Social Traders Awards | 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.
Social Traders | Hall of Fame
Social Procurement Impact Partnership of the Year:
NSW & ACT- Green Connect & Mirvac
NT & QLD- Civil Geotechnical Consultants & Fulton Hogan
VIC & TAS- SisterWorks Inc & Yarra Trams
SA & WA- Community Corporate & DHS, SA Government
Social Enterprise Pioneer of the Year:
NSW & ACT- Freedom Hub
NT & QLD- Chatstat
VIC & TAS- Soap Aid Limited
SA & WA- The Fulcrum Agency
Business for Good Game Changer:
NSW & ACT-
Social Enterprise Winner: David Burns, Collective Leisure
Business and Government Winner: Katrina Brooks
NT & QLD-
Social Enterprise Winner: Nora Fraser, The Multicultural Professional Network
Business and Government Winner: Thomas Hilleary, JLL
VIC & TAS-
Social enterprise winner: Sue Boyce, Ability Works Australia
Business and government winner: Francesca Maclean, Yarra Trams
SA & WA-
Social enterprise winner: Sarah Gun - GOGO Events
‘S’ in ESG Frontrunner:
NSW & ACT- Mirvac
VIC & TAS- John Holland Group, Hobsons Bay Main Sewer Duplication Project
Social procurement trailblazer - National - Assembled Threads and Icon
Social procurement game changer - VIC & TAS region - Assembled Threads and Icon
Social procurement game changer - NSW & ACT region - Plate it Forward and Mirvac
Social procurement game changer- NT & QLD region - Natura Pacific and Lendlease Communities
Social procurement game changer - SA & WA region - Blend Creative and business member Australia Post
Social procurement trailblazer - National - Two Good Co and Charter Hall
Social procurement game changer - VIC & TAS region - Ability Works (certified social enterprise) and Transurban (business member).
Social procurement game changer - NSW & ACT region - Two Good (certified social enterprise) and Charter Hall (business member).
Social procurement game changer- NT & QLD region - Australian Spatial Analytics (certified social enterprise) and Ventia (business member).
Social procurement game changer - SA & WA region - Community Concierge SA (certified social enterprise) and Jones Lang SaSalle (JLL) (business member).
Social Enterprise of the Year – Large - Nundah Community Enterprises Cooperative
Social Enterprise of the Year – Small - Fruit2Work
Social Enterprise Champion of the Year - Streat
Social Procurement Business/Government Agency of the Year - CPB Contractors
Social Procurement Champion of the Year - Westpac
Game Changer of the Year - Victorian State Government
Big Spender - John Holland Group
Social Procurement Partnership of the Year - Transurban & Ability works
Social Enterprise of the Year (Large) - Yourtown Enterprises
Social Enterprise of the Year (Small) - Green Collect
Social Enterprise Champion of the Year - Substation 33
Big Spender Award - Australia Post
Business & Government Member of the Year - John Holland Group
Business & Government Social Procurement Champion - Vic Roads
Social Procurement Partnership of the Year - CPB Contractors
Social Procurement Leadership Award - Level Crossing Removal Authority
Procurement In Action Award - John Holland Group
Creative Partnership Award - Australia Post
Social Procurement Advocate Award - Laing O'Rourke
Social Enterprise Growth Award - STREAT
Social Enterprise Business Model Innovation Award - Outlook Environmental
Deal Of The Year - Yarra View Nursery
Australian Social Enterprise of the Year (Small) ASRC Catering (VIC)
Australian Social Enterprise of the Year (Large) - Soft Landing (NSW)
One to Watch Award - MYC Painting Services (NSW)
Capital for Impact Award - Vanguard Laundry Service (QLD)
Social Enterprise Innovation Award - 40K PLUS (NSW)
Buy Social Award - Brisbane City Council (QLD)
Social Enterprise Champion Award - Walter Villagonzalo (VIC)
Women’s Impact Award - Tjanpi Desert Weavers (NT)
Australian Social Enterprise of the Year (Small) - Nundah Community Enterprises Cooperative Ltd (QLD)
Australian Social Enterprise of the Year (Large) - Salvos Legal Limited and Salvos Legal (Humanitarian) Limited (NSW)
One to Watch Award - Pollinate Energy (VIC)
Social Enterprise Innovation Award - Sprout (WA)
Social Enterprise Investment Award (tied) - STREAT (VIC), Asylum Seeker Resource Centre Food Justice Truck (VIC)
Buy Social Award - Good Samaritan Industries (on behalf of the Western Australia Disability Enterprise Alliance)
Social Enterprise Champion Award - Luke Terry
Social Enterprise of the Year (Small) - Connecting up
Social Enterprise of the year (Med/Large) - Resource recovery
Youth-Led Social Enterprise Of The Year - Thank You Water
Social Enterprise Innovation Award - STREAT
Social Procurement SE Supporter of the Year - The Great Lakes Council (NSW)
