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Minister’s Foreword
I am thrilled to share this inspiring collection of stories showcasing the innovative achievements of our state’s sustainability leaders.
The NSW Government is proud to once again partner with the Banksia Foundation to support the NSW Sustainability Awards. These awards celebrate the brilliance, passion and dedication of our state’s most ambitious sustainability trailblazers, highlighting bold initiatives that tackle climate challenges in creative and impactful ways.
The NSW Government shares this vision, and we are taking decisive action to deliver the sustainable future we all need. But we cannot do it alone. As we work towards achieving our emissions reduction targets, collaboration has never been more important.
By harnessing the leadership, ingenuity and determination reflected in these success stories, I am confident we will achieve our shared goals of reducing emissions, addressing climate change, protecting and restoring nature, and creating new jobs in emerging industries across NSW.
Action is required on many fronts, which is why I am delighted to see such diversity across this year’s awards. From grassroots initiatives to multi-million-dollar projects, these stories demonstrate the breadth of innovation underway across our state.
I particularly want to acknowledge the finalists in the Minister’s Young Climate Champion Award – our future leaders. Thank you for your courage and determination in leading honest conversations about the future you want and the responsibilities we all share.
It is also wonderful to see that many of the projects featured here are being delivered with Government support. We are committed to providing the necessary infrastructure and frameworks that enable innovation to flourish, partnering with communities and business to create a sustainable future.
This is a future the NSW Government is actively investing in. From establishing the state’s first large-scale green hydrogen and ammonia production facility, to upgrading electricity infrastructure, to rolling out hundreds of EV
chargers across the state, and launching a strategy to accelerate transitioning to renewable fuels in hard to abate sectors, we are working to secure a cleaner, more prosperous NSW for everyone.
There is no doubt that investing in sustainability makes sense. These case studies show businesses are committing significant resources to upgrade operations and influence emissions reduction across their supply chains. I applaud their efforts and share their vision. Only through combined determination, imagination and action can we achieve our targets and ensure a fairer, healthier environment for current and future generations.
Please join me in celebrating all the winners and finalists featured in this publication. We thank them for their leadership and outstanding work to imagine and create a more sustainable and resilient NSW.
I encourage you to share their stories widely – as both inspiration and a call to action.
The Hon. Penelope Gail Sharpe MLC
Minister for Climate Change, Minister for Energy, Minister for the Environment, and Minister for Heritage
Minister’s Young Climate Champion Award
Ruby Rodgers
Ruby Rodgers combines music, storytelling, and advocacy to inspire emotional honesty and empower youth voices in climate action.
Ruby Rodgers is a young Australian climate advocate who has transformed her creativity into a powerful tool for climate action. Growing up in a musical family, she became aware of the environmental impact of touring and decided to channel her climate anxiety into art and activism. Her debut
EP Crisis and contributions to Damon Gameau’s documentary Future Council showcase her commitment to blending music, storytelling, and advocacy to inspire change.
Website: rubyrodgers.com/
Ruby’s journey began with Future Council, where she travelled across Europe with seven other children in a vegetable-oil powered bus to challenge global leaders and CEOs about climate responsibility. Alongside this, she composed four original tracks for the film’s soundtrack and later performed her songs at the Melbourne International Film Festival and the UN General Assembly. Her TEDx talk, Can Innocence Be the Key to Climate Action?, further solidified her reputation as a compelling voice for youth-led climate advocacy Her climate action is distinctive in its emotional honesty. Ruby believes that vulnerability can bridge generational divides and foster solidarity, allowing people to process climate anxiety while finding strength in collective responsibility. This approach has resonated widely—Future Council inspired over 150 youth-led councils globally, with corporations such as Officeworks co-designing eco-friendly school supplies in response to youth voices
Ruby’s impact extends beyond policy influence to the emotional wellbeing of young people. Through her music and advocacy, she has created spaces where youth feel validated in their climate concerns, while also encouraging corporations and communities to act with empathy and purpose. Her work demonstrates that climate storytelling can move beyond data, becoming a vehicle for connection and shared humanity
Recognition of her leadership includes signing a record deal and releasing Hits the Heart, a single inspired by her experiences with the Future Council. She continues to collaborate with the Regenerators movement, Universal Music Australia, and fellow creatives to amplify her message. Her next steps include mentoring young artists, expanding youth councils in schools, and using her platform to advocate for deeper climate responsibility
Ruby Rodgers’ case study highlights how creativity, vulnerability, and determination can converge to make climate advocacy more inclusive, emotionally resonant, and impactful. By fusing artistry with activism, she has not only inspired new forms of youth engagement but also influenced businesses and communities to rethink their role in building a sustainable future.
