What did this look like IRL in 2021-22? To be honest, the last 12 months were a heady mix of highlights and progress, alongside moments where we didn’t quite meet our expectations.
For example, we overcommitted on some projects, struggled with the pressure and complexity of COVID, overworked ourselves on more than the odd occasion, went over budget a few times, didn’t make enough progress on our RAP and personal sustainability, just maintained break even, and didn’t do much to promote business for good outside of The Business Pickle.
This Impact Report is a summary of our year, broken into 6 parts plus this executive summary. Continue reading this summary or dive deeper into specific chapters: 1. Clients, 2. Team, 3. Community, 4. Environment, 5. Governance, 6. Wrap up & goals.
But onto a few highlights:
- Donated $49,049 to Beyond Zero Emissions to support the pivotal work they're doing in accelerating a prosperous zero-emissions Australia
- Helped over 30 clients who impact 14 of the UN sustainable development goals
- Continued to do what we love across customer research, brand strategies, marketing campaigns, website and eCom store builds, social media management, display advertising and email marketing
- Second ever impact trip, visiting clients in Cambodia and Bangladesh
- Recognised by B Corp as Best for the World Community
- Invested in ethical beauty B Corp Kester Black
- Provided significant discounts to our most impactful, for-purpose clients
And!
- In August started a new business, The Business Pickle 2022 (technically after last financial year, but the grunt work was all 2021-22)
- And we welcomed baby Arthur Kai’En (凯恩) Smallchua 6 days later!
Getting to where we want to be still feels far, far away
While we’re well on our way, getting to where we want to be still feels far, far away. And we’re coming to feel that’s OK. Our impact will only ever be small in the grand scheme of things, but doing our bit in whatever way we can keeps us moving forward with positivity and hope.
This report is our commitment to transparency and accountability, and is useful in helping us see where we can be doing better.
We like to think that by sharing a few of the paths we’ve travelled in this report, you and others might find yourselves sauntering down a more ethical business route sooner rather than later. And if you’re already on the road, we hope it gives you the prompt you need to share your journey with the world. We’re keen to hear it.
Harvey acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country across Australia, and we honour the deep cultural, social, economic, environmental and spiritual connection they share with their lands and waters. (We are at the beginning of our reconciliation action planning process, more on that in part 3: Community)
2021-22 in numbers
How we helped conscious businesses grow.
Not all sunshine and singalongs, but a good year
There’s nothing quite like looking at the goals our past selves give us and seeing how our present selves feel. This last 12 months hasn’t all been sunshine and singalongs, but we’re nevertheless proud of how far we’ve come.
Colour coded for accountability
Clients | Help conscious business grow
Team | Be the best versions of us
Community | Lift the communities we’re part of
Governance | Operate fairly and squarely as an impact business
Bonus: Impact Trip 2022
In May 2022 Rach and Simon visited our client ATEC’s local teams in Cambodia and Bangladesh. After 286398 hours of zoom calls over the last 2 years, they were pumped to meet the team and customers ATEC are impacting in the flesh!
ATEC is a game-changing social enterprise solving clean cooking globally with disruptive technology.
Decarbonising cooking is a multi-billion dollar opportunity that will offset more emissions than the global airline industry whilst saving the lives of millions of women each year who traditionally cook with wood. We’re honoured to play a role in solving this global issue with leading the digital marketing efforts to scale reach in these developing markets (Side note: ROAS in developing countries like Cambodia and Bangladesh are 🔥)
“It’s hard to think that what Mrs Jonaki has experienced is common around the world. According to the WHO, around 2.4 billion people worldwide (around a third of the global population) cook using open fires or inefficient stoves fuelled by kerosene, biomass (wood, animal dung and crop waste) and coal. This generates harmful household air pollution which was responsible for an estimated 3.2 million deaths per year in 2020. And women and children - typically responsible for household chores, bear the greatest health burden”.
.avif)
Explore 6 areas of this report
We speak to the five areas of business that were particularly important this past 12 months, then one final wrap up on goals and intention-setting for 2022-23.
Executive summary
- Clients - Help conscious business grow
- Team - Enable everyone to be their best
- Community - Enrich the community where we operate
- Environment - Regenerate and accelerate
- Governance - Open, fair and efficient operations
