Social Traders | Hall of Fame

Announcing the 2025 National Game Changer award winners! Let’s celebrate the innovative social enterprises, businesses and governments leading the charge in #Business4Good.

Social Procurement Impact Partnership - National Winner

Acciona - SPA x Navaroo

Acciona partnered with SPA and Navaroo in a procurement initiative that streamlined processes, enhanced collaboration, and delivered measurable social and business impact. The partnership focused on innovation, efficiency, and sustainability, setting a benchmark for strategic procurement and demonstrating how cross-organisation collaboration can drive meaningful outcomes.

Finalists

CPB Contractors x CareerSeekers

This partnership created employment pathways for university students from refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds. Through targeted recruitment, mentoring, and workplace support, the collaboration successfully placed multiple graduates, enhanced workforce diversity, and strengthened social impact, delivering measurable outcomes that demonstrate the power of inclusive, socially responsible procurement in action.

Heidelberg Materials x RCYCL

This partnership focused on sustainable procurement by integrating recycled materials into construction projects. Together, they streamlined supply chains, reduced environmental impact, and created social value by supporting local enterprises. The collaboration delivered measurable results, including increased use of recycled materials, cost efficiencies, and strengthened community and environmental outcomes.

Social Enterprise Pioneer of the Year- National Winner

WV Technologies

WV Technologies is an Aboriginal-owned social enterprise and industry leader in high-security IT asset disposal and e-waste recycling. The enterprise combines commercial success with social impact, providing employment, upskilling, and holistic support to over 50 Indigenous youth per year.

Finalists

Plate It Forward

Plate It Forward is a social enterprise tackling food insecurity and waste by redistributing surplus meals to vulnerable communities. Through partnerships with local businesses and volunteers, it delivers nutritious meals, reduces food waste, and creates social impact, fostering community connection and measurable outcomes in hunger relief and sustainability.

Gnarly Neighbours

Gnarly Neighbours is Australia’s first certified skateboarding social enterprise, using skate culture, hospitality, and creative industries to empower disadvantaged youth. Since 2021, it has delivered 37,000+ engagements, offered free programs, addressed food insecurity, reduced antisocial behaviour, and transitioned young people into paid roles, creating scalable, community-driven pathways out of poverty.

Game Changer of the Year - Certified social enterprise - National Winner

Phil Hayes-Brown (Wallara)

Phil Hayes-Brown, CEO of Wallara, champions social enterprise and inclusive employment, promoting sustainable, dignity-driven models. He advances social procurement, fosters collaboration, mentors emerging leaders, and elevates sector credibility through high-quality service delivery. Phil’s advocacy demonstrates that social enterprises can deliver both impact and professional excellence, driving systemic change nationally.

Finalists

Oliver Hunt (Medsalv)

Oliver Hunt has consistently championed social procurement across Australia and New Zealand, particularly within healthcare. Through leading Medsalv, forming strategic partnerships, and embedding inclusive hiring, he demonstrates that social enterprises can deliver quality, scalable solutions. His advocacy, public speaking, and collaboration shift perceptions, proving impact-led businesses are competitive, capable, and essential.

Kurt Gruber (WV Technologies)

Kurt, 2023 Australian of the Year finalist, has over 20 years of social enterprise leadership. At WV Technologies, he champions social procurement, demonstrates that social enterprises can deliver high-quality, scalable products, secures top-tier contracts, and advocates widely, showing that impact-driven businesses are not only socially responsible but commercially exceptional.

Game Changer of the Year - Business/Government - National Winner

Nicole Donnison (ICON)

Nicole Donnison is a leading advocate for social procurement in construction, fostering connections between buyers and social enterprises. She drives sector growth through mentoring, industry collaboration, and high-impact projects, demonstrating how purpose-led partnerships deliver quality outcomes, expand opportunities, and embed social value across the built environment.

Finalists

Tina Eastman (Fredon)

Tina Eastman has championed social procurement through deep, practical collaboration with social enterprises. Moving beyond policy, she brings project managers and social enterprises together early to identify real opportunities, adjusting scopes and breaking down barriers.

Mariska Price (BUILT)

Mariska Price is a driving force in embedding social enterprise within Victoria’s construction industry, combining policy influence, mentoring, and on-the-ground project leadership to create lasting impact.