Cultivate Food and Beverage is part of the portfolio of Bedford-backed Social Enterprises. Set up in response to a lack of employment choice for people with disability, they are run as 'profit-for-purpose' entities which offer a diverse range of open employment opportunities for people of all abilities. These social enterprises lead to more career pathways and an opportunity to earn a full award wage.
Bedford Social Enterprises do not rely on NDIS or government funding to be financially sustainable. Every time an individual transitions from supported to open employment there is a cascade of social, financial and health benefits to the individual and broader community, including economic benefits to the government.
Cultivate Food and Beverage is feeding the need for social inclusion which can be accelerated through social impact investment. Cultivate is offering its first impact investment opportunity to the ESG market that will generate a financial return through commercial profits alongside delivering a social impact.
The social impact being measured is the economic benefit to the individual and government from increasing wages to a full award wage for people with disability compared to a supported employment model.
Not only is there more choice to people with disability but we’re also being part of the solution when it comes to reducing pressures on the NDIS budget, by reducing the number of participants. Transitioning participants into open employment supports them to become truly economically independent, cultivating a more sustainable future for us all.
