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Front Cover Designed by Nick Heng
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36th National Sustainability Award Sponsors
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Jeff Robinson and the First Question Society
171 Banksia Sustainability Awards Judges 172
36th National Sustainability Award Honour Role
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from the Banksia Foundation Board Welcome
”As we navigate an ever-evolving world, these case studies reveal remarkable resilience, empathy, and ingenuity— qualities that form the foundation of our collective response to sustainability challenges.
”Australia’s spirit of innovation shines brightly, even in the face of challenges. Optimism is a powerful force that fuels progress, and it is essential as we work towards a more sustainable future. We are delighted to present the case studies from our inspiring winners and finalists of the 36th Banksia National Sustainability Awards—stories of dedication, creativity, and bold action that are driving meaningful change.
As we navigate an ever-evolving world, these case studies reveal remarkable resilience, empathy, and ingenuity—qualities that form the foundation of our collective response to sustainability challenges. It is with immense pride that we celebrate the unwavering commitment of our award winners and finalists, who embody the values needed to create lasting impact.
Now in its 36th year, the National Banksia Sustainability Awards remain Australia’s leading platform for recognising and celebrating excellence in sustainability. Across 14 categories, our entrants demonstrate that sustainability is not just an aspiration—it is a powerful driver of positive transformation. We extend our deepest gratitude to our category sponsors, foundation partners, committed judges and supporters, whose dedication amplifies these champions’ voices and inspires others to take action.
On behalf of the Banksia Foundation Board, we congratulate all the winners and finalists. We invite you to explore their stories and discover how these remarkable Australians are contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Let their journeys inspire us all to embrace optimism and work together for a more sustainable future.
The Banksia Foundation Board offers our congratulations to all the winners and finalists. We invite you to delve into their stories and discover how these innovative Australians are contributing to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Let their journeys inspire us all to build a more sustainable future, together.
Grazyna van Egmond Chief Executive Officer Banksia Foundation
Board Members
Grazyna van Egmond
CEO
Jo Cain
Estelle O’Callaghan Chair
Peter Olsen
Rick Finlay
Treasurer
Meet Our Patron
Alan Finkel
Alan Finkel is a neuroscientist, engineer and entrepreneur. He was Australia’s chief scientist from 2016 to 2020, during which time he led the National Electricity Market Review, the development of the National Hydrogen Strategy, and the panel that advised the Australian Government on the 2020 Low Emissions Technology Roadmap. He is currently Chair of Stile Education, Chair of the Australian Government’s Technology Investment Advisory Council, and Special Adviser to the Australian Government on Low Emissions Technologies.
Mark Paterson
John Valastro
03 Agriculture and Primary Industries Award
Farmer’s for Climate Action
Farmers For Climate Action (FCA) is a farmer-led organisation leveraging our strong industry and grassroots relationships to ensure farms can farm forever, and supporting farmers to take strong action on climate change
Farmers are at the sharp end of climate change and feel the impacts every day, yet they own 50% of the landmass in Australia and have the greatest opportunity for impactful change.
Farmers For Climate Action (FCA) is a farmer-led organisation leveraging our strong industry and grassroots relationships to ensure farms can farm forever, and supporting farmers to take strong action on climate change.
Website: farmersforclimateaction.org.au
We are the only farmer-led organisation that focuses on climate action. Farmers for Climate Action (FCA) is a farmer organisation working to ensure that farmers are part of the solution. FCA’s vision is for Australia to be ‘farming forever’. In practical terms, FCA is supporting farmers to build climate, carbon and energy literacy and advocate for climate solutions both on and off farm.
We believe that if we mobilise farmers, graziers and agriculturalists to lead climate solutions on-farm and advocate together, we can influence our sector and government to implement climate policies that help prevent further disruption to Australia’s climate and benefit rural communities. We are an organisation with more than 8400 farmers and graziers members. Our members farm right across the country and are united in their desire to see genuine climate action that puts farmers at the centre of solutions. Many are already leading in this regard. Farmers for
Climate Action is uniquely positioned because we are led by our end audience of farmers, they define our voice and impact. We are fortunate to have strong partnerships with Charles Sturt University (the Gulbali Institute), we are the only organisation that is a member of NFF (National Farmers Federation) and CANA (Climate Action Network Australia) and we have a proven track record of influence in both agricultural and climate policy spheres. FCA acts as the trusted bridge between government, farmers and industry; a single point of reference, bringing the many conversations around sustainability and agriculture together. FCA has a unique convening power to bring together farmers, renewable energy companies, government policy makers, scientists and academia who are all needed to make serious progress on emissions reduction.
In 2024, FCA participated in events spanning flagship national summits through to local field days and community events, including everything from agriCULTURED and the National Renewables in Agriculture Conference, to the Westbury Cattle and Sustainability Field Day and Bunyip Renewables Action Group community meeting.
Collaborating across a diverse size, geographical spread and organisational focus enables us to work with an equally diverse range of farmers and stakeholders. Directly with our 8,400 farmer members, we collaborate through regular surveys, petitions, policy roundtables, and delegations to decision makers. As farmers become more informed through webinars, our digital toolkit, and in person events, they become more effective communicators and contributors to policy on emissions reduction. This year, we have 300 farmer members who have been identified as thoroughly upskilled, with strong capacity to contribute to state and national policy. This forms the loop of communication and feedback that is accelerating change and on-farm adaptation, as farmers
make stronger contributions to policy, policy becomes more effective and drives uptake, and as more farmers adopt emission reduction solutions, they make stronger contributions to policy. Farmers for Climate Action is acting as conductor for this loop, orchestrating its growth.
"We believe that if we mobilise farmers, graziers and agriculturalists to lead climate solutions on-farm and advocate together, we can influence our sector and government to implement climate policies that help prevent further disruption to Australia’s climate and benefit rural communities. "
C-Wise
C-Wise — Driving Innovation to Combat Soil Degradation and Climate Change
A Little Wild Australia, Fungi Infinity Singapore, FlyBox UK, Arvela Future Green Solutions, Spinifex Brewery.
C-Wise – Transforming Organic Waste into Climate Solutions C-Wise, a pioneering Western Australian company founded in 1996, has become a beacon of innovation in sustainable agriculture and circular economy practices.
Website: www.cwise.com.au
With a mission to transform organic carbon into high-value resources, C-Wise has redefined waste management and soil regeneration, making significant strides in combating climate change, restoring degraded lands, and promoting economic resilience in agriculture.
At the core of C-Wise’s operations is its commitment to harnessing the potential of organic waste. The company diverts over 70,000 tonnes of organic material annually from landfills, preventing methane emissions and transforming waste into premium compost, soil conditioners, and value-added products. Composting, a lowemission process, produces only 1/500th of the greenhouse gases compared to landfill decomposition, underscoring C-Wise’s critical role in mitigating climate impacts.
One of C-Wise’s defining innovations is its Mobile Aerated Floor (MAF) composting system, which ensures energy-efficient, precision-controlled production of high-quality compost. Further advancing waste recovery, the company is set to launch the Black Soldier Fly (BSF) FlyBox system in 2025. This groundbreaking technology will convert organic waste into nutrient-rich compost, protein feed, and frass-based fertilizers, showcasing C-Wise’s ability to develop scalable and modular solutions for diverse industries.
The Keralup East expansion, a $42 million carbon recycling facility, exemplifies C-Wise’s bold vision for scaling sustainable waste management. This state-of-theart facility will double processing capacity, integrating Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) waste streams and supporting regional sustainability goals.
C-Wise’s impact is further amplified through strategic collaborations. Partnering with A Little Wild Australia (ALWA), a First Nations agri-business, C-Wise has developed initiatives that blend cultural stewardship with innovation. Together, they are cultivating native botanicals on degraded lands and producing ALWA-branded stock feed and skincare products, showcasing how cross-cultural collaboration can drive both environmental and social outcomes.
The Eco Brew Project, in partnership with Fungi Infinity (Singapore) and ALWA, transforms brewery spent grain (BSG) into sustainable resources such as soil conditioners and livestock feed. This initiative exemplifies C-Wise’s leadership in creating closed-loop systems that decarbonize waste management and align with global green economy goals.
Beyond its technological and operational advancements, C-Wise is dedicated to empowering communities. Its Flexible Learning Education and Engagement Centre (FLEEC) program provides hands-on sustainability education for students, fostering environmental leadership and practical skills. By integrating the BSF Schools Program, C-Wise aims to inspire the next generation to champion climate action and resource regeneration.
C-Wise’s unique approach to sustainability lies in its holistic integration of technology, community engagement, and cultural inclusivity. By redefining the value of organic carbon, the company not only enhances soil health and agricultural productivity but also creates a replicable model for global sustainability.
As a finalist in the Banksia Foundation Sustainability Awards, C-Wise exemplifies how innovation and collaboration can drive transformative environmental, social, and economic impacts, paving the way for a brighter, more regenerative future.
Gina’s Table (SSS Strawberries)
Turning Waste into Taste: SSS Strawberries Pioneers Australia’s Largest Freeze-Drying Facility to Combat Food Waste
Queensland family-run business SSS Strawberries is at the forefront of sustainable agriculture and the fight against food waste as they launch Australia’s largest, most technologically advanced freeze-drying facility that converts supermarket-rejected fruit into nutritious snacks.
In the heart of Queensland, SSS Strawberries is a familyrun business reimagining food waste.
Website: ginastable.com
As Australia's second-largest strawberry grower, they're on a mission to transform unwanted strawberries into delicious, freezedried treats that pack a punch for both nutrition and the environment.
In Australia alone, we create 7.6bn tonnes of food waste every year at an estimated economic cost of $36.6bn. And the amount of land needed to grow this wasted food? Over 25 million hectares! SSS Strawberries' quest to curb food waste began in 2017 when Managing Director Gina Dang sought to address the dumping of supermarket-rejected fruits due to aesthetic standards.
SSS Strawberries' initial investigations into the pureed fruit market revealed stiff competition from low-priced imports, leading them to explore alternatives like frozen and freezedried fruit. Their research unveiled a gap in the Australian market, where a billion-dollar demand for freeze-dried foods was met primarily through imports, with almost no commercial-scale local freeze-drying capacity. Which meant no existing infrastructure could handle SSS Strawberries' surplus at scale. It was clear: if SSS Strawberries wanted to pursue their sustainable agriculture goals and make a significant dent in food waste, constructing their own freeze-drying facility was imperative.
SSS Strawberries set out with a dual mission: to slash the food waste endemic in the industry and convert their surplus strawberries into a profitable product line. They envisioned a sustainable system where technological innovation could unlock new, preservative-free food products from local resources, offering fresh-tasting, nutrient-rich, and easily transportable food options.
Six years of innovation and strategic planning have placed SSS Strawberries at the forefront of sustainable food processing. The answer to how we can transform food waste into opportunity lies in SSS
Strawberries' state-of-the-art freezedrying facility, branded Gina’s Table set to be the largest in Australia with the capacity to freeze dry 2000 kilograms of produce within hours.
The facility's development was a collaborative triumph. Gina’s Table sought the expertise of global leaders in freeze-drying technology, incorporating advanced machinery capable of handling large volumes of fruit with efficiency and reliability. Designed with scalability in mind, it ensures Gina’s Table can extend services to other primary producers.
Even before its doors opened, the initiative made significant strides, garnering interest from international markets and successfully launching a line of freeze-dried fruit into Woolworths, health food stores and amazon under the Gina’s Table brand. Proving the viability and market appeal of their products. With the imminent launch of its facility, SSS Strawberries is poised to cement its position as a leader in sustainable agriculture.
Their story is one of transformation: of unwanted fruit, of industry practices, and of our approach to food waste. SSS Strawberries isn't just about avoiding waste. It's about embracing a circular economy that benefits everyone—from local farmers
to global consumers. By using advanced freeze-drying technology, SSS Strawberries turns surplus fruit into a line of products that are as tasty as they are sustainable, hitting the sweet spot of profit and planetfriendly practice.
SSS Strawberries turns waste into value!
Lenah Game Meats Pty Ltd
Lenah Wallaby, for healthy communities and planet
Lenah Game Meats Pty Ltd is a small Tasmanian business that produces high quality food and fibre from animals usually viewed as pests, shot and left to rot.
From its inception in 1993 it has been dedicated to reducing waste. Lenah processes Bennett’s Wallaby, Brushtail Possum, Forester Kangaroo, Wild Deer. Meat products are sold to over 100 restaurants nationwide and 200 retailers in Tasmania, Victoria, SA and NSW.
Website: www.lenah.com.au
Its vision is to generate high value products and markets so wallaby harvesting can be a viable enterprise for Tasmanian farmers. Value adding to reduce waste and maximise returns is part of Lenah’s ethos with low grade meat and bones made into smallgoods and pet food. In 2021 value adding and waste reduction was taken to the next level with the launch of “Wuggs”, wallaby fur ugg boots. Each boot uses multiple skins, an item that historically has gone to landfill. Wallaby offers a climate change solution.
A Life Cycle Assessment in 2023 demonstrated Lenah’s wallaby meat has extraordinarily low levels of embedded carbon, with 2.39kg C/kg of meat on the supermarket shelf, approximately 12 times less than beef. Wallaby emit negligible amounts of methane due to a completely different digestive system to ruminants. Unlike other proteins that require many inputs like fertilizers, chemical spraying, and even deforestation, there are no external inputs required for wallaby, adding to its clean green advantages. Wallaby is only produced in Tasmania where distances from harvest to processing works are relatively short and power generation is largely from renewables.
Every year, more than 300,000 Bennett’s Wallaby are culled on Tasmanian farms . Lenah harvests around 10% of this cull. There is significant scope for industry expansion with the wallaby population steadily increasing over the last 48 years.
The animals Lenah processes are wild harvested from their natural environment by TAFE trained professionals, accredited by 2 government departments. Adhering to a strict and monitored Code of Practice, Lenah believes its production system is worlds best animal welfare practice for red meat production.
Lenah Wallaby’s success is due to the inherent quality of the meat, aptly called the “pinot noir of red meats” by chefs, backed up by a strong focus on quality. The business has a Quality Assurance culture supported by training levels 3 times the national meat industry average.
It is Lenah’s vision that one day, farmers will allocate an area of their property to a wallaby enterprise. “Real Zero carbon” wallaby will be a standard menu item in restaurants and at home, including Christmas celebrations. Wuggs will replace Uggs as the preferred boot of choice to keep toes warm. Tasmanian native animals will be honoured and celebrated. Areas of native habitat will be extended and biodiversity enhanced.
Tasmanian farmers could soon farm wallaby for a greener future!
Bumbak’s Preserves and Ice creams
Bumbak’s Preserves and Icecreams, located on a plantation in Carnarvon, Western Australia, offers a diverse range of award-winning homemade products, including preserves, ice creams, smoothies, dried fruits, baked goods, and gourmet chocolates.
These products are made from 'rescued' waste produce that would otherwise be discarded into landfill, showcasing Bumbak’s commitment to sustainability and waste reduction.
Website: www.facebook.com/@bumbaks/
By pioneering a zero-waste production model, Bumbak’s not only supports a ‘No Waste’ initiative but also adds value to the horticultural industry while promoting tourism in the region.
As an award-winning, sustainable plantation destination, Bumbak’s leads the way in addressing food waste through innovative practices and creative thinking. Over the past 25 years, Bumbak’s has steadily grown its business, converting more than 50 tonnes of fruit and vegetable waste annually into value-added products, contributing significantly to better waste management in the region. In Carnarvon alone, over 3,000 tonnes of fruit and vegetable waste are generated each year, and Bumbak’s has played a key role in reducing this waste by transforming it into high-quality products.
This commitment to sustainability has fostered a culture of environmental responsibility, ensuring the longterm resilience and prosperity of both local growers and the broader Carnarvon community. Beyond food, Bumbak’s offers a true ‘plantation to plate’ experience, where customers can see firsthand how innovative processes are preserving the region’s horticultural future.
With its focus on reducing food waste, fostering innovation, and implementing sustainable practices across all aspects of the business, Bumbak’s stands as a model for others in the industry, demonstrating how businesses can thrive while contributing positively to the environment and the local economy.
Through its unique approach, Bumbak’s not only provides delicious products but also educates and inspires others to embrace sustainable practices, ensuring that the business remains a cornerstone of both the local horticultural industry and Western Australia’s sustainable tourism landscape.
Bumbak’s Turns 50+ Tonnes into Treats!
Circular Economy Award
Sponsored by Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
BlockTexx — Textile Recovery technologies
BlockTexx is a pioneering clean technology business that recovers polyester and cotton from textiles, to be reused as a valuable resource
BlockTexx is revolutionising the textile industry with its innovative approach to tackling one of fashion’s most pressing challenges: recycling blended fabrics.
Using its patented Separation of Fibre Technology (S.O.F.T.®), the company has developed a world-first solution to process polyester and cotton blends— materials that are notoriously difficult to recycle—into high-quality raw materials: PolyTexx®, recycled polyester, and CellTexx®, a cellulose product.
Website: www.blocktexx.com
These materials can be reused in industries ranging from textiles to agriculture, giving new life to items that would otherwise end up in landfills.
Based in Queensland, BlockTexx operates the world’s first commercialscale chemical recycling facility for blended fabrics, with a capacity of 10,000 tonnes per year (that's 8,000 shirts an hour!). This milestone represents the culmination of years of research and development, including collaborations with leading Australian universities to refine and scale the technology.
The facility not only diverts textile waste from landfills but also addresses significant environmental challenges, including reducing CO2 emissions and improving land use. A key feature of BlockTexx’s process is its use of blockchain technology to ensure full traceability. From the collection of textiles to the delivery of recycled materials, every step is tracked and verified.
This transparency builds trust with clients and partners while setting a new standard for accountability in the textile supply chain. BlockTexx’s initiative is not only about solving
waste problems; it’s about building a circular economy.
The company’s work aligns with global sustainability goals by reducing reliance on virgin materials, conserving resources, and fostering innovation in material science. The company’s achievements are already making waves. By doubling its processing capacity with the addition of a second reactor, BlockTexx is scaling its operations to meet growing demand. Looking to the future, BlockTexx has ambitious plans to scale its operations globally.
BlockTexx stands out as a leader in material science and sustainability, turning a seemingly insurmountable challenge into an opportunity for innovation. By transforming textile waste into valuable resources and setting new standards for circularity, BlockTexx is proving that smart ideas and cutting-edge technology can create a better future for the planet.
World's first facility recycling 10,000 tonnes of textiles yearly.
Brainwave Australia
As now the largest recycler and retailer of used bicycles in the country, Brainwave Bikes is changing behaviours and lives, one bicycle at a time
Mercedes-Benz, 99 Bikes, Cleanaway, WISE Employment, metro Melbourne LGAs, University of Melbourne, RMIT, Monash University
Greater Melbourne is home to over a million used bikes. Those that aren't used languish, slowly rusting away in sheds, gardens and balconies and eventually be hauled onto the nature strip or taken to the local tip.
Website: brainwavebikes.org.au
In fact, over a half a million will end up as waste, or over 6 million tonnes.
At the same time, the second hand bicycle market in Australia estimated to be worth $120 million but currently with no significant retailers dedicated to selling used bikes, either bricksand-mortar or online.
Through resident promotion and collections at transfer stations with local governments, getting bikes from hard waste collections with Cleanaway and Citywide, and increasingly donations through 99 Bike stores and Mercedes-Benz dealerships and school and corporate musters.
Brainwave Bikes, with its partners, has unlocked a way to economically take the waste bikes and either recycle or refurbish and retail them on scale, whilst, with WISE Employment, enabling unemployed young people with disabilities to gain the skills they need to enter the workforce and change their lives forever.
“Giving old bikes new life while empowering young Australians.,”
Citizen Wolf
Our mission at Citizen Wolf is to unf*ck the fashion industry by creating the technology that makes mass production obsolete
Fashion is a wildly inefficient industry entirely at odds with humanity’s journey to net zero.
When 1⁄3 of all clothing made every year goes to landfill unsold, it's clear we cannot solve climate change without first changing the fashion industry. But unless we tackle the default model of overproduction, we are only tinkering at the edges of the problem.
Website: www.citizenwolf.com
At Citizen Wolf, our mission is to unf*ck fashion by creating the technology that makes mass production obsolete. We exist to validate an entirely new business model built on circular design principles married with an onshore, personalised and zero-waste manufacturing system that creates 48% less carbon per garment and eliminates overproduction. They only make what they sell, and their proprietary Magic Fit® technology leverages individual biometric data to create custom-fit garments at zero additional cost.
Holding no inventory creates no landfill whilst generating better profit margins due to no need for discounting. Citizen Wolf is proving that a more sustainable fashion system is not only possible but better for the planet, the consumer and the business financials all at the same time.
Citizen Wolf's journey began in 2015 against widespread scepticism from industry veterans. Being outsiders to the fashion industry, the co-founders saw an opportunity to disrupt by working from first principles to develop a 100% circular business model.
Their first product was a custom-fit T-shirt, launched after nine months of R&D. They manually measured over 2,000 people and used this data to develop their Magic Fit® algorithm, which today facilitates personalised manufacturing at scale in their own micro-factory in Sydney. Their GarmentOS® platform automates pattern making and optimises factory operation daily, enabling custom-fit garments to be delivered in under seven days.
The product range has expanded beyond Tees to include sweats, polos, and button-down shirts, and they plan to introduce pants in late
2024. Their first in-house seamstress was hired through The Social Outfit (TSO) refugee training program, a partnership that has grown alongside their team of 12 full-time staff, all of whom are also shareholders and co-owners.
Citizen Wolf has created over 75,000 garments for 30,000+ customers so far, achieving almost 4,000 fivestar reviews. They are certified by Ethical Clothing Australia and B-Corp, underscoring their commitment to high standards of sustainability and ethics. They encourage customers to prioritise existing clothes over buying new by offering free repairs for life plus a free take-back scheme to close the loop. These end-of-life garments are combined their cutting room waste stream to create a recycled fabric and achieve 100% circularity.
As outsiders turned industry thought leaders, Citizen Wolf advocates systemic change through collaboration. They contribute to academic and governmental research and engage with school groups to inspire future professionals. They hold positions on governing committees including Ethical Clothing Australia
and participate in policy advisory groups.
Their social responsibility is further evident in donations exceeding $50,000 worth of clothing to charities. Internally, they practice radical transparency where all operations and financials are openly discussed among staff, fostering a shared commitment to their mission.
Green Eco Technologies
Green Eco Technologies’ WasteMaster technology has diverted 9,689,959 kg of food waste from landfill worldwide, a reduction in Greenhouse Gas emissions of over 15,000 tonnes!
Four Seasons Sydney reduces their Green House Gases by 16.3 tonnes.
Website: www.greenecotec.com
COMPANY: Four Seasons Sydney
SITE NAME AND LOCATION: Four Seasons – Sydney
INDUSTRY: Hospitality
BRIEF BACKGROUND OF CUSTOMER
Four Seasons is one of the world’s most successful hotel companies for a reason: it does everything well. The brand has extremely high guest loyalty because it is consistent. Guests expect and enjoy beautiful design; exceptional hotel service; and outstanding dining.
THE GREEN SOLUTION
The client had an issue with disposal of organic waste. They had been dumping all waste, including organic waste, into a general waste compactor which was then sent to landfill. Volumes weren’t monitored and the loading dock area was being clogged with compactors and waste bins as part of their push to improve the sustainability credentials of the site and the brand they wanted to start reporting the volume of all waste, especially food waste, so they could use this data to reduce their waste volumes and reduce their environmental footprint.
WHY DID THE COSTUMER CHOOSE WASTEMASTER?
Reduce Waste & improve the sites sustainability. WasteMaster was one of the few systems on the market that provided granular, live feed data on the waste being processed, which in turn provided accurate, quantifiable data on the sites waste reduction and CO2e reductions that could be compared to the Four Seasons corporate targets. GET were able to provide these operational and environmental benefits without increasing costs to the site.
QUANTIFIABLE RESULTS
• 10.6 tonne diverted from landfill since installation.
• 16.3 tonne of CO2eq reduction for the site since installation.
• Production of green energy to power 480 homes for a day since installation.
• All within a COVID regulatory environment.
POSITIVE OUTCOMES
• Reduced truck movements to the busy loading dock.
• Food waste is being measured and can now be managed to reduce the volume of waste before it is produced.
• Cleaner dock area with less liquid leaking into the loading bay from the general waste compactor.
Food waste now fuels green energy for 480 homes!
SoapAid Ltd
Saving children’s lives through improved hygiene, by diverting waste soap from accommodations for repurposing into brand new, hygienic, lifesaving bars
Soap Aid has two fantastic complementary partnerships in place with the Western Australian Country Health Services and The Woollahra Group.
Website: soapaid.org/home
Since 2016 Soap Aid and WACHS have been in partnership to eradicate the debilitating eye disease Trachoma in Indigenous communities in WA. Soap Aid provides new recycled soap bars to support the WACHS “Clean hands, Clean Faces, hygiene programme".
The communities love Soap Aid and the soap, and the programme has been a great success, with Trachoma virtually being eliminated in schools as of mid-2024. Woollahra is a likeminded Social Enterprise to Soap Aid and is a 100% indigenous owned Social Enterprise, manufacturer and distributor of cleaning and hygiene products. The Woollahra Social Enterprise Model is revolutionising the way companies, both locally and nationally, procure goods, and is resulting in tangible outcomes for Indigenous People and Communities across Australia, including opportunities for indigenous employment.
Their aim is to empower social consciousness and provide a platform for businesses to make the best purchasing choices that are respectful of Indigenous communities and country to build a sustainable future for Australia.
As a response to the need to diversify funding sources, Soap Aid recently created a Soap Aid Healthy Hands Amenities range with corporate sponsor Hunter Amenities, for the accommodation, government and corporate sectors.
Fortuitously, every year, millions of units of bar soap are distributed to employer provided accommodation camps throughout WA for use by Flyin-Fly-out staff in the resources industry.
Soap Aid and Woollahra partnered to develop Soap Aid bar soap for the FIFO workers. The bars are environmentally friendly, and are packaged in a sustainable, recycled cardboard box. Woollahra now supply the Soap Aid bar soap to the camps and the waste soap bars are coming back to Soap Aid in a full circle!
Woollahra also provide washing powder to the camps in reusable white buckets. When the buckets are empty and cleaned, they are used as
a container for the waste Soap Aid soap. The buckets of waste bar soap come back to Woollahra, who provide a central soap drop off point, and the soap is then moved to Soap Aid’s recycling plant to be repurposed into brand new hygienic soap bars. The bars are then distributed to communities that don't have access to basic hygiene solutions, including Indigenous communities in WA.
So far Soap Aid has distributed over 1.4 million bars of new hygienic soap to vulnerable Indigenous Communities through WACH’s. The Woollahra buckets are robust and are then re-used for moving incoming waste and sorted soap around the Soap Aid plan, and/or are donated to
partners who can use them for storing non-edible supplies.
Our partnership with Woollahra and WACHs clearly demonstrates a true circular economy model, addressing the sustainability of packaging and reducing waste, while providing soap and hygiene behaviour change to vulnerable indigenous communities.
Sustainable Salons
Sustainable Salons is a pioneering resource recovery program for the hair industry, diverting up to 95 % of salon waste from landfill and fostering environmental, social, and economic impact through innovation and community support
Sustainable Salons was founded in 2015 to address a critical environmental challenge in the hair and beauty industry: the 1.5 million kilograms of waste generated annually, with most ending up in landfill.
