Global Sisters Annual Report 2021
Back Her Brilliance
Heather Thomson COO, Florence Olugbemiro of Designed by Florence, and Mandy Richards CEO/Founder.
Florence was a mother, wife, entrepreneur, our Sister and friend. She was larger than life and a vibrant leader within our Community who is greatly missed.
A world where every woman is provided the opportunity to create her own economic future.
Our Purpose
Making business possible; Unlocking the potential in every woman to own her economic future.
Impact as of June 2021
5127
Women Supported
3
Value of Pro Bono Support to Sisters
Global Sisters impact domains are mapped to UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Business Acumen
Enterprise
Financial Resilience
Empowerment
Influence
Connection
Global Sisters' role in Covid-19
The gendered impact of COVID-19 saw women losing casual, unstable jobs and increasing their carer responsibilities, as children were educated from home for much of the year in 2020-21. Women started seeking flexible jobs and ways to generate an income that overcame these barriers to employment. Global Sisters experienced an increase in demand during the COVID lockdowns of 2020-21, and were able to meet that demand via our nationally accessible, online programs. Additionally, women who already were running a micro business but relied on in-person sales prior to the pandemic were forced to move their operations and sales online. The Global Sisters solution to helping women sell online, overcoming cost and technical capability barriers, was the Marketplace which was launched in November 2020.
Learn More
Our Programs
Global Sisters provides a roadmap of programs and tools including:
These programs and support are delivered digitally and in place via Hubs.
Sales & Marketing: Marketplace
Global Sisters launched the pilot of Marketplace in November 2020, as our primary strategy to support Sister business sales & marketing and enable them to sell online. The intention is to provide an e-commerce platform for women’s micro business, whether they can sell their product, service or experience from anywhere in Australia.
Benefits:
- Provides an efficient, cost effective and scalable mechanism for diverse women’s micro business to access online markets
- Improves digital inclusion by overcoming tech and cost barriers for women selling online
- Provides one destination for purpose led corporate spending.
#GOODBusiness
The businesses that are being established by Sisters are overwhelmingly for-purpose or what we call #GOODBusinesses, whether they are structured as social enterprises, not-for-profits or for-profit businesses. On the Marketplace we highlight the brands that have taken steps to do business that is good for people & planet. To help consumers purchase from brands that align with their values, we have created four #GOODBusiness values that we encourage sellers to work towards. We celebrate and focus marketing efforts on businesses that are living these values.
Women Led
Businesses supporting women’s financial independence.
Eco-conscious
The business sources with care, has a transparent and environmentally conscious supply chain, produces with a reduced environmental impact, recycled/ upcycled and uses natural, sustainable materials.
Kind to animals
Brands that use cruelty-free production methods and ingredients that do not harm animals. Product made using non-animal alternatives or methods associated with good animal welfare.
Community minded
The business provides “decent work” (UN Sustainable Development Goal 8) for both the founder and those they employ. The business upholds the welfare and fair working conditions of their workers and those in their supply chain. The business is committed to engaging and supporting the communities their business exists to serve.
Pro Bono Business Coaching
& Services
Corporates and business leaders continue to support women’s micro business through the Global Sisters Coaching & Pro Bono Services programs. Momentum Coaching, Industry Circles and Pro Bono Support enables Sisters to make their first sales, build confidence and fast-track their business growth through connections and sales opportunities.
336 volunteers
have provided coaching and pro bono support to Sisters
$3million
has been transferred in
pro bono support to Sisters
Microfinance & Financial Wellbeing
The Global Sisters Microfinance program currently includes Business Loans and access to micro business insurance via Suncorp/ AAMI.
Business Loans
Our Business Loans are micro loans for early stage micro businesses. This is filling a gap in the market and making finance accessible for women-led micro businesses.
Business Insurance
Business Insurance is made available to Sisters via a tailored Suncorp/ AAMI small business insurance product.
Business loans stats to date
10
loans made
$22k
borrowed
100%
on time payment
Financial Inclusion, Capability & Wellbeing
Global Sisters has commenced creating a roadmap of financial products and services for Sisters, both for their business development and overall economic security.
In the coming year, Global Sisters will continue to identify, co-design and facilitate access to a suite of custom financial products and services for self-employed Australian women, that lead to improved financial resilience and wellbeing now and in the future. These tailored products will be delivered to Sisters via partnerships with financial institutions. These products and services for Sisters would be made available and accessible to all Australian women on low-incomes.
Sister Stories
Fiona
Chocolate on Purpose, Regional Victoria
First Nations business producing chocolate with Australian native botanicals.
Read Fiona's full story
Angie
Heat Wear You Need It, Brisbane
Single mum with a medical disability producing therapeutic heat packs.
Read Angie's full story
Cyana
Camie Fleur, SW Sydney
Young migrant with an eco & social purpose floristry business.
Read Cyana's full story
Impact
Women supported
END 2019
1236
END 2020
3975
Q2 2021
5127
The Australian women that Global Sisters support are approaching business differently to the mainstream startup sector – they are predominantly micro (under 4 employees) businesses, and what we describe as “good” businesses. Typically these businesses are not only good for the female founder and economy in terms of job creation and economic activity but good for our society and environment.
