b'01A WORD FROM THE GENERAL MANAGERWhen I stepped into the General Manager roleFinally, Im pleased to share that were relaunching02at the start of FY23, one of my main aims was OUR IMPACT to simplify this wonderful yet complex social enterprise while retaining its heart and soul. As a result, Green Connect has experienced significant change in the last year, and while challenging at times, were making great strides. The plan was to achieve more by focusing only on 138 activities that align with our core mission and purpose: creating employment opportunities for people with barriers to employment, including young people, refugees and 03 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through0303growing fair food and reducing waste. Rather than 138 107 expanding into new territory, were streamlining and GREEN CONNECT EmploymentTraining andstrengthening what we already excel at.GREEN CONNECTopportunitiesdevelopmentWe created a clearly defined process for our Employment provided outcomes Pathway to generate improved outcomes that change lives. Last year, we provided 138 employment opportunities and 174 training and development outcomes, supporting several people as they moved into permanent roles at Green Connect and externally. Building on this, our successful application for the Economic Pathways to Refugee Integration (EPRI) grant from the Department of Home Affairs will allow us toFinally, Im pleased to share that were launching a new04extend our work into South West and Western Sydneyventure - Green Connect Workforce Solutions.34,859to support more refugees in the area. As part of our goal to consolidate and simplify, we have 143 taken the best parts of Staffing Solutions and Gardening Tonnes of wasteKgs of fair food Our Farm team reclaimed land overgrown with weeds,and Landscaping Services and created the new offering allowing us to harvest our fresh, ethically grown divertedgrown andGreenvegetables from approximately 90% of the vegetableWorkforce Solutions. We are delighted with the result.from landfill distributed beds, a substantial improvement from recent years. AndIt gives a renewed focus on what we do best: reducing we were thrilled to launch a new online shop for fruit andwaste and improving environmental outcomes while veg box subscriptions to sell this bounty of produce. creating employment opportunities that benefit the Connect The Zero Waste Services team celebrated numerouscommunities we serve. Now that were focused on what05we do well, we can have a greater positive impact on wins, like managing waste at one of the worlds biggestpeople and the planet. cycling eventsthe Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)Im proud of the Green Connect teams integrity, Road World Championshipsand completing large- dedication, and willingness to adapt this year, allowing us scale waste audits for Mirvac and Sydney Airport. Theirto make real progress towards our goals and bring Green incredible efforts earned Green Connect a place in 7,893 the Social Traders and Mirvac Supplier DevelopmentConnect into a new, stronger era. I see a bright future Green Connect createsProgram, which will help us improve our systems andahead of us and am so grateful to be part of it. Community employment opportunitiesprocesses and generate more business. visits to Greenfor people with barriers toROBERT SERVINEConnect Farm employment, including youngOur Op Shops continued to divert tonnes of waste fromGREEN CONNECT GENERAL MANAGERpeople, refugees, and Aboriginallandfill through 55 recycling streams while educating and Torres Strait Islander Peoplethe community about the circular economy. A revamp at in work that helps the planet andour Unanderra shop led to increased sales, and a fruitful the community. We run a farm andpartnership between our University of Wollongong (UOW) Op Shop and UOW Pulse allowed us to provide student op shops, and provide zero wastevolunteer opportunities while improving economic06services and workforce solutionsviability.Mason Grtner to businesses and councils.PAGE 25'