Co-founders Paul Frasca, a hairdresser since age 11, and Ewelina Soroko, a fashion sustainability expert, combined their expertise to create a revolutionary resource recovery program designed specifically for salons.
Website: www.sustainablesalons.org
Through extensive grassroots research, including waste audits across 160 Sydney salons, they uncovered key barriers such as limited recycling options, contamination issues, and inadequate infrastructure, which hindered sustainability efforts in the industry.
The solution was Sustainable Salons— a comprehensive program ensuring up to 95% of salon waste, including plastics, metals, hair, chemicals, and tools, is recovered and repurposed into valuable products. For example, hair is used to create oil-spill booms, plastics are transformed into new products like combs, and chemicals turned back into water.
To date, the program has diverted over 2 million kilograms of waste from landfill, setting a new benchmark for sustainability in the salon industry. Sustainable Salons operates as a circular economy initiative, driving environmental, social, and economic impact. Its waste recovery activities generate funding for charitable initiatives, including the donation of over 394,470 meals through partnerships with OzHarvest and KiwiHarvest. Additionally, the program creates inclusive employment opportunities for people with disabilities, furthering its commitment to positive social outcomes.
For salon members, Sustainable Salons offers more than just waste management. It empowers them to integrate sustainability into their business models through training, marketing support, and access to the Rewards Store, where points earned through participation can be redeemed for sustainable products and services. This has collectively saved member salons over $3.9 million, providing significant reinvestment opportunities. Meanwhile, the Sustainable Salons Directory helps environmentally
conscious clients connect with member salons, generating over 62,165 bookings since 2020.
With a network of over 1,500 member salons across Australia and New Zealand, Sustainable Salons is the market leader in sustainable waste recovery for the hair and beauty industry. Its strategic use of technology and partnerships with key industry players has demonstrated the scalability of its model.
By fostering collaboration and innovation, the program has embedded environmental responsibility into the industry’s practices while reducing waste and costs.
Looking ahead, Sustainable Salons remains focused on expanding its impact within the hair industry, while further refining its circular economy model for other industries like barbering, and pet grooming. By bridging the gap between environmental sustainability, social equity, and economic benefit, Sustainable Salons is shaping a more sustainable world—one salon experience at a time.
2 million kg of waste diverted from landfill
Winning Group
The Winning Group’s sustainability initiatives drive circularity by encouraging responsible consumption, educating consumers, offering free take-back and recycling programs for appliances, mattresses, and packaging, reaching 95 % of Australia, partnering with key suppliers to scale the program, and recycling over 80,000 tonnes of e-waste, making it Australia’s largest retail collector
The Winning Group’s sustainability initiatives drive circularity by promoting more responsible consumption, educating consumers and facilitating the recycling and reuse of old appliances, mattresses, and packaging across its retail brands—Winnings, Appliances Online, Andoo, Home Clearance—and third-party logistics partners.
Website: www.winninggroup.com.au
Through its pioneering, free take-back programs, customers can recycle appliances, e-waste, mattresses, and packaging, ensuring valuable materials stay in circulation for remanufacturing while preventing harmful chemicals from polluting the environment and reducing carbon emissions.
This program addresses a critical market gap by providing convenient collection and recycling solutions for old products and packaging, fostering positive environmental outcomes.
Since launching Appliances Online in 2005, John Winning has led the charge in offering a free e-waste solution, with the program now reaching 95% of Australia’s population. In 2021, the program expanded to include recycling of cardboard, EPS, soft plastics, timber crates, and mattresses, making the Winning Group the only retailer in Australia to offer this service at no cost.
By removing economic barriers to recycling, the Winning Group makes sustainable outcomes more accessible, preventing waste from polluting communities and waterways.
The program's national reach provides solutions to remote and rural communities where recycling and circularity are not accessible. It directly benefits communities by preventing packaging waste—like polystyrene—from entering landfills or natural environments. Additionally, the program reduces costs for local communities, creates jobs in recycling and e-waste management, and encourages sustainable consumption patterns. Through material recovery, it supports domestic manufacturing and onshore reprocessing, contributing to a thriving circular economy.
Their Program is a leading example of a voluntary product and packaging stewardship initiative which increases circularity for the electronics and home appliance industry and through value chain collaboration influences wider product stewardship and extended producer responsibility outcomes.
They have partnered with key suppliers including BSH Group, Electrolux Group and BEKO to raise awareness of the environmental impact of packaging and reduce its impact, launching an industry-first Recycling Partnership Program to work towards zero waste to landfill as an industry. This partnership helps the Winning Group scale the program, invest in emission-reducing technologies, and raise awareness of Australia's National Packaging Targets.
Since the program's inception, the Winning Group has helped customers recycle over 80,000 tonnes of e-waste, industry benchmarks indicating it to be the largest retail collector of e-waste in Australia.
Australia’s largest retail e-waste collector — 80,000 tonnes recycled!
31 Technology for Impact Award
Too Good To Go
Too Good To Go is a certified B Corp social impact company that connects users with partners to rescue unsold food and stop it from going to waste
Too Good To Go, founded in 2015 in Copenhagen, is a global social impact company tackling food waste through innovation and collaboration. Its marketplace app connects food businesses with consumers eager to save surplus food, offering a winwin-win solution that benefits the environment, businesses, and consumers.
Since its inception, the company has expanded across 19 countries and amassed over 100 million users and 170,000 business partners.
Website: www.toogoodtogo.com.au
The app enables food retailers to sell surplus food in “Surprise Bags,” offering consumers quality meals at discounted prices while preventing food waste. With an intuitive, integration-free platform, businesses can quickly onboard and start reducing waste that same day. This model has saved over 350 million meals globally, equivalent to avoiding 945,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. Too Good To Go is also a certified B Corp, reinforcing its commitment to environmental and social responsibility.
In 2024, Too Good To Go launched in Australia, aiming to halve the nation’s annual food waste of 7.6 million tonnes by 2030. Starting in Melbourne with 80 partners, the initiative quickly expanded to Sydney, partnering with over 400 businesses and 250,000 users in just four months. To date, Too Good To Go Australia has saved more than 60,000 meals, avoiding 162,000 kg of CO2 emissions and conserving critical resources like water and land.
Too Good To Go’s innovative model proves that tackling food waste is not just a moral or environmental imperative but also a viable economic opportunity with measurable
businesses and individuals to combat climate change and create lasting behavioural change. With plans to expand nationally in 2025, Too Good To Go is poised to make an even greater impact, transforming the way food waste is perceived and handled across Australia.
More than 60,000 meals saved, avoiding 162,000 kg of CO2 emissions
societal benefits. Partners using the marketplace are directly able to recoup costs, attract new customers, and further contribute to brands' ESG goals. For consumers, the app offers a way to access affordable, quality meals while directly contributing to environmental sustainability.
Too Good To Go’s Australian mission aligns with its global vision of a world without food waste. By blending technology, education, and collaboration, it empowers
Farmbot Monitoring Solutions
Leaders in remote water monitoring. Making Australian Agriculture more drought and dry season resilient
Customer challenge – Station with no groundwater.
Argyle Cattle Company is a privately managed Australian enterprise. Consisting of four properties in Western Australia’s Kimberley region, Beefwood Park, Shamrock, Moola Bulla and Mount Amhurst Stations. Over the last four years, Argyle has focussed on investing in technology at Shamrock Station to improve water management and fencing infrastructure.
Website: www.simpact-australia.com
Shamrock Station is located 150km south of Broome, Western Australia. The station’s red and yellow sandy plains span over the 100,780 hectares backgrounding operation. Shamrock has over 40 plus watering points comprising 10 bores, various tanks and a myriad of pipelines.
Shamrock Station Manager Ben Mills states that “This country does not carry any groundwater, therefore dams are just about impossible to use on 95% of the property.” Not having any groundwater makes the bores and tanks connected to the livestock troughs a critical asset for their water ecosystem.
Farmbot solution – Costs savings and peace of mind.
“Argyle has saved a huge amount of money using Farmbot, in time, bore runners, pilots, that sort of thing.” Ben Mills.
Shamrock Station started employing Farmbot in late 2017 and early 2018, and since then the Argyle Cattle Company has adopted over 50 Water Level Monitors across the entire operation. The implementation of Farmbot Monitors has led to cost savings, in time, for bore runners and pilots.
Shamrock Station has eight Water Level Monitors and one Farmbot Camera installed. As all of Shamrock’s water is from tanks and troughs, monitoring technology such as Farmbot has helped Ben and the team have visibility over the station’s water assets 24/7. The recent addition of the Camera has enabled them to see what is happening, within 15 minutes, and has eliminated the need to travel to inspect if an animal is in the water or a float valve has been knocked.
The peace of mind Farmbot provides when “we are out mustering or in
high-pressure situations” assists us to remain focused at the task on hand rather than worrying about the 40 plus watering points we aren’t at.
Technology expansion — What’s next for Argyle Cattle Company.
Argyle Cattle Company currently has 50 Water Level Monitors adopted across the entire operation with expansion planned in the near future.
By implementing Farmbot Monitors, the technology has not removed the role of the bore runner, in fact some of Argyle’s stations still have the oldstyle bore runner. Instead of replacing this role employees have noticed how adopting Farmbot has upskilled and improved the daily management of the position.
“Most bore runners notice a huge difference in the way they conduct their daily tasks. Once they’ve come to use Farmbot and it’s helped them out. It is hard to get started however when an alert comes through which has saved a water problem they are on board for good.” Ben Mills
With Farmbot’s near real-time alerts and notifications, station managers are able to adapt and upskill their operations to improve efficiency and productivity.
Real-time water monitoring equals peace of mind for station managers
Jet Zero Australia
Jet Zero Australia is a home-grown biofuel company committed to the development of a transformative SAF industry that benefits Australia
Jet Zero Australia was established in 2021 with an ambition to be one of the world’s first producers of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using the Alcoholto-Jet (ATJ) process. This process transforms bioethanol from agricultural byproducts into SAF, using a new but recently proven technology to produce a drop-in jet fuel that works with existing airline infrastructure.
Website: jetzero.com.au
Considering that aviation is one of the most difficult industries to decarbonise, SAF will play a crucial role in reducing transport’s share of emissions. SAF is a direct replacement for fossil jet fuel and is capable of delivering CO2 reductions of approximately 70%.
Qantas, Australia’s largest airline, has targeted 10% of its fuel to come from SAF by 2030 and approximately 60% by 2050. Today, Australia does not produce any SAF and without development of a SAF industry Qantas and other domestic airlines will be reliant on imports to meet decarbonisation targets.
Jet Zero’s first and most advanced SAF project, Project Ulysses, aims to help capture the economic benefits of a domestic SAF industry. An Australian SAF industry is expected to be worth $10 billion annually and could create up to 26,200 jobs nationwide by 2050.
The project will have a SAF production capacity of 102 ML pa and RD production capacity of 11 ML pa with first production targeted for 2027. Project Ulysses will directly deliver 1,000 construction jobs and more than 100 direct operational jobs to the Townsville regional economy. The Project also has strong supply chain linkages to other key domestic industries directly employing 350,000 workers and will deliver key demand and employment drivers across the agriculture, aviation, energy, defence and logistics sectors.
At completion Project Ulysses will:
• reduce jet aircraft CO2 emissions by 71% versus the equivalent fossil fuel;
• produce one-sixth of the domestic airline industry’s entire 2030 SAF commitment;
• expand local industrial demand for the emerging Townsville renewable energy hub;
• provide the ADF with fuel security in a strategically important region;
• secure a local supply of Renewable diesel for the reef tourism, mining, and transport sectors; and
• position Australia as a world leader in the low-emissions biofuels industry
Despite having only entered the market approximately three years ago, Jet Zero has capitalised on a significant gap in the domestic biofuels market and is poised to be a crucial supplier of SAF to major airlines, helping them meet their 2030 SAF targets and aiding the Commonwealth Government in meeting emissions reduction and national fuel security objectives.
First Australian SAF plant reducing aircraft emissions by 71%
Moerk Water — Wongutha Indigenous School: Solar-Powered Sustainable Water
Moerk Water’s innovative solar-powered water treatment system at Wongutha CAPS provides clean, sustainable water for Indigenous students while advancing environmental and community resilience
Moerk Water’s groundbreaking solarpowered water treatment system at Wongutha CAPS represents a scalable and sustainable solution to water scarcity in remote communities.
Website: www.moerkwater.com.au
Designed specifically for an Indigenous vocational school in Southwestern Australia, the project ensures yearround access to clean drinking water while delivering measurable social, environmental, and economic benefits. Plico exists to accelerate Australia’s clean energy transition by making solar + battery systems affordable - enabling every Aussie household to make a difference in fighting climate change. The team at Plico believe clean energy should be accessible to all Australians. They wanted to fundamentally change the energy landscape in Australia.
Before the system’s implementation, Wongutha CAPS faced significant challenges with its water supply. The school relied on saline groundwater, which was unsuitable for drinking or irrigation, and was forced to truck in potable water during dry months. This resulted in high operational costs, educational disruptions, and health issues among students and staff.
5 million litres of clean water produced since commissioning
To address these challenges, Moerk Water designed and installed a customised water treatment system powered entirely by renewable energy. The system includes 118 solar panels and a 60kWh battery array, enabling reliable operation for up to 18 hours daily without reliance on grid power. Using advanced reverse osmosis membranes, the system desalinated the school’s groundwater, producing up to 15,000 litres of clean water per day.
What sets this project apart is its innovative approach to sustainability. Waste brine from the desalination process is repurposed to grow salt-tolerant plants (halophytes), which are used as cattle feed. This circular economy model reduces environmental harm while providing additional agricultural benefits to the school.
The impact of the system has been transformative. Since commissioning, it has produced almost 5 million litres of clean water, significantly improving student health and attendance. Reliable access to water has enabled the school to operate without interruption, while savings from reduced water trucking expenses— approximately 30% of operational costs—have been redirected to educational initiatives.
Collaboration was integral to the project’s success. Moerk Water worked closely with Wongutha CAPS staff and community members to ensure the system met their needs. Local operators were trained to maintain the system, fostering a sense of ownership and empowering the community with technical skills.
This initiative aligns with global sustainability goals, addressing SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), among others. Its success has earned national
recognition, including the Australian Water Association Award for Innovating for Sustainable Water and Environmental Outcomes.
By combining renewable energy, advanced water treatment, and innovative waste management, the Wongutha CAPS project demonstrates how technology can deliver meaningful impact. It serves as a model for remote and Indigenous communities worldwide, showcasing the power of sustainable solutions to improve lives, support education, and protect the environment.
Solar Thermal Australia — Reclaim Energy
Reclaim Energy’s groundbreaking advancements in WiFi-integrated CO₂ heat pump technology and policy advocacy have transformed energy efficiency, reduced emissions, and driven industry-wide adoption of sustainable practices
Reclaim Energy has set new benchmarks in the energy industry, transforming hot water systems with cutting-edge technology and a steadfast commitment to sustainability.
Our journey began with a revolutionary product: the world’s first WiFi-integrated air-source CO₂ heat pump. This system is designed to maximise energy efficiency, seamlessly integrating with solar PV systems and Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS).
Website: reclaimenergy.com.au
By utilising natural refrigerants and advanced smart controls, Reclaim’s systems drastically reduce emissions and offer significant cost savings to consumers.
Our innovation addresses key market challenges. For instance, traditional hot water systems often rely on highemission refrigerants like R134A, and existing heat pumps are unable to meet high-temperature requirements for industries such as dairies and breweries. To solve this, Reclaim developed a commercial heat pump capable of reaching temperatures above 95°C, eliminating the need for gas or electric backup systems. This breakthrough provides cost-effective, reliable, and environmentally friendly solutions for high-energy industries.
Reclaim’s achievements are underpinned by strong partnerships. We collaborate with Panasonic, whose compressors are produced in a zero-emissions factory, and Solar Analytics, enabling load-shifting technology for optimal energy use. Our partnership with AGL enhances energy management insights through data-driven solutions. Locally, we work with sustainability groups like Electrify Booroondara and Geelong Sustainability, offering bulk-buy schemes and educational workshops that promote community electrification.
Our advocacy efforts have had industry-wide impacts. Reclaim was instrumental in shaping new Victorian regulations that ban refrigerants with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) over 700, ensuring the industry transitions to more sustainable alternatives. We actively participate in the Australian and New Zealand Heat Pump Alliance (ANZWHA) to push for Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) across the sector, ensuring consumers have access to safe, reliable, and efficient products
Reclaim Energy’s communication strategies further amplify our impact. Through workshops, webinars, and social media campaigns, we engage consumers and industry stakeholders, educating them on energy efficiency and sustainability. Infographics and real-world data bolster our messaging, helping to build trust and transparency. By sharing our knowledge, we inspire other manufacturers to adopt sustainable practices, as evidenced by competitors who now offer R290 refrigerant alternatives after years of resistance.
Our systems deliver measurable outcomes. Customers benefit from reduced energy bills, faster payback periods, and enhanced control through our WiFi-enabled app. For example, the app allows users to schedule operations during peak solar hours, minimising grid instability and maximising solar selfconsumption. The system’s “Holiday Mode” further reduces energy waste while maintaining hygiene standards.
Looking forward, Reclaim is scaling its impact globally. We are building partnerships with international distributors, with a focus on markets such as the United States and emerging economies. Future developments include integrating AI and IoT capabilities to enhance system efficiency and user experience further.
Reclaim Energy’s relentless pursuit of innovation, advocacy, and sustainability has reshaped the energy industry. Our case demonstrates how combining cutting-edge technology with a strong ethical foundation can deliver transformative results for consumers, industries, and the planet alike.
Instrumental in shaping Victorian regulations on refrigerant GWP
That’s Good TA Eclass Outboards
EClass Marine makes sustainable boating accessible by repowering existing casings. ECLass Marine — the world’s only electric motor RePower Kit manufacturer
Can electric motors provide clean and cheap water transport in Casamance, Senegal?
In Casamance, Senegal, rural communities are living on inland islands that are dependent on boats for fishing and transport.
Website: eclassoutboards.com.au
The Challenge
Unfortunately, the cost of fuel is extremely high, with fuel costs representing 25% of fisherman’s daily income. Petrol is unsafe and hard to access, as it is stored in glass bottles at informal depots at various riverside locations. Additionally, petrol-engine boats pollute an already fragile environment and disrupt wildlife with the engine’s loud noise.
The Idea
This pilot will explore whether electric motors can provide a cheaper, greener, and safer alternative to water transport for piroguiers than the current combustion engines. Silent motors will enhance wildlife conservation and increase the appeal for eco-tourism, boosting local tourism economies. Additionally, electric motors need less maintenance and are more costeffective over their lifetime.
The Project
EClass Marne has a unique ability to roll out profitable Government and philanthropic programs in developing markets.
From 2022 to 2024, with funding partners DT Global and a Senegalese Solar Company, JOKOSUN, we have completed rePOWER kit pilots with 5 local mechanics and boat operators, developing a training and assessment program that has been translated into many languages. We guided the mechanics as to the best models of Brand name casings to use for the use case and these casings were retrofitted with our RePower Kits. As part of the pilot, we undertook sea trials on a typical tourism trip with 6 and 12 passengers to the Bayou or wetland for bird tours. The motor was quiet, and power was sufficient to navigate the Casamance Delta with strong currents and high air and water temperatures. The boats that
were Repowered in Senegal are used in most developing countries.
JOKOSUN has progressed to its first commercial electrification hub with a commercial quantity order to retrofit the boats in Ziguinchor to electric. Modelling shows Senegalese boat operators will save up to 50% on fuel costs, with the savings going to their families and communities. Local mechanics' jobs are supported. Casings are diverted from dumping, and embedded carbon offsets the battery. (See Senegal Video link or YouTube Video Senegal uploaded)
The Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade will fund a similar Solomons project next year, and we have enquiries from PNG, FIJI, India, and the Philippines.
Silent electric motors enhance wildlife conservation and ecotourism appeal
45 Diversity & Inclusion Award
Sponsored by L’Oréal Groupe
Magpie Goose
Magpie Goose is an Aboriginal-owned social enterprise that transforms bold First Nations art into sustainable fashion, creating meaningful cultural and economic opportunities for artists and communities through collaboration
Celebrating Aboriginal Culture Through Sustainable Fashion Magpie Goose is an Aboriginal-owned social enterprise that celebrates First Nations art through bold, ethically produced fashion.
By partnering with regional and remote artists and art centres, Magpie Goose transforms hand-painted stories into wearable garments that connect people to Country and culture.
Website: magpiegoose.com
Since transitioning to Aboriginal ownership in 2021, the enterprise has exemplified leadership in diversity, inclusion and sustainability. Each year, Magpie Goose collaborates with an art centre to create new collections. Recent partnerships include the Ewyenper Atwatye (Hidden Valley) artists near Mpartnwe (Alice Springs), with work underway for a 2025 collection with Quandamooka artists in South East Queensland.
These partnerships are built on long-term relationships and mutual respect, with artists maintaining creative control throughout the design process. Artworks are transformed into textiles, printed on biodegradable fabrics, and crafted into durable, versatile garments in Australia by Ethical Clothing Australia-accredited manufacturers.
Magpie Goose ensures artists are recognised and rewarded. To date, $609,936.69 has been paid to 67 First Nations artists, art centres, and organisations. These payments not only provide financial support but also create pathways for artists to explore further opportunities in textile and product design.
Marketing efforts amplify the artists’ voices, with each collection launched one print at a time, accompanied by artist profiles and the stories behind the designs. Sustainability is core to Magpie Goose’s mission. Offcuts are repurposed into No-Waste Accessories like scrunchies and tote bags through partnerships with social enterprises such as Second Stitch and The Social Studio, which provide employment opportunities for women from refugee and migrant communities.
To date, 792 meters of fabric have been saved from landfill. In this way, caring for Country aligns environmental stewardship with economic opportunities for underrepresented groups. Magpie
Goose’s impact extends beyond fashion into broader cultural work.
A recent collaboration with Firesticks Alliance reflects this commitment. Firesticks Alliance focuses on reviving cultural fire-burning practices to restore Country and community health. Through this partnership, Magpie Goose supports Indigenousled solutions for sustainable land care, forefronting those leaders preserving important knowledge. Magpie Goose’s leadership is further demonstrated by its participation in major arts events like Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF), Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair (DAAF), and Desert Mob in Alice Springs. These platforms allow Magpie Goose to showcase collections while strengthening connections within the Aboriginal arts community. The 2024 Ewyenper Atwatye collection featured on the runway at the Country to Couture Fashion Show, highlighting the designs of Hidden Valley artists to national and international audiences.
With a focus on economic empowerment, environmental sustainability, and cultural pride, Magpie Goose is setting a new standard for ethical collaboration in fashion. Its scalable model offers a blueprint for businesses seeking to
foster inclusivity and sustainability while leaving a lasting legacy of reconciliation and environmental care.
Empowering communities, preserving traditions.
Adelaide Fringe
Adelaide Fringe is an extremely values-driven organisation, that transforms the cultural fabric of South Australia throughout February and March, committed to championing cultural diversity, inclusivity, acceptance, continuous improvement and continuously educating its stakeholders
Adelaide Fringe is the biggest arts festival in the southern hemisphere that transforms the cultural fabric of South Australia for five weeks each year throughout February and March. It is an extremely values-driven organisation, committed to championing cultural diversity, inclusivity, acceptance, continuous improvement and continuously educating its stakeholders.
As the first major festival in South Australia to join the WE'RE EQUAL pledge, Adelaide Fringe champions diversity and inclusion every single day, and is committed to celebrating culture, place, and artists from diverse communities around the world.
Adelaide Fringe employs an intersectional approach to fostering diversity and inclusion through four key action plans: Sustainability, Disability Access and Inclusion, Reconciliation Action Plan, and its forthcoming Multicultural Inclusion Action Plan. These action plans outline specific targets, deliverables, and accountabilities for each initiative. Adelaide Fringe’s unique open-access festival model allows any artist, collective, or venue to register and participate. This positions the festival as a leader in fostering collaboration and inclusivity across its artist and creative network, audiences, and partners, with the goal of creating the most inclusive festival in the world.
The festival also supports equitable entry-level employment through programs such as AFL SportsReady traineeships, provides economic support and grant funding to participating artists and venues, and promotes and advocates for diverse communities year-round. On its continuous journey to becoming the most diverse and inclusive festival in the world, Adelaide Fringe delivers the following initiatives during the festival season and throughout the year: Partnering with various accessibility organisations to ensure its approach and expertise are community-led.
Maintaining a strong commitment to expanding access and inclusion initiatives, including visual communication boards at box offices, venue accessibility videos, social stories, step-free access, audio descriptions, Auslan-interpreted shows, tactile tours, Hearing Loop-
enabled activations, Language
No Barrier initiatives, relaxed performances, and open and closed captioning. Providing training for volunteers and front-of-house staff in areas such as disability awareness, First Nations cultural awareness, autism awareness, Human Guide training, and the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower initiative. Offering grants and financial support to diverse artists and creatives, including a dedicated Australian First Nations grant stream.
The majority of funds are awarded to diverse recipients annually. In the 2024 season, approximately 40% of the $1,094,106 worth of grants were allocated to diverse recipients. Raising awareness and highlighting diverse artists and creatives through social and digital media channels, focusing on LGBTQIA+ individuals, women and gender-diverse people, people living with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, diverse age groups, and culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
Advancing its sustainability efforts by aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and assessing carbon emissions from the 2023 festival. Committing to continuous cultural learning for all staff, including First Nations Cultural Awareness
and Impact training, and cultural immersion experiences. Ensuring accountability across all teams in delivering diversity and inclusion initiatives.
As Adelaide Fringe continues to grow and progress on its diversity and inclusion journey, it strives to expand its targets and eliminate all barriers to participation in the arts industry in Australia.
Anyone Can Perform, Everyone Belongs
Spark NEL DC JV —
Driving Social Impact Through Innovative Procurement
Spark North East Link D&C enabled the launch of Australia’s first Indigenous-owned energy retailer, by awarding Yurringa Energy the renewable electricity contract for the North East Link Tunnels project, advancing diversity, inclusion, and economic opportunities for First Nations communities
North East Link Program, Yurringa Energy, SGS Economics
Spark North East Link D&C has partnered with Yurringa Energy to enable the launch of the first Indigenous-owned energy retail company. Yurringa Energy will supply 137.5 GWh of renewable electricity to power the Tunnel Boring Machines and the Project’s construction sites, equivalent to the energy generated by over 91,000 solar panels in a year.
Yurringa Energy is a Supply Nation certified Indigenous Business, which means this groundbreaking partnership not only drives sustainability but also guarantees Spark’s $90 million social procurement target. Led by Shane Wilkins and Daniel Briggs, Yurringa is committed to providing sustainable energy retail solutions while honoring Indigenous values, culture and traditions. The business will prioritise hiring Indigenous employees and contractors and provide training and development opportunities to support their career growth.
This industry-leading outcome was delivered after over 12 months of engagement and collaboration between Spark’s Procurement, Social Outcomes, Sustainability and Construction teams. Led by Managing Director Marco Assorati, Spark met with CEOs of Australia’s largest energy providers to introduce Yurringa as our Social Procurement Energy Partner, demonstrating topdown leadership not typically seen for social impact or sustainability focused initiatives.
