Association for Sustainability in Business Inc
Sustainability & Innovation Global Executive Study
The 2012 Sustainability Business Association – Conference Special Interest Group (SIG)
This year’s conference will see the formation of a Special Interest Group (SIG) to identify issues of importance to members and delegates for further examination and debate in 2012/13.
All delegates can register for this open discussion on the conference website.
“Taking Care of Business: Sustainable Transformation”
21 – 22 May 2012, Radisson Resort, Gold Coast, Australia
The conference will update delegates on a range of issues including;
- Climbing the mountain: issues for business and society in the “Necessary Transition”
- Redefining CSR Post-GFC
- It’s all about me! Personalising Corporate Sustainability
- The Sustainable Australian CEO: transformation of Australia’s business leadership in the Asian Century
- The Business Sustainability Journey: progress report and likely developments to 2020
Corporate understanding of ecosystem services
The reliance organizations have on ecosystem services such as clean water, air, climate, timber, fibres, food and genetic resources is fundamentally an element of corporate risk and strategy that is often overlooked.
Where traditional environmental management examines the impact the organization has on the environment, the idea of ecosystem services is novel in the sense that it is also concerned with the impact the environment has on the organization.
We surveyed corporate managers in the Australian resources and infrastructure sectors and found that most are ill-equipped to address ecosystem services as a strategic aspect of long-term organizational sustainability. A high proportion of respondents indicated that their organization has both the awareness and capacity to address ecosystem service issues. However, this contradicts previous research which suggests that it is unlikely that organizations implement strategies to secure access to multiple ecosystem services.
The results of this research indicate that corporate managers’ distinguish ecosystem services as a concern that transcends environment departments. This suggests that organizational culture has a role to play in fostering an environment where the management of ecosystem services is integrated across a range of business activities.
However, we also found that environment and sustainability managers are not empowered to enact the organizational transformation that is required to achieve holistic ecosystem management.
Kristine Dewar, Business Sustainability Analyst, Carbon House
“Taking Care of Business: Sustainable Transformation” The Conference
15th& 16th September – Radisson Resort, Gold Coast, Australia
Beyond sustainability: Exploring the principles of restorative management
The leadership of sustainability is an emerging issue in Fortune 1000 companies, and 70% of these companies have indicated that they intend to increase their investments in sustainability over the next five years.
The implications of this trend are that business leaders have begun to understand the importance of sustainability as well as how its integrated implementation can offer both a competitive advantage and a new host of unforeseen benefits. Many of the current sustainability management practices have set the foundation for the next phase of sustainability, which is restorative management.
While sustainable organizational practices contribute to thriving, restorative management requires managers to become aware of the value basis of stakeholder interactions, and adapt principles that reflect changing stakeholder beliefs and assumptions.
This paper will review the principles of restorative management with special emphasis on strategies that can be used to adopt these principles in business organizations. Core competencies that are required for restorative management are described, and key assumptions necessary to move beyond sustainability management are defined.
Prof Anton Camarota, University of Denver, United States of America
“Taking Care of Business: Sustainable Transformation’ Conference on the Gold Coast in September 2011. Join the Australian and International sustainability business community as they gather at this key industry event.
10 Ways to Cut Carbon Emissions in Your Buildings
Johnson Controls Inc. and its Make Your Buildings Work program offer 10 tips on how your company can reduce its carbon footprint and emissions by minimizing the environmental impacts of facilities and operations.
The advice is part of Johnson Controls’ campaign to emphasize practical solutions for building owners, managers and operators to improve the energy efficiency and performance of their properties.
The company’s “10 Tips” series is among resources available on the JCI microsite MakeYourBuildingsWork.com. Here are Johnson Controls’ recommendations for cutting carbon emissions:
1. Consider investigating in renewable energy technologies to become less dependent on the grid. This is good for the economy, environment and energy security. Using renewable energy technologies can increase owner revenue, revitalize rural communities and reduce dependence on the power grid — all without consuming natural resources or emitting pollution or greenhouse gases.
2. Promote recycling. Establish a recycling program and distribute recycling containers around your buildings and/or campus to encourage separation of waste and recyclable items.
3. Make cleaning and maintenance greener. Reduce the environmental impact of in-building operations such as cleaning, pest management and maintenance by using more environmentally friendly cleaning products and organic — or eco-sensitive synthetic — filters for equipment.
4. Host meetings with minimal environmental impact. Host and encourage telemeetings. In-person meetings should be held at green hotels that serve water in pitchers instead of bottles, reuse name badges and donate unused food to local food pantries.
5. Offer telecommuting options to employees. Establish a telecommuting program allowing employees to work from home one to five days a week.
