Smart marketing without
the song and dance

EcoCover- money in mulch

Providing support for individuals to gain and retain employment is hard in today’s workforce. Achieving this for individuals with a disability is even more challenging.

According to Challenge’s General Manager, Ian Wade, the community-based organisation supports over 60 people with a disability through employment opportunities, life workshops, transition to work, and community access programs designed to increase independence, employment opportunities, and participation in the community.

The company owns and operates several businesses and while the industry is maturing each year, Coffs Harbour Challenge, like many other businesses is finding it financially more difficult to deliver products and services to the community.

“We need to ensure that the company can continue to provide these products and services for as long as there is a need,” said Ian.

The focus is the customer

In focusing on customer needs and to deliver financial viability a new business – EcoCover – was developed.

A strategy involving all employees, management, directors, and other stakeholder groups including parents, carers and advocates of the supported employees, was created.

“We needed a business that was commercially viable, had a consistent revenue stream, and was able to safeguard jobs for individuals who are among the most vulnerable in our community.”

The key is adding value

The idea was simple: to add value to the shredded paper produced from the secure document destruction business they operated. “The initial challenge faced in setting up this project was believing that we could bring it off,” Ian said.

The challenge for any business operating within the disability industry is that often they are recognised by the government and the community as a welfare and voluntary sector. It’s far from the truth, said Ian. “We operate in a professional industry manned by professional people who provide high quality services.

“People with a disability are highly employable; they have skills that are suitable for a range of industries and various types of work.”

Clever employers, says Ian, are looking at non-traditional pools of labour when sourcing skills. “They need to increase their field of vision when seeking new employees or continue to suffer a growing skills and labour shortage.”

The company is heavily reliant on government contracts for its survival. It’s often a difficult situation, and one that is not sustainable.

The term ‘duality of focus’ is a common expression in the industry. It’s synonymous with businesses who struggle dealing with less government funding for employees, the urge to remain competitive, and the main goal – to support individuals with a disability. It is making organisations such as Coffs Harbour Challenge think and operate more sustainably.

Seeking outside expertise helps

For their newest product, EcoCover, the company carried out a feasibility study. They then inspected a prototype manufacturing plant in New Zealand before developing business plans working in collaboration with financiers and funding authorities, and with the support of Australian Government’s Sustainable Regions programme, put a package together.

Two and a half years later (during which time they relocated to larger premises and trained supporting employees in travel) they installed the plant, the first of its kind in Australia.

Operations began in 2008. To allow the company to concentrate on the manufacture of the biodegradable mulch mat, made from recycled paper, it sourced outside expertise.

“Sales and marketing is integral to the product’s success,” Ian said. New skills sets were introduced with the introduction of a sales consultant.

Improve your brand awareness

“Australian Business Marketing (an arm of NSW Business Chamber) was also approached and guided the organisation to develop a marketing plan.

“They provided further assistance in developing a strategy for a PR campaign with various media sectors to improve brand awareness.”

The new business will eventually provide an additional twenty jobs, many of which are suited to people who are usually disadvantaged in accessing employment. It will also recycle about 9 tonnes of office paper each week. The product was recently awarded the Good Environmental Choice Australia label. Ian says that the introduction of this new type of mulch technology is taking some time.

“Careful management of cash flow has been required, particularly in today’s economic climate.

“Customer feedback has been very supportive of this product, recognising the environmental and social benefits it creates. The future is looking promising.”