Traditionally, procuring electricity involves selecting a well-established provider at the lowest cost, with social outcomes like diversity and inclusion deemed ‘out of scope’. However, the Spark project team recognised the opportunity to drive substantial social outcomes through the Spark energy contract, guaranteeing the project’s social procurement spend target and unlocking opportunities for Indigenous businesses in a more diverse range of industries. The contract was awarded after a competitive tender process, during which energy providers were asked for the first time ever to deliver on social outcomes. As part of their tender, energy retailers were required to make commitments to Indigenous inclusion, female participation, traineeships and cadets and social spend.
This approach goes beyond best practice and reflects the project’s ambition to leverage their influence and purchasing power to disrupt the energy market. To assess the tenders from all parties, Spark undertook a robust Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) supported by economists.
Yurringa Energy provided a bid which delivered excellent social and economic outcomes, including greater economic inclusion for First Nations peoples and productivity uplift from diversified organisations. The CBA conservatively estimated $5.11 million of value was generated from this procurement decision, demonstrating the substantial impact major infrastructure projects can have on socio-economic outcomes for diverse groups. This contract marks the first for Yurringa Energy and significant breakthrough for Victoria’s Indigenous community.
Spark’s learnings from the procurement process, as well as the CBA tool developed has been shared with the broader industry, enabling the approach to be replicated by other projects and paving the way for Yurringa Energy’s continued success.
First Indigenous-owned energy retailer powers major infrastructure project
Healthy Planet, Healthy People Award
The Pimpama River Conservation Area is located on the southern bank of the Pimpama River and borders the Southern Moreton Bay Marine Park and a Ramsar listed wetland.
Marinova Pty Ltd
Marinova is a Tasmanian biotechnology company producing bioactive seaweed extracts for the betterment of human health
Marinova is an Australian biotechnology company dedicated to the development and production of high purity seaweed extracts for the betterment of human health.
The company specialises in the research, development and manufacture of fucoidan compounds – highly bioactive polysaccharides derived from select species of brown seaweed.
Website: www.marinova.com.au
Sustainably sourced and clinically validated, Maritech® organic fucoidans are high purity seaweed extracts sought after by some of the world's most trusted healthcare brands. They are key ingredients in market-leading nutritional supplements, functional foods and beverages, skincare formulations and animal health products.
The story began two decades ago when the company began searching for a high value use for an invasive seaweed, Undaria pinnatifida. Today, this introduced pest is hand-harvested in Tasmania and transformed into high purity extracts that sell for thousands of dollars a kilogram.
“These bioactive marine compounds tick all the boxes,” explains Marinova’s CEO Paul Garrott. “They are natural, sustainably sourced and have global regulatory acceptance. Furthermore, there are now more than 4,000 peer-reviewed papers attesting to the bioactive properties of fucoidans. This extensive dossier of scientific evidence supports product applications in areas ranging from immune support and healthy ageing, right through to gut and digestive health.” Critical to Marinova’s market leadership is the company’s proprietary ‘green chemistry’ extraction process. "Fucoidans
have traditionally been precipitated from crude seaweed extracts using harsh solvents,” explains Garrott. “Fucoidans extracted in this manner can suffer from many shortfalls. Their quality may be inconsistent, their chemical integrity may be compromised and - most importantly - their bioactivity may be affected.” Maritech® extraction technology, developed and used exclusively by Marinova, overcomes these problems.
The unique aqueous process avoids harsh solvents and produce fucoidan extracts that remain unadulterated in chemical structure and free from solvent residues. They also comply with the most rigorous quality standards and global regulatory requirements. With global demand for high purity fucoidan booming, Marinova is scaling up both its research investment and production capacity. “The company has recently completed a $5M expansion of its state-of-the-art fucoidan extraction facility in Tasmania. The introduction of additional advanced manufacturing technologies has tripled our production capacity,” confirms Garrott. “Alongside production, Marinova continues push the boundaries of research in the field of marine biotechnology. The company is a partner in Australia's Marine
Bioproducts Cooperative Research Centre - a dynamic consortium of industry leaders involved in a $270 million national R&D program.”
Marinova continues to win favour with product formulators seeking natural, efficacious ingredients supported by a sustainable supply chain.
“Our sustainability credentials are closely aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals identified by United Nations,” explains Garrott.
“The hand harvesting of wild seaweeds, proprietary green chemistry extraction technology, the productive reuse of all by-product, and the 100% utilisation of renewable energy - the list of sustainability initiatives that support Maritech® organic fucoidans spans the entire length of our supply chain.”
I’m Plastic Free
I’m Plastic Free — A world-first platform for non-toxic, plastic alternatives for everyday items
Let I’m Plastic Free Take the Guesswork Out of Sustainable Choices
Have you ever tried searching online for the most ecofriendly and non-toxic option — say, laundry detergent — only to get lost in a maze of SEO-driven ‘green’ claims that don’t quite stack up? Often, the so-called ‘sustainable’ options are packaged in non-recyclable plastic tubes, have toxic ingredients, or shed microplastics...
Website: www.implasticfree.com
Simplifying True Sustainability through a World-First Platform for Non-Toxic Plastic Alternatives
Finding truly sustainable products can be overwhelming. Search engines tend to prioritise big brands, with big marketing budgets, leaving smaller, genuinely eco-conscious options buried. This is where I’m Plastic Free steps in.
By conducting thorough research and linking claims in blog articles to studies published in peer-reviewed journals, the platform ensures that only non toxic plastic alternatives are featured, enabling eco- and healthconscious consumers to discover and connect with responsible brands of all sizes. A robust framework of strict values has been created to vet brands that only match these criteria.
I’m Plastic Free's database empowers users to search by keyword or category for the best alternatives to plastic-based items. Whether it’s organic cotton bedding, nontoxic cookware, refillable soap, compostable underwear, hair ties or more, the platform makes it effortless to choose sustainable swaps
Microlastics & Human Health
Many health-conscious individuals turn to I’m Plastic Free not only for environmental reasons but also to prioritise their personal wellbeing. These are people facing health challenges — such as being immunocompromised, battling cancer, struggling with infertility, preparing for having a baby, managing endometriosis, or dealing with gut issues, just to name a few examples — these are individuals who are committed to living a healthier lifestyle. They actively seek out plastic-free products to minimise exposure to microplastics and harmful chemicals often found in plastics, understanding the risks these substances pose to both human health and the environment.
A Movement Born of Passion
The platform’s founder, Simona Paganetto, was inspired to take action after witnessing the devastating impact of plastic pollution during beach clean-ups in the Whitsunday Islands of Queensland in 2014.
Her firsthand experience of oceans overwhelmed by plastic waste fueled her mission. While creating reusable straws, Simona realised how difficult it was to source low-waste alternatives — sparking the idea for I’m Plastic Free, launched in 2018. A few pivots were necessary until in 2022 the platform was relaunched in its current version.
Driving Positive Change
Simona is a tireless and resilient advocate for reducing plastic pollution and its harm to human and planetary health. Through her work, the hub spotlights innovative upstream solutions and curate over 100 detailed articles showcasing circular, low-carbon, zero-waste, and plastic-free products — all supported by peer-reviewed research.
With a growing global reach, I’m Plastic Free is currently helping 420,000 users / year and generates over half a million organic page views annually, building healthier communities across our planet, one click at a time.
Empowering healthier choices: Vetted plasticfree products at your fingertips.
Ocean Decade Australia
Ocean Decade Australia connects ocean stakeholders towards achieving ocean health and wealth for generations to come
Australia is surrounded by vast and diverse oceans, which play a pivotal role in the country’s economy and environmental health. Despite the importance of the ocean to industries such as fishing, tourism, and renewable energy, cross-sector collaboration on ocean stewardship has been limited. Many sectors made individual commitments to ocean sustainability, but there were few opportunities for leaders to convene, share insights, and align efforts. Recognising the fragmented approach and the urgent need for a unified strategy, Ocean Decade Australia (ODA) initiated the Ocean Business Leaders’ Summit to catalyse collaboration and innovation.
Website: www.oceandecadeaustralia.org
The Ocean Business Leaders' Summit
The Challenge: Ocean-related industries often work in silos, with each possessing a unique piece of the puzzle needed to address ocean challenges comprehensively. Without a platform to bring these leaders together, critical gaps in knowledge, trust, and partnership persisted. This disjointed approach risked undermining efforts to develop sustainable economic systems that benefit both society and the planet.
The Approach: The inaugural Ocean Business Leaders’ Summit, held in 2023, was designed as a groundbreaking forum to unite leaders from diverse ocean-related sectors. The summit provided:
• A Collaborative Platform: Facilitating open dialogue among stakeholders from fishing, shipping, renewable energy, finance, and conservation sectors.
• Cross-Sector Insights: Encouraging knowledge exchange to identify synergies and align efforts toward sustainable ocean use.
• Action-Oriented Outcomes: Establishing clear priorities and actionable steps to enhance ocean governance and stewardship.
ODA leveraged its position as a trusted convener to ensure broad participation and foster an inclusive environment where all voices were valued.
The Outcomes: The summit was a resounding success, marking the first collective representation of ocean leaders in Australia. Key outcomes included:
• The Ocean Summit White Paper: This document consolidated insights from the summit, outlining principles and strategies to guide sustainable ocean initiatives. It has since become a foundational tool for collaboration and policy development.
• Supporting Decision Making: The White Paper informed Australia’s Draft Sustainable Ocean Plan, showcasing the summit’s impact on national policy. https://consult. dcceew.gov.au/draft-sustainableocean-plan.
• Strengthened Partnerships: The event fostered new collaborations across sectors, paving the way for innovative solutions to ocean challenges.
Lessons Learned: The Ocean Business Leaders’ Summit highlighted several critical insights:
1. Inclusivity Matters: Providing a platform for diverse perspectives is essential for building trust and driving meaningful action.
2. Clear Outputs Are Key: Delivering actionable documents like the White Paper ensures momentum and accountability beyond the event.
Looking Ahead: Building on the success of the 2023 summit, ODA is planning the next Ocean Business Leaders’ Summit in Cairns, Queensland, in 2025. With a continued focus on collaboration, innovation, and actionable outcomes, the summit aims to strengthen Australia’s role as a global leader in sustainable ocean stewardship.
Uniting Leaders for a Sustainable Ocean Future
61 Large Business Leadership Award
Ramsay Health — Advancing Sustainability in Healthcare
Ramsay Health Care is redefining sustainability in healthcare through its Ramsay Cares strategy, achieving transformative outcomes for people, planet and community that align with global sustainability goals and aim to inspire industry-wide change
Ramsay Health Care is a leader in private healthcare, with more than 90,000 employees across eight countries providing world class healthcare to millions of patients every year.
Sustainability is embedded in Ramsay’s core purpose of "people caring for people" through the Ramsay Cares strategy. Launched in 2021, the strategy operationalises Ramsay’s mission to support healthier people, a thriving planet and stronger communities.
Website: www.ramsayhealth.com
Ramsay has set ambitious net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). By FY2040, Ramsay aims to eliminate emissions across its global value chain, having already achieved a 23% reduction in Scope 1 & 2 emissions since FY2020. Energy efficiency projects, including rooftop solar capacity across dozens of facilities, underscore Ramsay's investment in measurable progress.
Ramsay's holistic approach integrates renewable energy, waste management and environmentally sustainable design. Programs such as reducing anaesthetic gas emissions, removing over 83 million singleuse plastic items and embedding sustainability in new developments highlight its leadership. Ramsay's Australian hospitals have reduced waste by 12% and increased recycling to 30% in FY2024, reflecting its ability to balance growth with environmental responsibility.
Ramsay has an important role in serving society-at-large and the business recognises the relationship
between environmental sustainability and human wellbeing by advancing initiatives that improve health outcomes, promote equitable access to care and support environmental stewardship. For example, Ramsay’s new mental health service, Emerald Place Clinic, was co-designed by young patients with lived experience and incorporates sustainable features such as EV charging stations and water tanks. Digital health services, such as telehealth and remote monitoring, reduce environmental impacts while improving accessibility.
Ramsay’s responsible sourcing program engages suppliers globally to adopt science-based targets and ethical practices. This ensures
sustainable business practices are reinforced across the company’s complex supply chain.
Ramsay is recognised on global sustainability indices, highlighting its innovative governance and commitment to transparency. Sustainability-linked financing that is tied to Ramsay Cares performance indicators drives accountability and ensures alignment with broader environmental, social and governance goals.
Ramsay Health Care's Ramsay Cares strategy exemplifies leadership in embedding sustainability into healthcare operations. Its ambitious targets, measurable outcomes and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals demonstrate a transformative approach intended to inspire industry-wide change. By scaling its initiatives and fostering innovation, Ramsay is showing that sustainability in healthcare is both achievable and essential for the future of our planet and healthy communities.
Reduced waste by 12%, increased recycling to 30%
Hawkesbury City Council
Transforming Hawkesbury Council’s sustainability culture and decision-making in under 3 years
Hawkesbury City Council's Journey Towards Sustainability and Resilience.
In 2019, the Hawkesbury region of New South Wales faced unprecedented challenges, including severe drought and the catastrophic Gosper's Mountain mega fire. These events highlighted the urgent need for resilience-building strategies within the Hawkesbury City Council.
A new Executive team took charge with a vision to steer the Council towards sustainability, environmental stewardship, and climate resilience. The Council began developing strategic frameworks to guide its path forward.
Website: www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au
By early 2022, the Council adopted the 2030 Community Strategic Plan (CSP), positioning sustainability as a cornerstone of its long-term vision. This document outlined ambitious goals aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Council swiftly moved to implement actionable strategies aimed at achieving these goals. Among the notable milestones were:
• Net Zero and Water Efficiency Strategy: Launched in 2021, this strategy set a clear pathway for achieving net-zero emissions by 2030 for both the Council's operations and the broader community. It included initiatives to improve energy efficiency, transition to renewable energy sources, and promote water conservation.
• Environmental Sustainability Strategy: Designed to integrate sustainability principles into local planning and development, this strategy influenced Local Environmental Plan (LEP) and Development Control Plan (DCP) chapters. It emphasized initiatives like the Fine Scale Vegetation Mapping project and a commitment to biodiversity conservation, including a dedicated Koala Plan of Management.
• Climate Change Risk Assessment and Adaptation Action Plan: This plan focuses on assessing climate risks and developing adaptive measures to enhance community resilience. It included strategies for business continuity planning, emergency response protocols, and the development of innovative tools like the Hawkesbury Disaster and Emergency Dashboard.
The Council established crosscouncil working groups to facilitate the implementation of sustainability initiatives. Externally, partnerships were forged with regional associations like WSROC and community organizations.
Since the adoption of these strategies, the Council has seen tangible outcomes and positive impacts across various fronts:
• Emissions Reduction: Significant progress has been made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency measures and renewable energy projects.
• Community Resilience: Enhanced disaster preparedness and response capabilities, evidenced by improved emergency services and community engagement initiatives.
• Environmental Protection: Advancements in biodiversity conservation, including habitat restoration projects and initiatives to protect endangered species like the Koala.
Looking ahead, the Hawkesbury City Council remains committed to its sustainability journey. Plans are underway to expand on existing strategies, including initiatives focused on sustainable food systems, resilient infrastructure, and circular economy practices.
The Council aims to further embed sustainability into its organisational culture and governance frameworks, ensuring long-term resilience and prosperity for the community.
The case of Hawkesbury City Council exemplifies proactive leadership and collaborative efforts in responding to environmental challenges and promoting sustainability.
Through strategic planning, robust implementation, and stakeholder engagement, the Council has made significant strides towards building a resilient and sustainable future for its residents. As other communities face similar challenges, the Hawkesbury experience serves as a model for integrating sustainability into local governance and fostering community resilience in the face of adversity.
Ventia
Ventia redefines the approach to social sustainability with their sustainability framework, a deliberate and methodical approach focusing on securing expertise, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and innovative measurement tools
In a business as large as Ventia, with 35,000 employees across 400+ worksites, driving meaningful social sustainability is both a challenge and an opportunity.
While corporate initiatives have broad reach, addressing relevant local issues requires a tailored approach. Recognising this, Ventia developed a strategy to leverage our unique scale and capabilities to deliver measurable, lasting impacts across Australia and New Zealand.
Website: www.ventia.com
Their strategy includes:
• Developing a Common Framework: Aligning 400+ projects with local needs to ensure deliberate, impactful initiatives.
• Implementing Measurement Tools: Using the TOMS Framework to quantify and validate socio-economic impacts.
• Collaborating for Industry Progress: Partnering to develop standardised social value metrics and drive systemic change.
To implement our Social Sustainability Framework, a deliberate and methodical approach was taken, focusing on securing expertise, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and innovative measurement tools. By embedding social value into Ventia’s operations they are redefining how large organisations approach sustainability.
Aaron Reid was hired as GM of Social Sustainability. His extensive experience in both the public and private sectors gave Ventia the global insights and best practices to develop an innovative approach to social sustainability.
To measure non-financial impacts like job creation, local procurement, and community support, Ventia adopted the UK’s globally recognized TOM (Themes, Outcomes, Measures) system. Working with the Social Value Portal, they customised the TOMs framework to reflect Australia’s unique socioeconomic context, creating targeted proxy values for spend and employment impacts. This made Ventia the first organisation in
Australia to implement this innovative tool.
Ventia prioritised meaningful collaboration and effective communication to achieve their social sustainability goals. In 2023, they played a pivotal role in launching the Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) Social Value Taskforce, a groundbreaking initiative to develop national Themes, Outcomes, and Measures (TOM) tailored to the ANZ context. This taskforce convened over 25 (now 50) major organisations from public, private, and social sectors to create a unified approach to measuring and reporting social value. The resulting framework fosters transparency and consistency, enabling organisations to better understand their impacts and offering clients comparative insights into supplier performance.
Ventia have established a consistent minimum standard for delivering social sustainability across their operations. These efforts have led to significant achievements in health and wellbeing, community engagement, employment and skills development, fairness and inclusion, and social procurement.
Their efforts delivered an estimated $4.32 billion in social value in 2023, the highest contribution of its kind in Australia. Key measurable outcomes include:
• Increased local employment opportunities, focusing on priority
job seekers.
• Expanded procurement spend with Indigenous and social enterprises, fostering local economic growth.
• Measurable fiscal savings, economic benefits, and wellbeing improvements, quantified through the TOMs system.
Ventia’s Social Sustainability approach demonstrates innovation and leadership by integrating social and environmental sustainability into the core of their operations. They disrupt traditional service delivery by quantifying social and environmental impacts, offering clients measurable and transparent outcomes that redefine service excellence. This groundbreaking initiative in Australia and New Zealand positions Ventia as an industry leader in embedding sustainability into infrastructure projects.
Ventia have redefined the approach to social sustainability with their sustainability framework, a deliberate and methodical approach focusing on securing expertise, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and innovative measurement tools
Through their shared commitment to our goals, we look forward to continuing to deliver on our promise to help make bigger things happen, together.
Marketing and Communication for Impact Award
The Pimpama River Conservation Area is located on the southern bank of the Pimpama River and borders the Southern Moreton Bay Marine Park and a Ramsar listed wetland.
Sponsored by Currie
Haystacks Solar Garden
Haystacks Solar Garden has pioneered a new way of doing solar — one that enables renters, apartment dwellers, and anyone who doesn’t own a sunny, suitable roof — to share in the benefits of solar power
As Australia’s first large-scale solar garden, Haystacks Solar Garden represents a leap forward for domestic solar participation in Australia – one that allows those excluded from rooftop solar access (including renters and apartment dwellers), to also share in the benefits of solar power.
Australia is undergoing a renewable energy revolution. However, up to 30% of Australians (such as those who are renting, live in an apartment or simply don’t have a suitable roof) aren’t able to access rooftop solar.
Website: cpagency.org.au
Haystacks Solar Garden sought to address this problem by providing Australians who were ‘locked out’ of solar with an opportunity to produce and consume clean, affordable solar power, whilst contributing to Australia’s renewable energy transition.
The project utilised innovative strategies to empower participants to take charge of their energy future. Participants, or ‘solar gardeners,’ purchased Cooperative Capital Units (CCUs) to receive on-bill credits from the participating electricity retailer. The funds collected from CCUs helped to finance the initial construction of the solar garden and secure the project’s cash flow. ‘Haystacks Solar Garden Cooperative’ was established to manage the solar garden through a cooperative governance model, ensuring democratic decision-making and robust community engagement.
Haystacks Solar Garden’s estimated annual generation of 3,700 MWh powers up to 700 households and reduces NSW emissions by approximately 2,700 tonnes of CO2 annually. With an estimated operating life of 34 years, the project will prevent over 90,000 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere. The initiative has successfully enabled 407 members and 149 plot holders to participate in the solar revolution, bringing to life the vision of solar participation for those otherwise locked out of rooftop solar.
Beyond these quantitative results, Haystacks Solar Garden Cooperative, in utilising the cooperative legal structure, has demonstrated the viability of participatory and democratic governance models for energy projects in Australia. The co-op engages members
No rooftop? No problem!
Solar gardens offer clean energy
in decision-making through a democratic structure and commitment to reaching quorum among members. While this model is not without challenges, it ultimately produced almost unanimous agreement at key decision points in the project journey. Reliable and transparent communication with participants, host community members and other stakeholders, led to the project receiving zero objections to its development application public exhibition phase. These feats have been celebrated in more than 20 external media hits, including national coverage on ABC TV, radio and online – further spreading the word that inclusive, community-driven solutions have a strong place in Australia’s solar revolution.
As Australia’s first large-scale solar garden, the Haystacks project showcases several groundbreaking features, pushing the limits of sustainable development to new heights for Australians who have otherwise been left out of the clean energy transition. The project’s cooperative model, combined with its innovative use of CCUs, has provided a unique funding and governance solution that involves members as valued, active participants and co-owners of the project. It also sets a precedent for solar garden implementation within the Australian legal, financial, and energy systems, paving the way for further projects and proving that solar gardens belong in Australia’s clean energy future.
Moonee Valley City Council
‘One, Two, Tree’ is a unique council-run media education and behaviour change campaign that brought together nine Western Melbourne councils to encourage tree planting on private property
Greening The West Alliance
Western Melbourne has the lowest level of tree canopy in Melbourne. With limited public space available to plant trees, tree planting on private property is necessary to achieve desirable levels of canopy cover to facilitate cooler, healthier and more liveable neighbourhoods.
Website: mvcc.vic.gov.au/onetwotree
‘One, Two Tree’ is a unique education and behaviour change community campaign that encourages and empowers private property tree planting. Moonee Valley City Council (Council) was the project lead for ‘One, Two, Tree’, which was delivered on behalf of Greening The West (GTW), an alliance of mostly western Melbourne councils: Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Hume, Maribyrnong, Melton, Melbourne, Moonee Valley, Wyndham and Yarra. GTW is a collaborative initiative that delivers positive health and social outcomes in Melbourne’s west through green infrastructure.
’One, Two, Tree’ aims to educate the community on the benefits of trees, addresses barriers to tree planting and then provides direction on ideal trees to plant as well as the best way to plant them.
Council sought diverse expert voices when developing the videos including; Uncle Dave Wandin, a prominent leader in the Aboriginal
community; Dr Greg Moore from The University of Melbourne who is a preeminent voice on trees and urban forest in Victoria; Emma Bacon from Sweltering Cities, a leading national organisation which works at the intersection of climate justice, inequality, health (the urban heat island effect specialists); Dr Nadia Chaves, a local doctor; and Kayde Robinson, a long-term Council arborist and resident of Western Melbourne.
10 videos were produced with a clear and simple message; ‘It only takes one person to plant a tree, it’s as easy as ‘One, Two, Tree’. A suite of supporting resources were also developed to increase awareness and reach, including interactive ‘paper tree crowns’, a brochure, posters, banners and a comprehensive social media campaign.
‘One, Two, Tree’ has been one of the most successful community education campaigns run by Council in terms of reach and visits to Council’s website.
With a small advertising budget, the reach in only three months was over a quarter of a million views. Community members interacted positively with the campaign, with comments such as “If we all planted a tree and nurtured it to maturity, what a wonderful world it will be!”
Council intends ‘One, Two, Tree’ to be an annual campaign. Engagement with each of the videos will be compared to monitor which videos are receiving the most interest to deduce where more targeted engagement can occur. It is anticipated that the other GTW councils will also release the videos and will similarly be able to capture engagement data. GTW councils can compare their data and formulate future joint projects to further encourage communities to plant trees on their private properties.
Council also intends to expand the campaign to include free tree giveaways in the release cycle (between February and May each year).
Like our urban forest expert Dr. Greg Moore says; “the most important thing you can do for future generations is plant a tree”.
One tree at home cuts urban heat and boosts neighbourhood health
Plastic Free Foundation
Plastic Free July empowers global citizens to tackle plastic pollution through small, impactful actions today for a cleaner tomorrow
Less than 10% of all plastic produced has been recycled, with the remainder ending up in landfills or the environment.
The Plastic Free Foundation envisions a world without plastic waste, and its award-winning Plastic Free July behaviour change campaign is a testament to this vision, empowering communities, corporations, and governments to take action against plastic pollution.
Website: www.plasticfreejuly.org
In 2024, Plastic Free July made history as the largest plastic action campaign on the planet. With 174 million participants worldwide and 29% of global consumers aware of the challenge, 2024 saw a 45% increase in participation since the last global survey in 2018. This remarkable growth underscores the campaign's widespread influence and effectiveness.
Over the past six years, participants in Plastic Free July have collectively avoided more than 12.8 million tonnes of waste, including over 1.75 million tonnes of plastic. These efforts have prevented more plastic waste than all the world’s largest cleanup initiatives combined. The campaign's impact extends beyond waste reduction; it fosters strong social connections and enhances participants' sense of well-being. Those who commit to reducing plastic are 23% more likely to continue these behaviours than the general population, setting a global trend for sustainable living.
The reach of Plastic Free July is truly global. From schools in India to cafes in New Zealand, not-for-profits in Kenya, banks from Australia to Pakistan, corporate offices in Europe and even NASA’s Johnson Space Centre, the initiative has inspired action worldwide. July has become the global month for action on plastics, uniting diverse communities in a common cause.
Plastic Free July’s unique ability to drive measurable change through creative marketing strategies is a key factor in its success. By fostering community engagement and shifting social norms, the campaign compels governments and global brands to take decisive action against plastic waste. This systemic change is crucial in addressing the urgent environmental and health challenges posed by plastic pollution.
The campaign's innovative approach and significant impact have earned it recognition and accolades, including the prestigious Banksia National Sustainability Awards. Plastic Free July stands out not only for its scale but also for its ability to inspire hope and action. It demonstrates that collective efforts, no matter how small, can lead to substantial environmental benefits.
Plastic pollution is a pervasive issue, altering the Earth’s systems and infiltrating our bodies, posing serious health risks. The Plastic Free Foundation’s vision and the Plastic Free July campaign offer a beacon of hope in this fight. By enabling individuals and organisations to adopt sustainable habits, the campaign makes reducing plastic use both achievable and normal.
In conclusion, Plastic Free July is more than just a campaign; it is a global movement driving significant environmental change. Its success lies in its ability to engage and inspire millions, creating a ripple effect that extends far beyond the month of July. As the world grapples with
the plastic pollution crisis, Plastic Free July provides a model for effective, community-driven action that can lead to a sustainable future. This groundbreaking initiative is a testament to the power of collective action and the potential for positive change in the fight against plastic pollution.