Ruby Rodgers demonstrates how creativity can be mobilised as a powerful form of climate advocacy
Annabelle Horn
A vision for Albury High School 2075 ; sustainable living in a rural setting.
Students from Year 9 Geography at Albury High School were tasked with envisioning how their regional city could look in 50 years time, after a doubling of the population. Annabelle's response was a website outlining the development of Albury since the mid 1970s, a demographic profile of the town today, and a comprehensive plan
to deliver a healthy, sustainable place to live in 50 years time. A comprehensive suite of legislative measures, combined with visionary changes that showcase innovation and technology, as well as lifestyle changes, are encapsulated in a structured website to outline a vision of what can be achieved with bold leadership and a willingness to embrace opportunities.
Website: albury-h.schools.nsw.gov.au/
This project demonstrates how curriculum-based inquiry can be applied to real-world urban sustainability challenges
Approach
Annabelle Horn responded by developing A Vision for Albury 2075, a comprehensive, future-focused plan presented through a purpose-built website. Her approach combined historical analysis of Albury’s growth since the decentralisation policies of the 1970s with a detailed assessment of current demographic trends. Drawing on international examples of innovative urban design and extensive review of local council strategy documents, Annabelle proposed a suite of integrated measures to support sustainable population growth.
A distinctive feature of her work was the inclusion of anticipated legislative reforms and clearly
articulated leadership roles across local, state and federal government. This demonstrated a nuanced understanding of how coordinated governance and policy settings are essential to achieving long-term climate and sustainability objectives. The project addressed multiple Sustainable Development Goals, including good health and wellbeing, clean energy, sustainable cities and climate action.
Outcomes
While the project was inherently conceptual, Annabelle made a concerted effort to quantify the anticipated impacts of many proposed initiatives, an impressive achievement for a future-facing student project. The quality, depth and originality of the work exceeded
expectations and generated strong engagement from teachers, peers and external stakeholders. Notably, Albury City Council planners requested a meeting with Annabelle to explore her ideas further and offer work experience opportunities. The website has also been widely shared within the school community and submitted to the Young Geographer Awards.
The work aligns local urban planning with global sustainability priorities and multiple Sustainable Development Goals
International Grammar School
International Grammar School students are leading bold climate action through education, waste reduction, and activism, inspiring their community and beyond to build a sustainable future.
Students at International Grammar School (IGS) in Sydney began asking how they could make their school more sustainable. Supported by teachers, they created the Sustainable Futures group and identified six areas where change could be made: waste, energy, biodiversity, water, activism, and resources.
Their mission was to create a culture where sustainability was not just talked about, but embedded in everyday practice, and where student-led action could ripple outwards into the broader community.
Website: igssyd.nsw.edu.au/
The first project came from a geography assessment that led to an energy monitoring system for the school. This research laid the foundation for a solar panel installation a few years later. Students have also turned their attention to waste, conducting audits that revealed how much was being thrown away and leading to new recycling systems, improved signage, and education campaigns to raise awareness.
Students were determined to lift climate literacy across the community. More than 30 students trained as facilitators of Climate Fresk, an interactive workshop that makes climate science accessible through a collaborative card-based activity. Their efforts culminated in one of the largest in-school Climate Fresks in Australia, where students guided their teachers through the workshop. By 2025, students had facilitated Fresks for peers, staff, parents, and external organisations, creating a strong foundation of shared understanding.
Activism has been another important strand of Sustainable Futures. IGS students joined climate strikes in Sydney, marched with placards, and organised petitions and letters to Members of Parliament. These activities were not only acts of protest but opportunities to learn democratic engagement first-hand. Meeting with MPs and writing persuasively about their concerns gave students a sense of agency and responsibility as young citizens.
The impact has been both practical and cultural. On campus, energy and waste management have improved significantly, while sustainability has become part of daily life and conversation. Students and staff alike report feeling more empowered to take action and less paralysed by climate anxiety. Beyond the school, IGS students have presented at conferences, shared their work with visiting schools, and partnered with other organisations.
Students are most proud of the community they have built: hundreds gathered in the school hall for Climate Fresk, teams of students sorting rubbish in the courtyard, thousands marching through Sydney demanding action.