6. Institute flex time. Encourage flex time which will stagger start/end times so that employees can avoid getting stuck in rush hour traffic and as a result use less gas and reduce emissions.
7. Increase employee and student awareness. Set up education sessions for employees/students to share home/work tips to reduce their individual and collective carbon footprints.
8. Support green suppliers. Use vendors and suppliers who embrace green practices (i.e. buy local, purchase used office furniture, etc.).
9. Modernize your fleet. Update fleets with more environmentally friendly vehicles where applicable and consider switching to electric and hybrid vehicles.
10. Promote environmentally friendly commuting. Establish carpool initiatives for employees. Provide mass transit passes for employees. Reward hybrid car owners with preferred parking. Johnson Controls launched MakeYourBuildingsWork.com this summer. The microsite features case studies, an energy efficiency calculator, other tools and separate sections on reducing energy costs, efficient operations, creating quality environments and reducing carbon emissions with 10 tips on how to achieve improvements in area.
Australia’s first modern large electric car consortium
Five local companies have joined forces to build prototypes of Australia’s first modern large electric car. Supported by the Australian Government, the consortium hopes to produce a family car which could revolutionise the Australian car industry.
Announcing more than $3.5 million in funding from the Green Car Innovation Fund for the consortium’s project worth nearly $26 million, Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr said the concept for the car was based on the Holden Commodore. “The government understands that Australia’s future relies on our ability to green our industries. This includes manufacturing environmentally friendly vehicles,” Senator Carr said. “This Melbourne-based consortium, EV Engineering, is determined to change the motoring horizon by expanding the range of green vehicle choices available to Australian families.”
The consortium comprises automotive components suppliers Air International, Bosch, Continental and Futuris, and electric vehicle infrastructure and services provider Better Place (Australia). “The automotive industry has a great future in Australia. There are some excellent projects being funded under the Green Car Innovation Fund, including more efficient and hybrid engines, lighter components and high-tech battery technology. “I am confident these innovative projects will revolutionise the Australian automotive industry and show what can be achieved through investment in research and development.”
The Green Car Innovation Fund closed to new applications last month so that remaining funds could be redirected into the rebuilding of roads, bridges, rail lines and public facilities in Australia’s flood-ravaged communities. The Prime Minister and Senator Carr have guaranteed that all other parts of the New Car Plan for a Greener Future will be retained and all contractual commitments and grant offers made by the government through the fund, including for this project, will be honoured.
For more information on the New Car Plan, visit www.innovation.gov.au.
People.Productivity.Planet report
Beaton Research and Consulting, in collaboration with The Nossal Institute for Global Health and WellmarkPerspexa, presented the findings from Australia’s most broad-reaching study into business sustainability.
The research
- Scope: A national survey of more than 10,000 leaders and employees of Australian businesses
- Aim: To identify the stimulus for and obstacles against businesses engaging in sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting is poised to take off
The strongest message emerging from the study is the huge latent potential in sustainability reporting in Australia – the will is there, but a substantial proportion of organisations are yet to find the way.
Around a third (35%) of leaders responding to the survey say their organisation currently produces sustainability reports. Of those, over half (54%) have been producing reports for less than three years. But latent potential is acutely demonstrated by the findings that 20% of leaders whose organisation is not reporting on sustainability say it is only a matter of time before they start, and 73% of leaders say they would personally like to see their organisation making a commitment to sustainability reporting.
What it tells us is that the business community is at a stage where it needs a lot of support and encouragement. This goes for organisations that have recently commenced sustainability reporting as they navigate the difficult early years, through to those that have the desire to undertake reporting but, for whatever reason, have not yet taken the plunge. The resources are out there, but the process of determining best practice can be bewildering.
Supply chain and other business community pressures will make reporting relevant to all
Three-quarters of respondents (74%) say that a major benefit of committing formally to sustainability is ‘reputation management’ – to many this may evoke cynical attitudes of ‘greenwashing’, but what we believe it says is that in order to operate a business in the current climate, organisations need to tackle sustainability issues. It indicates that sustainability is a business imperative, and a range of further findings support this.
Firstly, almost half (44%) of respondents believe the benefits of sustainability reporting outweigh the costs, and a similar proportion (47%) believe that in five years’ time the majority of businesses will be producing sustainability reports.
Secondly, as more organisations commence sustainability reporting, a larger number of others will be affected. For example, we found that 57% of leaders from reporting organisations would give preference to suppliers who can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability, and no less than 80% of leaders in reporting organisations agree it is likely that their organisation will require suppliers to meet certain sustainability standards in the future.
So although 42% of leaders say they are not doing sustainability reporting because they don’t feel it is relevant to their organisation, these reputational and supply chain pressures will inevitably affect most organisations – to say you ‘are too small’, ‘have no significant environmental impact’ or ‘are a not-for-profit organisation’ is unlikely to cut it.
