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5 Ways to Make Your Business Sustainable

A business can either fail or succeed. Its outcome greatly depends on the consistency of the business in social, financial and environmental aspects. The ability to make your business sustainable comes from the effort of these three elements. In addition, we place the focus on the environmental aspects as your business’ sustainability depends on how eco-friendly it really is. What is Sustainability in Business? In order for a business to be consistent, it needs to assemble traction right from the start. With steady traction going forward you can make your business sustainable. A setback here and there is completely normal, …

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In Australian first, two schools powered solely by green energy.

Two schools’ classrooms in NSW will be powered solely by renewable energy, taking them off the grid and teaching students about sustainability. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and federal government are providing $370,000 in funding to St Christopher’s Catholic Primary School in Holsworthy and Dapto High School to trial a 100 per cent renewable power and smart technology program in their new classrooms. Known as the Hivve, the modular classrooms – which are fully air-conditioned – integrate solar photovoltaic panels and real-time energy and air quality monitoring to generate energy and control their own usage. According to ARENA, these classrooms will have …

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Lessons from Sweden in Sustainable Business

There is an increasing trend among companies across the globe to report on their sustainability. As well as information on the company’s economic performance, this includes information on how it is handling social, ethical and environmental concerns. It is a trend driven by customers, suppliers, employees and banks in recognition that these are just as important elements of any business. Often, the level of information provided by companies is criticised for being inadequate. But my recent research into Swedish companies shows that the quality of information does appear to be increasing. It also shows what areas are in need of further improvements …

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Does Sustainability Communications Have To Be So Boring?

In the earnest, fact-based world of sustainability communications there is no room for spin, but companies need to be brave enough to talk about failure, says PR agency boss Lou Hoffman. Companies hate talking about their failures, especially when it comes to sustainability. But being open about their weaknesses as well their achievements might help firms avoid one of the biggest corporate communications sins: being boring. This was the advice offered by public relations veteran Lou Hoffman, president and chief executive officer of San Jose-based global tech PR firm The Hoffman Agency, who for 30 years has managed the reputations of the likes of global business giants …

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Sense in Sustainability: the Changing Focus for Boards

Sustainability has become more than a trendy buzzword in business in the past few years as an increasing number of companies are putting it at the centre of their strategies. Boards are waking up to the fact that there is more to a sustainably run business than eco-friendly behaviour. They are seeing the broader picture and shifting to a business model that takes more responsibility for all stakeholders—including employees and supply chains—and focuses on efficient, cost-effective operational strategies that can help boost the bottom line. In the UN Global Compact–Accenture Strategy CEO Study carried out last year, 87% of global chief executives …

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Liberated Leaders: Leading Through Growth, Change and Disruption

Are you an ‘already’ successful business leader with a strong vision for the future, experiencing challenges in the current business environment, spurred on by growth, change and disruption? If you want to build a future-ready workforce, Liberated Leaders would love to help.  Liberated Leaders is an applied Leadership Program with a special focus on skills, practices and capabilities to navigate change and disruption. We offer leaders greater confidence and skills to lead through change and disruption, to foster an aligned and engaged team, ensure business relevance to secure customers (now and in the future), build capacity to engage in any conversation …

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The SME’s Guide To Benefitting From Sustainability

Recognising that sustainability is a key business driver, a growing number of SMEs are keen to get certified sustainable, but are confronted with complex processes and high costs. Sustainability experts advise on what SMEs can do. As big corporations move forward with sustainability initiatives to save energy, improve efficiency and build sustainable supply chains, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are following suit. They no longer dismiss sustainability as merely good intentions, but as a key business driver and strategic differentiator for brands. Increasingly SMEs are trying to establish stronger standards surrounding their sustainability practices with many being keen to work with …

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Innovation Tools for Regional Entrepreneurs

By Brian Ruddle, Impact Innovation Group. Entrepreneurs in regional Australia often don’t have access to the services and support networks of their counterparts in capital cities and major centres. When starting out, city-based entrepreneurs get information and inspiration from co-working spaces, attending networking and pitch events, and generally participating in ecosystem activities. Over time, they can test their ideas out on others and get assistance with shaping their start-up ventures. In regional Australia, entrepreneurs have to work a bit smarter to access support. Let’s look at what a new entrepreneur does. They generally start with an idea they think will …

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Adaptive Sustainability – Business Management in an Age of Disruption and Transformation

There can be no doubt that organisations today operate in a dynamically changing business environment. Companies are getting disrupted at an unprecedented rate with managers and their staff struggling to keep up with new technologies, new business models, new economic and regulatory challenges, and the consequences of the hyper connected digital world. At the same time social responsibility and environmental sustainability are fast becoming a critical part of doing business.  Effective engagement using sustainable business frameworks not only enables an organisation to deliver on its social and environmental obligations, it can also maximise productivity and performance by having positive impacts …

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The Conscious Business – How to Achieve Purpose with Profit

The National Sustainability in Business Conference will be held in Brisbane this week from the 23-24 March 2017. Mr Alistair Coulstock, Director at Coulstock and Associates joins us this week at the conference to discuss ‘The Conscious Business – How to Achieve Purpose with Profit’. Strong collaborative teams with a clear vision are necessary to set key strategies to design and implement successful environments, products and solutions. To move towards a collective consciousness, where the humans’ spirit thrives, the knowledge of that which ignites the passion of each person must be found. What is it that drives their desire to learn and …

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