Global Sisters has found that the way our Sisters approach business is gradual and iterative, and this characteristic is leading to considered, sustainable businesses over the long term. It means that the way they grow their business is as important as the business itself. Our Sisters are developing their businesses at a pace that suits their circumstances and overcomes the gender-based barriers to business and economic participation.
Our 2021 impact findings are that not only can we make business possible for women across Australia but that economic security for women is starting to be achieved via “good business”.
Themes
Global Sisters exists to make business possible for all women. Diversity and inclusion are central to our mission. Read our Themes papers where we go deeper into the impact Global Sisters has on specific groups of women that we support around Australia and learn how these extraordinary women are breaking down barriers and moving our society forward to be a fairer and more inclusive place for all.
Systems Change
Global Sisters exists to make business possible for all women and create a world where women have the opportunity to own their economic future. To achieve our goal of financial wellbeing & long-term economic security for Australian women, Global Sisters works at two levels:
Direct Impact
Directly supporting women to run micro businesses and become financially resilient through that income.
Systems Change
Leveraging increased business income to change women’s long term economic security.
Our three strategic priorities in systems change are:
Welfare System Reform
A welfare system that supports women wishing to use business to secure their economic future.
Women’s Economic Security Pathway
Ensuring that accessible & affordable financial products, services and advice are available for low-income women to secure assets to protect their financial future.
Elevating Women’s Micro Business
As a focus for national discourse and policy.
Corporate Engagement
Corporate partners provide a range of generalist and expert volunteer coaches from across their organisation. The volunteers deliver targeted business support to Sisters around Australia/NZ. It is a foundational part of Global Sisters ability to support 1000’s of women to create their own job and income via micro businesses. The impact that is co-created is significant for both Sisters and the participating organisations alike. In fact, we have already transferred over $3 Million in value from corporates to emerging Sister business. Global Sisters provides meaningful and engaging development for your employees, by building their coaching skills and business acumen with those who really need it. We provide an opportunity to develop perspective and awareness of real DEI and microbusiness challenges, an experience that traditional learning & development is unable to provide.
Global Sisters has facilitated coaching and pro bono services from businesses of all sizes across Australia. These include the following companies:
Meet Our...
Team
Mandy Richards
CEO/Founder
Heather Thomson
Chief Operating Officer
Allison Dunlop
Chief Financial Officer
Jessica Cameron
People and Culture Lead
Isabella Jolly
Growth & Commercial Director
Lisa Edinburg
Strategic Projects
Gershon Nimbalker
Policy and Advocacy Advisor
Lisa Brincat
Coaching Program Activator
Victoria Keitel
Marketplace Curator
Alex Drew
Sister Support
Adelle Laing
Regional Cluster Manager (NSW & ACT)
Michelle Lilley
Regional Cluster Manager (North East Victoria)
Lauren Wilby
Project Management Lead
Tineke Osten
Database Lead
Juanita McLaren
Social Impact Coordinator
Fiona Wright
Administration Coordinator
Kirsty Ainsworth
Graphic Designer
Board
Mandy Richards
CEO/Founder
Deanne Weir
Chair
Michelle Dixon
Director
Caitlin Iles
Director
Nick Garrett
Director
Richard Denniss, Director
Nicky Sparshott
Director
Financials
The 2020/21 financial year has been a challenging year in terms of establishing new funding partnerships. As a result, this year has seen a 9% drop in our revenue. With the ongoing support of our current partners along with Covid-19 financial assistance from the Federal Government, our overall income remained consistent with the prior year.
We continue to focus on diversifying our income streams and to build sustainable revenue and passive income streams. One such initiative we have been working on during the 2020/21 financial year has been establishing the Global Sisters Marketplace, Australia’s first online Marketplace dedicated to supporting women-led micro businesses & social enterprises.
We are committed to the majority of our expenditure being incurred on programs directly supporting our Sisters and we were able to achieve this objective again during 2020/21. This year saw a 5% drop in expenditure. Our infrastructure costs have remained low due to our partners providing services at pro bono or discounted rates.
Financial report 2021
What next? 2021-22
Global Sisters will start to scale impact across Australia, ensuring that all women who want to earn their own income via micro business are supported to do so. We want to put women’s micro business on the map! Global Sisters seeks to elevate micro business as a powerhouse of the economy and important contribution to the economic recovery from COVID and women’s economic participation and security.
Join our movement
Mandy Richards, CEO/Founder
mandy@globalsisters.org
Heather Thomson, COO
heather@globalsisters.org
General enquiries
hello@globalsisters.org
Find out more
About Global Sisters
globalsisters.org
Our Impact
impact.globalsisters.org
The Marketplace
marketplace.globalsisters.org
Sister Portal
sisters.globalsisters.org
Follow us
ABN 36 162 363 180.
PO Box 4077, North Curl Curl 2099, NSW
