More than just a job - caring for people and the environment

Green Collect is a social enterprise that works together with businesses to achieve positive environmental change. Through delivering innovative recycling and waste minimisation solutions, Green Collect also creates new opportunities for employment and community building.

As a social enterprise, Green Collect offers work and training opportunities to people who face barriers to employment. By creating jobs that are accessible and sustainable for people who are experiencing social and economic disadvantage, Green Collect works together with businesses to build a more inclusive community.

You can be actively involved in supporting this work by participating in services provided:

Reduce

Green Office Services
Environmental assessments of energy, waste, paper & water usage Green office programs & practices to reduce environmental impact

Re-use

Re-use & Green Move Services
Programs for a green relocation. Finding good homes to reuse unwanted stationery, office equipment, furniture & computers

Recycle

CBD Collection & E-waste Collection Services
Program for recycling corks & bottle tops, mobile phones & accessories, E-waste, aluminium, printer cartridges, batteries, DVDs & CDs.

 

Green Collect’s objectives

The following objectives drive Green Collect’s vision to create opportunities for sustainable environmental and social change:

  • To offer new employment opportunities to people who have experienced significant barriers to employment
  • To develop and deliver services that reduce the amount of ‘waste’ generated and going to landfill

 

Our History

As a way of responding to issues of homelessness and disadvantage in Melbourne’s CDB, staff of BP Australia came up with the idea of creating a cork collection service that would provide employment to disadvantaged groups. In 2002, BP Australia funded a 16 week pilot to further identify and develop the project’s feasibility.

The pilot showed the potential for such an enterprise, if combined with other higher value services, (e.g. Green Office services) and led to the development of a cork collection service under the name ‘Green Collect’. At this point key partners were identified and seed funding sought to establish Green Collect as a not-for-profit organisation. In 2002, seed funding was obtained from the Department of Transport and Regional Services, which was received in 2003 through the Collins Street Baptist Benevolent Society Inc, trading as Urban Seed and Green Collect.

In August 2004, this funding contract was successfully completed with excellent social, environmental and financial outcomes. A key indicator of Green Collect’s social impact was the creation of 12 new casual and part-time employment opportunities.

In January 2005 Green Collect went through a time of transition, which included its incorporation as Green Collect Limited. This involved transferring the business from the Collins Street Baptist Benevolent Society Inc to becoming a company limited by guarantee and has allowed Green Collect to move in the directions required to meet its goal of providing increasing numbers of supported employment opportunities through ensuring its activities are viable and sustainable. Operating as a company limited by guarantee provides Green Collect with a framework to support the work involved in delivering environmental services and may allow for the replication of this model with new target groups and different communities.During 2005 Green Collect Limited received endorsement as a public benevolent Institution and as a deductible gift recipient.

 

 

Contact Green Collect if you would like to support us through a donation.

 

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