The revised BuyAbility Economic and Social Impact Tool measures and identifies the impact of BuyAbility Social Enterprises (Supported Employment Organisations) on the Australian economy and society. Providing work opportunities for people with disability produces significant positive economic and social outcomes that allow a more sustainable use of public resources. A thriving BuyAbility Social Enterprise sector will mean increased employment opportunities and a better quality of life for people with disability and their families and carers. Access to work enables people with disability to live full and independent lives, build social connections and contribute meaningfully to their community.
The BuyAbility Economic and Social Impact Tool allows BuyAbility Social Enterprises to enter their organisational and supported employee data to demonstrate the significant positive impact created by the supported employment sector. The cost benefit methodology used in the Tool to calculate the economic benefit of supported employment was independently verified by Taylor Fry Consultants in 2024.
The revised Tool will enable BuyAbility social enterprises to provide useful, positive headline information about the impact of their commercial and service options to a range of key stakeholders. The Tool allows BuyAbility social enterprises to benchmark key aspects of their business and employment support provision, for example, financial performance and employee outcomes including wage rates, hours worked and career progression.
The Tool can produce a range of graphical reports that can be tailored to various audiences, including:
• Current and potential customers
• Members of parliament and federal, state and local government agencies
• Current employees and jobseekers with disability and their families and carers
• Boards of management
• The general public
NDS members can access the BuyAbility Economic and Social Impact Tool as a direct member benefit that enables them to highlight the value of their social and economic contribution to their local communities and wider Australian society.
NDS will also be able to use the aggregated data in the Tool to create comprehensive datasets that provide a snapshot of the BuyAbility social enterprise sector and its benefits for Australian society, as well as assisting in our ongoing advocacy for the sector and the people with disability it supports.
The BuyAbility Impact Tool can be accessed at the link https://impact.buyability.org.au/, or by clicking the button below.
Members seeking assistance with the Tool can contact:
Paul Musso
Ph: 02 9256 3171 or 0414 523 149
Email: paul.musso@nds.org.au