Plastic Free July
participants 23% more likely to maintain habits
Biodiversity Award
Mulloon Institute
The Mulloon Rehydration Initiative — Mulloon Institute’s rehydration revolution is transforming landscapes to enrich biodiversity
Mulloon Institute’s approach recognises that catchment restoration projects are social projects, and to rebuild healthy vibrant ecosystems and climateresilient landscapes, people who live there need to be engaged and actively participate.
Mulloon’s approach is truly participatory, landscape repair by the community for the environment, farming and society.
Website: www.mullooninstitute.org
Rehydrating 23,000 hectares—Mulloon’s bold fix for dry landscapes!
Mulloon Institute’s flagship, awardwinning project the Mulloon Rehydration Initiative (MRI) in southern NSW is rebuilding the functionality and resilience of the Mulloon catchment, in partnership with 23 landholders across 23,000 hectares and 50 km of creeks.
Mulloon and the catchment community are working together to reverse erosion which, just like pulling the plug out of a bathtub, has lowered the water table, dried up wetlands and dramatically reduced the soil’s water-holding capacity.
The MRI is rejuvenating the previously degraded Mulloon Creek into a thriving ecosystem, employing natural infrastructure solutions to regulate stream flows, trap sediment during floods, recycle nutrients, create vital wildlife habitat and foster the recovery of aquatic biota.
By implementing strategic instream interventions including the placement of rocks and logs to slow and filter water flow (leaky weirs) alongside regenerative land management practices, the landscape’s function has been restored so water, carbon, minerals and nutrients are cycling between different parts of the system, supporting a variety of biological organisms. The most fundamental of all these cycles, the make-or-break requirement is water.
The restored water cycle and associated biodiversity have enhanced the resilience of the landscape to buffer climate extremes of drought, bushfire and flood and to cycle the increased energy coming from the sun with climate change.
By rebuilding habitat, the Initiative is also supporting threatened and vulnerable species, including the Scarlet Robin, Diamond Firetail and
Dusky Wood Swallow. Taronga Zoo is reintroducing the locally extinct Yellow-spotted Bell Frog while the floodplain habitat is suitable for future translocations of the endangered Green and Golden Bell Frog.
The MRI began as a 3km pilot project along Mulloon Creek and initially encountered scepticism from the local community. However, witnessing the results, the community became staunch supporters, actively celebrating the positive impacts and participating in the catchment scale project that continues today.
Central to the MRI’s success is the dedicated and supportive management of the project by the Mulloon team who are known to, and trusted by, the community, combined with its comprehensive, integrated research program.
The Mulloon Rehydration Initiative is recognised globally by the United
Nations’ Sustainable Development Solutions Network as one of five demonstrators of sustainable agriculture and environmental regeneration. The MRI actively contributes towards the UNSD Goals of (SDG6) clean water and sanitation, (SDG13) climate action, (SDG14) improved life below water, (SDG15) improved life on the land and (SDG17) partnerships for the goals.
The project was presented as the Australian case study as part of a Global Drought Resilience Report at the UN Convention to Combat Desertification in Riyadh in December 2024.
Mulloon Institute uses the MRI as a model for other demonstration sites and capacity-building programs across the country to empower landholders, farmers and First Nations people to regenerate their lands.
City of Joondalup
The City of Joondalup Climate Change Strategy adopted a multifaceted and science-backed approach that aims to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change, rapid urban growth and increasing urban heat-island effect by undertaking extensive tree planting, biodiversity initiatives, encouraging community actions and partnering with other organisations to deliver positive outcomes for the environment
The City of Joondalup is located in Western Australia on Whadjuk Country. The traditional custodians are Noongar people. With a population of 160,995 and a total land area of approximately 99 square kilometres, the City is one of the largest local governments in Western Australia by population.
Website: www.joondalup.wa.gov.au
The City manages and cares for approximately 365 parks, natural areas and public open spaces that are central to the wellbeing of residents.
The City is committed to enhancing public open spaces, improving ecological health and visual amenity while creating places for the community to enjoy.
This commitment to building a more liveable and resilient City is reflected in the response to climate change through the implementation of the City’s Climate Change Strategy. The Strategy identifies corporate and community focused initiatives that aim to adapt and mitigate against environmental impacts of climate change, rapid urban growth and increasing heat-island effect. The Strategy covers six key focus areas: infrastructure and assets, parks and reserves, land use planning and development, natural environment, corporate responsibility and good governance and community wellbeing. Achievements over the past two years include:
• Increasing canopy cover by planting 3,000 trees under the City’s Leafy City Program with planting locations identified as hot-spots via thermal mapping and treecanopy surveying.
• Delivering the Winter Tree Planting Program resulting in approximately 7,000 trees planted within parks, medians, streets and verges.
• Supporting 750 residents to create waterwise gardens by providing 8,000 native plants and trees, combined with workshops, resources and advice from the City through the 2023/24 Native Plant Giveaway.
• Supporting 101 residents to replace their lawn, artificial turf and hardstand street verges with native waterwise gardens by providing over 4,800 native plants through the 2022/23 Waterwise Verge Rebate.
• Partnering with Birdlife WA resulting in over 5,000 birdfriendly native seedlings being planted in two urban parks, in collaboration with the community.
• Producing 20,000 native plants at the City’s nursery for Friends Groups to plant in natural areas.
• Introducing ecozoning, hydrozoning and a smart irrigation system in all City parks and sporting fields generating significant water savings while creating inviting green open spaces for community enjoyment.
• Implementing thirteen Natural Area Management Plans and four other environmental plans to support actions within the Climate Change Strategy.
• Winning the 2024 World Green City Award (Living Green for Water) and the inaugural 2024 World Green City Youth Award for climate change actions, competing against Cities globally.
• Achieving the highest accolade in Western Australia, being recognised as the 2022 Platinum Waterwise Council of the Year for water savings and endorsement as a Gold Waterwise Council since 2014.
Initiatives implemented through the adoption of the City’s Climate Change Strategy have contributed towards creating cooler, more inviting green urban spaces and resulted in increasing urban tree canopy cover. Positive environmental effects of the initiatives include reduced ambient air temperature and cleaner air through absorption of polluting gases; reduced cooling energy consumption costs and water savings through reduced evaporation rates; increased habitat for wildlife; street appeal and community amenities including safer walking environments and shading and improved community health and wellbeing.
First Hand Solutions Aboriginal Corporation — IndigiGrow
IndigiGrow Caring for Country program paves the way to increasing Biodiversity
Macdoch Foundation, Jibb Foundation, Dusseldorp Forum and Cages Foundation.
IndigiGrow is a native plant project of First Hand Solutions Aboriginal Corporation. It has two nurseries at La Perouse Public School and Matraville Sports High School. IndigiGrow also has an online shop at indigigrow.com.au.
Website: indigigrow.com.au
IndigiGrow’s “Caring for Country” program is focused on increasing biodiversity by making native plants more accessible to everyone through wholesale pricing enabling the broader public to work alongside IndigiGrow to increase biodiversity by planting natives.
“By making native plants more accessible & affordable whilst educating the wider community on the benefits of planting natives means communities work with us to speed up the process of increasing biodiversity and push towards a sustainable environment”, explains Peter Cooley, CEO of First Hand Solutions Aboriginal Corporation who runs IndigiGrow. “Plants are connectors, and they connect all of us regardless of age, background and gender.
“Using local critically endangered native plant species as the vehicle, First Hand Solutions is dedicated to achieving positive social change through IndigiGrow by engaging, employing and connecting young local Aboriginal people to country”, while undertaking 4 year apprenticeships in horticulture. IndigiGrow’s young staff are driving positive change for our biodiversity and environment and we want the public to come on our journey with us,” says Peter.
“With Australia’s biodiversity in decline and facing significant challenges, opportunities to connect
more people with native species provides a valuable way for everyone to take part in conservation and play a vital role in supporting threatened plant and animal species.
IndigiGrow focuses on reviving Sydney’s oldest plant community “Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub” (ESBS), which is currently listed as critically endangered by State & Federal Governments because there is only 3% of ESBS remaining on Sydney’s coastline between the Royal National Park in the south & North Head on Sydney Harbour. ESBS is Sydney’s original coastal vegetation which once spread over 5300 hectares prior to European arrival but is now on the verge of extinction with land clearing being the major contributing factor.
IndigiGrow is about increasing Biodiversity of many hard to grow native plants, which includes doing the research, learning from the stories of the elders about these
plants and trial and error. This work is very rarely funded, is not carried out by commercial nurseries who grow the easy to grow plants - but it is essential to increasing and sustaining biodiversity and important for öur communities to grow the plants the elders talked about.
One such plant is the Five-corners plant on which the IndigiGrow logo is based on. It has taken many years of trial and error to grow this “bush lolly that the elders talked about and IndigiGrow has now got this plant to the stage it is being planted back in community; next it will be sold to the public at wholesale prices.
“We are making gardening more affordable particularly for our older generations, considering the current cost of living issues in our communities. Gardening is a great physical and social activity for health & well-being and gives the community an opportunity to help improve the environment”.
Murdoch University — Miyawaki Forest Program: Transforming Urban Spaces through Biodiversity
Murdoch University’s Miyawaki Forest Program is reshaping urban ecological restoration in Western Australia. Utilising the Miyawaki method, a globally recognised approach to creating dense, biodiverse forests with native plant species, this initiative addresses critical issues such as biodiversity loss, urban heat islands, and declining ecosystem health. The program combines ecological research, community engagement, and education, making it a model for urban reforestation.
Website: pocketforestswa.org
Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University; Carbon Positive Australia
Since its inception, the program has established 15 Miyawaki forests in schools and public spaces across Perth and surrounds. Each forest is created to mimic a natural ecosystem, using a mix of locally native species to enhance biodiversity, restore habitats, and contribute to the conservation of the endangered Banksia woodlands. By planting at high density, these forests grow rapidly and achieve ecological maturity faster than traditional methods, rapidly providing environmental benefits.
The forests reflect the unique ecological context of their locations, and key partnerships with the Department of Education and environmental organisations like Carbon Positive Australia, and international Miyawaki forest organisation SUGi create a community of practice. Thousands of students have participated in planting days and citizen science activities, fostering a sense of environmental stewardship and well-being. A dedicated research component as part of the university’s activities evaluates the ecological and social outcomes of the forests, providing valuable insights into their impact on biodiversity, urban cooling, and community well-being.
The program’s innovative approach has garnered national and international recognition. The program is recognised as a UNESCO “Green Citizens’ initiative, with UNESCO highlighted the program’s role in promoting sustainable urban ecosystems. Australian media outlets have showcased its potential to address Perth’s declining tree canopy. In 2023, the program was a finalist in the Australian Museum Awards for "Innovation in Citizen Science". Monitoring data reveals increased invertebrate and vertebrate diversity in Miyawaki forests, improved soil health, and localised cooling effects. In schools, the initiative
has also contributed to a deeper understanding of climate action and environmental responsibility among students, and provided valuable STEM learnings.
The Miyawaki Forest Program is unique for its scalability and potential for global replication. By adapting the Miyawaki method to Australian conditions, including poor soils and uniquely adapted plant species, the program has demonstrated how urban reforestation can thrive in challenging environments. This adaptability positions the program as a leader in restoration science and community-driven sustainability.
Looking ahead, the program aims to expand its reach, establishing more forests across Western Australia and beyond. It also connects students internationally, sharing resources, lessons, and data with countries including Chile and Japan through the Sister Forest program. As the program grows, it will continue to inspire individuals and communities to take meaningful action for the planet, proving that small forests can have a big impact.
Murdoch University’s Miyawaki Forest Program exemplifies how innovative research, passionate leadership, and
community collaboration can create a sustainable future. By turning urban spaces into thriving ecosystems, the program is leaving a lasting legacy for biodiversity and the next generation of environmental stewards.
UNESCO-recognised initiative tackles urban heat and biodiversity loss
Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries
Trust — Project Cultivate: Melbourne
General Cemetery
Project Cultivate is enhancing the natural environment of our historical cemetery sites through the recreation of indigenous grasslands
Opened in 1853, Melbourne General Cemetery is regarded as one of Australia’s most significant cemeteries.
Located just minutes from the Melbourne CBD, MGC is a 43-hectare site, with almost half being un-gardened areas featuring large numbers of unmarked graves, redundant dirt pathways and dirt-topped monuments.
Website: smct.org.au/project-cultivate
These areas, like many cemeteries of similar age have been largely managed through regular broadscale application of herbicide.
Valid concerns both within SMCT and externally around the short- and longterm impacts of herbicide application at this scale called for a radical, sustainable, meaningful solution, that can be managed and maintained into perpetuity. Enter Project Cultivate.
After trials onsite, it was determined that the shallow application of organic mulch to the bare soil was sufficient to suppress most weed growth, but also had an immediate impact on the health of the soil. Mulching suitable locations across the site saw water retained onsite and drawn into the soil profile, and compacted clay soils burst back to life. Within just months, with no additional soil amendments or irrigation, the soil in mulched areas was suitable for planting.
In terms of plant selection, SMCT engaged several external stakeholders and industry experts, including Traditional Owners, to develop a planting suite that would become a self-sustaining, lowmaintenance landscape. Using precontact plant lists and the appropriate Ecological Vegetation Class, a list of 24 indigenous perennial grasses, wildflowers and groundcovers was developed, selected because of their suitability to the unirrigated, heavily disturbed site, their ability to seed and spread, and their minimal maintenance requirements once established.
Since the installation of almost 2,800m3 of mulch and 260,000 grassland plants (densely planted at a rate of seven plants per m2) commenced in March 2023, SMCT have already noted the following across the Project Cultivate area:
• 70% reduction in herbicide use across the site, with proposed reduction of almost 100% of herbicide upon completion and establishment of subsequent areas.
• Reduction in the urban heat island effect, with a recorded 3°C reduction in ambient air temperature around mulched areas, expected to increase after establishment of plants.
• Improved soil quality and reduction in erosion, runoff, and water pooling, increasing visitor safety and reducing maintenance burden.
• Visible increases in biodiversity, including increased activity from beneficial native insects, worms, fungi, and birds. and co-ordinated education sessions.
• Creation of a significant, publicly accessible green space for passive recreation, educational and engagement opportunities.
• Increased opportunity for community and stakeholder engagement through activations, planting events, citizen science opportunities and co-ordinated education sessions.
• Partnership opportunities with external stakeholders, including University of Melbourne, City of Melbourne, Zoos Victoria and Traditional Owners.
• Increased sustainability and resilience to the effects of climate change, alongside a reduction in ongoing perpetual maintenance requirements.
Upon completion in 2025, SMCT will have installed over 500,000 indigenous plants to 56 acres of previously barren cemetery areas. With less than 2% of Victoria’s grasslands remaining, the ability to re-introduce a critically endangered ecosystem and create a biodiverse, publicly accessible native grassland to the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, into perpetuity, is significant. Project Cultivate is biodiversity and sustainability in action.
Trust for Nature
Through effective partnerships, Trust for Nature is securing the future of one of the world’s most unique and endangered species
Partnering to protect one of the world’s most unique and endangered birds.
In 2024 wool-growers Jo and Greg Bear made an extraordinary commitment to nature by protecting 90 ha of native grassland at Canary Island in northern Victoria with a conservation covenant through Trust for Nature.
These grasslands provide vital habitat for the Plainswanderer, a critically endangered bird that is so unique it has been compared to the extinct Thylacine.
Website: trustfornature.org.au
Preventing the Plains-wanderer from the same fate is the goal of Trust for Nature's work on these grasslands.
“If we lose the Plains-wanderer, the global conservation movement will look at Australia and ask what on earth we’re doing,” says David Dore, North West Area Manager at Trust for Nature.
Trust for Nature is a conservation organisation that protects habitat in Victoria forever. Conservation covenants are voluntary, legally binding agreements that restrict activities that damage habitat. Registered on the property title, they continue to safeguard habitat if the property is sold. Trust for Nature's expert team provide advice and support to landholders to care for habitat on their property.
Since 1972, Trust for Nature has permanently protected 116,000+ ha of habitat through 1,600+ conservation covenants and 40+ reserves owned and managed by Trust for Nature. By 2030, the organisation aims to protect another 100,000 ha of habitat that will make the highest conservation impact.
Victoria is the most cleared state in Australia. With private property making up 62% of the state, and over 80% of habitat found on private land threatened, private land conservation is essential to meeting state, national and global goals to fight biodiversity loss and climate change.
The native grasslands on Victoria's northern plains have been decimated since European arrival, with 10% remaining. Conversion of grassland to cropping is the major cause of their decline. These important grasslands are a priority area for Trust for Nature.
The Bears’ property is among the 650 ha of Plains-wanderer habitat Trust for Nature is protecting and actively managing. This and other work
across Northern Victoria is thanks to financial support from the Victorian and Australian governments, The Nature Conservancy, Country Road, Zoos Victoria and other generous donors, and builds on partnerships developed over many years with other organisations and First Peoples.
“It's a never-ending commitment to our grasslands and their environment,” says Jo.
“We're feeling like we’re working together in a collaboration – we can bring a lot to the table as well and perhaps inspire other farmers to do the same. I would say that most farmers want to do the best for the environment, but don’t always know how to do that.”
One of the key attractions of a covenant for Jo and Greg is that they continue to graze on the land while conserving vital habitat. Grazing is an effective mechanism for keeping native grasslands healthy.
“That was the gamechanger,” Jo says. “That we can be productive with our native grasslands in a way that’s really productive for sheep and good for natural grasslands.”
Only 5% of the native grasslands in northern Victoria are currently protected; it's estimated another
50,000 ha must be secured to ensure their long-term health and survival.
Through expertise, engagement and effective partnerships Trust for Nature is aiming to create a world where people and nature thrive together.
90 hectares saved for bird facing extinction
91 Energy Innovation Award
Solar Thermal Australia — Reclaim Energy
Reclaim Energy has revolutionised the energy industry with the world’s first WiFi-integrated CO₂ heat pump, delivering groundbreaking solutions that reduce emissions, improve efficiency, and drive sustainable innovation across residential and commercial sectors
Reclaim Energy is revolutionising the energy landscape with its cutting-edge WiFi-enabled CO₂ heat pump hot water systems.
By combining smart technology, renewable energy integration, and groundbreaking advocacy for industry reform, Reclaim is setting a new standard in energy innovation.
Website: reclaimenergy.com.au
Transformative Technology
At the heart of Reclaim Energy’s innovation is its WiFi-enabled CO2 heat pump system, the first of its kind globally. Designed to maximise the use of solar PV energy, this system operates intelligently, activating only during peak solar production to utilise excess energy that would otherwise be exported to the grid. This technology not only prevents grid instability but also delivers significant cost savings to consumers.
The system’s smart controller offers flexible modes, including holiday mode, off-peak operation, and realtime monitoring, empowering users to optimise their energy usage. For high-energy industries like dairies and breweries, Reclaim has developed heat pumps capable of achieving temperatures exceeding 95°C, eliminating the need for supplementary gas or electric systems. This innovation provides a sustainable and cost-effective solution for industries traditionally reliant on fossil fuels.
Pioneering Partnerships
Reclaim Energy collaborates with industry leaders like Panasonic, which manufactures its compressors in a zero-emissions factory, ensuring a sustainable supply chain. Partnerships with Solar Analytics and AGL have introduced load-shifting technology and advanced energy data solutions, further enhancing energy efficiency and consumer control.
Locally, Reclaim has partnered with sustainability groups such as Electrify Boroondara and Geelong Sustainability, offering bulk-buy schemes and educational workshops to promote renewable energy adoption. These initiatives drive consumer awareness and accelerate the transition to low-emission energy systems.
Driving Industry Change
Reclaim Energy is at the forefront of regulatory advocacy, influencing critical policy changes that prioritise energy innovation. The company was instrumental in shaping the Victorian Energy Upgrades Program, which enforces a GWP threshold of 700 for heat pump refrigerants, effective from July 2024. This regulation has pressured competitors to adopt lower-GWP refrigerants, raising the industry standard.
In collaboration with the Australian and New Zealand Heat Pump Alliance (ANZWHA), Reclaim continues to push for Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS). Their advocacy underscores a commitment to ensuring the energy market prioritises sustainability and efficiency.
Innovation with Impact
Reclaim Energy’s focus on energy innovation has measurable impacts. Their systems reduce emissions by up to 80% compared to traditional
Systems cut emissions by 80% compared to traditional options
hot water systems and significantly lower energy costs for consumers. By providing scalable solutions for residential and commercial applications, Reclaim is making renewable energy accessible and practical for diverse markets.
Future Vision
Reclaim Energy is committed to advancing energy innovation through the integration of AI and IoT technologies. These advancements will further optimise system efficiency and provide consumers with enhanced insights and control. With plans to expand into international markets, including the United States and Asia, Reclaim aims to bring its transformative technology to a global audience.
By merging smart technology, sustainability, and advocacy, Reclaim Energy exemplifies energy innovation, driving the industry towards a future of reduced emissions, improved efficiency, and empowered energy users.
Close Comfort Pty Ltd — Coolzy
Close Comfort invented and commercialized the low-energy Coolzy air conditioner: an affordable and sustainable cooling solution for billions of people living in hot climates
Close Comfort, a Perth startup, have invented and commercialised the Coolzy, a tiny air-conditioner providing affordable, energy-efficient, sustainable cooling for people.
Coolzy is the only commercially available, affordable, and climate friendly cooling solution for billions of people who have to work and sleep in temperatures above human physiological limits for months every year.
A Coolzy concentrates cooling where it counts, on people, saving the energy that conventional room airconditioners waste cooling floors, walls and ceilings. Easily portable, people move it where they use it, saving the cost and hassles of installing one in every room where cooling is needed.
For sleeping in steamy, tropical climates with indoor temperatures around 40 °C, Coolzy connects to a specially designed bed tent, intensifying the cooling, protecting against mosquitos, and reducing the energy needed ever further.
Coolzy’s high-efficiency refrigeration cooling reduces the energy needed for comfort by up to 90%, to as little as 100 Watts per person.
By reducing the energy demand for cooling and using a natural refrigerant with negligible climate impact, Coolzy could save up to 17 Gigatonnes of greenhouse emissions between now and 2080, about 35 times Australia’s annual emissions.
Every year, billions of people in Asia, Africa and the Americas suffer fitful sleep and have to work for months in temperatures well beyond physiological limits, stifling productivity and poverty alleviation efforts. Today, most low-income countries need their entire workforce for essential goods such as water, sanitation, food, shelter, clothing, communications, and transport, along with basic justice, education, law enforcement, security and governance. Lifting productivity is essential to release people for higher education, social welfare and building the social institutions needed to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Especially in a warming climate, personal cooling is essential for lifting global productivity.
Attempting to cool billions of people with conventional air-conditioning is impractical. 95% or more people in low-income countries cannot afford the running cost. Hundreds
of millions of buildings worldwide would need to be reconstructed with high quality insulation, draft sealing and heat-recycling mechanical ventilation to provide fresh air, lifting the cost even further. Pursuing this option would still lead to 0.5 degrees additional climate warming which is self-defeating.
Coolzy technology can meet this need without needing any building modifications.
The first Coolzys went on sale in Pakistan in 2016. Close Comfort has established a global presence with Coolzys now on sale in 33 countries, including Australia and Indonesia. No other commercially available products can match their patented energysaving technology for affordability and performance. Hundreds of customer reviews averaging 4.7 stars
out of 5 confirm their products wide acceptance.
Coolzy is the brainchild of Emeritus Prof James Trevelyan at The University of Western Australia. The idea emerged from unrelated research in Pakistan around 15 years ago. He experienced the fierce summer heat on the Punjab plains, day and night, and suffered as air-conditioners overloaded the grid causing power blackouts. He conceived the first Coolzy, a tiny battery-powered airconditioner that could provide just enough cooling to sleep in comfort. Years of patient trials and failures led to the first successful prototype, exceeding his expectations when tested in Islamabad in the summer of 2013. James leads Close Comfort today, having become an entrepreneur in his 70s.
Taronga Conservation Society Australia
As an award-winning global icon of conservation, education and sustainability, Taronga were the first Zoos in NSW to powered by 100% renewable energy, and helped create a decarbonisation guide for zoos all over the world
Taronga Zoo opened at Bradley’s Head in 1916 with intent to share a wonder of the natural world with as many people as possible. The focus evolved and expanded since its inception, with two Zoos now sitting at the centre of an award-winning global icon of conservation, education & sustainability.
In 2020, Taronga decided to bring sustainability closer to the centre of the organisation with a 2021–2025 Strategic Plan, guided by UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Website: www.taronga.org.au
The challenge lay in the breadth of activities underway, with Taronga running 60 conservation projects, two Zoos and wildlife hospitals (with 5,000 animals in residence) five accommodation sites and a worldclass Institute of Science & Learning.
The plan split Taronga’s efforts into six strategic priorities, with SDGs attached to each and the following actions have been taken in pursuit to emissions reduction and resource conservation.
Renewable Energy
With a goal to accelerate the netzero 2030 target, Taronga continually invests in installing solar PV in Sydney and Dubbo, the total current installation is 600+kW, while also developing a net-zero pathway with an external consultant, involving a PPA through Red Energy.
Certified Carbon Neutral
Taronga became certified Carbon Neutral for scope 1,2 & 3 emission in 2017-18 through the Commonwealth Government’s Climate Active Scheme, and has maintained certification ever since.
Quantified Emission - Waste
Taronga set a target of diverting 90% of operational waste from landfill, and has adopted the ‘prevent, re-use, recycle, recover and finally dispose’ Waste Hierarchy.
To address this, 16 waste streams were expanded to 22, and a solution to problem plastics was explored with an external partner.
Quantified Emission - WaterTaronga operates a water recycling plant however the challenge was significant amounts of water seemed to be leaking, so they partnered with Sydney Water to investigate, and a remote monitoring system was installed. The aim is to achieve zero
net-increase in water consumption from 2025, excluding recycled or rainwater.
As a result of the PPA through Red Energy and the Solar PV installed at Sydney, Taronga became the first NSW Zoos to be 100% renewable energy powered. This was seven years ahead of Taronga’s 2030 target, resulting in 7,000 tonnes of CO2 not being emitted every year.
Sydney Water helped Taronga save 40 megalitres every year.
Meanwhile 3,364kgs of soft, and over 60kgs hard plastics have been diverted from landfill since October
2022, converted into agricultural products by ‘Plasmar’, and repurchased by Taronga creating a circular economy.
The sustainability journey is significant in breadth and scale, which is why Taronga co-led the development of a De-carbonisation Guide for 1,300 Zoos globally.
There’s a lot going on, and lots more to do, however Taronga’s lasting legacy will not only be in the animals it’s saved from extinction, or the wildlife rescued from bushfires, but in the hearts and minds of the people who visit, and the next generation of conservationists it creates.
Built Environment and Infrastructure Award
Hobsons Bay Main Sewer Project, delivering Australia’s first netzero infrastructure project and outstanding achievements in social inclusion and community engagement
The Hobsons Bay Main (HBM) Sewer is a vital part of Melbourne’s sewer network, transferring approximately 30% of the city’s wastewater to the Western Treatment Plant in Werribee.
First carbon neutral infrastructure project in Australia!
