Noteworthy women – meet our founder Mandy Richards

About Global Sisters

At Global Sisters, we’re dedicated to removing barriers to women’s economic security. We provide women with the opportunity to generate income flexibly, irrespective of their circumstances, so they can own their economic future.

As a national not-for-profit, we’ve supported over 6000 Australian women, providing a life cycle of comprehensive, flexible and accessible micro business support. However, our mission goes beyond immediate income generation for women; we help them leverage that income for long term economic security via self-employment. Through our free business support programs and systems change interventions, we’re dedicated to making women’s economic security a tangible reality in Australia.

Your support is instrumental in creating a world where no woman is financially or economically excluded.

HOW GLOBAL SISTERS is MAKING IMPACT

Our unique model at Global Sisters has demonstrated its effectiveness in driving impactful and evidence-based systems changes.

Our programs create pathways to economic participation and self-employment opportunities, empowering women to generate income through micro-businesses. The support we offer, including business education programs, coaching and pro bono services, financial pathways, sales runways, and a strong community, enables women to start and grow their businesses on their own terms.

In parallel, our systems change interventions target long-term economic security for women, by addressing the very barriers that inhibit them. We actively challenge these barriers through four interconnected interventions:

Welfare reform for women’s self-employment
Pro women’s micro business policy and investment
Women’s financial product and services pathway
Access to home ownership for women

When we achieve this at scale, only then can Australia begin to close the gap in the economic and social costs of gender inequality. Because increasing women’s economic participation and ensuring economic security is fundamental to attaining women’s rights and advancing gender equality.

BOOK A CALL

THE REAL BARRIERS TO ECONOMIC SECURITY

For many Australian women, economic security is not a tangible reality. The barriers are many and varied, and the only way to truly identify and develop practical solutions is to listen to the women most affected.

Forging a collective path towards economic equality requires us to understand the individual stories of women.

BOOK A CALL

Women like Diana

who fled an insufferable 20 year domestic violence relationship, found herself unable to receive any government support. Consequently, Diana had no choice but to live homeless with her two children. She and her now-adult children continue to grapple with the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and multiple chronic health conditions – the result of a lifetime of trauma. To this day, they still cannot access social security.

Women like suzie

who despite her qualifications, experience and motivation, faced ageism and gender bias during her job search in a male-dominated industry. Finding herself widowed and a single mother in her forties, she grappled with the looming threat of homelessness amid a housing crisis and inaccessible property finance options.

Women like Angie

who worked hard in her company, experienced a workplace injury, and the subsequent misdiagnosis and mistreatment by her employer and medical practitioners left her with a crippling and incurable lifelong condition. She lost her ability to work, escaped a horrific domestic violence relationship, and is now raising her two children on $20,000 a year through the disability pension – 70 percent of which goes towards rent.

Meet our Board

Co-Chair

Nicky is the CEO of Unilever Australia & New Zealand and former Global CEO of luxury retailer, T2 Tea.

Co-Chair

Michael Saadat is the Head of International Public Policy for Block, Inc (NYSE: SQ), leading Block’s public policy efforts across APAC and EMEA, for all of Block’s business units (Square, Cash App, Spiral, TIDAL and TBD).

CEO / Founder

Mandy is a social entrepreneur fiercely passionate about human rights, animal welfare, eradicating poverty and empowering women

Director

Nick has 24 years industry experience leading some of the most creative companies in world, while also working globally and locally on some of the most dynamic brands in the world.

Director

Rachel has deep experience in leading accelerated growth for many global brands through her Senior Executive roles at Afterpay, T2 and Just Group.

Director

Jackie has over 20 years of marketing, digital disruption and transformation experience across media, tech, telco, aviation and financial services.

Director

Louise is the General Counsel of KPMG Australia. She has over 25 years of experience as a lawyer in both in private legal practice and in-house roles in Australia and the UK.

Director

Michelle is a proud Ganggalida and Takalak woman from the Gulf of Carpentaria in far north Queensland. Michelle is the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Manager at Bunnings.

BOOK A CALL