Championing the Circular Economy for a Sustainable Environment and an Equitable Society
Strategic Plan FY 2025
Impact Measurement
Strategic Action Items
All of our activities are led by data. We measure the social, environmental and economic benefits of the charitable second-hand economy and our members’ contributions to it in order to build a clear business case for ongoing governmental and community support.
- Socialise the reuse datasets from the NSW EPA funded NSW Reuse Data Study with all governments and key stakeholders across Australia to articulate the power of reuse.
- Advocate to all other state governments to fund the National Reuse Measurement Guidelines in each state, and/or to embrace and use the NSW datasets on a per tonne basis to calculate the impact of reuse in each state.
- Advocate to the Federal Government to begin measuring reuse as a key metric informing the National Waste Policy Action Plan.
- Expand the Charitable Retail Benchmarking Tool to more members, improve data quality and consistency and expand metrics as required to elevate and deliver retail best practice.
Advocacy
Strategic Action Items
We encourage all levels of government to promote reuse and reduce charitable costs in order to improve circular economy outcomes for our members which, ultimately, increases their social and environmental impact.
Reuse Policy Development
- Deliver the Reuse Policy Strategy across all jurisdictions to influence all levels of government to formally integrate and fund reuse within their policy frameworks.
- Implement the enhanced standards for the Clothing Reuse Export Accreditation Scheme and the domestic site audits in 2024, while maintaining 90% retention from applicants.
- Prepare plans for overseas site audits and Foreign End Market Verification in 2025.
- NSW – Accelerate the learnings and impact datasets from the NSW Reuse Data Study and Codesign Policy Workshops with NSW EPA to articulate key reuse policy positions nationally:
- Behaviour Change Campaign for Good Stewardship
- Accessible Reuse and Repair Grant Funding
- Tax Incentives for Brands to Donate Excess Stock to Charity
- Western Australia – Implement the WA Reuse/Waste Avoidance Policy Workshop with DWER, to integrate key reuse policy positions for WA including support for volunteering.
- Queensland – Convert the DES interest in a QLD Reuse Data Study and Workshop into a funded study and Codesign Policy Workshop on QLD textiles and e-waste priorities.
- South Australia – Negotiate with GISA to drop their demands for access to confidential and commercially sensitive raw data in respect of funding a SA Reuse Data Study.
- Tasmania – Partner with the Waste Strategy Board to collaborate on reuse opportunities.
- Victoria – Negotiate with SV on a VIC Reuse Data Study, and advocate with DEECA to bring reuse onto their radar and into focus for Victoria.
- Federal – Update the annual Federal Pre-Budget Submission to anchor our policy asks.
State Government Waste Levy Protection
- Ensure 100% protection for members against all state waste levies, whether through exemption models, rebate schemes or hybrid systems.
- South Australia – Mobilise members in a grassroots campaign to influence the SA Government to change its position from 75% and adopt a 100% rebate scheme in 2025.
- Victoria – Collaborate with DEECA to deliver the VIC Government policy intent to protect charities 100% from waste levy costs within the 4-year rolling funding currently proposed.
- New South Wales – Partner with EPA to rectify the gap in the Weight Based Billing system on transfer stations for members to access 100% of the NSW Community Service Exemption.
- Tasmania – Secure ongoing extensions to the 100% protection to the existing 100% rebate.
- Queensland – Secure ongoing extensions to the existing 100% exemption/rebate program.
- Western Australia – Secure ongoing annual extensions to existing 100% rebate program.
Capacity Building
Strategic Action Items
We help our members do what they do, better, by providing resources, tools and advice on becoming more innovative and progressive reusers and retailers. This, in turn, empowers them to become key drivers and accelerators of the circular economy.
Membership Development
- Achieve a 90% retention rate for members into FY 2025.
- Implement a 5% CPI rate increase across local, regional and state memberships.
- Upgrade relevant members financially into their newly appropriate member categories based on their new shop number totals.
- Implement monthly new member and partner acquisition EDM campaigns.
- Acquire 6 new corporate partners.
- Acquire 6 new conference exhibitors.
Board Matters
- Refine the Board Skills Matrix to document existing skillsets and identify any gaps in identifying and recruiting future board directors.
- Support the State Directors with a best practice template for member meetings to streamline their administrative time while improving member value.
- Provide governance training for all new directors.
Capacity Building and Member Services
- Develop a new best practice template for member meetings to attract more member attendees and provide better value and consistency for members.
- Launch a new National Forum, where all members nationally can attend together.
- Invite outside speakers to member meetings to provide new insights and resources to members and engage corporate partners.
- Update members on two Member Service opportunities at each member meeting.
- Expand the Conference to add an extra content stream exclusively for Shop Managers.
- Expand the Lunch n Learns into a monthly format for members, with educational content from corporate partners.
- Expand the members-only website hub, with enriched content including:
- Launch a Member Hub Webinar Library for pre-recorded informational content.
- Launch a Supplier Case Study of success stories of partners working with members
- Fully integrate Hubspot as the CRM to track all member/partner engagement and new business prospecting.
Education
Strategic Action Items
We educate and inspire Australians to choose reuse as a simple, cost effective way by which they can purchase quality items while also reducing their environmental footprint and enabling social good in their community.
- Implement the change of trading name to Charitable Reuse Australia.
- Communicate the power and priority of reuse with governments, Circular Economy stakeholders and consumers.
- Create a portfolio of infographics and social tiles articulating the impact of reuse for our social channels, and for members to use and leverage in their own marketing.
- Develop new key messaging on Reuse, the Purpose of Reuse and Op Shops and the Benefits of the Reuse Export Trade:
- Launch a Reuse Messaging Campaign to position reuse before recycling and educate governments/stakeholders on reuse as an integral priority for a Circular Economy.
- Socialise the Op Shop Value Messaging to educate governments and consumers on the role, value and impact of reuse and op shops.
- Socialise the Reuse Exports Value Messaging to underpin the integrity and importance of the clothing reuse export trade with governments and consumers.
- Collaborate with Mainstreet Australia to articulate the importance and impact of op shops in suburban retail high streets.
- Socialise the More than Op shops collateral through our marketing channels.
- Expand our social media conversations on Instagram and LinkedIn to include all key topics and messaging in support of the sector, and our advocacy objectives.