John Holland was appointed by Melbourne Water, to design and construct a duplicate sewer tunnel from Spotswood to Port Melbourne under the Yarra River. The project includes two sites equally challenging in scope and ground conditions with the Yarra River in between. The Spotswood site is located within Melbourne’s Scienceworks museum, operating year-round with over 500,000 visitors annually. The site includes heritage buildings, valuable museum collections and project impacts included loss of outdoor amenity, noise, vibration and business disruption.
The Port Melbourne site is located within a State Park – Westgate Park. Once a former wasteland, the park has been regenerated and is now home to protected Indigenous flora and fauna. The project has supported Melbourne Water’s Net Zero by 2030 ambition and through innovative and creative outcomes – notably will be the first independently verified Net Zero Carbon infrastructure project in Australia setting a new benchmark for best climate practice in the water industry.
The HBM project has exceeded expectations across all disciplines and is recognised as an industry leader in the areas of pipe-jack tunnelling, sustainability, social inclusion, community and safety. What makes this project standout is the consistent high performance across all disciplines including:
• Completed on time and on budget
• Reduction of Embodied Carbon by 34%
• The first carbon neutral construction project and contributing to the progression of John Holland and Melbourne Water NetZero strategy.
• Reaching gender parity within the project team
• Offered award winning social impact and employment opportunities
• True collaboration with local communities resulting in 95% community satisfaction.
All of this has been delivered through a project team that values and demonstrates diversity and inclusion incorporating innovative flexibility arrangements as a way of working rather than by exception.
Bridge Housing — The Glebe Aboriginal Women’s Housing project
Bridge acquired and upgraded an ageing inner city unit block to deliver sustainable, secure, affordable homes for Aboriginal women and children
The Glebe Aboriginal Women’s Housing project by Bridge Housing exemplifies a pioneering approach to the built environment, building sustainability and resilience through innovative design and practices.
This initiative stands out for delivering 20 sustainable, culturally tailored homes for Aboriginal women that nurture connections to culture, country, and community.
Website: bridgehousing.org.au
This project demonstrates a practical and economically sustainable urban development that makes a local contribution to global efforts creating a more equitable and environmentally responsible future.
The driving force behind the Glebe project is a commitment to purpose, social equity and responsible urban development. As a not-for-profit community housing provider, every decision Bridge Housing makes is guided by its mission to reinvest resources into creating more social and affordable housing opportunities. By taking a holistic approach that considers cultural needs alongside environmental sustainability, this project sets a new standard for inclusive, community-focused housing initiatives. It aligns with UN SDGs 7,10,11,12 and 13.
This initiative began with the acquisition of an existing block of units, funded with a combination of Bridge Housing’s own equity, Housing Australia debt, and grant funding from the City of Sydney and Homes NSW. Bridge Housing engaged with their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tenant Advisory Group to ensure their voices and priorities were central to the project. i2C Architecture were engaged to refurbish the existing units using Passive House principles, a more sustainable approach than demolition and construction. The project minimised environmental impact and costs while successfully meeting cultural and social needs.
The project has achieved:
Environmental Impact
Initial assessments indicate substantial reductions in energy demands for heating and cooling, equivalent to significant carbon savings. This aligns with Bridge Housing’s commitment to environmental stewardship and
sustainability. The landscaping improvements on site increase biodiversity and green spaces.
Social Impact
By providing stable, culturally appropriate housing, the project has directly improved the quality of life for Aboriginal women and children in the community. It addresses specific social challenges such as homelessness and supports broader social equity objectives. Secure and affordable housing is the foundation for residents to improve individual outcomes across health, wellbeing and economic domains.
Economic Sustainability
In addition to providing economic outcomes for residents with a secure and affordable rental property, ongoing benefits include reduced energy consumption costs because of the Passive House improvements. The project's financial structure ensured a cost-effective approach with benefits sustained over time. Our charitable status and purposedriven governance sees with every surplus dollar reinvested into further community housing initiatives.
‘For Aboriginal women to have a housing block for only Aboriginal women, is just so amazing – it would have to be one the first of its kind I have ever heard of, and Bridge Housing did that! Bridge housing listened to us Aboriginal women when we kept advocating on the importance of Aboriginal women having a block of apartments, just for Aboriginal women.’ Resident, Glebe
A
groundbreaking housing project empowering Aboriginal women in Glebe!
Central Station Metro
Laing O’Rourke proudly transformed Australia’s busiest railway station within a live operating environment, the Central Station Metro upgrade in Sydney is the most significant upgrade in decades to the 118-year-old heritage landmark, to enable long term customer growth and greater connectivity to multi-mode transport
Sydney Metro is underpinned by a commitment to plan, design, build and operate a metro system for current and future generations.
A key principle within this is working towards improving liveability and accessibility for the Greater Sydney Region, by leaving a strong social and environmental legacy for years to come. The City & Southwest project is an enabler for long term growth in the city, allowing for greater connectivity, improved access to multi-mode transport solutions for our people and facilitating urban development for many of Sydney's iconic locations.
The Central Station Metro upgrade, delivered by Laing O’Rourke, is at the forefront of this vision, delivered in the heart of Australia’s busiest railway station, it has been the most significant upgrade in decades to the 118-year-old heritage landmark. The project, executed in a live operating environment, undertook the precision task to integrate a new metro station and provide better customer access throughout the existing station by using an innovative, topdown construction methodology, offsite manufacture and tunnelling underneath live rail services without disruption and extensive temporary works for customer access to significantly minimise the impact to station operations and customers.
The Central Station Metro project has achieved the highest accolades across two 3rd party rating schemes; 6 star Green Star - Custom (Sydney Metro) Certified Rating representing World Leadership and a Certified Infrastructure Sustainability As Built v1.2 - Leading rating from Infrastructure Sustainability Council, through close collaboration with all partners from planning phase through to delivery.
The Central Station Metro project, was approached from the very beginning with innovative construction solutions and a sharp sustainability focus. This included reduction of carbon emissions, introduction of renewable energy
generation, reduction of materials used, care for environmental quality, equality of employment to boost future capabilities, equality of access, community wellbeing, stakeholder engagement and more.
The impact of the work is farreaching – improving connectivity, reducing congestion, enhancing the transportation experience and contributing to a more efficient and sustainable public transport system coupled with a great experience speaking to context and place. The project prioritises heritage preservation by enhancing heritage buildings, incorporating high-quality finishes reflecting the station's heritage, and embedding Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal contemporary artwork and heritage interpretation into the architectural design.
The initiative's legacy and contribution to the UN SDGs are also noteworthy. The project first and foremost exemplifies sustainability and innovation at its core, and we will see throughout this this submission the clear alignment to SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure. Furthermore, the project actively addresses resilience through mitigation of climate change risks, poverty alleviation through community benefit initiatives, and
carried out numerous initiatives for workforce and industry participation and responsible procurement and more.
Overall, the project sets a new standard for sustainable infrastructure development, showcasing how a major public transport project can incorporate environmental, social, and economic considerations while delivering enhanced connectivity and a world-class transportation experience.
We are deeply proud of the outcome and legacy for the people of Sydney.
The project involved a rail over road bridge, new bus interchange, new and upgraded carparks and a new Deer Park station on the V/Line network. The project is part of the Victorian Government’s commitment to remove 110 dangerous and congested level crossings by 2030
First Nations involvement:
Indigenous design was incorporated through a deliberate approach, layering through landscape design (standing stones, Bluestone-ringed water wells, select species planting, landscape preservation), building form (Bunjil wings and earth to sky colouring) and finally through signage and RAP elder story telling. A scannable QR code transports you to the local Aboriginal elder, Aunty Julieanne telling the of Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung connection to country allowing you to see how each of the built and preserved elements of the landscape, materials and extensive preserved Golden Sun Moth habitat are holistically woven into the project, supporting Country.
Whole of life from design development through to construction: climate adaptations:
Car park applied Cool Seal, solar bus shelters, and station green roof combine to reduce heat and improve amenity for train and bus passengers
and the broader community as well as improving connectivity through the whole precinct.
Due to climate change causing increased amount of hot weather, construction materials such as asphalt, steel and concrete increasingly act as ‘heat sinks’ trapping heat which is released slowly over night. This creates an urban heat island effect where urban areas can be 20% hotter than rural areas. This can be a problem as people actively avoid uncomfortable temperatures which may inhibit use of public transport
The combination of information from ‘big data’ and climate change risk
assessments helped our architect and landscape design teams Denton Corker Marshall and Hassell develop the extensive canopies and landscaping used in the final design
Low carbon concrete:
A collaborative Low Carbon Concrete Working Group (LCCWG) evolved from LXRP’s materials testing program Ecologiq, and is now a respected body enabling innovation in low carbon concrete. This group was instrumental in implementing high SCM structural mixes and novel recycled content in aggregates.
A key success story of the LCCWG is the use of Polyrok (recycled plastic aggregate) culminating a 3-year design adoption process. This material is within current VicRoads standards and Australian structural design standards, helping shift the business-as-usual approach to accommodate (recycled) plastics in structural concrete. This innovation has allowed major concrete suppliers and end-users to adopt and extend this material and mix design to confidently include higher levels of recycled plastic aggregate in concrete. The Polyrok mix was a first in rail infrastructure and was further used in supporting another rail infrastructure industry first, the green roof on the station.
Porous Lane
Porous Lane is driven by a future of healthy waterways, cooler cities and circular-economy led sustainability
Porous Lane is a trailblazer in sustainable infrastructure, addressing Australia’s critical challenges in waste management and urban stormwater control.
The company’s innovative solution—permeable pavement made with over 50% locally sourced, end-of-life tyres— repurposes waste materials into a practical, eco-friendly infrastructure. By redirecting thousands of discarded tyres from landfills, Porous Lane helps reduce landfill overflow, support a circular economy, and diminish reliance on raw materials for urban development.
Website: www.porouslane.com.au
This permeable pavement technology is uniquely positioned to transform urban landscapes. Unlike conventional impermeable pavements that contribute to urban flooding, Porous Lane’s permeable pavement offers high water infiltration, effectively reducing stormwater runoff and enabling natural groundwater recharge using treated water. Its ability to control water flow provides significant benefits for flood-prone areas, alleviating stress on city drainage systems and supporting urban cooling through passive irrigation. This dual functionality of waste reduction and flood mitigation underscores the groundbreaking nature of Porous Lane’s approach.
Adaptable and versatile, the pavement is designed for a wide range of urban applications, including nature strips, pedestrian walkways, carparks, and low-traffic areas. With a projected lifespan of 2025 years, Porous Lane’s permeable pavement combines resilience and environmental responsibility, setting new benchmarks for durability in urban planning. The company envisions these installations as essential components of resilient, eco-conscious cities, capable of supporting sustainable growth and reduced environmental impact.
Porous Lane’s success stems from rigorous research and strategic collaborations. In partnership with the University of Melbourne, the company conducted extensive laboratory and field testing to validate the pavement’s durability and environmental performance. A Life Cycle Assessment performed on the product revealed up to 79% reductions in carbon emissions compared to traditional concrete pavements. These findings, coupled with real-world pilot installations, confirm the environmental advantages of Porous Lane’s approach, including reduced water consumption and passive irrigation capabilities.
Porous Lane has overcome several challenges to achieve market acceptance, including initial hesitations from councils and developers accustomed to traditional materials. The company addressed these concerns through educational workshops and stakeholder engagement, showcasing the environmental, economic, and functional benefits of the permeable pavement. By establishing a reliable supply chain for waste tyres, Porous Lane ensures the consistent quality and scalability of its product, supporting long-term demand and environmental impact reduction.
The permeable pavement solution by Porous Lane exemplifies innovation by merging waste repurposing with sustainable urban planning. Recognised as a leading example of circular economy principles in action, Porous Lane continues to expand its influence through industry forums, academic publications, and public engagement. The company’s vision is to inspire policy shifts in urban planning and waste management, establishing a legacy of low-impact infrastructure that contributes to healthier, more resilient cities across Australia and beyond.
Creating floodresistant cities with innovative, sustainable materials
Vicinity Centres — Chadstone Place
In Vicinity Centres’ ground-breaking development sustainability meets workplace innovation to transform a legacy building into an Australian-first net-zero carbon environment, elevating employee experience and delivering exceptional financial and environmental results
Can Australian companies meet netzero targets, fulfil reporting obligations, attract employees back to the office and boost engagement in one move? Vicinity Centres’ Chadstone Place development proves they can.
Website: www.vicinity.com.au
Commercial buildings account for 10% of Australia’s emissions, putting pressure on owners and tenants to address their environmental impact.
For Vicinity, this presented an opportunity to lead by example, transforming a modest office into Australia’s first certified fully electric, net zero-carbon building.
When Officeworks began searching for a new headquarters which aligned with its goal of being 100% renewable, Vicinity’s ambitious vision secured the bid. "The office buildings of the future already exist—and they’re sitting in our suburbs ready to be reimagined,” says David Waldren, Vicinity’s National Head of Design.
From Compliance to Commitment
The push for net-zero workplaces is being driven by rising regulations, stakeholder expectations, and employee values. For Vicinity, compliance was only one part of the equation.
The redevelopment of Chadstone Place demonstrates commitment to sustainable innovation, delivering a space that exceeds environmental and tenant expectations. “We are focused on building team pride,” says Fiona Lawrie, Head of Sustainability at Officeworks. “And our team has told us a net-zero office is important to them.”
Retrofit and Renew
Vicinity’s redevelopment retained 88% of the original structure, saving over 1.1 million kilograms of embodied carbon and diverting 90% of construction waste. Solar panels atop the adjacent car park generate enough energy for 220 average homes annually, while gas boilers were replaced with electric heat pumps.
The only new addition, ‘The Link,’ is a striking glass bridge adorned with greenery, connecting the office to the car park. It symbolizes sustainability while serving as a flexible workspace. Vicinity prioritised visible sustainability, integrating
features like exposed ceilings, ecofriendly materials, abundant greenery, and a prominent solar array creating an environment where sustainability is immediately apparent.
Chadstone Place is Australia’s first project to achieve the prestigious Living Future Zero Carbon Certification that addresses both operational and embodied carbon. It exemplifies a holistic approach to sustainability and circular economy principles, integrating adaptive reuse, renewable energy, water efficiency, waste management, and indoor environmental quality initiatives.
The building is rated 6-Star Green Star – Design & As Built by the Green Building Council of Australia and holds a 6 NABERS Energy & Water ratings, representing world leadership in sustainable design, construction, and operational efficiency.
Electric Dreams, Energised Employees
For employees, the results have been transformative. There is abundant natural light and greenery, neurodiverse-friendly design, electric vehicle charging stations, and fresh air from openable windows. Officeworks report workplace sentiment has soared, with engagement up 27% in a year and mid-week attendance nearly doubling.
For Vicinity Centres, Chadstone Place sets a new benchmark for sustainable retrofits. “Around two-thirds of the buildings we have today will still be standing in 2050. The challenge is: how do we fix them?” says Waldren.
Through collaboration with enlightened tenants and motivated consultants, Vicinity Centres has shown how transformative retrofits can redefine commercial spaces and inspire a more sustainable future.
Supply Chain and Responsible Procurement Award
South West Gateway Alliance — The Wilman Wadandi Highway (Bunbury Outer Ring Road Project)
The Wilman Wadandi Highway (Bunbury Outer Ring Road) project, delivered by the South West Gateway Alliance in partnership with Main Roads Western Australia, is driving social, economic, and environmental outcomes through ambitious procurement targets, local engagement, and workforce development
Main Roads Western Australia, the Office of Major Transport Infrastructure Delivery (OMTID)
The South West Gateway Alliance (SWGA), in partnership with Main Roads Western Australia and the Office of Major Infrastructure Delivery, is delivering the $1.46 billion Wilman Wadandi Highway (the Bunbury Outer Ring Road project).
This 27-kilometre highway aims to enhance connectivity and transport efficiency in the South-West of Western Australia while driving economic and social sustainability.
When SWGA was awarded the contract in 2020, it adopted ambitious social procurement targets, including spending $450 million with local businesses and $30 million with Aboriginal businesses, and ensuring that 10% of the construction workforce were Aboriginal and 10% were previously unemployed. These targets reflected the vision of creating a resilient local economy, prioritising ethical sourcing, and addressing industry inequities.
To address regional challenges like limited local capacity and labour shortages post COVID, SWGA implemented an innovative approach. The Local Business Advisory Group (LBAG) was established to ensure that local businesses were integrated into the project, meeting 22 times to guide procurement strategies to ensure they aligned with regional capabilities. This lead to the creation of an “Inside Out” strategy which prioritised businesses genuinely based in the region and included a local weighting table embedded into procurement evaluations. To increase participation, SWGA also held 13 business briefings and two industry focus groups.
Main Roads supported these initiatives by funding a Local Content Advisor (LCA) embedded within the SWGA. The LCA collaborated with local and Aboriginal businesses to address barriers, match capabilities with project needs, and monitor progress towards the spend targets. This role was instrumental in identifying opportunities and supporting businesses in their project involvement.
To overcome workforce constraints, the Yaka Dandjoo Sustainable Employment Program was launched. This program targeted unemployed individuals from underrepresented groups, including Aboriginal people, women, and youth. Participants received life skills training, job education, and on-site work experience, fostering pathways into the civil construction industry. Supervisors and superintendents also received cultural awareness training, creating a safe and supportive environment for new hires.
The project’s outcomes were significant, exceeding original targets. As of 31 October 2024, $612.1 million had been spent on local businesses, and $57.1 million had been allocated to Aboriginal businesses, surpassing the initial goals by $162.1 million and $27.1 million, respectively. Over 65% of local spending directly benefited businesses established and operated in the South-West. The Yaka Dandjoo program graduated 191 participants, with 60% being Aboriginal and 60% women, many of whom secured employment or apprenticeships.
Businesses involved in the project experienced transformative growth. For instance, 34% increased their
workforce, with most retaining these additional employee's postproject. Additionally, 73% reported revenue growth, and 38% upgraded equipment to meet project demands, boosting their capacity for future work.
Through initiatives like the Aboriginal Business Development Initiative, which provided $500,000 in equipment to Aboriginal businesses, and its scalable Local Weighting Table, the project redefined infrastructure procurement. Recognised for its leadership and innovation, the Wilman Wadandi Highway project sets a new standard for integrating economic development with community empowerment, leaving a lasting legacy for the region and beyond.
Local business reports 73% revenue growth from infrastructure project
Intrepid Travel
Intrepid Travel, a certified B Corp, has embedded responsible procurement across its business through industry-leading supplier diversity initiatives
For more than 35 years, Intrepid Travel has been changing the way we all see the world by offering responsible experience-rich travel that gives back to the places and people it visits.
Intrepid operates more than 900 small group, locally-led adventures in 114 countries across all seven continents. It owns 30 local destination management companies that employ local staff.
Website: www.intrepidtravel.com
Intrepid trips are designed for travellers to truly experience local culture and engage with communities, both close to home and further afield. The multi-day itineraries consist of suppliers who provide contracted services, such as hotels, transport, meals and activities, and tour leaders who lead Intrepid’s trips. Suppliers are a huge impact lever for the business, and its type of tourism (small group, culturally and community immersive style travel) lends itself to inclusive supply chains as it seeks out locally owned, culturally immersive experiences.
Like many global travel companies, Intrepid has a complex supply chain. It spans thousands of suppliers, that range from city-based hotels to remote teahouses, national airline carriers to tuk-tuk and rickshaw drivers. Intrepid tour leaders in many destinations also form part of its supply chain. It has over 1500 tour leaders working across its global operations annually, the majority of whom are contracted seasonally.
Since Intrepid was founded, it has worked closely with small familyowned businesses, community cooperatives and social enterprises/ non-profits to offer its customers real local experiences. While this enriches the traveller experience, it also has the potential to create positive outcomes for communities through economic empowerment and job creation, creating cultural exchange and enabling cultural pride. Many of those most likely to benefit from responsible tourism are systemically disadvantaged groups, such as women and First Nations people. Intrepid continues to expand its efforts to advocate for human rights and reconciliation and support diverse suppliers throughout its supply chain.
In 2022, Intrepid set a company goal to improve its supply chain transparency and impact. It also
established a cross-functional effort to grow diversity within its supply chain and expand its support of women and First Nations-owned businesses.
Intrepid has implemented an improved supplier management system to measure its supplier impacts, including ownership and business structure, across the growing company which now spans over 40 business entities.
As a result of its efforts to encourage inclusive purchasing, Intrepid has increased its women and minority owned suppliers from 17% to 20% in three years. Added to this was a focus on growing First Nation
experiences, which number now over 100 globally. Female tour leaders have also grown from 29% in 2021 to 38% in 2024. Given the scale of Intrepid’s procurement spend, this has likely had a significant economic impact on women and ethnic minority-owned suppliers who may not have benefitted from more traditional or mainstream tourism. With an ambitious growth strategy, Intrepid is taking a holistic approach to ensure responsible procurement is embedded across the business to create increasing local impact in the destinations it which it operates.
900+ small group adventures led by locals in 114 countries.
JBS Australia — Farm Assurance
The JBS Farm Assurance program certifies greatness one farm at a time, ensuring transparency between producer, processor and consumer
The JBS Farm Assurance program, initiated by JBS Australia in 2011, is a groundbreaking initiative designed to set the highest standards in food safety, quality, animal welfare, and traceability in livestock production.
Accredited to global standards ISO17065 and rigorously audited by BVAQ, this program ensures transparency and sustainability from pasture to plate.
Website: greatsouthernfarms.com.au
Our approach includes comprehensive certification, transparent and measured traceability initiatives, and pioneering sustainability projects, allowing producers, processing facilities, and consumers of JBS Farm Assurance products to be directly engaged in our sustainability efforts.
In the past two years, JBS Farm Assurance has elevated our commitment to leading the industry in sustainable and regenerative farming practices. Through building a partnership with JBS Farm Assurance producers, we not only ensure the integrity of our products but also build consumer confidence and acknowledge the compliance efforts of our farmers. We believe that creating transparency between producers, processors, and consumers leads to great products that drive real change. Recognised for our commitment to sustainability, we excel in building consumer trust and loyalty.
To become a leader in sustainable and transparent beef and lamb production, JBS Farm Assurance fosters a trusted connection between producers, processors, and consumers. This is achieved through strategic planning, thorough research, the establishment of an internal steering committee, and making sustainability a core requirement for each member. The program maintains rigorous standards verified by Bureau Veritas (BVAQ), with producers documenting Animal Health Management Plans to ensure humane treatment and adhering to low-stress livestock handling standards.
JBS Farm Assurance is committed to carbon management through various reduction projects and CO2e measurement. Initiatives include the Scone facility Bio-Gas Project and the Tasmania State Renewable Energy at the Longford facility. The Beef Carbon Footprint Project shows JBS Farm Assurance cattle averaging 11.6
kg CO2-e/kg of live weight, which sits below the Australian average. The Lamb Carbon Footprint Project is underway with plans to complete in 2025.
The program promotes regenerative agriculture through initiatives and frequent education with producers, maintaining Water conservation practices support local biodiversity and ensure livestock access to clean water. Vegetation management includes shelter belts, cover crops, riparian management, and planting perennial plants to e nhance biodiversity.
A dedicated Farm Assurance team focuses on producer engagement, supported by Meat Livestock Australia (MLA) through focus groups and broader engagement days. Transparency is ensured through third-party certification by Bureau Veritas (BVAQ), regular focus groups, engagement sessions, and plant tours. Annual reports and strategic branding efforts educate consumers about the sustainable farming practices of the JBS Farm Assurance program.
The JBS Farm Assurance program stands out for its innovative approach to sustainability and transparency. By integrating AI technology, the
program offers unprecedented supply chain transparency, allowing customers to trace premium beef back to its farm of origin through to its final destination. The program's scalability is evident in its comprehensive approach to carbon management, regenerative agriculture, and community engagement. Looking ahead, the program is committed to continuous improvement and expansion of its sustainability initiatives, enhance regenerative agriculture practices, and strengthen community engagement. The program aims to leave a lasting legacy by establishing a benchmark for sustainable and regenerative farming practices, fostering greater transparency and trust in the food supply chain.
11.6 kg CO2-e: Lower carbon footprint: JBS beef beats the Australian average!
Princess Polly
Princess Polly’s Ethical Sourcing Program redefines responsible procurement by embedding innovation, transparency, and collaboration (guided by their Five A’s: Aligning, Assessing, Addressing, Awareness, and Accountability), to drive social and environmental impact and set a new standard for ethical practices in the fashion industry
At Princess Polly, ethical sourcing is central to their identity, ensuring every individual in their supply chain is safe, respected, and empowered.
Guided by their Five A’s - Aligning, Assessing, Addressing, Awareness, and Accountability - Princess Polly’s Ethical Sourcing Program sets a new standard in sustainability and human rights, combining robust policies with meaningful, long-term change.
Website: www.princesspolly.com.au
Princess Polly’s commitment to safeguarding human rights and fostering sustainability extends beyond compliance. They embed ethics into every aspect of their operations, reflecting on their CoCEO’s mission to place people, the planet, and community at the forefront of decision-making. Anchored in a five-year strategy, their Ethical Sourcing Program drives longterm progress through continuous research, proactive risk management, and strong partnerships.
Using eight specialised assessment tools, such as third-party audits, internal site visits, worker sentiment surveys and self-assessment questionnaires, to name a few, they gain detailed insights into factory environments, capturing perspectives from diverse sources. These assessments support their commitment to the principles in their Code of Conduct and Ethical Sourcing Guidelines. Aligned with international labor standards, they champion dignity, equality, and environmental stewardship.
The program stands out by fostering a culture deeply rooted in continuous improvement, expanding beyond compliance assessments. Tailored scorecards, action plans, training resources, and follow-up visits empower factories to make sustainable improvements. This collaborative approach has driven 91% of factories to achieve a silver or gold compliance rating. A unique strength is their on-the-ground presence in China, where direct engagement with Tier 1, 2, and 3 suppliers builds trust, addresses root causes, and ensures longterm corrective actions. They have conducted over 250 site visits within the program, showcasing their commitment to on-ground support.
The Preferred Factory Program (PFP) exemplifies their leadership in responsible sourcing. This 18-month initiative incentivises factories to
adopt sustainable practices, enhance worker well-being, and align with environmental goals. By rewarding progress with prioritised orders and growth opportunities, the PFP creates mutual benefits for factories and Princess Polly.
In 2024, Princess Polly hosted their first Partner Conference in China, uniting supply chain partners to share insights, align on goals, and cobuild solutions. Open dialogue and interactive sessions provided valuable insights into supplier motivations and emphasised the importance of amplifying workers' voices.
Princess Polly’s Ethical Sourcing Program delivers measurable impact: 100% of Tier 1 factories audited, 90% of training completed, and 70% of workers represented in assessments. These achievements demonstrate their commitment to transparency, accountability, and meaningful change, setting a benchmark for ethical sourcing in the industry.
As participants in the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), they align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and actively engage with the Modern Slavery Community of Practice to evolve their human
rights practices. Partnerships with LRQA, Sedex, and Business for Social Responsibility enhance the credibility of their program and ensure alignment with global best practices. Through regular evaluation, refinement, and collaboration, they integrate transparency, accountability, and respect into every decision at Princess Polly. Their Ethical Sourcing Program exemplifies innovation, leadership, and meaningful progress in creating a sustainable, ethical supply chain.
