Communicating sustainability examines the business drivers for sustainability. It looks at the strategic and tactical approaches for communicating organisational sustainability to external audiences.

1. Communicating Sustainability
Gabriel Wong
Max Australia
12 February 2009

2. Key Issues
• The Rise of Environmentalism
• Sustainability as a Business Issue
• Drivers of sustainability
• Communicating sustainability: Strategic to tactical
• Five tough questions
• Useful references

3. The Rise of Environmentalism

4. The Rise of Environmentalism
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JZey9GJQ
P0

5. Sustainability
• Managing and
balancing the
economic, social and
environmental impacts
of a corporation’s
activities
Source: Dreo (2006)

6. Sustainability as a Business Issue
• Reputation and Competitiveness
• Attracting investment
• Attracting talent
• Managing risks
• License to operate
• Cost reduction
• Globalisation

7. Sustainability as a Business Issue
Civil Society
Public
Mandatory
Media Environment
Investors
Government
Business Voluntary

8. Drivers of Sustainability
International covenants – Basel Public Reporting Indices - Carbon Disclosure
Convention, Kyoto Protocol Project, Dow Jones Sustainability Index
Legislation and planning instruments – NGOs – WWF, Greenpeace, PlanetArk (Close
ACCC, EPBC Act, Hazardous Waste Act, the Loop), Total Environment Centre
National Packaging Covenant, state based
EA instruments
National reporting frameworks - NGERS / Industry associations – AIIA (Byteback),
Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Australian Industry Group, Consumer
Electronics Suppliers Association (Product
Stewardship Australia)
ASX Corporate Governance Principle 7:
Recognise and manage risks

9. Sustainability as a Business Issue
• Sustainable development as a philosophy
throughout the business
• Intel – Design for the Environment
• Fuji Xerox – Extended Producer Responsibility
• Dell – Sustainability Lifecycle
• Green for product marketing
• TrickleStar

10. Sustainability as a Business Issue
Source: EPA Victoria

11. Dell

12. Intel

13. SAP

14. Carbon Footprint

15. I’m yet to receive an answer from anyone, anywhere
regarding how green it is for stuff to be hauled out of pits
and mines all over the world, carried by sea, shuttled
between processing plants and factories, assembled into
computers and other gadgetry using electricity galore, then
packed away in boxes that are tossed away without anybody
even pausing to admire the graphic art printed on them.
Simon Sharwood

16. Communicating Sustainability
• Strategic
• Global / Local Commitment
• Environmental Policy
• Impacts, Issues and Targets
• Stakeholders
• Data Collection
• Standards and Assurance
• Reporting
• Employee Education
• Engagement with Stakeholders

17. Communicating Sustainability
• Tactical
• Standards based (Energy Star, energyrating.gov.au)
• Scientific evidence (energy, pollution, waste)
• Trade Practices Act
• Affiliation / endorsement (GECA)
• Event based approach

18. Communicating Sustainability
• Green Marketing and Trade Practices Act
• Environmental sustainability
• Recycling
• Energy and water efficiency
• Impact on biodiversity

19. Communicating Sustainability
• Misleading through silence
• “Made from recycled material” Which part is recycled
/ how much of the content is recycled
• Misleading through predictions
• “Product made entirely from recycled materials by
2011”
• Misleading through subjectivity
• “Produced completely from clean energy”

20. Communicating Sustainability
• Unauthorised use of trademarks
• Approval from licensing boards / government
• Performance / benefits based

21. Communicating Sustainability
Do Don’t
• Be honest • Profit / exploit “green”
• Clear language • Use jargon
• Evidence based • Misrepresent
• Prepared to change • Send conflicting messages
• Educate
• Engage with stakeholders
• Share information

22. Five Tough Questions
• Sustainability in the current economic climate
• How to deal with greenwashing
• What makes a good green IT story
• How to counsel bad green ideas / clients
• Case Studies: Good, bad and in between

23. Useful References
• Sustainability Reports
• Fuji Xerox Australia
• Insurance Australia Group
• AGL
• Origin Energy
• ANZ Bank

24. Useful References
Trade Practices Act
• Green Marketing and the Trade Practices Act
Reporting Initiatives
• Carbon Disclosure Project
• Global Reporting Initiative
Sustainability Reporting and Corporate Responsibility
• Corporate responsibility: Managing risk and creating value, Parliamentary Joint Committee
• The Social Reponsibility of Corporations, CAMAC
• Climate Change and the ASX100, Citigroup
• State of Sustainability Reporting in Australia
NGO Campaigns
• Gartner and WWF Assessment of Low Carbon and Environmental Leadership (Nov 2008)
• Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics (April 2007)

25. Useful References
Indexes
• Corporate Responsibility Index
• Dow Jones Sustainability Index
• Reputex Sustainability Index Series
• FTSE4Good Index Series
Thought Leadership Opportunities -- e.g. committees, roundtables, speaking opportunities, etc.
• Green Capital
• St James Ethics Centre
• Greenhouse Challenge
• Australian Business Roundtable on Climate Change
• Centre for Sustainability Leadership
• World Business Council for Sustainable Development - Australia

26. Useful References
Recycling Schemes / Alliances
• Product Stewarship Australia
• Byteback Victoria
• Mobilemuster
• Close the Loop
• Project Paperless
• Planet Ark
Standards
• Energy Star
• Energy Rating – Federal and State Governments
• Good Environmental Choice Australia – ecolabelling scheme

27. Useful References
Publications
• ecoVoice
• WME
• Sustainability Matters
• ReNew
• Environment Business
• Sustainable Life Media