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Sustainability now simply part of doing business

greenwash-largeThe term ‘greenwashing’ might be officially outdated. In 2016, the number of companies making unmerited PR splashes over sustainability is far outweighed by those who are taking significant strides forward and not talking about it. When faced with the science of climate change and transparency into corporate accountability in 2016, sustainability is simply part of doing business.

Yet many leading companies still shy away from fully embracing their sustainability stories. Excellent, groundbreaking work is happening across the private sector with no-one around to hear. To re-philosophize the old saying … if a tree grows in a deforestation zone, and no one is around to hear the re-surging wildlife, does it make an impact?

Unfortunately, the answer is no.

Corporate sustainability has reached new heights, driven new innovations and industries, and been embedded at the core of business strategy and systems, yet there are still barriers to sharing this information publicly.

Having just surfaced from taking a deep dive into Environmental Defense Fund’s 10-year history of working with Walmart, I’m particularly focused on all the great corporate sustainability stories that need to be told. As an environmental NGO that has partnered on the ground with leading brands for over 25 years, EDF is keenly aware that companies are often doing considerably more sustainability work than they publicize. Why is this? It could be out of fear of greenwashing; fear of financial stakeholders assuming that mindshare has been taken away from the next quarter’s earnings; or perhaps fear of being perceived as irrelevant to their target audiences.

t’s time to go beyond the annual sustainability report and engage deeply on these stories. PepsiCo did an excellent job of this with their How Will We microsite, launched contiguously to its latest sustainability report. PepsiCo’s chairman and CEO, Indra Nooyi, picked up the pen herself to call for strong heavy-duty truck standards that are good for business and the environment in a recent op-ed with EDF’s Fred Krupp.

So many companies have impactful, innovative, brand-building sustainability stories that aren’t being heard. Excellent work is being done, but often in a marketing vacuum. Making sure these stories are shared is what fuels me — along with a lot of Starbucks. To read more click here.

Association 5 year commitment to Developing Northern Australia Conference

Peter Sugg, Developing Northern Australia Conference

Peter Sugg

The Association in business has made an initial commitment to host the Developing Northern Australia Conference for the next five years.

Our members believe that developing the Northern Regions will be one of the most significant undertakings in Australia since Federation.

Following the outstanding success of this year’s event in Townsville, which will see 6o presentations added to the podcast resource, planning has commenced on the destination and venue in 2016.

We will continue to provide business, policy makers, academics and communities with a vehicle to access and share information on the journey to a successful and sustainable transition in Northern Australia.

We invite delegates, presenters and conference partners to submit articles which will be promoted and distributed via the Blog and the Association’s extensive social media platforms. You will find the guidelines for submitting content on the website.

The Book of Proceedings based on presenters who wish to have full papers published will be distributed through the National Library in Canberra and will also be available in soft copy format from the Association website.

We would like to thank our partners and sponsors with a special mention for James Cook University, Trade and Investment Queensland, City of Townsville, The CSIRO and Ergon Energy.

Prof Allan Dale, Developing Northern Australia Conference

Prof Allan Dale

The committee would like to also thank and acknowledge Allan Dale, Professor of Tropical Regional Development, for his excellent stewardship of the conference program.

Allan has a strong interest in integrated natural resource policy and management in northern Australia. He has both extensive research and policy expertise in governance systems and integrated natural resource management and is Chair of Regional Development Australia Far North Queensland and Torres Strait.

 

 

 

The University of Wollongong to host PD course for Murray-Darling Basin based technicians

Sustainable Buildings Research Centre at the University of Wollongong will host a professional development course entitled Energy Efficiency Enhancement through Retrofitting of Commercial Buildings for technicians based within the Murray-Darling Basin area (Toowoomba and West) 26-27 March 2015.

The course will provide companies and individuals with knowledge and capabilities to enhance energy efficiency of commercial buildings through retrofits, and the measure and evaluation of actual energy performance in commercial buildings.

Who Should Attend:

Building Services Engineers, Architects and Building Designers, Building Commissioning Professionals, Engineers and Environmental Specialists, Facilities Managers, Sustainability Managers, Building Owners, Asset and Portfolio Managers, Local Government Environment Managers, Asset Managers and Services Managers, Government Department Asset Managers

Training Investment:

The course investment provides for an inclusive industry related training package with course notes, lunches and morning and afternoon tea. Course fee per person is AUD$980 including GST (delegates may choose to attend only a single day for AUD$560). Participants may count course hours towards their CPD requirements.

Efficiency Enhancement through Retrofitting of Commercial Buildings brochure

For registration enquiries please contact

Mrs Robyn Dawson at the Sustainable Buildings Research Centre, The University of Wollongong Phone: 02 4239 2198 Email: [email protected]

For Course enquiries please contact:

Prof Paul Cooper at the Sustainable Buildings Research Centre, The University of Wollongong Phone: 02 4221 2198 Email: [email protected]

 

Three new wind farms to deliver 200 MW clean energy through reverse auction

Three new wind farms will be built in Victoria and South Australia as a result of the ACT Government’s first wind energy reverse auction.

Australian Capital Territory Minister for the Environment Simon Corbell said the reverse auction has resulted in a $50 million direct investment into the local economy and broader economic benefits in excess of $240 million.

The three winning projects were:

The Ararat Wind Farm, an 80.5 megawatt (MW) wind farm developed by RES Australia west of Ballarat, Victoria
The Coonooer Bridge Wind Farm, a 19.4 MW wind farm developed by Canberra company Windlab Limited west of Bendigo, Victoria
The Hornsdale Wind Farm, a 100 MW wind farm developed by Neoen south-east of Port Augusta in South Australia.

Read the full article in ecogeneration