Small to Medium Business Leadership Award
The Pimpama River Conservation Area is located on the southern bank of the Pimpama River and borders the Southern Moreton Bay Marine Park and a Ramsar listed wetland.
Bridge changes lives and empowers communities through sustainable, affordable housing
Bridge Housing is a community housing organisation committed to driving system change that enhances environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors across the housing sector. Their Sustainability Framework guides all operations and strategic planning with a focus on advocacy, innovation, and transparency.
With a vision to create a sustainable future for both the organisation and for the communities it serves, the Sustainability Framework addresses the significant challenges faced by community housing residents. Bridge Housing has demonstrated sustainable leadership in community housing.
Website: www.bridgehousing.org.au
People in social and affordable housing, on low-moderate household incomes are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and can least afford interventions. With over 90% of Bridge Housing residents relying on fixed incomes and a substantial portion living with disabilities or chronic conditions, Bridge Housing’s goal is to provide social and affordable housing that is both sustainable and supportive.
Through the Sustainability Framework, a core commitment is driven by the need to improve residents' health and wellbeing through energy efficiency and environmental resilience. It demonstrates leadership through innovation and knowledge sharing to life standards across its sector.
Bridge Housing aligns its Sustainability Framework with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and integrates sustainability into every facet of operations across three main pillars: Environmental, Social, and Governance. Updated annually, progress is reported in the Impact Report. The framework incorporates strategic planning, research and innovation, stakeholder engagement and resource allocation.
Demonstrating leadership in sustainability, Bridge Housing proactively seeks out partnerships and associations that contribute to building knowledge and capacity.
By effectively leveraging partnerships, engaging with stakeholders, and maintaining transparent communication, Bridge Housing works to achieve its sustainability goals and influence positive change within the housing sector. For example, through its successful implementation of pilot projects, including a Hydraloop wastewater recycling system trial with Sydney
Water, and refurbishing an inner city unit block using Passive House principles, Bridge Housing seeks to demonstrate the potential for scalability across the sector. These models can be adapted to different contexts and regions, offering valuable solutions for other housing providers and sectors.
In supporting people on low to moderate incomes to live a life of dignity in safe, secure and affordable housing social impact is central to purpose for Bridge Housing. In providing quality housing and offering a range of services that support community connection and participation, including engagement programs and partnerships that support health and wellbeing, mental health, education, employment, creative and economic outcomes.
Social factors are the priority of resource and investment decisions; as a not-for-profit investing back into the communities it serves through increased housing supply, tenant engagement programs, placemaking activities and services.
Bridge Housing’s involvement in developing the Australian ESG Reporting Standard for Community Housing and presenting innovative ideas at industry events helps foster collaboration and drive sector-wide progress.
Bridge Housing was the first Australian community housing provider to publicly report and set an emissions reduction target, exemplifying leadership in transparency and accountability. In 2022, Bridge Housing received the Chair’s Commendation for Consistent High Standard Reporting (10 Consecutive Gold Awards) from the Australasian Reporting Award.
Frank Wild: Pioneers of Sustainable Event Management
Frank Wild is a sustainable events agency that is reshaping Australia’s events industry, proving that impactful and high-end experiences can coexist with environmental responsibility.
Frank Wild is an event management company that is transforming Australia’s events industry, proving that impactful and high-end experiences can coexist with environmental responsibility.
Founded in 2014, the company emerged as a response to the waste and environmental impact traditionally associated with large-scale events.
Website: www.frankwild.com.au
From its inception, sustainability has been at the core of Frank Wild’s operations and as one of the few B-Corp agencies in its sector, the company is setting a new benchmark for ethical and sustainable event production.
Frank Wild is engaged by clients to design and produce creative events and experiences at world class level, the type of events that are renowned for having huge environmental impacts.
Through Frank Wild’s sustainability processes, each project is carefully assessed, prioritising circular design and sustainable material selection while meticulously managing resources at every stage. Their holistic approach is designed to minimise waste and emissions without compromising client expectations or creative impact.
A key initiative is the development of its proprietary carbon calculator. Recognising the lack of an accurate measurement system for the event industry, Frank Wild created the calculator to track emissions across energy use, transport, materials, catering, accommodation, travel and waste. The tool not only informs smarter decisions for reducing emissions but also positions the company as an innovation leader.
Looking ahead, Frank Wild plans to transform this tool into an accessible online platform, enabling industrywide adoption of precise carbon measurement practices.
For every project, Frank Wild provides clients with detailed Sustainability Action Plans and post-event Impact Reports. The reports outline the emissions incurred during projects, highlight successes, and pinpoint opportunities for further reduction. By empowering clients with actionable insights, the company fosters accountability and aligns stakeholders with broader environmental goals
Frank Wild works collaboratively with clients, suppliers, and venues to
implement sustainable practices and affect systemic change in what is an inherently wasteful industry. These efforts extend beyond individual events, with the company actively engaging in community initiatives and industry thought leadership to inspire widespread adoption of sustainable practices.
Frank Wild is not only redefining how events are produced but also demonstrating that sustainability and creativity can coexist. Each project is an opportunity to showcase innovation, affect change, and leave a lasting positive impact on their audiences.
Driven by its pioneering efforts and a commitment to continuous improvement, the company is at the forefront of creating a more ecoconscious and innovative future for creative event management.
Circular design: Minimising waste without compromising creativity
Hesperia Property Pty Ltd
Hesperia is setting a new standard for responsible development, shaping a more sustainable future for Western Australia.
Hesperia is setting a new standard for responsible development and shaping a more sustainable future for Western Australia (WA).
We use our resources—business acumen, investments, expertise, and imagination—to create a positive and lasting impact.
Website: www.hesperia.com.au
Sustainability is our core commitment, reflected in meaningful, measurable, consistent outcomes rather than isolated actions. Recognising property development's environmental and social impacts, we strive to lead with practices that exceed regulatory requirements. Our efforts aim to minimise negative impacts while maximising positive contributions to communities and ecosystems.
Operationally, we have prioritised obtaining reputable accreditations. We are proud to be WA’s first property group certified as Carbon Neutral by Climate Active and to hold a B Corp Certification. These certifications confirm our adherence to the highest social and environmental performance standards. Achieving these has involved significant effort by our whole business, including extensive data collection and the implementation of robust internal policies and procedures.
At the heart of our approach is the Project Sustainability Process—a structured framework that implements our Sustainability Strategy into actionable project inclusions. Over the past 18 months, our sustainability team has collaborated with Development Managers to establish standardised templates, supporting documents, and tailored training. This ensures that every project applies the more than 50 criteria outlined in our Project Sustainability Standard, which include:
• Sustainable materials and resource efficiency
• Minimum 5 Star Green Star certification for all new builds
• Net Zero construction (and operation, where Hesperia manages the building)
Development Managers lead this process with support from the sustainability team and external specialists, ensuring comprehensive sustainability outcomes for every project.
Hesperia’s commitment to collaboration and continuous improvement is demonstrated through our annual Sustainability Performance Report, which tracks progress against ESG targets and
gathers stakeholder feedback. This input informs our practices, ensuring they meet the communities' needs.
By measuring and disclosing project performance, Hesperia has demonstrated that the negative impacts of the built environment can be significantly reduced while enhancing the quality of life and work in WA. Consistency and transparency are key to Hesperia’s approach to scaling and sustaining strong performance.
Managing Director Ben Lisle sums up our mission: "The landscape of development is evolving rapidly, with a growing demand for locally and internationally environmentally sustainable facilities. Our structured approach offers the fastest and most efficient path to achieving sustainability in the property sector."
• First Nations consultation and design review
• No fossil fuels, 100% renewable energy
• Protecting and conserving local biodiversity
• Climate-adaptive design
• Responsible procurement practices
TWOOBS is on a mission to lighten fashion’s impact on the planet, one pair of shoes at a time
TWOOBS is on a mission to lighten fashion's impact on the planet, one pair of shoes at a time.
Website: TWOOBS.com
The brand creates comfortable, accessible & cool footwear designed for longevity & durability, crafted from better materials like recycled plastics & carbon-absorbing sugarcane. They're cruelty-free, carbon offset, & recycled by TWOOBS when you're done.
TWOOBS was founded in 2016 by sisters Jess & Stef Dadon, who discovered a need for cool & comfortable shoes after one too many blisters encountered travelling to global fashion weeks. As passionate animal & environmental advocates themselves, it was important to them to imbue TWOOBS with these values.
Since an environmentallyfocussed pivot in 2020, the brand has cemented itself as a leader in sustainable footwear. Their innovative products & sustainablyminded approach to doing business is impressing industry, peers, & customers, with TWOOBS’ continued increase in brand awareness, social media following & media attention.
With a whole business approach to sustainability, TWOOBS apply their sustainable thinking to their entire business model from workplace conditions through to supply chain, stock management & customer experiences.
TWOOBS is committed to providing a fair & safe workplace for all and believes that sustainability & ethics go hand in hand. TWOOBS continues to work to provide safe & fair working conditions for all its supply chain & employees from start-to-finish. Since 2020 TWOOBS has partnered with Dongguan Senfan Shoes Technology Co. Ltd., a factory with 42 employees that specialises in footwear production who align with TWOOBS ethos.
In late 2023 TWOOBS opened its first store in Byron Bay & sought to overcome the challenge of waste generated through traditional bricks-and-mortar stores. Having previously existed only as a digital store, TWOOBS set out to ensure that its physical store wouldn’t have a substantial negative environmental footprint. It was also important that the brand’s playful identity was delivered through the store aesthetic, that the space was sustainably minded & inviting and facilitated
TWOOBS turns old shoes into playground mats!
its secondary role as a hub for conversations about sustainability and the planet.
Through the attention received from industry bodies & media, large brands have been inspired by TWOOBS to explore alternative materials & provide greater transparency when it comes to more sustainable store builds. TWOOBS have shown that it’s possible to have a store that is kinder to the environment.
Whilst TWOOBS are recyclable, knowing that 90% of all shoes manufactured will end up in landfill & will take 30 - 40 years to decompose, TWOOBS seeks to use a demandled stock management approach wherever possible to minimise over supply of stock & over consumption
Ethylene Vinyl Acetate, used in most running shoes, is able to live in landfill as long as 1000 years so, TWOOBS spent over 12 months developing a kinder sneaker alternative. ‘The
Sneaky Jane’ is made with recycled materials & able to be recycled. It is comfortable & high quality to survive the wear & tear demands of a sneaker.
TWOOBS lead a whole business approach to sustainability that goes beyond product design & manufacturer. They have challenged the norm and inspired small and large businesses alike with their environment-led approach across all areas of the business.
133 Business Services and Solutions Award
End Food Waste Australia —
The Australian Food Pact brings businesses together to create meaningful change in the fight against food waste
The Australian Food Pact, facilitated by End Food Waste Australia, is a innovative initiative addressing food waste at every level of the supply chain. Bringing together growers, manufacturers, retailers, and food rescue organisations, the Pact drives collaborative action to tackle one of Australia’s most pressing sustainability challenges: reducing food waste by 50% by 2030. The Australian Food Pact: Transforming Food Waste into Opportunity.
Website: underwearforhumanity.com.au
The Pact is built on the principles of innovation, partnership, and accountability. Businesses are empowered to take voluntary action through a Target, Measure, Act framework, enabling them to set measurable food waste reduction goals, track progress, and implement practical solutions. This approach ensures that reductions are meaningful, preventing unintended consequences that shift waste elsewhere in the supply chain.
What sets the Pact apart is its emphasis on collaboration. Participating businesses benefit from tailored support, knowledge-sharing, and facilitated working groups that connect them with like-minded organisations. These connections spark solutions and inspire systemic change. One example of this impact is the partnership between Simon George & Sons and FareShare, which transformed surplus fresh produce that was going to waste into over 50,000 meals for Australians in need, demonstrating how the Pact supports turning waste into opportunity
Effective communication is central to the Pact’s success. Internally, regular account management meetings and tailored guidance help Signatories align their strategies with best practices. Externally, public-facing initiatives like the National Food Waste Summit, case studies, and a robust social media presence amplify the Pact’s impact, encouraging more businesses to join the movement.
The Pact’s collaboration extends beyond Australia, with strong ties to global voluntary agreements like the Courtauld Commitment (UK) and Kai Commitment (New Zealand) amongst others. These partnerships enable the Pact to adopt global leading practices and share lessons with Australian businesses.
In the three years since launch in 2021, businesses within the Australian
Food Pact have seen a 13% decrease in food waste. In addition to waste reduction, businesses have also reported improved data accuracy, strengthened waste strategies, and increased accountability at executive levels. This progress highlights the Pact’s ability to embed a long-lasting culture of sustainability in Australia’s food system.
Looking ahead, the Pact is scaling its impact. Plans to include small and medium enterprises and align with other initiatives, such as The Great UnWaste consumer campaign, will make its framework more accessible and adaptable across diverse sectors. These efforts will further amplify its contribution to environmental, social, and economic outcomes.
By transforming food waste from a challenge into a strategic opportunity, the Australian Food Pact is reshaping how businesses think about food waste. It demonstrates that collective action can create real, lasting change - helping Australia achieve its ambitious food waste reduction goals while setting a global benchmark for innovation and collaboration.
Digital ESG tools break barriers for small business sustainability
AECO Energy
GreenPLUS combines the power of unbundled access to RECs with the ability to choose from tailored blends, providing Australian businesses with a cost-effective path to achieving their green energy goals
GreenPLUS: Empowering Australian businesses to lead the green energy revolution.
Launched in 2023, GreenPLUS by AECO is a forwardthinking green energy solution reshaping the Australian market. It empowers businesses and organisations to transition to renewable energy through an innovative approach—unbundling renewable energy certificates (RECs) from energy contracts.
Website: aecoenergy.com.au
This gives customers the freedom to manage both independently, while providing affordable, flexible, and fully traceable REC blends from a mix of global and local compliant sources
As a new entrant into Australia's energy sector, GreenPLUS challenges the traditional, often opaque, and expensive energy contracts that have deterred many Australian businesses from embracing green energy. The goal was clear: make green energy solutions accessible and affordable for businesses of all sizes. GreenPLUS was designed to help businesses reap the benefits of renewable energy, not just by claiming renewable energy use but also by supporting renewable energy projects globally.
GreenPLUS has disrupted the market by democratising access to renewable energy. As Australia’s only provider of off-the-shelf unbundled REC blends, sourced from both global and local suppliers, GreenPLUS makes it possible for SMEs and large businesses alike to join the green energy movement affordably.
What sets GreenPLUS apart is its unbundled model, giving customers the flexibility to choose their energy plans, shop around for the best prices, and still offset their energy usage with a transparent, internationally recognised system of RECs. This approach streamlines the process, making it more efficient, cost-effective, and accessible. As a result, businesses face fewer barriers to meeting sustainability goals while navigating an ever-evolving regulatory landscape.
Since its launch, GreenPLUS has contracted approximately 96,481,066 kWh of certificates, addressing the growing demand for RECs as businesses strive to transition to renewable energy. Our REC blends offer a global perspective on sustainability, with strategic
investments in regions where renewable energy development can make the most difference. GreenPLUS is actively supporting renewable energy generation, including belowbaseline hydro generation in Australia and a variety of renewable generation projects overseas.
Additionally, GreenPLUS offers generator-level transparency, allowing customers to verify the origin of their renewable energy. With 76% of consumers preferring products made with renewable energy, this level of transparency builds customer trust, ensures the accuracy of energy claims, and boosts market appeal. Our transparent, auditable, and internationally verified RECs help Australian businesses meet regulatory mandates while staying aligned with their core values, advancing sustainability goals, and fulfilling the expectations of customers, shareholders, and stakeholders
GreenPLUS was designed to make green energy more accessible and affordable for Australian businesses of all sizes, and it is successfully delivering on that promise. Its unbundling approach, commitment to international standards, and strategic
partnerships have established GreenPLUS as a market leader.
The response to GreenPLUS since its launch has been overwhelmingly positive, showcasing its potential to make a significant impact. GreenPLUS contributes to the global drive for net-zero emissions and promotes sustainability in a way that allows Australian businesses to act locally and make a global impact.
ecoBiz delivered by Business Chamber Queensland
Business Chamber Queensland’s ecoBiz program accelerates the adoption of sustainable practices in small and medium-sized businesses so they can thrive now and be competitive in the future
ecoBiz: Small steps making a big difference
Small and medium size businesses (SMEs) make up over 99% of the Australian business community, so it’s essential we help this sector implement sustainability practices.
Business Chamber Queensland research shows 61% of Queensland SMEs operate at ‘obligation’ or lower levels of sustainability maturity. And while they’re motivated to do more, they lack the support they need. These businesses are also facing significant external challenges including rising costs, resource constraints and climate risk.
Website: aecoenergy.com.au
Queensland Government — funded by Jobs and Recycling Fund
Business Chamber Queensland’s ecoBiz program is designed to help SME owners future-proof their business by building their sustainability capability, empowering them with data and driving long-term behavioural change.
In the 2023-2024 financial year, ecoBiz helped over 800 businesses across Queensland through tailored one-on-one coaching, resource intensity assessments, training and practical tools. In 2023-2024, ecoBiz participants avoided (compared to their baselines) the equivalent of 3,160 households’ annual electricity usage, 20 Olympic-sized pools of water and 14,000 wheelie bins of waste.
Fergus Builders, based in Mackay, was one of those businesses. They’ve seen how a few simple steps can make a big difference to the environment – and their bottom line. Since joining ecoBiz in 2021, Fergus Builders has reduced their energy intensity by 20%, water intensity by 35%, and waste intensity by 16%.
“With the ecoBiz coach, we stepped through what we were doing, and they gave us advice which was quite easy to implement,” says Fergus Builders co-owner Adam Wright.
Locally based ecoBiz sustainability coaches work closely with businesses to assess their operations and provide a tailored report outlining
simple, but effective, sustainability measures. Businesses can easily track and measure their performance across energy, water, waste and carbon emissions using ecoBiz’s digital platform, which features a carbon calculator and other practical tools.
“A conscious effort to follow this advice means the team is reducing emissions and saving money day-today,” Adam said.
Following their coach’s recommendations, Fergus Builders introduced solar electricity and stepped up their recycling – they’re now recycling building waste and leftover materials and have added new recycling bins for paper and cardboard.
“Being conscious of waste and recycling helps lower the cost of doing business. Not much goes to
waste here, it doesn’t take much to recycle and brings us in some extra money,” Adam said.
“Being sustainable is the right thing to do. It doesn’t take a lot, what we do is basic, but it makes a difference.”
The world-famous Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane has been part of ecoBiz for more than 3 years. A haven for sick, injured and orphaned koalas, ecoBiz is helping prepare the business for the future, ensuring it’s around to help animals for years to come.
“We started ecoBiz because it really seemed like a no-brainer. The fact that it is a free service certainly helped with the decision,” said Ayaan Akkalkotkar, who heads up Lone Pine’s ‘Green Team’.
Lone Pine used ecoBiz’s online dashboard to track energy, water and waste use. Other measures included separating waste streams and partnering with recycling schemes such as Containers for Change. Since they joined ecoBiz in 2021, Lone Pine reduced their resource intensity by 31% for energy, 29% for water and 16% for waste.
“Our ecoBiz coach has helped set us on the trajectory we want to be on as a business,” Ayaan said.
Future-proof your business – register at ecobiz.au
Website: onestoneadvisors.com.au
Trusted by award-winning sustainability pioneers like Sydney Opera House and Intrepid Travel Group, One Stone’s forte is helping leaders stay leaders. But it is also committed to enabling smaller organisations to access highquality advisory through innovative technology-led solutions.
Shaping tomorrow’s leadership on the Global Goals.
According to UNESCO, culture is a powerful untapped enabler of sustainable development. To unleash its potential, since 2018 One Stone has advised Sydney Opera House, Australia’s premier cultural institution, on mapping and integration of the UN SDGs into strategy, planning and operations. The outcome has been a cohesive strategic framework that brings together previously siloed sustainability initiatives—with 7 strategic priority goals embedded in SOH’s Everyone’s House 202426 corporate plan for the first time. SOH has also gained a first-mover advantage in the arts sector, earning global recognition as the world’s #1 ranked most sustainable cultural institution.
As well as supporting world class leadership by trailblazers, One Stone also applies its expertise and lessons learned to empower small businesses at scale through collaboration and innovative tech solutions.
Making ESG leadership accessible and affordable to SMEs.
The number one obstacle preventing wider uptake of sustainability by small business is lack of knowledge, time and money . To address this, in 20222023 One Stone partnered with ASXlisted SaaS company Ansarada to develop digital ESG tools that reduce adoption barriers and improve the quality of ESG information available to investors and customers. Over 18 months, the team created a Minimum
Viable Product (MVP) ESG Gap Analysis and Materiality Assessment. By 2023 over 200 users had applied the ESG Pulse Check, with most users at the Intermediary stage of their ESG journey, earning the tool a Google rating of 8.8/10 for user satisfaction.
One Stone has also partnered to tackle ESG leadership barriers for women-owned businesses in emerging economies through digital solutions.
Empowering women-owned enterprises in emerging economies. Ensuring women business owners have the skills and confidence to compete fairly in the global marketplace is foundational for SDG 5, but women-owned companies
lag on environment and climate adaptation. To close this gap, One Stone partnered with WEConnect International to develop digital training to grow women’s ESG skills and awareness.
Four interactive training modules were developed and piloted in Nigeria, Malaysia and Costa Rica. During 2024 60 women business owners completed the training, with excellent engagement and positive feedback. The training is being translated into 4 additional languages for global rollout, with further modules and e-training to follow in 2025. As a result, more women-owned small enterprises have structured ESG strategies that meet the requirements of large buyers, improving sustainability and inclusion in global value chains.
By partnering for change at scale
One Stone is making high-quality sustainability advice accessible for SMEs everywhere, while continuing to push the leadership envelope. By showing what’s possible, One Stone’s clients create ripple effects across their sector, region and value chain that drive systemic change.
Digital ESG tools break barriers for small business sustainability
Social Traders — Supplier Development Program
Social Traders and Mirvac are redefining social procurement by empowering social enterprises to thrive within corporate supply chains, fostering positive economic and social impact
The Supplier Development Program, a collaborative initiative between Social Traders and Mirvac, seeks to embed social enterprise procurement into everyday business practices, creating lasting impacts on the communities it serves. Recognising the potential of social enterprises to contribute to economic growth and social change. In FY24, this innovative initiative focused on enhancing the procurement capabilities of four certified social enterprises: CommUnity Construction, Green Connect, ReGround, and YMCA ReBuild.
The program was designed to support these enterprises through tailored advisory sessions, mentorship from experienced Mirvac staff, and targeted introductions to potential corporate buyers. Each social enterprise was paired with a mentor who guided them in navigating the complexities of corporate procurement processes and developing their business acumen. The initiative aimed not only to improve the readiness of these organisations to compete for contracts but also to foster deeper, more meaningful relationships between social enterprises and corporate partners.
Over the course of the program, several outcomes were achieved. Mirvac saw an increase in the number of certified social enterprises in their supply chain, illustrating the program’s effectiveness in integrating social enterprises into mainstream procurement. Additionally, the participating enterprises saw their procurement readiness levels increase by more than a quarter on average. Mentors noted that all four enterprises became more capable and were now prepared to compete for contracts with large buyers.
The Supplier Development Program created significant social and environmental impacts. By empowering social enterprises, the program promotes local economic growth, generates employment opportunities, and encourages sustainable practices. Enterprises such as Green Connect focus on resource recovery, which contributes to reducing waste and fostering environmentally responsible business practices within the supply chain.
The program’s success highlights the importance of collaboration and communication in achieving sustainability goals. Through regular engagement and feedback, both Social Traders and Mirvac ensured
that the program remained responsive to the needs of participating enterprises. This commitment to continuous improvement is reflected in the program's robust evaluation framework, which tracks outcomes and will inform future iterations of the initiative.
The program is now entering its second year with a new group of enterprises and mentors ready to dive into the world of socially responsible procurement practices, helping to drive greater social impact across the business landscape.
The Supplier Development Program is a groundbreaking approach to social procurement, showcasing how strategic partnerships can transform the engagement of social enterprises within corporate supply chains.
By prioritising social impact alongside economic growth, this initiative not only enhances the capabilities of participating organisations but also sets a precedent for inclusive and sustainable business practices that benefit communities and the environment alike.
South Pole
South Pole empowers organisations to achieve meaningful climate and sustainability impact through innovative solutions, including decarbonisation pathways, biodiversity credits, and high-impact climate action projects
Driving climate impact through innovation and leadership.
Website: southpole.com
South Pole, the climate company, is a global leader in climate solutions, with over 800 consultants and carbon project experts operating in 30+ countries. Since 2006, our mission has been to deliver true climate impact for all - empowering businesses, governments, and communities to solve climate change while enjoying the benefits of a sustainable future. In Australia, we’ve supported 500+ organisations to decarbonize, implement renewable energy projects, and meet Net Zero targets, reflecting our commitment to driving sustainability at both local and global levels.
Our approach
South Pole’s success stems from our innovative Climate Journey Framework, guiding clients through five stages:
• Measure footprint: Assess environmental impacts and climate risks.
• Set targets & roadmap: Develop ambitious and practical decarbonization strategies.
• Reduce footprint: Implement renewable energy solutions and transform supply chains.
• Fund climate action: Invest in high-integrity projects globally.
• Communicate & lead: Inspire change by engaging stakeholders and sharing results.
Our model combines technical expertise (the head) with creative communication and behavior change strategies (the heart), ensuring our solutions are both actionable and inspiring. By empowering organisations with open-access resources and tools, we enable continuous decarbonization and longterm sustainability.
Innovation and leadership
A standout innovation is EcoAustralia™, a first-of-its-kind product combining carbon credits with biodiversity credits. Launched in
2022, this groundbreaking initiative targets the Australian market and supports critical projects such as protecting Victoria’s cool temperate rainforests and lowland forests
Our leadership team, recognised as experts in their fields, drives progress through bold strategies and globallocal insights. Through initiatives like Global Learning Sessions (internal knowledge sharing), we ensure best practices are shared across regions, tailoring solutions to meet the unique needs of markets like Australia
Challenges and insights
Navigating sustainability challenges in Australia, such as volatile voluntary carbon markets and slower investment adoption compared to the EU and Americas, has shaped our approach. By emphasising locally rooted solutions, fostering transparency, and simplifying technical data, we’ve built trust and
engagement with clients, ensuring our work remains impactful and accessible.
Results and impact
Our measurable achievements underscore our commitment to sustainability:
• Supported over 500 Australian companies since 2015.
• Globally abated 200+ million metric tonnes of CO2 and enabled 850+ climate action projects.
• Delivered Australasia’s first Article 6 international cooperation project in 2022.
• Introduced EcoAustralia™, setting a benchmark for integrated climate and nature solutions.
Future trajectory
South Pole’s vision is clear: we act today for a better tomorrow. Moving forward, we aim to scale biodiversity-positive strategies, expand Australian-based projects, and leverage tools like TNFD-aligned scenario analyses to create enduring, sustainability-positive impacts.
Our lasting legacy will be a world where people and the planet thrive together - achieving true climate impact for all.
