CBEC generates meaningful employment for members of the Northland community to produce positive environmental, social and health outcomes.
CBEC (Community, Business and Environment Centre) was established in 1989 in response to the dramatic rise in unemployment and social problems arising from New Zealand’s economic reforms of the mid-1980s.
CBEC now operates nine social enterprises that focus on local economic development and employment. Enterprises include: bus services (FarNorth Link), marquee hire (North Hire Marquees), labour hire and landscaping (CBEC Labour Hire), native tree nursery (The Garden Centre), bike hire (Loop de Loop), environmental education (Eco Solutions), riparian planting (Grow Northland), swimming pool management (Swim Zone) and installation of insulation and solar power in Northland homes (Healthy Homes). They currently employ up to 60 people, which increases to around 80 during the summer. As CBEC approaches its 30th year, it is a testament to the longevity and prosperity of the social enterprise model within Aotearoa.
Cliff & Warren painting the first CBEC premise in 1989.
What is the story of CBEC?
The original purpose of CBEC was to create a community-owned organisation that could generate new businesses and jobs. They worked with different stakeholders, such as the Far North District Council, to identify employment projects for the region. The organisation also bid for contracts that would otherwise be run by companies from outside the district and aimed to plough profits back into the community to create more employment opportunities and other community benefits.
One of the first projects CBEC undertook saw the opportunity in the closure of the town dump. They created a brand new recycling centre, and CBEC convinced the local council to give it a three-year recycling contract based on projected landfill savings. As part of that contract, CBEC also established New Zealand’s first rural kerbside recycling scheme for Kaitaia and a network of outlying recycling drop off points. CBEC also produced a school recycling education kit which was sold into schools and education centres throughout the country. From these early beginnings, CBEC has grown to be a family of businesses that are serving the community of Northland.
What problem are they trying to solve?
Although CBEC began as a social enterprise looking to tackle rising unemployment rates in the Northland district, the issues they seek to solve are now far more diverse and reach further towards the holistic wellbeing of the community. Some of these issues include:
Affordable accessibility of city and community hubs via public transport in rural areas
Upskilling local workers who may find employment difficult
Environmental education for tamariki within the community
River and coastal stabilisation
Health issues surrounding poorly insulated homes and businesses, broader health issues surrounding active and outdoor lifestyles leading to burden on local health services
What impact is CBEC making?
CBEC has a wide scope of impact areas. Namely, local jobs, environmental impact, economic growth and community health. Therefore, impact measurements take on various forms. They count the number of native trees they are producing in their nursery, while also keeping track of how many are planted. Concerning employment programmes, they monitor how many people in the local community they are employing, how many are trained, how many retain employment and the number that progress on to a future opportunity. The cost employed staff will cost society if unemployed is also calculated. The number of metres of insulation is counted when insulating homes, or simply the number of houses with installations, of which they have recently ticked over the 100,000 house mark. Both public transport and cycle hire enterprises take into consideration user numbers, and demographic streams are monitored to keep track of tourist usage versus local usage. The number of children CBEC has engaged with to deliver environmental education is followed closely. They are also involved in event management and offer recycling schemes that report the tonnage of materials diverted from landfill.
What is CBEC’s business model?
CBEC does business with no concern for the generation of profit, as surpluses generated are reinvested in the business for further impact. For example, providing a marquee for a wedding, both employs local labourers as the workforce but also generates profit to sustain the business. Public transport and swimming pools are subsidised as services that rate payers contribute towards. Home insulation is supported by the governments EECA programme.
CBEC is the overarching umbrella for the several enterprises it runs. It is registered as an incorporated business but is also a registered charity.
Where to from here?
Contributions to the emerging social enterprise sector are key for co-founder Cliff Colqhoun. Collaborations are seen as critical, and they wish to find easy ways to work with others, so no one has to “reinvent the wheel”. They will continue to help groups in other areas of the country, and joint ventures are seen as a great way to work with other organisations and increase the strength of the sector.
CBEC advises that emerging social enterprises should not feel the need to stick rigidly to the venture they set out on initially. The ability to adapt and change is crucial to the success of the enterprise.
CBEC has proven community enterprise can be a significant employer and a key element of a healthy economy. They welcome visitors and dialogue with those who have questions or ideas. Contact them here: http://cbec.co.nz/contact