30 Western Australian purpose-led businesses and leaders delivering social impact have been shortlisted across five categories.
Our upcoming WA Social Enterprise Awards celebrate organisations and individuals who are redefining business as a force for good – creating jobs, strengthening communities, advancing environmental outcomes, and driving innovation across the state.
There is estimated to be over 1,000 social enterprises in operation in WA today, and we’ve selected – based on your nominations – 30 finalists to represent our state. Winners will be announced at the WA Social Enterprise Awards Dinner on Thursday 13 August 2026 at The Westin Hotel, Perth. The evening is open to the public and includes a formal dinner, drinks, entertainment and speeches celebrating the social enterprises shaping a better future for Western Australia.
Tickets are on sale now at events.humanitix.com/wasecawards2026 (NB: finalists do not need to buy a ticket).
Our finalists span metropolitan, regional and remote WA, with representation across industries including environmental sustainability, workforce development, technology, community services, and First Nations enterprise.
The full list of finalists is below.
WA Social Enterprise of the Year
Recognising an established social enterprise that has achieved exceptional positive impact in Western Australia.
- Centre for Stories – a literary arts organisation that uses storytelling to amplify underrepresented voices and build a more inclusive community.
- Good Sammy Enterprises – a disability employment enterprise that funds jobs and training for people with disability using the proceeds of op shops and recycling operations across WA
- Ground and Co. – an employment café at the State Library of WA that reinvests 100% of its profits into training people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
- Kardan Construction – An Aboriginal-owned construction company building apprenticeship and trade pathways for First Nations people and other underrepresented workers.
- Soft Landing – A mattress recycling operation that manually deconstructs beds to divert waste from landfill while creating jobs for people facing barriers to employment.
Emerging Social Enterprise of the Year
Celebrating a social enterprise in its early stages that has demonstrated strong potential for positive community impact and growth within Western Australia.
- Circular Fashion Council – A WA initiative working to reduce textile waste and build a local circular economy for clothing and fashion through events and festivals.
- Holy Grounds Boorloo / Perth – A community café in Perth’s Cathedral Square that tackles loneliness and social isolation through coffee, connection and inclusive programming.
- Kepa Kwab – A native-botanical soft drink with Indigenous ingredients, with profits funding food education and employment pathways for First Nations young people.
- Nick’s Jerky – An award-winning jerky brand raising funds for men’s mental health in memory of the founders’ late friend, with proceeds going to Beyond Blue and youth mental health programs.
- Sam’s Spares – A Gosnells-based charity refurbishing donated electronics to create paid employment for neurodivergent people while reducing e-waste.
- Skipping Stones Refillery – WA’s first mobile liquid refillery, letting customers refill household and personal care products to cut single-use plastic waste.
- StrideMate – An early-stage venture developed through WASEC’s 25/26 Social Impact Incubator program.
Regional Impact Award
Recognising a social enterprise making a significant, positive difference in regional, rural, or remote Western Australia.
- Blak Tapas Impact Group – An Indigenous-owned café in Kununurra serving bush foods, locally roasted coffee and providing grazing tables, platters and picnic boxes to Kununurra and surrounds, while creating local hospitality jobs and traineeships.
- Camera Story – A Broome-based charity supporting First Nations people across the Kimberley to build independence through photography training and commercial skills.
- FISH – Foundation for Indigenous Sustainable Health Outback Stores – Retail social enterprise stores in Fremantle and Mount Lawley, training and employing local Aboriginal people, with revenue going back into Kimberley First Nations community initiatives.
- G-Force Contracting – A Geraldton-based not-for-profit providing professional gardening services while employing people with disability on full award wages.
- GNP 360 – A Gnowangerup community cooperative reviving the town’s only hotel and running a cropping program to fund local revitalisation.
First Nations Social Enterprise
Recognising a social enterprise making a significant, positive difference for First Nations people, culture, and Country in Western Australia.
- Blak Tapas – (as above)
- GATHER FOODS – A majority Aboriginal-owned food and catering company showcasing native ingredients through retail products, manufacturing and events.
- Ngarranggarni Civil and Mining -an Aboriginal-owned civil construction company in the Kimberley delivering infrastructure projects alongside training and job pathways for remote community members.
- Self Made Indigenous Corporation – An Indigenous-led social enterprise running mentoring and development programs to support Indigenous youth in remote and rural communities.
- Wyndham Arts Collective – An Aboriginal-owned creative arts hub in the East Kimberley supporting local artists through workshops, exhibitions and skills development. Local creatives collaborate on upcycled, culturally diverse, and wearable art projects.
Above and Beyond Award
Recognising an inspirational supporter or champion – an employee, associate, supporter, or leader – who goes the extra mile to enable growth and collaboration in WA’s social enterprise sector.
- City of Cockburn – consistently back social enterprises through their Supplier Registrar, start-up programs and by hosting social enterprise initiatives such as Skipping Stones Refillery directly at council facilities such as Cockburn ARC.
- MinterEllison – provide firm-wide commitment to pro bono legal support, providing lawyers’ expertise to social enterprises and not-for-profits that might otherwise struggle to access it. They also amplify social impact through charitable gifting and volunteering, in-kind support and partnerships.
- Shire of Denmark – show support for local social enterprises, such as Green Skills, through their Community Grants Program, the Shire invests heavily into community-driven initiatives.
- SOCO Realty – this agency uses landlord-funded gifting to support tenants and rallies its real estate network to do the same. They arrange gifts for tenants from landlords, supporting enterprises such as Mettle Women.
Individuals:
- Annie Hill – Nominated for going beyond her own business to back the wider sector, channelling The Hill Tribe Family Office’s philanthropic investment into employment pathways and a new community hub in Malaga that brings diverse organisations together to collaborate.
- Anthony MacShane – Nominated for founding and growing Reboot Australia from the ground up, building employment pathways for ex-offenders and demonstrating what’s possible for social enterprises tackling recidivism in WA.
- Sophie Chamberlain – Nominated for using her role at Spinifex Trust to unlock early-stage capital for WA social enterprises, backing ventures like ReNew Property Maintenance with low-cost debt so they could scale their impact rather than stall for lack of funding.
Good luck to everyone!
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