What makes the IGS story distinctive is its breadth and longevity. Rather than a single project, it is a movement led by students, combining education, practical change, and activism into a model that other schools can adopt. It demonstrates that when young people are trusted to lead, they not only learn — they inspire, empower, and transform their communities.
Sustainable Futures demonstrates how student leadership can embed sustainability into the everyday culture of a school
Biodiversity Award
Tiny Forests for Rapid Regeneration — The Groundswell Collective’s Tiny Forests are transforming small urban spaces into fast-growing, community-led native ecosystems that restore biodiversity, combat climate change, and inspire local action.
In response to escalating biodiversity loss and climate anxiety, The Groundswell Collective, a communityled not-for-profit organisation based in Lake Macquarie, has pioneered the fastest demonstrated model of ecosystem development in Australia through its Tiny Forest initiative.
Since launching its pilot in 2023, the program has transformed 15 underused urban and peri-urban plots across the Hunter and Central Coast into thriving biodiversity hotspots using the Miyawaki method.
Website: thegroundswell.org.au
These compact forests, just the size of a tennis court, are densely planted with native species and designed to restore habitat, improve soil, cool local temperatures and reconnect people with nature. The approach is fast, effective and replicable. Within 12 months of planting, the pilot site showed a 5.4°C reduction in ambient temperature, six times faster water absorption, a fivefold increase in pollinator activity and a sevenfold increase in groundswellers.
What sets The Groundswell apart is not just the speed or scale of its ecological outcomes but its radical community-led approach. Every Tiny Forest is co-designed with local residents, students and Traditional Custodians to ensure cultural relevance, stewardship and long-term care. Volunteers, including over 2,150 community members and school students, have helped plant 10,000 native trees and shrubs to date. Post-event surveys showed 95% of participants found a sense of purpose through their involvement and 63% reported a reduction in climaterelated anxiety.
The Groundswell’s unique model integrates science, storytelling and Indigenous knowledge. Forests often feature public art and meeting spaces. Biodiversity monitoring is conducted using tools like camera traps and eco-acoustic loggers in partnership with the University of Newcastle and Earthwatch Australia. A curriculum-aligned children’s book
and educational resources extend the impact into schools and households. The program also delivers strong economic and climate benefits. It supports local businesses, enabled the hiring of new staff and diverted 142 tonnes of organic waste from landfill, avoiding 38 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. Its measurable outcomes align directly with SDGs 3 (Good Health), 4 (Quality Education), 11 (Sustainable Cities), 13 (Climate Action) and 15 (Life on Land).
The initiative has earned multiple accolades including the 2024 Hatch Accelerator Prize, Keep Australia Beautiful Awards and the 2025 Lake Macquarie Environmental Leader of the Year. The Groundswell’s founder was also invited to present at the 2024 Miyawaki Symposium in Japan and is contributing to a global network of urban biodiversity innovators.
With growing partnerships from councils, schools and landholders, The Groundswell is on track to plant 50 Tiny Forests by 2030, creating stepping-stone habitats along green corridors. These forests do not just regenerate land, they build community resilience, capability and hope.
By combining grassroots leadership, scientific rigour and inclusive design, The Groundswell Collective is showing that local people can lead powerful, fast and scalable solutions to the biodiversity and climate crises, one Tiny Forest at a time.
The Groundswell model demonstrates how grassroots leadership can produce fast, scalable and replicable climate and biodiversity solutions
Australian Museum FrogID Project
The Australian Museum’s FrogID project is a record-breaking citizen science initiative using mobile technology to monitor and conserve Australia’s threatened frogs.
In collaboration with NSW Government, Inspiring Australia - Science Engagement Programme
Website: frogid.net.au/
FrogID, launched by the Australian Museum (AM) in 2017, addresses a critical need to safeguard Australia's frog species, many of which face extinction risks. Across Australia, 1 in 5 frogs are threatened with extinction.
FrogID is a pioneering national initiative that harnesses the power of citizen science through the FrogID app, enabling community volunteers to record frog calls whenever they hear them. Thousands of audio submissions are received each week and verified by AM frog call experts to generate precise, location-tagged audio data crucial for effective conservation strategies. Led by leading herpetologist, Dr Jodi Rowley, FrogID has garnered global acclaim for its innovative approach to biodiversity monitoring. The project aims to establish an exhaustive frog call database, track population trends over time, and inform conservation and land-use decisions.
