enterprise around the country.
Meanwhile, governments at all levels are paying attention to our sector more than ever. The federal government is including jobs-focused social enterprise in their plans to reform the employment services system, and there are ongoing conversations about future payment by outcomes trials. State governments are also leaning in, with the newly elected Queensland government promising to invest $80M in a Social Entrepreneurs Fund and establish an Office of Social Impact.
And it’s not just government. Corporates, like Ventia, are recognising the power of social enterprise to help solve their business problems, partnering with us to create businesses like Civik. While long-established institutions like Bedford Group are looking to models like Beacon Laundry as they navigate the transition of their supported employment workplaces.
Of course, I’d be remiss to talk about 2024 without giving a nod to Geoff Smith, who is in the running for Australian of the Year 2025 for his remarkable leadership of Australian Spatial Analytics.
It really feels like social enterprise and the value of people-centred employment are part of the national conversation.
When I think about where we were five years ago, when White Box first started out, to where we are today, we have matured as an organisation, and as a sector. But 'our why' has never changed.
We exist to create an Australia where every individual who wants a job, is able to access one. We truly believe the vehicle that’s going to help us get there is jobs-focused social enterprise. We’re looking forward to playing a more eco-centric role, sharing our learnings and working more collaboratively with others, so we can speed up the rate of change.
We can achieve so much more when we work together. Here’s to an even bigger 2025.
Luke Terry
CEO, White Box Enterprises
For a full recap on the year, download our 2024 year in review.