Big W, Best&Less and more join Good360 and ARA drive for a circular economy among retailers

More than 50 Australian retailers are expected to join an industry-led initiative to fast-track Australia’s transition to a circular economy and address the rising costs of living over the next two years.

The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has partnered with charity Good360 to launch the Inner Circle initiative this week, with the initiative designed to help retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers meet individual sustainability goals through a structured program with actionable goals.

Founding partners of the initiative include big names in the retail sector, such as Big W, Best&Less, Winning Group, Linen House, Gildan and Koh. However, the program expects to add at least another 50 business partners by June 2025.

At the same time, the founder of Good360 has urged Australian governments to rethink how they fund charity groups and get behind the Inner Circle program in order for it to reach its full potential.

The Good360 Australia charity, which focuses on giving new unsold products a first life to benefit people in need and the environment, was launched in 2015 by founder and managing director Alison Covington AM to reduce waste and need after she went to the US in 2013 to collaborate with Good360 and bring the model back to Australia.

Covington said while the industry is embracing the opportunity to increase its community impact, it is critical for governments to get behind such programs to better relieve cost of living pressures, achieve zero waste objectives, and better utilise funding to the not-for-profit sector.

“Since launching, Good360 has been working with industry to ensure some of the $2.5 billion of brand-new household goods — such as whitegoods, electronics, clothing, furniture, books and more – that is otherwise wasted or sent to landfill, get into the hands of people that need it the most,” she said.

“Over this time, it became clear to us that many retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers are increasingly directing their strategy and investment towards sustainable and responsible growth and that is why we decided to extend our efforts by offering them a structured approach, where they will have access to data and impact reporting on their community and environmental contributions.”

Covington said $5 million in government funding, over five years, would enable the Good360 Inner Circle program to become a “self-sustaining program with positive social and environmental outcomes”.

Australian state and federal governments have already committed to working with industry to achieve a circular economy by 2030, added Covington, who says governments can make better use of $400 million of annual funding for charities to purchase goods. 

“Each year, governments spend more than $400 million to fund charity organisations to purchase the same goods that are being wasted to help people in need. By working with us, this money could go towards other initiatives to support the most vulnerable in our society,” she said.

“Zero waste while creating social good”

ARA CEO Paul Zahra said the national retail body is excited to team up with Good360 to develop a program that’s designed to tackle a common goal of moving closer to a circular economy.

“Good360 Australia has an innovative business model that connects donations of pre-consumer excess inventory to where it is most needed in the community across Australia, which provides a strong pathway towards zero waste while creating social good,” Zahra said.

“The launch of Good360 Inner Circle takes that to the next level by publicly recognising retailers that are building a more sustainable future where all goods produced have a first life, nothing of value goes to waste, and sustainability and social impact is more ingrained into the fabric of businesses.”

To join the Good360 Inner Circle program, businesses must clearly commit to sustainability and social impact in their operations, and make an ongoing commitment to donate goods or services and funding to amplify the program’s impact.

These businesses then receive access to regular data and impact reporting on their environmental and social contributions. They also receive a ‘badge’ to publicly recognise their sustainability progress.

More information about the program is available on the Good360 website.