By engaging the public, FrogID advances biodiversity knowledge on rapid scales and promotes awareness of frog conservation and broader biodiversity issues, aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 15 (Life on Land), 13 (Climate Action), 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), 6 (Clean Water and Sanitisation) and 4 (Quality Education). A strong focus on science communication and community participation drives FrogID's success. Annual FrogID Week events in November amplify data collection efforts and increase community engagement.
Challenges such as enhancing the app, managing data effectively and scaling up submissions are met with innovative solutions, including strategic partnerships to support resourcing and the exploration
of AI for automated frog call identification. Collaborations with national museum institutions, NSW government bodies, generous donors and corporate businesses bolster community engagement and advance FrogID’s conservation goals. FrogID ensures data integrity through rigorous scientific oversight, with over 1.3 million frog records now available for pivotal biodiversity research and conservation decisions.
FrogID extends beyond data collection; it has in part helped describe 13 new frog species and informed over 30 AM-authored scientific papers. FrogID biodiversity datasets are released annually following thorough data checking protocols, contributing to openaccess data and distribution maps for every frog species in Australia. FrogID provides monthly data on the invasive cane toad to NSW and WA government agencies, and shares data through sensitive species data protocols with biodiversity atlases in every state and territory. Recognising
Connecting people to nature through frog conservation and citizen science
frogs' critical role as ecosystem indicators, these records are crucial for understanding and protecting vulnerable species and habitats. Beyond science, FrogID fosters a stronger connection between people and nature. Participants learn about frogs' roles and develop a sense of appreciation and awareness of their local biodiversity.
Looking ahead, FrogID plans to expand its reach, creating a decadelong dataset to track how frog populations cope with ongoing threats such as disease, climate change and habitat loss. The project also aims to explore AI technologies for automated frog call recognition, leveraging its one-of-a-kind acoustic dataset to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of AI-integrated frog monitoring. As a prominent citizen science initiative based in NSW, FrogID's impact extends globally, shaping conservation policies and inspiring public engagement in safeguarding frog biodiversity for generations to come.
Envite Environment
Envite Environment’s Koala landscape habitat recovery initiative delivers large-scale, science-led, and community-driven restoration from Taree to Tweed Heads, enhancing biodiversity, building climate resilience, and protecting koalas through long-term partnerships and on-ground action.
In collaboration with WorldWide Fund for Nature (WWF), Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT), Local Land Services (LLS), NSW Department of Climate Change Energy, Environment and Water (DCCEEW).
Envite Environment leads Australia's most comprehensive koala habitat restoration programs across northeastern NSW, from Taree to Tweed. The catastrophic 2019-20 Black Summer fires destroyed 12.5 million hectares of forest, including prime koala habitat.
Website: envite.org.au
Since 2020, more than 3,350 hectares of priority koala habitat have been restored across 104 properties
Recognising the urgency, Envite mobilised to address the critical challenge of habitat integrity and fragmentation threatening endangered koala populations. The organisation's mission centres on restoring connectivity, securing longterm habitat protection, and building community-driven conservation solutions that extend well beyond individual project timelines. The initiative overcomes significant challenges including accessing private lands across fragmented landscapes, engaging diverse stakeholders, coordinating complex multi-partner initiatives, and ensuring long-term conservation outcomes beyond project funding cycles, ensuring restoration efforts would have lasting impact.
Envite implemented a multi-faceted approach combining scientific rigour with community engagement. The organisation used NSW Koala Habitat spatial data and mapping tools to strategically target highimpact restoration sites. Strategic partnerships with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), NSW Government agencies, local councils, community groups and Traditional Owners, integrating cultural knowledge. These partnerships are critical to securing long-term conservation outcomes, particularly given the scale of habitat restoration across the landscape.
Since 2020, Envite has led the restoration of 3,350 hectares of priority koala habitat, and planted 89,260 native trees, including koala food trees across 104 properties. The organisation secured 33 inperpetuity conservation agreements covering 1,222 hectares, ensuring permanent habitat protection. Community engagement delivered 24 educational events, established 6 Traditional Owner partnerships, and created Indigenous employment opportunities. Monitoring has recorded stronger native vegetation cover, improved connectivity, and regular koala sightings in restored sites, tangible evidence that these efforts are benefiting wildlife.
Community engagement reached over 1,000 participants through field days, volunteer events, and school education programs, building lasting conservation stewardship. The initiative advances multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals, delivering biodiversity gains, carbon sequestration, and inclusive community engagement.