WolfPeak — Impact and Leadership in Sustainable Infrastructure Development
WolfPeak is driving sustainable change in Australia’s infrastructure sector, delivering innovative, tailored solutions that achieve measurable environmental, social, and economic outcomes while empowering organisations to embrace a greener, more resilient future
WolfPeak has become a leader in sustainable infrastructure development, providing innovative, tailored solutions to address one of Australia’s largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions: the infrastructure sector. Over the past two years, the company has influenced more than $17 billion worth of major projects, delivering measurable environmental, social, and economic benefits.
Website: wolfpeak.com.au
The Challenge
Infrastructure is essential to economic growth but contributes significantly to environmental degradation. Approximately 70% of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions are directly linked to infrastructure. WolfPeak recognised the need to integrate sustainability into project delivery, bridging the gap between technical design and environmental responsibility.
Approach
WolfPeak embeds sustainability experts into project teams, providing strategic advice, bespoke technical services, and management support. Their comprehensive services include carbon, water, and materials modelling, as well as facilitating workshops to upskill delivery teams and implement sustainability strategies. Through stakeholder engagement, robust data collection, and tailored solutions, WolfPeak empowers clients to integrate sustainable practices confidently.
Key elements of their approach include:
• Strategic Planning: Developing customised strategies to integrate best-practice sustainability principles into project planning and execution.
• Education and Collaboration: Upskilling teams to address knowledge gaps and fostering shared responsibility through workshops and engagement sessions.
• Customised Tools: Delivering accessible sustainability models and independently verified data for transparency and accountability.
Impact
Over the past two years, WolfPeak’s contributions have resulted in substantial environmental savings, including:
• Avoiding 53,546 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to removing 21,418 cars from the road for a year.
• Saving 2,495 kilolitres of water, comparable to the water usage of over 39,000 showers.
During this time, WolfPeak’s work has supported 14 ISC-certified Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) Rating submissions and provided auditing and advisory services for an additional eight state-significant projects. These efforts have led to reduced energy use, material efficiency improvements, and
water conservation, setting new benchmarks for sustainability in infrastructure.
Notable Projects
• Botany Rail Duplication Project: WolfPeak partnered with John Holland and the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) to deliver IS Rating certifications. The project achieved enhanced resource efficiency and energy reductions, with ARTC commending WolfPeak’s expertise and dedication.
• Malabar Biomethane Project: As Australia’s first biomethane initiative certified under the IS Essentials Pilot Rating Scheme, this project highlighted WolfPeak’s ability to navigate complex sustainability challenges. Their contributions aligned with Jemena’s long-term goals, earning high praise from the client.
Insights and Lessons
WolfPeak has identified critical factors for success, including early integration of sustainability, tailored approaches to address unique project needs, and strong stakeholder collaboration. Their focus on education has demystified technical concepts like carbon modelling, empowering organisations to take ownership of sustainability initiatives.
Vision
WolfPeak is committed to fostering long-term cultural shifts in sustainability, prioritising education, inclusivity, and innovation. By integrating emerging technologies like AI and refining data-driven methodologies, the company is setting the stage for a resilient, sustainable future.
Through their work, WolfPeak demonstrates that sustainable infrastructure is both achievable and essential for balancing development with environmental preservation, creating a lasting legacy of
empowered organisations and communities.
Climate action projects
• Delivered Australasia’s first Article 6 international cooperation project i n 2022.
• Introduced EcoAustralia™, setting a benchmark for integrated climate and nature solutions.
Future trajectory
South Pole’s vision is clear: we act today for a better tomorrow. Moving forward, we aim to scale biodiversity-positive strategies, expand Australian-based projects, and leverage tools like TNFD-aligned scenario analyses to create enduring, sustainability-positive impacts.
Our lasting legacy will be a world where people and the planet thrive together - achieving true climate impact for all.
Tourism and Destinations Award
Wild Adventures Melbourne (WAM) has designed and delivered a blueprint for how all tour operators in Australia can operate to the highest standards of environmental and social performance in a multi faceted approach on a micro budget that can be easily adopted, is financially viable, and good for business.
Micro and small businesses make up the vast majority of tourism businesses in Australia. Around 95% of the tourism industry in Australia has less than 20 people working for them, with 80% only having 1-4 employees, so collectively the impact can be monumental.
Website: wildadventuresmelbourne.com
Small tourism businesses can make a big environmental impact
As a small-business on a microbudget, WAM is pushing boundaries showing how tourism can be delivered differently to have a positive impact on people and planet, finding solutions despite budget and resource constraints.
The foundations of WAM are built to have a positive environmental and social impact, whilst delivering exceptional eco-adventure tours to our guests.
The last few years in particular has been spent exploring ways that WAM can have more of a long-term positive impact for future generations.
As a business owner, it would be reckless, irresponsible and shortsighted to operate a nature based tourism business that isn’t taking action to support and protect the most valuable asset and stakeholder WAM would be nothing without, nature.
WAM connects the dots and takes positive actions that link to a chain of other positive actions, thus having an even greater impact on the environment and communities where we operate and beyond.
In other words, WAM takes climate action in a holistic way across the business, so that we lead by example and makes a long-term difference
Tourism needs to be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem, and that change needs to happen from the top-down and the bottom up.
WAM's mission is to help and inspire other tour operators, no matter how small, to adopt WAM's approach, then collectively the ordinary becomes extraordinary. That is what the industry, the traveller and most importantly our living planet needs.
Kosciuszko Thredbo Pty Ltd (Thredbo) is a Gold-level EarthCheck Sustainable Destination with a mission to integrate sustainability into all our operations through climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies such as purchasing 100 % renewable electricity for all its operations, offsetting fuel emissions and increasing product diversification
Red Energy, EarthCheck, TfNSW, Sustainable Snowies, Keep It Cool, NPWS, DPIE
Kosciuszko Thredbo Pty Ltd (Thredbo) is a Gold-level EarthCheck Sustainable Destination with a mission to integrate sustainability into all its operations in response to climate change risks to the alpine region.
Website: www.thredbo.com.au
Thredbo leases an area of 957ha under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974, and subleases parcels to over 700 sub-lessees. Along with alpine resort operations, Thredbo is responsible for the provision of municipal services including waste management, water supply and treatment, and road maintenance within the lease area. Thredbo’s key business is as a ski resort providing lift operations, rentals and lessons. Thredbo owns and manages 13 food and beverage venues, a hotel, and a leisure centre including swimming pool. In the non-winter season Thredbo runs mountain biking, guided hikes and tours, and provides access to golf, tennis courts and frisbee golf.
The driving forces that motivate Thredbo’s sustainability efforts include the unique environmental assets within KNP which are Thredbo’s responsibility to conserve and protect, along with the growing impact of climate change on our core business and the natural environment
The key mechanism through which Thredbo monitors its sustainability performance is the annual thirdparty audit and performance measurement by EarthCheck that
monitors performance across 12 different categories including energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, wastewater management, ecosystem conservation and social and cultural sustainability. Thredbo also operates under an Environmental Management System (EMS) under which various goals are set regarding stationary fuel use, potable water use, waste to landfill and biodiversity conservation
Thredbo has purchased renewable electricity for all its major operations since 2019 and as of July 2022, all its operations are covered by the purchase agreement. Thredbo is proud to be the first and only Alpine Resort in Australia to be powered by renewable electricity. This includes operations such as lifts, hotel, offices, staff accommodation, restaurants and bars, water treatment and street lighting. In 2023-2024, 8,326,550 kWh of renewable electricity was purchased through Red Energy. Additionally, Thredbo also has a 100kW solar array on its Leisure Centre that contributes to 25% of the building’s annual electricity needs. The update to snowmaking infrastructure also reflects Thredbo’s commitment to adapting to the effects of climate change in the alpine regions including increased
temperatures and reduced precipitation.
Operating an alpine resort and village can be a fuel-intensive process, Thredbo manages this impact through offsetting all its fleet including buses, cars, and on-snow vehicles through Greenfleet and is actively investigating alternatives, including electrification of all vehicles over time. Customers are encouraged to offset the emissions of their travel when purchasing Thredbo products.
Furthermore, the ski industry contributes to the local economy of the Snowy Mountains and with the future of snow in question Thredbo is committed to product diversification to not only protect its own business but also that of the businesses of Thredbo Village, Jindabyne and beyond. This involves expanding downhill mountain biking trails, expanding guided hike offerings, investing in snowmaking infrastructure, as well as the recent installation of Australia’s only Alpine Coaster which provides engagement year-round.
Looking into the future, Thredbo’s overarching goal is to continue to lead the industry in sustainable alpine tourism with a focus on environmental protection and enhancement.
Polperro Dolphin Swims
Polperro Dolphin Swims is a boutique ecotourism operator that provides exceptional experiences in nature that awaken a need to know and care about the long-term protection of Port Phillip Bay and its unique wildlife
One small family making a big difference.
Polperro Dolphin Swims is a boutique ecotourism operator that provides exceptional experiences in nature that awaken a need to know and care about the long-term protection of Port Phillip Bay and its unique life below water.
Website: www.polperro.com.au
Polperro Dolphin Swims has always been family-owned and operated. It is Australia's first wild dolphin and seal swim provider. With 40 years of commitment to sustainability under their belt, they are industry pioneers and role models. Polperro's tours showcase the beauty of Port Phillip Bay, delve into the area's rich history, and offer once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounters.
Polperro has a conservation through education ethos. They recognise that exposure equals action because when people see it, they get it. Polperro drives conservation by connecting people to the natural wonders of Victoria's 'Beating Blue Heart.' Their operating practices and sustainable initiatives demonstrate how tourism can be a force for good.
Polperro has developed an innovative and multifaceted approach. Two of their initiatives include:
This is Where Away Is
Polperro developed 'This is Where Away is' to put the 'out of sight' in 'the front of mind.' It includes teaching resources, tour briefings, coastline cleanups and partnerships
On their tours, Polperro will turn the boat around to retrieve rubbish. This collection of recovered plastics is a rich educational resource for visitors, particularly students, demonstrating the ubiquity of plastics in the environment and their lasting legacy.
'This is Where Away Is' involves a longstanding partnership with the Melbourne Zoo. Polperro lobbied to form the Zoo's Marine Response Unit and liaise with them to identify and rescue entangled wildlife.
It enables Polperro to offset plastic waste, reduce wildlife entanglement and educate visitors on the significance of minimising plastics in their lives.
Canopy of Care
'Canopy of Care' aims to fill in the gaps by taking learning off the page and providing exceptional experiences in nature that bring the curriculum to life. Some services that the program offers include subsidised tours, fieldwork activities/learning, citizen science opportunities, school incursions, curriculum-matched student resources and teacher professional development.
The program has grown significantly in recent years. From 2015 to 2023, there was a 42% increase in students. That same year, Polperro collaborated with almost 100 more community groups than the year before. Furthermore, 83% of teachers involved in their Cool Changes development workshop (2022) said the program was 'highly useful.'
'Canopy of Care' addresses the link between environmental and mental health. It seeks to make threats like pollution and climate change less overwhelming, particularly for young people, through a 'think global, act local mindset.' It acknowledges that stress is alleviated when people witness the positive impact of their actions.
Polperro is a case study of how ecotourism can have invaluable impacts on the environment and community. The method is to 'entertain greatly while educating gently.' They demonstrate that exposure equals action, and their multifaceted approach is far more than 'fun' adventure tourism. They provide an unforgettable tour that awakens a need to know and care about life below water.
157 People's Choice Award
For 36 years, the Banksia National Sustainability Awards have celebrated the boldest and brightest innovators working towards a better future. From pioneering technology to regenerative agriculture and circular economy breakthroughs, these awards have consistently highlighted Australia’s most impactful changemakers, as judged by a panel of industry experts.
Now, for the first time, the Australian public has had its say. The inaugural Banksia People’s Choice Awardproudly supported by survey platform Glow - has given the Australian public the opportunity to vote for the sustainability initiative that resonates most with them.
This milestone adds a 15th category to the prestigious awards program, creating a new avenue for recognition and expanding the exposure of sustainability success stories to the wider population.
Why the People’s Choice Award Matters
While the Banksia Awards have long recognised outstanding achievements in sustainability through expert-led judging, the People’s Choice Award brings a new dimension - public engagement, awareness, and endorsement.
A growing number of Australians are interested in learning more about sustainability, making sustainable choices in their lives and making a difference in the world.
By inviting participation beyond the judging panel, the award raises awareness of the businesses, organisations, and individuals driving change - sparking conversations and inspiring others to take action in their own way.
A Transparent and Representative Process
The rigorous three-stage judging process for the overall awards determined the list of award finalists. All these finalists were then eligible for the People’s Choice Award, meaning every People’s Choice nominee has already been screened to ensure they represent the highest standards of sustainability leadership. The public vote then allowed Australians to select which initiatives they felt were making the biggest impact.
The People’s Choice Award process has unfolded in two key stages:
Stage 1 saw the Australian public vote for their favourite sustainability finalists from across all Banksia Award categories. Voting was
conducted via Glow’s survey platform. Finalists, supporters and The Banksia Foundation all promoted the invitation to vote via their own marketing efforts.
Stage 2 brought the top eight votegetters into a final selection round. In this round, a nationally representative sample of 1,000 adult Australians ranked their top three choices, ensuring a balanced and unbiased outcome. Responses were captured via Glow’s survey platform, and respondents were sourced from a leading research panel.
The finalist with the most #1 votes will soon be revealed as the first-ever People’s Choice Award winner. In the event of a tie, second—and thirdplace votes will be considered.
A Partnership for Progress
The Banksia People’s Choice Award has been made possible through a partnership with Glow, an Australian research-technology company dedicated to supporting sustainability.
Glow’s research platform has powered the award’s voting process, ensuring a robust, transparent, and inclusive selection method that reflects the people's voice.
By supporting this award, we are proud to help elevate sustainability champions and highlight the initiatives that Australians truly value.
With the first-ever Banksia People’s Choice Award winner soon to be revealed, one thing is clear: sustainability has never been more relevant or important to celebrate.
Tim Clover, CEO, Glow
Messages From The 36th National Banksia Sustainability Awards’ Sponsors
Sponsor of Small to Medium Business Leadership Award
Australia Post has been delivering for all Australians for more than 200 years. We are continually evolving to meet the changing expectations of our customers and communities and to deliver a better tomorrow.
We’re at the heart of every community and as one of the nation's largest businesses, we believe we have a responsibility and an opportunity to create a more sustainable future that benefits all Australians.
Therefore today, sustainability is a key pillar of Australia Post’s enterprise strategy, underpinning everything we do for the planet, people and prosperity. From delivering more focused and strategic community partnerships to building Australia’s largest electric delivery vehicle fleet, we embrace our power to make a difference.
Our 2025 Sustainability Roadmap outlines what we will do to deliver on a future that sees us meet the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. It's our most ambitious environmental agenda to date and we recognise our unique position to make a positive impact.
We are proud of our achievements over the last financial year. We increased our recycling rate
to 71% of total waste, increased our own solar generation by 55%, and spent $40.1m with Social Enterprises and Indigenous Businesses.
We continued to reduce the impact of sending parcels and celebrated a 13% reduction in our carbon footprint against our FY19 baseline.
Achieving our 2025 emissions reduction target, which has been validated by the Science Based Target Initiative, will help to put Australia Post on the road to Net Zero emissions by 2050.
Our enduring support of the Banksia Foundation evidences our desire to support sustainability leaders across businesses and sectors. We value this opportunity to pause and reflect on both the individuals and organisations that that are demonstrating how business can be a force for good.
We sponsor the Small to Medium Business Leadership Award to recognise businesses that are leading the way in environmental stewardship and sustainable business practices. We look forward to seeing this category grow in scope and sophistication so that we’re able to celebrate and share more of the bold new ideas that are making small to medium businesses more sustainable.
As a global healthcare company, Bupa has been looking after people’s health for over 75 years, including supporting more than 5.5 million customers across Australia through a broad range of services including health insurance, aged care, dental, optical, medical and medical visa services. We understand that delivering healthcare has an environmental impact and are committed to not only reducing our own emissions in line with scientific recommendations, but also the emissions of our suppliers and partners. That’s why we are accelerating our work to become a Net Zero business by 2040. This includes the utilisation of 100 percent renewable electricity to fulfil the needs of our Australian operations and providing funding for environmental regeneration projects through our Healthy Cities challenge.
With a focus on responding to issues that are critical to the physical, mental and environmental health of communities, the Bupa Foundation has invested more than $40 million in partnerships and programs.
At Bupa, we consider it vital to lead with actions to ensure we can deliver on our purpose of helping people live longer, healthier, happier lives and making a better world.
A key part of our sustainability strategy is to support organisations and events that share our commitment to sustainability, biodiversity and creating healthier cities. Through our partnership with the Banksia Sustainability Awards, we were both proud and humbled to help shine a light on businesses and people that are helping to create a healthy planet for healthy people through the Banksia Healthy Planet, Healthy People Award.
We have some significant environmental ambitions, but we know that there is a lot more work to do and we can't solve challenges like climate change on our own. We need everyone to play their part and we need to act with a sense of urgency.
We congratulate all winners on the work they have undertaken to date and hope this Award can act as a springboard to inspire further sustainable action and understanding of how people's health is impacted by the health of the planet.
Sponsor of the Healthy Planet, Healthy People Award
Sponsor of the Marketing and Communications for Impact Award
For more than 30 years, Currie has been working with those who strive for a kinder, safer, and fairer future for all.
We counsel and collaborate with leaders and organisations to help to turn their visions into strategies, stories and engagements that help build a better world.
As a B Corp ourselves, we know the journey of a ‘business for good’ is one of continual improvement, and we believe in the power of the truth-telling through this process.
That’s why we sponsor the Banksia Marketing and Communications for Impact Award.
Through shining a light on the businesses and initiatives in this category, we hope to inspire others to take up the challenge and play their part in leaving a happy and healthy world for future generations.
Congratulations to the finalists on their achievements and progress so far.
Sponsor of the Supply Chain and Responsible Procurement Award
Did you know that you hold the power to change the world? It lies in the ethical choices made by both consumers and organisations when sourcing goods and services.
This is precisely why Informed 365 is delighted to sponsor the Banksia Supply Chain and Responsible Procurement Award.
For more than a decade, Informed 365 has stood as a proud partner of the Banksia Foundation, sharing a vision of a world where businesses transcend from being mere entities to become forces for good.
It has been truly rewarding to be part of Banksia's evolution and seeing hundreds of worthy organisations recognised and celebrated by the Foundation over the years.
Our partnership reflects a shared dedication to recognising and celebrating organisations that embody the principles of ethical sourcing, sustainability and social responsibility.
The heartbeat of Informed 365's mission resonates with the belief that when organisations align
themselves with 'good' companies, a ripple effect of positive change is set into motion.
As a leader in responsible business practices, Informed 365 is committed to eradicating modern slavery within supply chains and aligning businesses with ethical practices and their legal obligations.
Environmental stewardship is also a key focus, with strides needed to reduce our carbon footprint and embed more sustainable operations.
Positive change can begin from any corner of the world, and we are determined to continue pushing the boundaries of what's possible.
That’s why our sponsorship of the Ethical Sourcing Award is not just an endorsement of ethical sourcing; it is a rallying cry for businesses, both large and small, to embrace their role as catalysts for positive change.
Let's collaborate to create a world where businesses thrive in harmony with people and the planet.
Sponsor of the Diversity & Inclusion Award
For over a century, L’Oréal has been dedicated to one sole vocation: creating beauty. Our goal is to offer each and every person around the world the best of beauty in terms of quality, efficacy, safety, sincerity and responsibility to satisfy all beauty needs and desires in their infinite diversity. At L’Oréal, our purpose is to Create the Beauty that Moves the World, and central to this is our commitment to make a positive impact on both people and planet.
Through our L’Oréal For The Future program, we are acting to ensure we operate within the limits of the planet, as defined by environmental science. We are also tackling our indirect, extended impact related to the activity of our suppliers and the use of our products by consumers. Further, we want to take on greater responsibility by allocating 150 million euros towards helping address some of today’s most pressing social and environmental challenges.
We are very excited this year to be supporting the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award at the 36th Banksia National Sustainability Awards. At the L’Oréal Groupe, our mission is to be the most inclusive beauty leader and contribute to a society in which everyone can live safely, peacefully, and equally. We believe that our team members and suppliers must reflect the world’s diversity, in order for us to meet our consumers’ needs and respond to their many and varied ideals of beauty. We know that supporting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion requires more than words, it must be backed up by concrete, on-the-ground, tangible and measurable actions, which is why we are so looking forward to celebrating the organisations that are championing diversity and inclusion in all facets of their operations and initiatives.
Sponsor of the Circular Economy Award
At Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, visionary ideas come to life, and the world's thought leaders gather. This iconic venue is an outlet for Melbourne’s signature culture, hosting dynamic exhibitions, conferences, galas, and concerts— everyone who visits leaves buzzing with inspiration and excitement.
As the home of the National Banksia Awards Gala, we’re proud to host sustainability leaders and innovators from across Australia and are delighted to sponsor this year’s Circular Economy award.
At MCEC, we’ve championed environmental sustainability for a long time, with the goal to improve our performance year-on-year. We’re built on solid foundations, being the first convention centre in the world to be awarded a 6-star green environmental rating and our exhibition expansion has a 5-star green rating. Our vision is to “lead extraordinary environmental change and amplify our social impact by forging partnerships and inspiring our people to leave a positive legacy”.
Underpinned by the principle of a low carbon and circular economy, our sustainability strategy commits to phase-out single-use packaging by 2025, reduce CO2 emissions by 25% by 2026 and achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. We have made significant progress towards these goals in the last financial year including:
• Scaled up our returnable coffee cup program and introduced 45 collection units to encourage cup return. During the year we served 894,000 people with returnable cups.
• Donated 9,041kgs of produce through OzHarvest, equating to 18,081 meals for those in need.
• Our urban farm Skyfarm harvested and donated 546kgs of fresh produce to OzHarvest.
• Processed 58 tonnes of organic waste material in our onsite ‘Waste Master’ organics dehydrator, which is equivalent to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by around 107 tonnes. The material is used to make compost for gardeners and farmers.
• During the year we served an average of 46% low carbon meals across events.
• Achieved EarthCheck Platinum Certification, one of only five convention centres globally to achieve Platinum or Master status.
• Calculated our Scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon emissions, to inform our net zero journey.
But we can’t do it alone, so we’re playing a leadership role in the industry to bring together key players to create meaningful change. We’re privileged to be part of the incredible network of award sponsors and to recognise those who are leading the way to a more sustainable future. We congratulate all the incredible finalists and the winner of our circular economy award category.
Sponsor of the Large Business Leadership Award
MCI is an events & engagement agency. We help our clients engage and activate their audiences through live events & experiences, digital engagement, strategic communications, and consulting.
With our expertise in engagement and community building, we help our clients motivate, incentivise, collaborate, grow and interact with their audiences. This synergy of experience and integrating intelligence delivers powerful engagement, activation, creative and strategic thinking.
At MCI, we believe that sustainable events can be transformative forces, enhancing quality, efficiency, participant experiences, and fostering innovation. MCI's holistic sustainable event design approach not only reduces costs and environmental impacts but also strengthens brand reputation and leaves lasting social legacies.
As founding members of the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative and signatories of the net zero emissions pledge by 2050, launched at COP26, Glasgow in 2021, we are committed to sustainability. Partnering with The Banksia Foundation & The
Banksia Sustainability Awards since 2014, we raise awareness and integrate ecologically and ethically conscious solutions, aiming for Carbon Neutral Event Certification.
Whether live, virtual, or hybrid, human connections are central to our work. Our meetings and events keep your audiences engaged in a personal and immersive way, making attendees active participants and loyal brand fans or members. We create memorable experiences whether it’s a conference, incentive, awards gala, executive forum, multiple city event or roadshow, product launch. Our team are experienced event and creative professionals and content curators who can assess your event goals and provide recommendations around increased attendance, engagement, and ultimately how to meet your business challenges.
Let’s continue the conversation and discuss how MCI can support your future event, marketing and engagement goals in a sustainable way.
Shape Your Tomorrow with MCI. www.wearemci.com
Sponsor of the Tourism and Destinations Award
Tourism Australia, the Australian Government agency responsible for influencing international visitors to travel to and through Australia for leisure and business events, is the founding partner for the Banksia Foundation’s Sustainable Tourism Award.
This award recognises and rewards outstanding achievements in championing the protection, conservation, and regeneration of Australia’s diverse natural environments and those who have demonstrated commitment to supporting the economic and physical wellbeing of local communities and cultures.
In short, the award recognises tourism businesses that are nurturing and protecting the very things which are integral to Australia’s appeal as a holiday destination.
Tourism Australia recognises that sustainability is crucial not only for ensuring that our natural environment can be enjoyed by future generations but also for enriching the lives of Australians and boosting the economic value of tourism.
Tourism Australia is taking steps to embed sustainability into its business operations and is also committed to supporting tourism businesses to ensure they are equipped with the resources they need to embark on their own sustainability journey. Additionally, Tourism Australia actively champions operators who showcase leadership when it comes to responsible tourism practices that ultimately also support Australia’s reputation as a destination overseas.
Banksia National Sustainability Awards Judges
The Banksia Judging and Awards Governance Committee is built on the dedication and expertise of remarkable individuals who generously volunteer their time to review each entry. These esteemed judges are selected for their deep knowledge and unwavering commitment to Banksia’s mission— championing Australian leadership in sustainability.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to our panel of over 60 independent judges from across Australia. Their independence from the Banksia Board and staff is fundamental to preserving the integrity of the Banksia Awards. Each judge is a specialist in their field, carefully assigned to categories that align with their expertise. To uphold fairness, all potential conflicts of interest are declared upfront, ensuring a transparent and impartial judging process.
We would also like to acknowledge and express our gratitude to Melissa Schultz, Head of the Audit and Risk Committee. Her leadership, alongside the invaluable contributions of the entire committee, ensures that our judging process remains robust, efficient, and of the highest standard.
Together, our judges play a crucial role in recognising and celebrating the outstanding sustainability efforts shaping Australia’s future.
The Banksia Foundation would like to thank the following individuals who have provided their time and expertise in judging the 36th National Banksia Sustainability Awards.
Aaron Organ
Alex Hillman
Alexander Legaree
Amy Croucher
Andrea Spencer-Cooke
Andrew Chamberlin
Andrew Sellick
Angela Crossland
Belinda Bean
Charles Rendigs
Chiara Pacifici
Chris Currie
Ciaran McCormack
Corin Millais
Daniel Lim
Digby Hall
Dominique Hes
Edward Cotter
Elizabeth Hurst
Emily Gerrard
Evelyn Jonkman
Fin Robertson
Fran Madigan
Hayley Purbrick
Heidi Robertson
Iain Smale
Ian Culbard
Izabella Kobylanski
Jack Noonan
Jacqui Bonnitcha
Jo Osorio
John Pabon
Katherine Featherstone
Katrina O’Mara
Kiera Flynn
Laura Hamilton-O’Hara
Lisa Whinnen
Lucinda Corrigan
Marion Pennicuik
Mark Caddey
Mark Watson
Mel Cutler
Meredith Banks
Monica Richter
Nadya Krienke-Becker
Olivia Tyler
Pip Marks
Robert Turk
Robin Mellon
Sara Redmond-Neal
Sheree Marris
Shona Cameron
Simon Boughey
Stacey Daniel
Stéphanie Camaréna
Stephanie Rich
Tim Langdon
Tom E A Davies
Turlough Guerin
Victoria Whitaker
The Pimpama River Conservation Area is located on the southern bank of the Pimpama River and borders the Southern Moreton Bay Marine Park and a Ramsar listed wetland.
