Ensuring communities benefit from renewable energy projects
Designing and delivering social impact strategies that create lasting value for communities and project partners.
The Challenge
Renewable energy projects are increasingly required to deliver social impact through:
Workforce and training programs
First Nations participation
Local procurement and business engagement
Community benefit programs
But many of these commitments:
Are developed during bids without clear delivery pathways
Sit outside core project capability
Create delivery risk during procurement and construction
Empower CBR bridges this gap - designing and aligning commitments with project reality and supporting delivery from planning through to construction and operations and maintenance.
What We Help Deliver
We support projects to design and deliver:
Workforce and training pathways linked to project stages
First Nations partnerships, employment and business participation
Social procurement frameworks and contractor collaboration and integration
Local business engagement, capacity building and supply chain participation
Community benefit strategies and funds
Monitoring, reporting and performance systems
Our focus is on outcomes that are practical, impactful and measurable.
We bring:
Direct experience working within live project environments
Experience of working with contractors and an understanding of delivery pressures
The ability to align commitments with procurement and contractor structures
Strong relationships across community, industry and government
A focus on practical implementation, not just strategy
We do not just design commitments - we help ensure they are delivered and have lasting impact.
Why Empower CBR
Experience
Experience across:
Large-scale renewable energy projects in regional Australia
Successful delivery of First Nations training and employment programs
Workforce and training program implementation during construction
Social procurement and contractor integration
Community benefit and shared benefit design
Experience shown reflects work delivered by team members prior to the establishment of Empower CBR.
ABC News — Workforce outcomes on Narrandera solar project
This story on the ABS’s 7:30 report, highlights workforce development outcomes linked to a large-scale solar project, including training, employment pathways and regional participation.
RenewEconomy — From 30 jobs to generational change: when solar projects put First Nations first
This piece explores how renewable energy projects can create meaningful, long-term opportunities for First Nations communities through employment, partnerships and community-led approaches.
Solar Insiders Podcast — The power of putting First Nations first
This podcast discusses the importance of prioritising First Nations participation in renewable energy projects and the broader impact on communities and industry.