Carmen Garcia AM is the CEO and Founder of national award-winning diversity and inclusion certified social enterprise, Community Corporate. Operating in the niche space of corporate social responsibility, she specialises in cultural inclusion and widely recognised as a leading multicultural workforce expert. She is pioneering the creation of economic and social impact solutions through partnerships with the corporate and government sectors that maximise employment and skilling opportunities for refugees and migrants.
Through her leadership, Community Corporate has driven game changing initiatives to solve the unacceptable unemployment rates and workforce participation challenges for refugees and migrants. This includes the first state-government backed SA Skilled Migrant Job Support Centre service supporting skilled migrants and employers, a new multicultural pilot to support recognition of overseas trade skills based on competency assessments with the SA Skills Commission, is currently the only ‘culturally and linguistically diverse workforce specialist’ contracted by the Federal government’s Department for Employment and Workplace Relations and is the lead Multicultural Workforce Consultant for the SA government’s Multicultural Ambassador Program supporting and advising businesses to activate workplace strategies. In 2024, the partnership between IKEA Australia and Community Corporate won the Australian Retailer’s Association DE&I Award and the Impact Partnership Award from the Australian Settlement Council of Australia for their Refugee Workforce Inclusion program.
Carmen was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2024 Australia Day Honours List for her significant service to the multicultural community through diversity and inclusion advocacy and programs. She is also the first female appointed as the current Philippine Honorary Consul in South Australia.
This female social entrepreneur brings over 25 years’ experience working in refugee resettlement, migration, community development, training and workforce strategy across the public, private and community sectors. Carmen is currently appointed as a Board Member of the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority and is a member of the Welcoming Workplaces Advisory Committee.