Every Local Government ideally wants to represent a strong and vibrant community, where business and community organisations not only thrive but work together to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes. In 1999 the Prime Minister, John Howard, brought together a group of prominent leaders from the business and community sectors to form The Prime Minister’s Community Business Partnership. The purpose of this Partnership is to encourage and assist community business collaboration and along with it, corporate social responsibility.
The Prime Minister chairs the Partnership and Senator Amanda Vanstone, the Federal Minister for Family and Community Services, is the Deputy Chair. Supported by the Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services, the Partnership aims to encourage, recognise and reward the development of corporate and individual social responsibility, and to support community and business organisations to work together for mutual benefit.
The Partnership also rewards excellence in partnerships through the Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships. There are separate categories for partnerships involving small, medium and large businesses, as well as Special Awards.Nominations for the 2003 Awards are opening soon: see details in the text box below.
What do we mean by a partnership?
A partnership is formed between at least one business and one community organisation, provides benefits to both parties and is not for commercial profit.
What’s in it for my business or community organisation?
The community has traditionally welcomed support from local business and equally the business sector has recognised the benefits of contributing to a strong community.
“Working in partnership not only has the potential to enrich people’s lives but can also deliver tangible results for all Australians,” the Prime Minister said. “Community and business partnerships are a driver to accomplish better outcomes than any group acting alone could achieve.”
Benefits to the business partner can include the following.
- Improved staff morale and retention rates.
- Enhanced reputation.
- Greater productivity.
- Increased local knowledge and networks in the community.
- More attractive to socially responsible investors.
The community partner can benefit from the following.
- Increased capability to meet objectives sooner.
- Increased profile and recognition for their day to day work.
- Greater opportunity for influence and wider networks.
- New business skills.
The local community in which the partnership operates benefits through the following.
- Improved facilities.
- Increased profile for the community.
- Flow on effects from partnership projects such as better health, less crime, higher school retention rates.
- Improved capacity to find creative solutions to local problems.
Examples of partnerships
Small business – ‘Sailing for Everyone’
A partnership between Access Dinghy Sailing Systems (ADSS), the Access Dinghy Foundation, and Sailability
This partnership, ‘Sailing for Everyone’, provides sailing opportunities for up to 20,000 people with disabilities, in 40 locations across Australia.
- A proportion of profits from boat building activities are donated to the Access Dinghy Foundation to provide grants and scholarships to sailors with a disability and accessible sailing organisations throughout the world.
- The Foundation then provides cash donations to Sailability associations to assist with travel and training costs, with further equipment and capital donated by local businesses, Councils, fundraising initiatives and unique relationships with international sponsors.
- Determined to make sailing accessible to everyone, regardless of age, ability and financial status, the partnership offers safe and fun water activities for those who have traditionally been excluded from the culture of sailing by expense and inaccessibility.
- For many people with a disability, the opportunity to sail solo represents a unique chance to independently participate in sport and be empowered in a social and outdoors environment.
- For the partners involved, the promotion of sailing as an attractive and accessible global sport creates the opportunity to improve thousands of lives and educate the community about the needs of people with a disability.
- In six years the alliance has spread from Melbourne, through Victoria and Australia to the world. The success looks set to continue with preliminary discussions taking place with the International Foundation of Disabled Sailors (IFDS) for Sailability to be incorporated and become the sailing arm of IFDS.
Medium business – ‘Jobs for Health’
A partnership between Sunshine Coast Health Services Foundation and CADET Training and Employment
This partnership has advanced the establishment of a cancer treatment unit on the Sunshine Coast.
- The Sunshine Coast Health Services Foundation is a not for profit organisation committed to providing patient comfort facilities and research.
- The ‘Jobs for Health’ project means every time CADET fills a job vacancy, funds are donated to the Foundation.
- The campaign was originally going to run for six months but has been so successful it continues indefinitely.
- As a result of the partnership, over 3,000 people gained employment and more than $150,000 has been raised toward the establishment of a cancer treatment facility in Nambour.
Large business – ‘Revive our Wetlands’
A partnership between BHP Billiton and Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA)
This partnership has combined skills to restore environmental balance to 100 of the nation’s most endangered wetlands.
- The project involves BHP Billiton’s and CVA’s joint expertise in addition to a wealth of resources and goodwill provided by community volunteers.
- Under the management of CVA, Australia’s largest practical conservation organisation, over 14,000 volunteer days have been committed over three years of wetland rehabilitation.
- ‘Revive’ has provided CVA staff and volunteers with the opportunity to work with health, safety and environment specialists and to build relationships within the corporate sector.
- Through its partnership with CVA, BHP Billiton has been able to demonstrate its commitment to one of the company’s most critical environmental issues – water conservation and management of the environment – and in doing so has enhanced the reputation of the company and its staff.
- New State and Federal Government funding commitments and continued support from community organisations have enabled ‘Revive’ to continue its contribution to the environment and forge new relationships between volunteers and specialists.
Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships
The Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships are now in their fifth year. The Awards celebrate those organisations around Australia that have developed outstanding partnerships, actively contributing to social cohesion and a better Australia.
The Awards are presented in three categories, for partnerships involving small, medium and large business. National finalists are selected from State and Territory Award winners. The Prime Minister then selects the best partnership in each category, to be honoured with a National Award. There are also three Special Awards categories: an Impact on the Community Award for a business with significant community involvement; a Media Award for consistent and positive reporting on corporate social responsibility; and a Longevity Award to honour an outstanding partnership that has been operating for more than five years.
Each National Award winning partnership receives $10,000 for their community partner and each Special Award winner can nominate a community organisation to receive $10,000.
Further information about previous winners and more information on the Awards can be found at www.partnerships.gov.au Nomination forms will be available in late June, with a closing date for return of forms in early August 2003. To request a nomination form, or for more information on this year’s Awards, call 1800 102 014.
For more information please visit www.partnerships.gov.au.