There is a strong message here for associations. While they typically have not been among the first to engage with sustainability reporting, respondents believe there is a significant role for them in showing leadership in sustainability – 68% of respondents say that professional associations and industry bodies need to actively encourage members to engage in sustainability reporting.
Sustainability reporting is good for employees
Many people unfamiliar with sustainability reporting are unaware that ‘labour standards’ can play a huge role in sustainability initiatives. Over half (53%) of employees in reporting organisations believe their workplace is healthier and more productive as a result, and the overwhelming majority (70%) of employees in non-reporting organisations say they would feel they were promoting a healthier and more productive workplace if their organisation made a commitment to sustainability.
And if external reputation management is important, we must not forget internal reputation management: 54% of employees say that as a result of their organisation tackling sustainability issues, they feel more proud of their organisation.
And these results have not yet been controlled for employees’ perceptions of their organisation’s success at embedding sustainability initiatives – the reported proportions could climb dramatically if we looked exclusively at those organisations that were successfully doing sustainability reporting. This is something that we will be looking at in further analysis of the data.
Sustainability is also likely to be a strong driver of staff attraction; 41% of employees in reporting organisations say that if they changed jobs they would not want to work somewhere that does not tackle sustainability issues.
What next?
Business leaders should be reassured that they don’t have to achieve everything in the first year of their reporting: best practice is first to understand your business’s impact on your environment, then to take small steps towards improvement.
For those thinking about taking the plunge, a useful resource is the Good Business Register. The website is managed by St James Ethics Centre, the hub for the GRI and United Nations Global Compact in Australia. Their resources are essential reading for anyone interested in best-practice sustainability reporting.
How can we keep this momentum going? And how can we all take the next step towards embedding sustainability reporting in our business community culture? How can we make measuring and monitoring sustainability initiatives cheaper and easier, to ease the burden on organisations?
Download the People.Productivity.Planet report here.
Dr Rebecca Sheils is Director of Research at Beaton. She has a strong interest in sustainability as a driver of long-term profitability and the necessity of measuring and managing sustainability initiatives to ensure business success.
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 will be two networking functions to maximise business and learning prospects. The Conference will offer free wireless internet to all delegates and exhibitors at the Conference and free broadband in accommodation rooms. We will be conducting an online Business to Business Forum, which enables registered delegates, presenters and exhibitors to network before, during and after the Conference. This will create an opportunity for delegates to set meeting times at the conference with other delegates or exhibitors and to maintain contact post event. It also provides an avenue for professionals to enter into a dialogue before the event and maintain one afterwards thereby maximising the business and learning opportunities raised by the Conference.
I invite you to join me, together with the Conference Committee, in learning from our keynote speakers and their analyses, what is being done, and what needs to be done to better meet the sustainable needs of the industry and consumers. With their input, and our interactive Conference program, we can be guided in our efforts to examine the efficacy of existing programmes in order to efficiently meet current and future needs. I look forward to seeing you at the Gold Coast for the ‘Taking Care of Business: Sustainable Transformation Conference’.
Sincerely Lani Sullivan
CEO – Association for Sustainability in Business Inc
Sustainability: The ‘Embracers’ Seize Advantage
SPECIAL REPORT: Sustainability & Innovation
February 10, 2011
How fast are businesses adopting sustainability-driven management? New study results reveal two distinct camps: ‘embracers’ and ‘cautious adopters.’ And the practices of the embracers may be providing a snapshot of how the management future will look.
This report on the second annual Sustainability & Innovation Global Executive Study by MIT Sloan Management Review and The Boston Consulting Group reveals two distinct camps of companies: “embracers” — those who place sustainability high on their agenda — and “cautious adopters,” who have yet to focus on more than energy cost savings, material efficiency, and risk mitigation. The report identifies seven specific practices exhibited by embracer companies, which together begin to define sustainability-driven management. These include the need to move early, even if you don’t have complete information; to be authentic and transparent both internally and with the external stakeholders; and to work aggressively to “de-silo” sustainability, integrating it throughout company operations.
Findings:
• Improved brand reputation is perceived as the biggest benefit of addressing sustainability.
• Automotive is seen as the industry for which sustainability is most critical now.
• The commitment of the cautious adopters to sustainability is increasing at a far faster rate than that of the embracers.
• Most companies — whether currently embracers or not — are looking toward a world where sustainability is becoming a mainstream, if not required, part of the business strategy.
This topic will be further explored and discussed at the Association for Sustainability in Business Conference titled, ‘Taking Care of Business: Sustainable Transformations’ on the Gold Coast in September 2011.
