Written by Hailey Cavill-Jaspers, corporate-cause partnership matchmaker
I've had four chapters in my career. The first was in London in the 1980s when I joined a PR firm at the tender age of 16. I saw firsthand how corporates (and their spin doctors - aka me!) controlled the narrative to protect their reputations. There was very little accountability for corporate behaviour – consumers had to trust what they were told because it was long before the internet.
The only real consequences of wrongdoing was a slap on the wrist from the government or an exposé by investigative journalists. The power rested with the corporations that had the biggest advertising and PR budgets. It was the Gordon Gekko 'Greed is Good' era, and the prevailing belief was Milton Friedman's definition of the role of business - to increase profits for shareholders.
As I climbed the ranks of the PR firm, my personal values and my job started to feel very out of sync. I began wrestling with my conscience.
Around that time, a small, unusual shop opened near my home. It sold body lotions in bottles you took back to refill - completely revolutionary and a stark contrast to the overpackaged, tested-on-animals products I'd been buying at Selfridges. The owner was a larger-than-life character called Anita Roddick, and the way she talked about business as a force for good lit a spark in me. What I should have done was buy shares in that business - because it quickly grew into one of the world’s socially-conscious ethical retailers, The Body Shop. Instead, I quit my high-paying PR job, bought a backpack, and headed off to Africa.
Epiphany whilst scrubbing floors at Mother Teresa’s Mission
My trip to Africa extended to Nepal and India, and 18 months later I found myself at Mother Teresa’s Mission in Kolkata (Calcutta) - a place where destitute people go to die. The nuns, who owned nothing but their robes, showed me that a life of service is the path to happiness. That experience stayed with me.
I headed back to London and landed my dream job in the corporate partnerships department of leading charity NSPCC (the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children). Just as my second career was taking off, my dream man (or so I thought) asked me to marry him and start a new life in his home, Australia.
That move marked the beginning of my third career. Corporate partnerships were still in their infancy in Australia - most companies either donated money or sponsored gala dinners - but the idea of partnerships that delivered mutual benefit hadn't yet taken hold. My brief stint in fundraising didn’t light me up. So, in 1995, I decided to found my own company, Cavill + Co, matchmaking corporates with non-profits.
Matchmaking companies to causes
The first few years in business were a challenge - trying to convince corporates that partnering with a cause or charity could benefit them, not just feel good. There was little evidence or a 'business case' to back up my claims, but I used my PR skills to get the message out through TV and newspapers - and the phone started ringing.
Over the past 30 years, I've built more than 50 partnerships and helped channel over $40 million from corporates into community projects and causes. I've witnessed massive shifts in corporate culture and the evolving role of business, driven by a myriad of forces. From feel-good philanthropy in the '90s to the Triple Bottom Line in the early 2000s. The rise of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and, later, the ESG framework. And now, in 2025, we've moved beyond discretionary action and reporting to mandatory action and reporting - at least in the areas of climate and environmental impact.
The rise and importance of the social enterprise sector
One of the most gratifying shifts I've seen is the rise of the social enterprise sector in Australia and worldwide. It saddens me that Anita isn't here to witness it - because to me, social enterprises epitomise her vision: business as a genuine force for good; using business models to solve societal problems; being active agents of change.
Social enterprises are doing the crucial, hard work of tackling social and environmental problems. That's why big corporates need you. They now understand that addressing social issues isn't just good PR - it's good business. Taking a stand on social and environmental issues enhances reputation, increases customer loyalty, attracts talent (especially Gen Y and Z), cuts through the noise with emotive storytelling, differentiates brands, and builds trust with stakeholders, government, and the community. All bottom-line benefits.
Social Enterprise – a dream partner for corporates
And you? You're a dream partner for corporates because you already have a commercial mindset, you’re agile and innovative - something that many of the non-profits I've worked with over the years struggle with. And like any true win-win scenario, social enterprises can gain enormous value from corporate partnerships. These partnerships can be a game-changer, helping you achieve your mission while delivering benefits for both parties.
Three years ago, I brokered a partnership between Workwear Group and The Big Issue. Workwear Group, a leading uniforms solution provider, invests financial support to The Big Issue, a social enterprise supporting & creating work opportunities for marginalised Australians, while also offering volunteers to support The Big Issue programs such as Street Soccer and the Street Vendor breakfasts.
The Big Issue also runs Women's Workforce, creating employment opportunities for women facing barriers to work—particularly those who may not feel comfortable selling magazines on the street. As part of the partnership, Workwear Group leveraged its industry network to generate more work opportunities for this enterprise, including garment decommissioning to prepare it for recycling.
This is just one example of how a corporate can enhance a social enterprise. If you haven't yet considered partnering with a corporate, here are seven benefits to consider:
1) Funding – to Scale Impact
Because some (of course not all) social enterprises reinvest revenue into their mission rather than generating surplus profit, they often lack the funds needed to scale up. Corporate partners can provide direct financial investment, sponsorship, innovation grants, or revenue-sharing models to help you grow and fulfill your purpose faster.
ING & Orange Sky
ING Bank has been a major corporate partner of Orange Sky, Australia’s first mobile laundry service for people experiencing homelessness. ING’s financial backing has enabled Orange Sky to expand its fleet of vans and extend services across Australia.
RACV & STREAT
Sometimes, funding comes in the form of mission-critical goods. RACV donated STREAT’s first electric vehicle, allowing for eco-friendly deliveries and reducing the organisation’s carbon footprint.
2) Distribution & Retail Channels – Getting Products to More People
One of the biggest challenges for social enterprises is accessing mainstream distribution channels. Corporate partners can open doors by stocking products in retail stores or e-commerce platforms, integrating services, or providing logistical support.
