Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) has expanded its partnership with social enterprise SisterWorks to create employment pathways for migrant, refugee, and asylum-seeker women while repurposing retired venue uniforms.
Since the initiative launched in 2023, MCEC has hired five SisterWorks graduates, providing them with local workplace experience. Notably, programme alumna Corrina Snuggs transitioned from a kitchen hand role in 2023 to a full-time F&B team leader at the venue.
Parallel to its employment initiative, MCEC is collaborating with SisterWorks’ manufacturing arm, CircularWorks, to turn decommissioned uniforms into client tote bags – diverting textile waste from landfills while supporting skill development for SisterWorks participants.
The partnership aligns with MCEC’s newly-launched 2026–2030 Sustainability and Impact Strategy. The four-year framework outlines key targets for the venue, including achieving net-zero emissions by 2045, delivering A$2.5 million (US$1.8 million) in annual community investment, maintaining a maximum five per cent gender pay gap, and generating A$1 billion in annual economic impact by 2030.
