Developed with the support of the Australian Retailers Association (ARA), Good360 has launched its Inner Circle program to help retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers meet individual sustainability goals through a structured program with actionable goals.
The new program will provide much needed relief from the cost-of-living pressures, while at the same time fast-track the circular economy.
Founder and managing director of Good360, Alison Covington AM, says while industry had embraced the opportunity to increase their community impact, it was critical for governments to get behind Good360 Inner Circle for it to better relieve cost of living pressures, achieve zero waste objectives and better utilise funding to the not-for-profit sector.
“Since launching, Good360 has been working with industry to ensure some of the $2.5 billion of brand-new household goods such as whitegoods, electronics, clothing, furniture, books and more, that is otherwise wasted or sent to landfill gets into the hands of people that need it the most,” she says.
“Over this time, it became clear to us that many retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers are increasingly directing their strategy and investment towards sustainable and responsible growth and that is why we decided to extend our efforts by offering them a structured approach, where they will have access to data and impact reporting on their community and environmental contributions.”
Indeed, businesses who become partners of the Good360 Inner Circle program will receive regular data and impact reporting covering their environmental and social contributions, plus be awarded a Good360 Inner Circle badge that publicly recognises their sustainability and community impact outcomes.
The initiative has received strong support from the retail industry, with some big names including BIG W, Best&Less, Gildan, koh, Edgewell, Linen House and Winning Group becoming founding partners.
ARA CEO, Paul Zahra, was excited to work with Good360 in the establishment of the Inner Circle program to pursue the common goal to accelerate the transition to a circular economy.
“Good360 Australia has an innovative business model that connects donations of pre-consumer excess inventory to where it is most needed in the community across Australia, which provides a strong pathway towards zero waste while creating social good,” he says.
“The launch of Good360 Inner Circle takes that to the next level by publicly recognising retailers that are building a more sustainable future where all goods produced have a first life, nothing of value goes to waste and sustainability and social impact is more ingrained into the fabric of businesses.”
