From the impact of steel mills to the rise of women-led businesses
From the impact of steel mills to the rise of women-led businesses
By Rebelle Moriarty, Good Return Board Chair
Few experiences match the pace and scale of leading HR and Safety for BlueScope across South-East and North Asia during 2007-2010. It was a period of major transformation—a "turning of the wheel" for a company that had already been in the region for over three decades.
With thousands of team members across our operations, I saw firsthand the powerful “macro confidence” that industrialisation creates. When a steel plant comes to town - or expands - it does more than create jobs. It provides a floor of economic security that gives families a sense of stability and opportunity.
Alongside that momentum, I also saw how these shifts can reshape communities - mostly in incredibly positive ways, but also bringing tension between economic development and tradition.
Today, at Good Return, I’m focused on a different form of growth and impact based on localised empowerment. We build the financial ecosystems that allow small businesses—particularly those led by women—to thrive. Because while large-scale industry can provide a strong economic “floor”, small enterprises provide the "agency." Our work is quieter, but the ripple effects are profound.
Rebelle (L) pictured here with Shane Nichols, Good Return CEO, and Sondra Cortis, former Good Return Board Chair
We’ve proven that this model isn't just a philanthropic theory; it’s a bankable strategy. Through our award-winning $1 million pilot fund (Fund I), we:
Catalysed $5.06 million in lending to 602 MSMEs
Supported businesses that were 90% women-led
Reached over 4,100 people through increased livelihoods and income
This is more than a great outcome - it is proof that investing in women-led entrepreneurs works.
Now we are taking that momentum further.
Our Impact Investment Fund II is an evergreen $10 million vehicle designed to recycle capital and unlock an estimated $50 million in finance every five years - amplifying impact at scale.
I am incredibly proud that the Macquarie Group Foundation has joined us as a cornerstone investor with a $1 million commitment. It’s a strong vote of confidence in a model that brings together financial discipline with deep social impact.
From the scale impact of a steel mill to the quiet growth of a village agribusiness, the goal is the same: when people have access to opportunity, entire communities thrive. And at Good Return, that’s exactly what we are working to unlock - every day.