‘Business for Good’: Drinks & Networking Event Recap

The ‘Business for Good’ event held at Blaklash in Fortitude Valley attracted over 60 attendees representing various social enterprises, not-for-profits and B Corps. The casual networking event provided an excellent platform for business professionals and social enterprise enthusiasts to connect.

Troy Casey, Managing Director at Blaklash gallery, welcomed guests at their new shared space designed to combat the sale of fake art. Blaklash Aboriginal Art Co, founded by Troy and Amanda Hayman, aim to connect ethical and authentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and artisan products to the market. This initiative follows a federal government inquiry that found 80% of keepsakes purporting to represent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artwork were inauthentic.

Clare Kennedy, an architect from Five Mile Radius, showcased her work, including a Telegraph Stool made from decommissioned telegraph poles from Narangba. Clare’s design and manufacturing studio is guided by Mahatma Gandhi’s socio-environmental philosophy of regionalism, which emphasises using building materials sourced within a five-mile radius of the project site.

Kat Dekker, co-founder of Give Industries, also shared insight into her company’s mission to donate 100% of its profits to some of the world’s most effective charities. Give Industries exemplifies a business model, dedicated to creating social impact.

The co-hosted event also featured speeches from Adele Laughton, CEO of QSEC; Jenna Pierpoint, QSEC Membership & Engagement Officer; Kris Spann, Social Procurement Advisor at Social Traders; Luke Faccini, Chair of GoodNorth; and Tom Allen, Founder & CEO of Impact Boom.

The event was catered by Nundah Community Enterprises Co-operative and Espresso Train who provided exceptional sandwiches, cheese platters and snacks for the evening. All in all, the event highlighted the collaborative efforts of social enterprises and their commitment to fostering positive change in the community.