As we step into 2025, it’s a great time to celebrate how far we’ve come and look ahead to another year of impact and growth – making business for good, business as usual.

As a leading industry body for social enterprise and social performance in business, we’re here to make sure you to stay at the forefront of dynamic and evolving industry trends.

2024 was a record-breaking year:

• More of you joined our events than ever before with 2,699 people attending one of our 101 events.
• Demand for social enterprise certification surged up 25% from last year.
• Over 22,000 people used the Social Enterprise Finder – up 30%.
• Federal and State Governments featured social enterprise in all reports where we and our partners made submissions.
• We formed a historic partnership with Supply Nation and WEConnect International, bringing together over 6,000 diverse suppliers with 1,000 businesses.
• Report on Identified Social Enterprises (RISE) – the largest report on social enterprise in Australia – was used by almost 1,000 people in just two months.
• Social Enterprise Identifier - the interactive online dashboard of the the largest database of social enterprises in Australia was used by almost 400 people in the two months since launch.

Trends and latest developments

The 4,500+ people in the Social Traders membership community, across business and social enterprise, are continuing to show that social value through business is becoming a necessity.

• Reporting on social performance will become more important, following Australia’s first mandatory sustainability reporting this year. Businesses like Mirvac have already produced their first Social Performance Report.
• Social procurement spend is set for another annual increase. Already 61% of Social Traders business and government members are increasing the amount they spend with certified social enterprises.
• Governments are exploring new social enterprise and social procurement initiatives. NSW Government has given in principle support to social enterprise procurement targets and QLD Government has committed $80m to social enterprise and social impact.
• Social considerations in supply chains will continue to rise globally, as shown in the State of Social Procurement Report 2025 launched by the World Economic Forum.
• Despite tough economic conditions, we’re seeing the resilience of social enterprise with 83% increasing their total revenue and 71% increasing spend on impact costs.

2025: Partnering with business to deliver and report on social performance

Make 2025 the year you continue to focus on your social performance as a commercial advantage.

Social Traders is here to help you report and deliver on social value requirements. Our unique data and impact tools help you track, benchmark and plan your next step.

By partnering with certified social enterprises, you can:

Social Traders is here to help you report and deliver on ESG requirements. Our unique data and impact tools help you track, benchmark and plan your next step. By partnering with certified social enterprises, you can:

• Deliver and showcase your social performance.
• Deliver social and environmental value in your supply chain.
• Strengthen your competitive edge.
• Build a purpose-driven culture that inspires employees and earns customer trust.

2025: Supporting social enterprises build awareness and grow trade revenue

Social Traders has been building a thriving social enterprise sector since 2008. We’ll continue that work in 2025, including:

• Partnering with Disability Employment Investments to develop new certification standards for disability-focused social enterprises.
• Growing Social Enterprise Identifier with new datasets and deeper insights about social enterprise in Australia.
• Launching new Grow programs - training, capability building, and connections.
• Continuing our work with government to strengthen social procurement policy, working particularly closely with Federal, Queensland and NSW governments.
• As always - connecting social enterprises with business and government buyers.

Let's make 2025 a year to remember

The team at Social Traders is here to help you navigate a challenging economic outlook and changes in customer and investor expectations.

We’ll continue our work to strengthen the social enterprise ecosystem, support businesses to deliver and report on social performance and scale the impact of social procurement.

We’ll be increasing our advocacy this year – I’d love to hear from you if you have suggestions of leaders, communities, and forums where social performance and social value should be on the agenda.

Together, we can change business as usual and create a fairer, more inclusive and sustainable Australia.

Thank you for your continued partnership. Let’s make 2025 a year to remember.

Warm regards,

Tara Anderson
CEO, Social Traders