By 
Alex Arnaudon
There has been a lot of talk about the carbon price lately but what does that actually mean for Australian SMEs?
The green wave is here but not enough businesses understand, nor are equipped, to take full advantage of it. Clearly, businesses that are ahead of the curve will profit the most from the green revolution.
Climate Friendly CEO Freddy Sharpe says; “Alarmingly only 12% of businesses currently have any form of sustainability reporting. That means there is a real opportunity to stand out from competitors and differentiate.”
Mainstreaming Green: by business, for business, is a Climate Friendly campaign that recognises the importance of building a savvy and responsible business community. It will help them take advantage of the green wave and make a serious dent in Australia’s carbon footprint.
Thought-leaders like Kylie Kwong, Michael Kitchener from Kitcheners Kitchens, The Body Shop Australia, Republica Coffee, Sustain Ability Consulting and Woodhead have all joined in to share their experiences on how to profit from being green.
Kitchener’s Kitchens Founder, Michael Kitchener, reflects –
“I was thinking ‘How can I position my company differently in what is an extremely competitive industry?’ One facet is the marketing benefits – I suppose that was the big in-road for me. The first step was going through the system with Climate Friendly and assessing our carbon footprint. Beyond managing our carbon I have also introduced more environmentally friendly products into the kitchen industry over the past couple of years”, say Michael.
Already, hundreds of businesses are benefitting from taking action on climate change and seeing just how easy it is to save money, attract new clients and retain staff.
“Australian businesses are the real engine for change in the broader community and it’s essential they are on board. The campaign goes about setting new norms with the ultimate goal of Mainstreaming Green”, says Freddy Sharpe of Climate Friendly.
“With our collective experience we can build capacity within the business community to Mainstream Green. Let’s work together to take full advantage of the green revolution,” says Angela Vithoulkas of Vivo Café.
We are extending an open invitation to join our campaign. Progressive businesses with a desire to know how to take full advantage of the green revolution are welcome!