Erandi Samarakoon
Mark Thomson
Jeff Robinson and the First Question Society
The 2025 Banksia awards have sorely missed Jeff Robinson who passed away after a freak accident only days after the 2024 awards night. He had been a judge of the awards for over 15 years and, quite possibly, the most enthusiastic judge ever. This is exemplified in a couple of quotes from fellow judges
“Jeff genuinely loved the Banksia Awards. A few hundred people gathered around to celebrate sustainability and the best of the best. A nice meal, some red wine. What could be better? He was so proud to be a judge. He'd scan the room to work out who he could say hi to or congratulate. These were all his people….. He was absolutely BEAMING with pride when his award category was announced… As we left the awards, I was reminded of how much he was loved. It took us 40mins to get out of the room as he said hi or bye to almost everyone.”
Jack Noonan
“When I was judging the awards this year I found myself asking “What would Jeff do?” He has left such a big towering hole….“ Grazyna Van Egmond
Jeff Robinson was a driving force for sustainable building and precinct design work in Victoria. He made
huge personal and professional contributions making him widely recognised and appreciated as a leading light in the sustainability industry.
Jeff worked tirelessly across the building industry throughout his career to create a better world for current and future generations, local communities, industry groups and the environment.
He was an unrelenting advocate for new and better ways to create buildings that used resources wisely, were architecturally inspiring, celebrated heritage, responded to their place, and made us happier and healthier. Jeff always set the bar higher and helped us get there.
Jeff loved to push the envelope of sustainable design and his passion for leadership and innovation in this space was infectious. He applied his quick intellect, collaborative instinct and deep respect for everyone's contribution to every project and every industry endeavour. He brought us together and used his talent for storytelling to demystify the complex and bring better outcomes within reach.
Jeff’s legacy lives on in the First Question Society www. firstquestionsociety.org. Jeff was renowned for not only being at every function, but, without fail, being the person to ask the first piercing question after first complementing the speaker on their presentation.
The First Question Society was formed to continue Jeff’s legacy of sustainability leadership and generate ripples of hope and transformation. This is done by creating opportunities
to develop sustainability leadership, cultivate relationships of trust and collaboration, and build collective ambition.
An example of this work is the First Question Society coming together with his family and Leadership Victoria (LV) to establish an ongoing Jeff Robinson Memorial Fund for Sustainability Leadership. Scholarships from the Fund will support upcoming and inspiring leaders in the field of sustainability to access LV programs, including the Williamson Community Leadership (WCL) program.
Jeff was exceptionally generous in giving his time to mentor younger people. The WCP program was pivotal in giving Jeff the skills and confidence he needed to stand up in front of a group of people to ask that first question. We hope that initiatives like this will inspire future generations to ask those difficult first questions, share their stories, and potentially even become future Banksia Award winners.
Banksia Sustainability Awards Honour Roll
2024
Agriculture and Regional Development Award
HW Greenham & Sons Pty Ltd, VIC
Circular Economy Award
The Reconnect Project, NSW
Climate Technology Impact Award Fleet Space Technologies, SA
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award
The Social Outfit, NSW
Healthy Planet, Healthy People Award
OPENAIR: The Operational Network of Air Quality Impact Resources (UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures), NSW
Large Business Sustainable Leadership Award Teachers Mutual Bank Limited, NSW
Marketing and Communications for Impact Award
World Wide Fund For Nature Australia - WWFAustralia, NSW
Nature Positive Award
Vic Catchments, VIC
Net Zero Action Award
ACT Emergency Services Agency, ACT
Placemaking Award
Parramatta Light Rail Stage 1, NSW
Responsible Supply Award
Bared Footwear, VIC
SME Sustainable Leadership Award Blue Eco Homes, VIC
Sustainable Leadership in the eCommerce Industry Award
Underwear for Humanity, NSW
Sustainable Tourism Award
Intrepid Travel, VIC
Banksia Gold Award
The Social Outfit, NSW2023
Banksia Agriculture and Development Award
Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, QLD
Banksia Biodiversity Award
Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, QLD
Banksia Circular Transition Award MCi Carbon, NSW
Banksia Diversity and Inclusion Award Ventia, NSW
Banksia Ethical Sourcing Award
Philip Chan, University of Sydney, NSW
Banksia First Nations Leading a Sustainable Future Award
The Keeping Place, WA
Banksia Future Places Award North Western Program Alliance, VIC
Banksia Health and Wellbeing Award Fire Rescue Victoria, VIC
Banksia Large Business Sustainable Award Woolworths Group, NSW
Banksia Marketing and Communications for Impact Award Paradigm Foods, QLD
Banksia Net Zero Leadership Award Metrics Credit Partners Pty Ltd, NSW
Banksia SME Sustainable Leadership Award Forico Pty Limited, TAS
Banksia Sustainable Leadership in the eCommerce & reCommerce Industry Award The Daily Routine, VIC
Banksia Sustainable Tourism Award Passions of Paradise, QLD
Banksia Youth Changemakers Award Alex Makes Meals, VIC
Banksia Gold Award Woolworths Group, NSW
2022
Banksia Agriculture and Development Award Planet Protector Packaging, NSW
Banksia Ethical Sourcing Award ZENNA LATEX MATTRESS, NSW
Banksia Circular Transition Award Ecologiq, VIC
Banksia Future Cities Award ACT Government, ACT
Banksia Health and Wellbeing Award
Primary & Community Care Services Ltd, NSW
Banksia Sustainable Toursim Award
Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort, QLD
Banksia Biodiversity Award
Sydney Institute of Marine Science, NSW
Banksia Clean Technology Award Degnan Constructions, NSW
Banksia Communication For Impact Award The Blue Tribe Company, NSW
Banksia Diversity Award L'Oreal Australia, VIC
Banksia Net Zero Action Award Lion Pty Limited, NSW
Banksia Youth as Our Changemakers Award Sascha Rust, VIC
Banksia Large Business Transformation Award Officeworks, VIC
Banksia Small Medium Enterprise Transformation Award Enable Social Enterprises Limted, VIC
Banksia Ignite Award Samsara Eco, NSW
Banksia Gold Award Planet Protector Packaging, NSW2020
Minister’s Award for the Environment World’s Biggest Garage Sale in partnership with Officeworks, QLD
Banksia Research & Academia Award The University of Melbourne and The Place Agency Consortium, VIC
Banksia Community and Charity Award Millennium Kids Inc., WA
Banksia Govenrment Award
Environment And Liveability Strategy – Sunshine Coast Council, QLD
Banksia Large Business Award Icon Water, ACT
Banksia Medium Business Award
Arkadia – Breathe Architecture in partnership with DKO Architecture, Oculus, VIC
Banksia Not For Profit & NGO Award
OzHarvest FEAST (Food Education And Sustainability Training) Program, NSW
Banksia Small Business Award Yume Food, VIC
Banksia Gold Award Icon Water, ACT
2019
Minister’s Award for the Environment Substation33, QLD
Banksia Research & Academia Award
Monash University Master of Environment and Sustainability, VIC
Banksia Community Award Tiny Trowel, VIC
Banksia Govenrment Award
Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve - BioBlitz 2019 by Sunshine Coast Council, QLD
Banksia Indigenous Award
“Littlewell” Mingenew Aboriginal Reserve Group in partnership with Thomas Cameron. Indigenous Community Volunteer, Lotterywest, Woolworth and Mingenew Shire, WA
Banksia Large Business Award
Digital Owl - Saving Our Species with Drones and Artificial Intelligence by Fujitsu Australia Limited in partnership with Saving our SpeciesNSW Government, NSW
Banksia Medium Business Award
Our People And Planet Program by Fun Over Fifty, QLD
Banksia Not For Profit & NGO Award
Building Better: Driving Sustainability In Infrastructure by ISCA – Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia, NSW
Banksia Small Business Award
How Now Dairy, VIC
Walk a Little Lighter by Spell & The Gypsy, NSW
Banksia Gold Award
ISCA – Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia, NSW
2018
Minister’s Award for the Environment Greening Australia, QLD
Banksia Research & Academia Award
Monash Sustainable Development Institute, VIC
Banksia Community Award
The NatureMapr Network in partnership with Atlas of Life in the Coastel Wilderness, NSW
Banksia Govenrment Award
Lord Howe Island - Board Protecting Paradise, Lord Howe Island Board, NSW
Banksia Indigenous Award
Revitalising Remote West Arnhem, Warddeken Land Management LTD, NT
Banksia Individual Award Teaspoon of Change, d’Arcy Lunn, SA
Banksia Large BusinessAward
Restoring Australia, Officeworks in partnership with Greening Australia, VIC
Bank Australia Conservation Reserve Ten Year Strategy 'Reimagining the Future', Bank Australia in partnership with Greening Australia and Trust for Nature, VIC
Banksia Media Award Blue the Film, in partnership with the Living Blue Guide
Banksia Medium Award
Biopak's Commitment to the Circular Economy, Biopak, NSW
Glamcorner, NSW
Banksia Not For Profit & NGO Award
Green Star by Green Building Council of Australia, Green Building Council of Australia, NSW
Banksia Small Business Award
Crystal Creek Meadow, NSW
Banksia Gold Award
Lord Howe Island - Board Protecting Paradise, Lord Howe Island Board, NSW
2017
Minister’s Award for the Environment Sundrop Farms, SA
Banksia Communication for Change Award War on Waste by KEO Films Australia in partnership with Screen Australia, ABCTV and ScreenNSW, NSW
Banksia Food for Sustainable Thought Award Cullen Wines, WA
Banksia Indigenous Leadership for Sustainability Award
Winya Indigenous Furniture Pty Ltd, NSW
Banksia Large Business Sustainability Leadership Award AccorHotels, NSW
Banksia Leadership in the Circular Economy Award
Yarra Valley Water – Converting Waste to Energy, VIC
Banksia Natural Capital Award
Murray-Darling Basin Balanced Water Fund by The Nature Conservancy Australia in partnership with Murray-Darling Wetlands Working Group and Kilter Rural, VIC
Banksia Small to Medium Business Sustainability Leadership Award Austral Fisheries, WA
Banksia Smart Award Sundrop Farms, SA
Banksia Sustainable Cities Award
Fitzroy Gardens Redevelopment by City of Melbourne
Banksia Sustainable and Resilient Communities Award
Reaching 100% with Australia’s First Commercially Operating Community Mini Grid by Totally Renewable Yackandandah in partnership with AusNet Services, VIC
Banksia Gold Award
War on Waste by KEO Films Australia in partnership with Screen Australia, ABCTV and ScreenNSW, NSW
2016
The Environment Minister’s AwardCommunity Environmental Leadership Dr Tony Parkers, NSW
The Environment Minister’s AwardResearch & Science Feral Scan by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre, ACT
Banksia International Award
Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, Australia
Banksia Communication for Change Award
John West Australia: Committed to a Sustainable Seafood Future, VIC
Banksia Food for Sustainable Thought Award Natural Evolution, QLD
Banksia Indigenous Leadership for Sustainability Award AshOil, WA
Banksia Large Business Sustainability Leadership Award Kathmandu
Banksia Leadership in the Circular Economy Award TIC Group, VIC
Banksia Mindful Movement Award Sendle, NSW
Banksia Natural Capital Award
The Yarra Yarra Biodiversity Corridor by Carbon Neutral in Partnership with Auscarbon, WA
Banksia Small to Medium Business Sustainability Leadership Award
The Farmer’s Place, VIC
Banksia Smart Award Infratech Industries, NSW
Banksia Sustainable Cities Award
The 202020 Vision
Banksia Sustainable and Resilient Communities Award
The Manymak Energy Efficiency Project Consortium, NT
Banksia International Award
Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, Director, Global Change Institute and Professor of Marine Science at The University of Queensland2015
Education for Sustainability Award
ResourceSmart Schools by Sustainability Victoria, VIC
Food for Sustainable Thought Award
Australian Dairy Industry Council, VIC
Indigenous Leadership for Sustainability Award
Lirrwi Yolngu Tourism Aboriginal Corporation, NT Innovator of the Year Award
The Carnegie Wave Energy Project, WA
Large Business Sustainability Leadership Award Australia Post, VIC
Mindful Movement Award
UNSW Solar Racing Team Sunswift, NSW
Natural Capital Award
Macquarie Island Pest Eradication Project by Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Services, TAS
Small to Medium Business Sustainability Leadership Award
Kalleske Wines, SA
Smart Technology Award
Sustainable Flood Management Strategy by City of Gold Coast, QLD
Sustainability in Design, Build: Buildings, Landscapes and Infrastructure Award
Barangaroo Reserve by Lendlease, NSW
Sustainability in Design, Build: Products Award Fieldtech Solutions, VIC
Sustainable Communities Award Grown and Gathered, VIC
Sustainable Water Management Award
Managing the Swan River during the development of Elizabeth Quay by Leighton Broad, WA
The Environment Minister’s Award for a Cleaner Environment
Allen Riseley, VIC
Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley, NSW
The Richard Pratt-Banksia CEO Award
Mark Ryan, Tassal, TAS
Banksia Gold Award
Kalleske Wines, SA
Banksia International Award
Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever
2014
Local Government Sustainability
ACT Solar Auction ACT Environment and Planning Directorate, ACT
Large Business Sustainability Leadership
The GPT Group, NSW
Innovation in Social Infrastructure > $100 Million
Making it exemplar- the North West Rail Link Transport for NSW
Leadership in Citizenship and Communities
Garage Sale Trail Garage Sale Trail Foundation, NSW
The Liveability Real Estate FrameworkTraining and Tools for the Next Generation of Real Estate LJ Hooker Corporate, NSW
Indigenous Leadership for Sustainability
Indigenous Biocultural Knowledge (IBK) Working Group ACEAS, NSW
Environment Minister's Award for a Cleaner Environment
Millicent Mill's Commitment to a Sustainable Regional Community Kimberly-Clark Australia and New Zealand, SA
Natural Capital
Tasmanian Midlands Bush Heritage Australia, VIC In partnership with Tasmanian Land Conservancy
The Richard Pratt – Banksia CEO Award
Damien Walsh, Managing Director bankmecu, VIC
Sustainable Water Management
The Barwon Water Biosolids Management Plenary Group, VIC
Product Sustainability – through design, manufacture and use
Fostering a climate of collaboration to transform road maintenance problems into an environmentally, financially and socially sustainable solution EarthCo Projects Pty Ltd, VIC
Small to Medium Business
Sustainability Leadership
Psaros-Leading By Doing Psaros, WA
Banksia Gold Award
ACT Solar Auction ACT Environment and Planning Directorate, ACT
Banksia International Award
Sean Willmore, Founder of The Thin Green Line Foundation
2013
Innovation Award
Yun Liu The Australian National University, ACT
Leading in Sustainability - Setting the Standard for Large Organisations Award
Leading in Essentials for a Better Life -Kimberly-Clark Australia and New Zealand, NSW
Leading in Sustainability - Setting the Standard for Small to Medium Businesses Award
Australian Ethical: Australia's Only Ethical Superannuation And Investment Fund Australian Ethical, NSW
Built Environment
Harmonious Manmade Landscapes AwardGlobal GreenTag Product Certification System Global GreenTag Pty Ltd, QLD
Indigenous Award
Caring for Country Award-Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA) Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA), QLD
Local Government Sustainability Award
Sustainability at Sunshine Coast: It's who we are, it's what we do Sunshine Coast Council, QLD
The Richard Pratt – Banksia CEO Award
Ravi Naidu, leadership for a cleaner planet
Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment, SA
Energy Efficiency and Carbon Management Award
Climate Wizard Seeley International, SA wThe GPT Group Community
Grant
Wadawurrung Dya Baap Ngobeeyt Cultural Heritage Mapping & Management Project Wathaurung Aboriginal Corporation, VIC Water - Our Most Precious Resource Award Restoring the balance - The Hattah Lakes environmental watering program Mallee Catchment Management Authority, VIC
Agriculture and Food - From Paddock to Plate Sustainably Award-
From Paddock to Plate to Paddock Cecconi's Cantina, VIC
Business and Not-for-ProfitsIn Collaboration Award'Magic Wand' Oiled Penguin Recovery Technology Phillip Island Nature Parks VIC
Climate Adaptation Award
City of Melbourne's Urban Landscape Adaptation Program City of Melbourne, VIC
Land and Biodiversity - Preserving Our Ecosystems Award
Gondwana Link: 1000kms of goodwill and good work Gondwana Link Ltd, WA
Education - Raising the Bar Award
Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, WA
The Richard Pratt – Banksia CEO AwardAustralia's leading change agent Ravi Naidu, leadership for a cleaner planet Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment, SA
Banksia Gold Award
Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA), QLD
Banksia International Award Jochen Zeitz
2012
Education Award
Raising the Bar Target 100 - Meat & Livestock Australia, NSW
Leading in Sustainability
Setting the Standard for Small to Medium Businesses Ecoburbia - Ecoburbia, WA
Leading in Sustainability
Setting the Standard for Large Organisations Here for the Long Haul, Qantas, NSW
Water
Our Most Precious Resource Dewfish Demonstration Reach - The Fish are Back! - Condamine Alliance, QLD
Agriculture and Food
From Paddock to Plate Sustainably OzHarvest - OzHarvest Ltd, NSW
Clean Technology
Harnessing Opportunities
SF6 Recycling Plant - ABB Australia
Pty Limited, NSW
Indigenous Award - Caring for Country I-Tracker Initiative: Best Practice Tools and Partnerships for Indigenous Land and Sea Management - North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance Ltd, NT
Built Environment - Harmonious Manmade Landscapes
Darling Quarter and Commonwealth Bank Place - Lend Lease and Commonwealth Bank, NSW
Land and Biodiversity - Preserving Our Ecosystems
The I-Tracker Initiative: New tools and Knowledge for Better ConservationNorth Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance Ltd., NT
The GE Eco Innovation Award for Individual Excellence Professor Veena Sahajwalla - The Eco Alchemist - The University of New South Wales, NSW
The GPT Group Community Grant Bookend Trust, TAS
Banksia Gold Award
Target 100 - Meat & Livestock Australia, NSW
2011
Education Award - Raising the Bar The Vortex Centre - Water Wonders in a Building That Teaches - Gippsland Water, VIC
Indigenous - Caring for Country West Arnhem Land Fire Abatement Partnership: a 140% success - Warddeken Land Management for WALFA Partners, NT
Land and Biodiversity - Preserving Our Ecosystems Fox-Free Phillip Island Victoria, AustraliaPhillip Island Nature Parks, VIC
Water - Our Most Precious Resource Gippsland Water Factory - A New Way to Care for Water - Gippsland Water, VIC
Agriculture and Food - From Paddock to Plate Sustainably Gaia Banana Farming: For Healthy Soils, Wetlands and Great Barrier Reef - Gaia Farms, QLD
Built Environment - Harmonious Manmade Landscapes Hepburn Community Wind Farm - Hepburn Wind, VIC
Leading in Sustainability - Setting the Standard for Large Organisations Sustainability is Good for BusinessFujitsu, VIC
Leading in Sustainability - Setting the Standard for Small Organisations Greening The Wharf - Sydney Theatre Company, NSW
Clean Technology - Harnessing Opportunities BlueGen - Clean Power For Your HomeCeramic Fuel Cells Ltd., VIC
Transportation - Mindful Movement Making Electric Cars Make Sense - Better Place Australia, VIC
Banksia People’s Choice Award Don’t Palm Us Off - Zoos Victoria
Banksia Gold Award
Gippsland Water Factory – A New Way to Care for Water – Gippsland Water, VIC
2010
Education
Switch Your Thinking! Program -South East Regional Energy Group, WA Water
Bringing Back the Fish - Industry and Investment
NSW
Land and Biodiversity
Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth - a Government / Community Partnership to ensure a Future for the Lower Murray - Department of Environment & Natural Resources South Australia, SA
Indigenous - ‘Caring for Country’ Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation - Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation, NT
Built Environment
Grocon Pixel Building - Grocon, VIC
Clean Technology
Mini-Hydro Project - Melbourne Water Corporation, VIC
Large Business Sustainability
Fuji Xerox Australia - Fuji Xerox, Australia
Small and Medium Enterprises
Business Sustainability
A Family Commitment to Sustainability - Taylors Wines, NSW
Agriculture and Food Project Catalyst - The Coca-Cola Foundation, Reef Catchments, WWF, QLD
Earth Hour Australia - WWF Australia (PartnersFairfax Media, Leo Burnett)
Indigenous “NAILSMA Dugong and Marine Turtle Project”
- North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance (Partners - Cooperative Research Centre for Tropical Savannas Management, Kimberley Land Council, Northern Land Council, Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, Cape York Balkanu Development Corporation, Torres Strait Regional Authority)
Land and Biodiversity
BIGG - Biodiversity in Grain and Graze - Kiriganai Research Pty. Ltd. and University of Tasmania, TAS (Partners - Meat & Livestock Australia, Grains R & D Corporation, Australian Wool Innovations, Land & Water Australia and the 62 member organisations of the Grain & Graze Program)
Local Government
Managing Drought in the City of ParksCity of Melbourne, VIC
Business Sustainability Award
ETIKO Fair Trade - ESP P/L., VIC
Water
Vision for the Broken River BasinGoulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, VIC
Banksia People’s Choice Award
Rouse Hill Town Centre - The GPT Group, NSW
Banksia Gold Award
WWF Australia – Earth Hour Australia
2007
Built Environment
National Lifestyle Villages National Lifestyle Villages, WA
Climate Award
GridX MiniGrid Tri-Generation System at Mirvac Vision Estate Glenfield Mirvac in Partnership with GridX, NSW
Community
Kimberley Toad Busters Inc, WA
Eco Innovation
PaintbackTM - Dulux, Bunnings, Sustainability Victoria and Chemsal in Partnership with Bluescope Steel and Steel Can Recycling Council, VIC
Education
GreenHome - Australian Conservation Foundation, NSW
Business Environmental Responsibility and Leadership Award
Sustaining Excellence at Toyota Australia, VIC
Government Leading by Example for a Sustainable Future
Fuelling the Future, Driving Sustainable Transport Energy in Western Australia, WA
Environmental Leadership in the Rural Sector Award
Sustainability through Open Inquiry at Random Valley, WA
Sustainable Development Leadership in the Minerals Industry Award
Bengalla Mining Company’s Culture of Sustainability, NSW
Environmental Leadership in Protecting the Bush, Land and Waterways Award Bush For Life: Training and Supporting Volunteers to Care for Bushland, SA
Leadership in Protecting Coastal and Marine Environments Award Living On The Edge, VIC
Environmental Leadership in Infrastructure and Services Award
SLIVER Cells, a Breakthrough in Solar Technology, ANU and Origin Energy, ACT
Leadership in Sustainable Buildings Award
The Puzzle of Sustainable Commercial Development: ‘National@Docklands’, VIC
Leadership in Financial Services and Sustainability Award
Different Cars, Same Colour - mecu goGreen® Car Loan, VIC
Environmental Leadership Education and Training Award
The Natural Advantage of Nations, Book and Training Initiatives, SA
Environmental Leadership in Media Communications Award
Marine National Parks and Marine Sanctuaries Media Communications, VIC
Banksia Gold Award
Mecu GoGreen Car Loan, VIC
2004
Environmental Leadership in the Community Saving the Paroo River, NSW
Business Environmental Responsibility and Leadership Visy Industries: “We Make It. We Take It”, VIC
Government Leading by Example for a Sustainable Future
The Great Barrier Reef Representative Areas Program: An Ecosystem Approach to Protecting Biodiversity, QLD
Environmental Leadership in the Rural Community Riverside Sanctuary, WA
Sustainable Development Leadership in the Minerals Industry
Wesfarmers Premier Coal, Leading Sustainable Mining Practices, WA
Environmental Leadership in Protecting Bush, Land and Waterways Saving the Paroo River, NSW
Environmental Leadership in Protecting Coastal and Marine
Markwells Bait Tackles Killer Plastic Bags, QLD
Environmental Leadership in Infrastructure and Service Thiess, Karuah Bypass, NSW
Leadership in Sustainable Product Design Charlie Carp Fertilizer, NSW
Leadership in Sustainable Buildings Darebin City Council, VIC
Leadership in Socially Responsible Investment Investa Property Group, VIC
Environmental Leadership in Communications Watch Every Drop, Drought Marketing Campaign, Gold Coast Water, QLD
Banksia Gold Award
Visy Industries: “We Make It. We Take It”
2003
Environmental Leadership in the Community Birds Australia Gluepot Reserve, SA
Business Environmental Responsibility and Leadership
VicSuper Contributing to a Sustainable Future, VIC
Government Leading by Example for a Sustainable Future
Solar in Schools, Sustainable Energy Development Authority, NSW
Environmental Leadership in the Rural Sector Plumbago Station, SA
Sustainable Development Leadership in the Minerals Industry
BHP Billiton, Transforming Policy into Sustainable Outcomes, WA
Environmental Leadership in Protecting Bush, Land and Waterways Control of the Yellow Crazy Ant on Christmas Island - Parks Australia and Monash University, VIC
Environmental Leadership in Protecting Coastal and Marine Environments
The Marine and Coastal Community Network, QLD
Environmental Leadership in Infrastructure and Service Douglas Shire Council, SA
Leadership in Sustainable Product Design
The Orbital Combustion Process 2-Stroke Motorcycle Technology - Orbital Engine Corporation Limited, WA
Leadership in Sustainable Buildings
60L Green Building, Spowers Victoria, Green Building Partnership, Lincolne Scott, VIC
Leadership in Socially Responsible Investment VicSuper: Sustainability Investing for a Sustainable Future, VIC
Environmental Leadership in Communications ‘Your Home?’ Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology, Sydney, The Australian Greenhouse Office, NSW2002
Environmental Leadership in the Community Central Hopkins Land Protection Association, VIC
Corporate Responsibility and Leadership City West Water’s Path to Sustainability, VIC
Government Leading By Example Landcom Leading by Example, NSW
Bush, Land and Waterways Greening Australia, Bidgee Banks, NSW
Coastal and Marine
Phillip Island, Victoria, Protecting Little Penguins on the Summerland Peninsula, VIC
Buildings
City of Melville, Piney Lakes Environmental Education Centre, WA
Infrastructure and Services
The Alcoa Portland SPL Treatment Process, VIC
Manufactured Products
Visy Closed Loop and Qantas, VIC
Socially Responsible Investment
Australian Ethical Investment, VIC
Communications
Parks Victoria, Healthy Parks Healthy People, VIC
-
2001
Outstanding Individual Achievement
Ian Lawrence
Community Group Achievemenseless Loop
Community Biosphere Project Group for ‘The Heirisson Prong Project’, WA
Corporate Responsibility and Leadership
Stanwell Corporation Ltd, QLD
Government/ Non Profit: Leading by Example
Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA), NSW
Small Business Responsibility and Leadership
Abbotsleigh Citrus Pty Ltd, QLD
Bush, Land and Waterways
National Parks and Wildlife, SA
Coastal and Marine
WWF Australia Dhimurru Land Management
Aboriginal Corporation Conservation Volunteers
Australia NT Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, NT
