Mental health issues affect 1 in 5 Australians – more people than cancer and diabetes combined. It’s estimated that mental illnesses cost over $30 billion every year in Australia, in everything from increased health costs, to lost worker productivity, to homelessness, and unemployment. We also know that there is a strong correlation between mental health and […]
Social Outcomes Report: Shared Value in Australia
On 23 July 2015, Social Outcomes released the report, Shared Value in Australia. The report looks at how companies in Australia and globally, are seizing the opportunity of shared value creation – growing their businesses, markets, and revenue streams, through innovations that reduce social and environmental problems. Business is rapidly changing, fuelled by increased transparency, […]
Impact measurement – its confusing…
By Sandy Blackburn-Wright, Managing Director, Social Outcomes We are told at every turn that we need to measure impact, whether we are a not-for-profit (NFP), philanthropic foundation, business, or government department, and it’s all very confusing. There are lots of measurement tools and approaches, and we’re not always sure whether we should use these, or […]
Blending social and financial value: a 101 introduction to activity in Australia
In Australia, the combination of a long-standing commitment to the ‘Aussie fair go,’ along with an increasing strain on government resources, creates a fertile environment for various forms of blended social and financial value to thrive. A number of businesses, social sector organisations, private foundations, and government agencies across Australia, are spearheading innovative models that […]
Innovating With Development Impact Bonds
The following article was published in Conscious Company Magazine, Spring (USA) edition, 2015. The article is available here. Photo credit: GAVI Alliance In his 2015 State of the Union address, President Obama spoke of the importance of using the lesson of Ebola to “build a more effective global effort to prevent the spread of future pandemics, invest […]