Property company Mirvac had partnered with a certified social enterprise called Mates on the Move, a transport and logistics company that focuses on reducing recidivism by providing practical support and employment pathways for people exiting the corrections system.

Mates on the Move launched in March 2017 with a primary focus on domestic removals, but that focus fundamentally changed after a referral to Mirvac facilitated by Social Traders.

Mates on The Move's Lois Dillon said the Mirvac deal was the catalyst for major growth – and more importantly, a greater number of employment opportunities.

“Social Traders knew we had a truck that was right for what Mirvac needed – that’s very simply how this started,” Ms Dillon said.

“We did a good job and delivered on the contract and we realised we were good at it, but that there was real growth in waste removal. So, we changed direction and we have grown from there. Through word of mouth and referrals from Mirvac, and Social Traders certification service, we’ve built scale and grown organically, and we now service a range of both private sector and not for profit clients. We now have one permanent part time and up to four casuals at any one time. We grew 34% in the 2019 financial year – without that founding Mirvac contract we wouldn’t be where we are today. The increase in business means we can also now divert funding to grow our training program and create more opportunities without slowing the business down.”

Mirvac Resource Recovery Manager, Kim Host, said that partnering with Mates on the Move helped the business address an environmental issue, as well as a logistical one.

“We engaged Mates on the Move who now collect and transport problem waste from eleven of our Sydney office buildings and ad-hoc collections from our retail assets,” Ms Host said.

“The team has helped us divert almost 290 tonnes of this problem waste stream from landfill and has been so successful, we are in the process of extending our agreement with Mates on the Move until 2023. From our point of view the most remarkable and rewarding aspect was being able to help a group of men and women gain access to employment and qualifications via our partnership, when previously they had very little opportunity. We have an ongoing focus on Social Procurement and a target to direct $100 million of our procurement spend to the social sector by 2030. Working with Mates on the Move has been seamless: their service delivery, reliability, punctuality and reporting are excellent. Over the course of the project, we could see tangible benefits from the partnership, including Mates on the Move’s capacity to grow and extend their influence, and in doing so make a difference for an increasing number of disadvantaged people. Mirvac is genuinely proud to support this social enterprise.”

Social procurement refers to purchasing goods or services from businesses categorised as social enterprises – that is, either profit or not-for-profit commercial entities that, at their core, tackle social problems, improve communities, provide access to employment and training or help the environment.