Goodman and Good360: reducing waste, supporting communities

Good360 works in the circular economy, connecting charities, disadvantaged schools and vulnerable Australians with unsold or surplus goods from businesses.

Since 2014, and with support from the Goodman Foundation for warehouse space, funding and digital infrastructure, the organisation has distributed over 43 million items worth almost $500 million, preventing 7.5 tonnes of goods going to waste and helping people in Australia in challenging times

• Assisting 15,000 people each week.
• Redistributes millions of new, unsold consumer goods including clothes, homewares, computers, appliances, furniture, toiletries and toys
• Supports more than 4,500 charities and disadvantaged schools nationwide.

In a country where there is plenty for everyone, why are so many people in need? 

Part of the answer comes down to a distribution problem: $2.5 billion worth of new and unused goods go to waste every year. Good360 harnesses digital infrastructure to capture as much of this excess as possible, connecting it to over 4,500 charities or disadvantaged schools nationwide. 

“We’re the Amazon for the not-for-profit sector,” says Alison Covington, Founder of Good360. “Our digital platform allows charities to access essential goods quickly and efficiently.”

Charities ‘shop’ Good360s website for donated items like clothes, homewares, appliances, furniture, toiletries or toys, and redistribute it to people in Australia for free who are facing challenging times.

“If you think about your daily needs from the moment you wake up to the moment you go back to bed, they are substantial,” says Alison.

By capturing and redistributing new, unsold consumer goods from over 700 partners, Good360 can impact areas like home, hygiene, education and play.

The solution also ‘democratises’ donations, so that small and regional charities have the access to the same items as large, city-based organisations. 

A circular economy solution 

This circular economy solution requires both digital and physical infrastructure to operate successfully. Goodman was a founding partner of Good360 and has supported them for over 10 years.

“Charities are often penalised for being successful, it is ironic, if you make great impact, funders sometimes feel their role is complete, they don’t stay the course, they move on to the next charity or cause. This is terrifying for the founder or CEO responsible for ensuring the organisation can scale and keep meeting the needs or the people they are serving or solving the societal issue for Goodman is one of the few funders who matched our ability to keep creating impact and invests in the idea that if you are successful, they continue to help you keep doing well,” says Alison

The purpose-built facility was a huge injection into Good360’s capabilities, allowing the connector to speak the language of its big donors, which include Harvey Norman BIG W, or Nike.

“These large organisations can now send multiple semi-trailers to us at very short notice,” Alison says.

Scaling up success

Good360’s next goal is to scale through its digital infrastructure so it can capture an even larger share of excess goods from businesses trying to exit their stock.

“The next phase in our technology is allowing goods to go from our partners’ distribution centres or stores, directly to where it needs to go, without us always being in the middle,” says Alison. 
She says the relationship with Goodman is rewarding on a number of levels. 

“I have so much gratitude for Goodman. We have helped over 4 million Australians because they trust in us to continue to do good and then keep reaching out and saying: ‘What more can we do together?’ ”