Our CEO Tara Anderson has worked in charities and for-purpose businesses around the world, but it’s in social enterprises that she feels she can do the most good. She's spotlighted as ProBono's Changemaker of the week.
"Tara Anderson was about nine years old when she noticed that not everyone had the same opportunities.
Even at such a tender age, she could spot differences amongst the people she knew and would often say: “that’s not fair”.
Some of my friends always had shiny new things, went on expensive holidays and ate at nice restaurants. Some of my other friends lived in run-down housing and didn’t always have enough to eat,” she recalled.
“I had noticed inequality. Back then I didn’t understand it, but I knew I didn’t like it.”
"She would often say to those around her: “that’s not fair”.
The response she usually got was “sometimes life just isn’t fair”.
Time wore on, and an older Anderson was listening to a speech by former Victorian premier, Joan Kirner.
She was talking about how her granddaughter would often say ‘that’s not fair’. Joan’s response? ‘What are you going to do about it?’ That was the response I was looking for. It was my call to arms,” Anderson said.
She has dedicated her career to doing something about inequality and creating a fairer society, working in charities, for-purpose businesses and social enterprises here in Australia and in the UK, and volunteering in Africa, Australia and England.
She undertook a Masters in Social Innovation in Austria, analysed for-purpose business models for an MBA in the UK, and has studied large-scale systems change through collective impact.
Her career path led her to set up an international for-purpose consultancy, but when she joined a peak body in the social enterprise sector in England, she felt the stars align."
“What made sense to me was using business to deliver purpose, and influencing the wider economy to move in that direction. And using collective impact approaches to bring together all for-purpose organisations, government, philanthropy and business to change the economy from the inside out,” Anderson said.
"Since late 2022, she’s been the CEO of Social Traders, working to strengthen the social enterprise system in Australia."
This excerpt originally appears in ProBono Australia | Changemaker | Danielle Kutchell, ProBono | dated Jan 16, 2023