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Category Archives: Sustainability

Westpac: We’re back! …with an $8 billion commitment to sustainability

By Tina Perinotto 19 February 2013 – Westpac last night (Monday) launched a dramatic new sustainability strategy it says will be worth $8 billion over the next five years, doubling its investments in clean technology, environmental services and including $2 billion for social and affordable housing. The announcement signals that for corporate Australia, sustainability is now firmly back on the agenda, after slipping from the radar last year. The package will include lending and investment for renewable energy, energy efficiency, green buildings, waste, water, carbon farming and sustainable forestry activities and land rehabilitation. “For an activity to be deemed ‘green’ …

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A National Sustainability Council for Australia

Media Release Tony Burke, Minister for the Environment, today announced the establishment of a National Sustainability Council for Australia. Mr Burke said the council would provide independent advice to the government on sustainability issues and produce public reports against a set of sustainability indicators. “It was clear from the Sustainable Population Strategy that we need better information about how our economy, environment and society interact to inform better planning and decision making,” Mr Burke said. “That’s why the Government announced the Measuring Sustainability program in the 2011-12 Budget. “This program will allow for the collection of data guided by a …

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Integrated reporting “the next step”

FSinsight editor Jeroen Derwall, Assistant Professor at the Tilburg Center for Sustainability and at Maastricht University, talks about the upward trend that more companies are reporting on their sustainability practices. However, the quality of the reporting differs. He calls integrated reporting “the next step.”

Cities need strong, transparent leadership

Iman Mahditama, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Experts gathering at the third biennial World Cities Summit in Singapore have urged city administrations all over the world to develop strong, transparent leadership as cities are deemed critical in the establishment of a sustainable future. “Many of the world’s cities are actually bigger than countries so city sustainability is critical. It should be the main drive in the attempt to create a sustainable world,” United Nations Development Program (UNDP) administrator Helen Clark said. The former New Zealand prime minister then went on to say, “In light of this, city leadership is critical, as …

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ACSI ready to name and shame Half of listed companies provide no ESG disclosure

By Tony Featherstone: The Investor Daily More than half of Australia’s largest listed companies do not provide meaningful sustainability disclosure around environmental, social and governance risks. The sustainability reporting debate has gone up several notches, with the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI) warning it might publicly name listed companies that ignore calls from the investment community for better disclosure in this area. ACSI, which represents about 40 industry funds with a total of more than $300 billion in funds under management, this month released its fifth annual analysis of sustainability reporting practices and disclosure of companies in the S&P/ASX …

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Sustainability Business to hold 2013 event in conjunction with the Australian Making Cities Liveable Conference

The ‘Taking Care of Business: Sustainable Transformation’ Conference in 2013 will be held in Melbourne,  in Conjunction with the Australian Making Cities Liveable Conference. Our event will bring together ‘green economy’ leaders and sustainabilty practitioners from Australia and New Zealand along with the opportunity to network with others who are building profitable and sustainable business models, services and products. The conference will update delegates on a range of effective sustainable business practises including energy saving and carbon pricing. We will examine Governments’ sustainability plans  while finding business opportunities and trends in the sector. The Conference will include presentations on: Green …

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Present at the Sustainability Business Conference in September 2011

The “Taking Care of Business: Sustainable Transformation” conference wil be held on the 15th & 16th September 2011 at the Radisson Resort, Gold Coast, Australia. If you would like to speak at the conference you have until the 15th of June 2011 to submit an abstract of your presentation here. Confirmed speakers include: Hon Kate Jones MP, Minister for Environment and Resource Management, Queensland Government, to open conference. Murray Hogarth, Director, The 3rd Degree, is a business environmentalist.  He advises corporate, government and community clients on climate and sustainability strategy and communications. Gary Horsfield, Vice President of Operations and Supply Chain …

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Can Tourism Operators Manage Water Sustainably?

The relationship that water has with the tourism sector is complex. While the UNWTO has recognised that water is an essential component of tourism, the problem of overuse has also been highlighted as worldwide fresh water resources become scarcer. The challenge for sustainable water management exists in many parts of the world and is no longer confined to arid destinations, high volume tourism destinations or developing nations. A significant portion of the water use in the tourism sector is associated with accommodation and hospitality. Responsibility for the way that water is used in accommodation venues is vested in both the …

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US Fracking Rules Would Disclose Drilling Chemicals

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is pressing companies for more information about the chemicals in fluids, something they say is a trade secret. The agency holds the last in a series of community meetings on hydraulic fracturing, called fracking, on Wednesday in New York. The new Wyoming rules say companies must submit to the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission [3] a full list of chemicals they plan to use in fracking operations on a well-by-well basis. Companies will also have to report the concentration of each chemical used once the job is done. Drillers retain the right to claim …

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Taking Care of Business: Sustainable Transformation Conference September 2011

I would like to invite you to take part in the ‘Taking Care of Business: Sustainable Transformation’ Conference on the Gold Coast this September. Join the Australian and International sustainability business community as they gather at this key industry event. The Conference host organisation is committed to ensuring that the highest calibre of plenary and symposium speakers attend this meeting, and have already confirmed participation of some outstanding speakers. This year the streams dedicated to commercialisation will feature case studies by start-up companies; how to take a product from discovery to market; capital raising; IP; regulatory issues; and more.  There …

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