The 19 nominees in the Community and Social Services category were judged using the same questionnaire as businesses in other categories, using criteria including: (1) Financial results; (2) Strategic planning; (3) Industry innovation; (4) Community participation and leadership; (5) Marketing and Communications; (6) Evidence of environmental sustainability planning.
Executive Officer Michael Shreenan reflected: “We are faced with the same red tape and regulations as the commercial sector. In addition, we wrestle with the burdens caused by insecure funding, the often unnecessary and divisive competitive tendering processes, and duplicative accountability regulations to our funders and charity regulators. So it is important that our sector is viewed and recognised in the same way as the commercial sector and we thank the Sydney Business Awards, City of Sydney and their sponsors for recognising our sector’s contribution.”
The Sydney Business Awards website describes The Factory as “a small and effective NGO, which is a locally managed community development organisation [which] strongly identifies with the Redfern-Waterloo ‘Social-Housing’ community. As a leading hub, they have provided a wide range of individual and group-based support services for people of all ages, for over 35 years.”