Cotton On & HoMie
HoMie, the Melbourne-based social enterprise, expanded its Pathway Alliance program through a partnership with Cotton On, enhancing retail training and employment opportunities for young people.
3) Mass Market Awareness – Amplifying the Cause, Message, and Social Enterprise Brand
Corporations typically have significant brand recognition and substantial marketing budgets. When they promote a social enterprise, it greatly enhances their reputation and credibility. A corporate partnership can also legitimise an emerging social enterprise.
Yarra Trams & SisterWorks
SisterWorks, an organisation supporting refugee and migrant women through employment, benefited from in-kind advertising through Yarra Trams' Community Partnerships Program. This collaboration allowed SisterWorks to showcase their ‘Hire Her’ campaign on Melbourne trams, boosting public awareness without the expense of paid advertising. The campaign’s striking artwork was designed by, and licensed from, SisterWorks’ entrepreneur, Camila Paz.
4) Expertise – Sharing Knowledge and Skills
In addition to financial support, corporations can offer specialised knowledge in areas such as finance, marketing, supply chain management, logistics, technology, or legal advice. They can also provide employees for hands-on projects or mentorship, as many companies now have structured paid volunteering programs.
L'Oréal & SisterWorks
L'Oréal partnered with SisterWorks to provide beauty industry expertise and product development training to migrant and refugee women, empowering them to build sustainable businesses in cosmetics and skincare.
5) Networks – Opening Doors to More Opportunities
A well-connected corporate partner can introduce a social enterprise to new investors, a broader customer base, government contacts, creative agencies, and more - accelerating growth.
Mirvac & Green Connect
Property developer Mirvac partners with Green Connect, a social enterprise in the Illawarra region of NSW focused on sustainability and refugee employment. Green Connect has conducted waste audits across Mirvac’s buildings and tenancies in Sydney and the ACT, supporting Mirvac’s goal of zero waste to landfill by 2030. Through Mirvac’s corporate network, Green Connect has expanded its impact, securing more land for urban farming and strengthening its business-to-business relationships.
6) Social Procurement
For many social enterprises, selling products and services to large businesses is crucial for revenue and long-term sustainability. While government mandates increasingly direct funding towards social enterprises, corporate engagement in social procurement remains discretionary. However, there is a growing movement to partner with social enterprises when sourcing goods and services, aligning with sustainability, ethics, and CSR goals. Westpac, NAB, and Lendlease have committed to social procurement targets.
Westpac & The Bread & Butter Project
Westpac sources catering from The Bread & Butter Project, a social enterprise bakery that trains refugees and asylum seekers, ensuring its catering spend supports employment pathways for refugees.
NAB & YMCA Rebuild
NAB partners with YMCA Rebuild, a social enterprise that trains and employs young people at risk of long-term unemployment, to provide office refurbishments and maintenance services.
7) Mission Achievement
Corporate partners can play a crucial role in advancing a social enterprise’s mission. For example, Hotel Etico, a social enterprise hotel in Sydney’s north-east, collaborates with several corporate partners like Sofitel and Fairmont to provide meaningful employment to people with disabilities. This partnership helps the corporates meet their diversity and inclusion objectives while supporting the hotel’s mission.
Bendigo Bank & ACRE
Bendigo Bank partnered with the Australian Centre for Rural Entrepreneurship (ACRE) to champion social enterprise in rural communities. They sponsored ACRE’s Social Enterprise World Forum Rural Gathering, showcasing how social enterprises are revitalising rural areas.
A key outcome from the forum was the Manifesto for Rural Social Enterprise, a set of principles and recommendations for funders and policymakers wanting to accelerate rural social enterprise. 37 countries have adopted it - including a UN taskforce exploring rural economic development. Without Bendigo Bank’s investment, this would have remained a dream.
By forming strategic corporate partnerships, social enterprises can tap into resources far beyond traditional funding, helping to navigate economic fluctuations and build long-term sustainability.
My Fourth Career
I was fortunate in my late fifties to meet a socially conscious, super tech-savvy millennial called Georgia, who encouraged me to take my training tools for non-profits online. In 2019, we co-founded BePartnerReady.com®, a program that upskills non-profits and social enterprises in how to negotiate multi-million-dollar partnerships - but more importantly, embeds a strategy that transforms the organisation’s mindset towards the power of partnerships.
The program includes unique tools, such as the BaFF (Brand Affiliation Fee) — a brand valuation tool that enables you to place a dollar value on your valuable brand — and the Ph Formula, which assigns a dollar value to your marketing and fundraising assets.
We offer two program options: the All-Inclusive program, which runs from May to February each year and includes monthly group calls, bonus webinars, and direct access to Georgia and me; and FLEXI, a self-paced option available anytime throughout the year.
In 2025, BePartnerReady.com® has partnered with Social Change Central to offer a scholarship exclusively for social enterprises. The scholarship application opens on 11 March and closes on 25 March.
If you're ready to unlock the power of corporate partnerships and take your social enterprise to the next level — we’d love to see your name on that scholarship list!
LEARN MORE AND APPLY NOW
To discover if your social enterprise is ready for corporate partnerships, we’ve created a free tool that will give you a readiness score.
COMPLETE THE READINESS Q&A HERE
Social enterprises including ACRE, The Social Outfit, Free to Feed, Tender Funerals Australia and Support Crew NZ have already participated — and we'd love to welcome more social enterprises to the program. If you're serious about scaling your impact through corporate partnerships, this program can be a game-changer.
