The Australian Made Campaign is encouraging businesses across Australia to celebrate their competitive advantage of family and promote their heritage on Family Business Day on September 19.
An annual event organised by Family Business Australia, Family Business Day is an opportunity for all family and non-family members of the family business, as well as stakeholders and local governments to come together and recognise this important sector.
The day is designed to recognise the family businesses that, as Family Business Australia’s Greg Griffith reminds, employ approximately 50 per cent of Australia’s workforce.
“Most family businesses are Australian-owned and provide critical investment, workplaces and employment for our cities and towns. A healthy family business sector equals a healthy economy,” Mr Griffith said.
He said recent statistics show family businesses are the heartbeat of Australia’s economy.
More than two thirds of all Australian businesses are family businesses, and many of those make and grow the products they sell in Australia, keeping local farms and manufacturing plants in business and local people in jobs.
Family Business Australia estimates the sector is worth an estimated $4.3 trillion and according to the industry body, the average Australian family business turns over $12 million a year and employs 37 people.
“When you spend money on a family owned Australian business it remains in our communities,” MrGriffith said.
Many of the country’s largest and most loved companies started off as a family business including Australian Made licensees, Creswick Woollen Mills, AH Beard, Ugg Australia and Akubra Hats.
This year Family Business Australia is encouraging people to celebrate the day by holding a morning tea with their family and colleagues to celebrate the competitive advantage of family.
Family farmers and manufacturers are encouraged to share photos on social media using the hashtag #nfbd18 to help promote their products on social media or use the special social media tiles created for the day.
For more information:
www.fambiz.org.au
www.australianmade.com.au