Envite’s collaborative approach represents genuine commitment to fostering respect and knowledge of the ecosystems they work with. The ability to deliver tangible on ground works combined with local knowledge and technical expertise bolsters restoration of biodiversity so that, even the often underappreciated, native species can thrive.
In the Bungawalbin area, one of NSW’s richest biodiversity hotspots, Envite’s work with Traditional owners, Minyumai Rangers, and local landholders has supported the recovery of 11 priority threatened species, including: Regent Honeyeater, Glossy Black-Cockatoo, Koala, Yellow-bellied Glider, Spottedtail Quoll, Long-nosed Potoroo, Greyheaded Flying-fox, Golden-tipped Bat, Platypus, Giant Barred Frog and Oxleyan Pygmy Perch. These efforts have contributed to long-term recovery of additional threatened species (12 flora and 46 fauna) and 4 ecological endangered communities.
Envite Environment's koala habitat restoration initiative is an example of transformative conservation leadership, demonstrating how scientific innovation, community collaboration, and cultural integration can deliver lasting environmental and social outcomes. By establishing a replicable framework for landscapescale restoration, this initiative not only secures koala population resilience but creates a blueprint for threatened species recovery across Australia.
Envite’s leadership in restoring koala country is helping to secure the future of one of Australia’s most iconic species, while seeding longterm benefits for people and nature to thrive.
Platypus Conservation Initiative
The UNSW Platypus Conservation Initiative has transformed platypus conservation through groundbreaking research, successful reintroductions, and community engagement, reversing local extinctions across NSW.
In collaboration with WWF - Australia, Taronga Conservation Society, NSW NPWS, Australian Conservation Foundation.
In 2023 the UNSW Platypus Conservation Initiative (PCI) achieved a conservation milestone: the successful reintroduction of platypuses to Royal National Park, marking the first return of this iconic species to any NSW national park. The project demonstrates how rigorous science, multi-agency collaboration, and adaptive management can reverse local extinctions and restore ecosystem integrity.
The initiative demonstrates that local extinctions can be reversed through science-led, collaborative intervention
Platypuses vanished from Royal National Park's waterways in the 1970s, due to urban encroachment, water pollution, and predation.
PCI’s goal was to re-establish a viable breeding population while mitigating the threats that caused the original extinction. Challenges were significant: decades-long absence had left habitat suitability uncertain, predator pressures from foxes and feral cats remained high, food availability needed verification, and the logistics of safely capturing, transporting, and monitoring a species notoriously sensitive to handling stress were complex.
PCI implemented a comprehensive three-phase approach. First, the team conducted an extensive 18-month baseline assessment which included water quality testing, macroinvertebrate surveys to confirm adequate food resources, and environmental DNA sampling to verify the species' absence.
Advanced bathymetric mapping identified optimal release sites with suitable burrow locations and refuge pools. Ten platypuses were captured from healthy populations across NSW, anesthetised using PCI’s innovative
protocols, health checked, and fitted with acoustic and radio transmitters for post-release monitoring.
Simultaneously, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service implemented a critical and targeted fox and cat management program across 2,000 hectares.
Post-release monitoring combined monthly tracking surveys, environmental DNA sampling, camera traps, and regular recaptures for health checks, with breeding activity tracked via burrow surveys and infrared cameras. Results have exceeded expectations: high survival rates and, in 2024, the capture of a juvenile platypus confirmed successful breeding.
Broader ecosystem improvements have followed, including enhanced water quality monitoring, richer food webs, and strengthened community engagement.
The initiative has garnered unprecedented public attention, reaching an audience of 30 million
people nationally and internationally, and securing additional funding for continued monitoring and future releases through 2028.
PCI's integration of cutting-edge technology with traditional ecological knowledge – including environmental DNA for population monitoring and real-time acoustic telemetry networks – offers unprecedented insights into establishment success. Its adaptive management framework, refining strategies based on ongoing data, sets new standards for threatened species recovery.
Platypus reintroduction to the Royal National Park transforms conservation possibilities for freshwater species across Australia. By demonstrating that local extinctions can be reversed through science-based intervention, the project provides a replicable model for ecosystem restoration. This success story positions the platypus not just as a conservation target, but as a flagship for freshwater ecosystem recovery nationwide.
Project EnergyConnect
The EnergyConnect project, led by Transgrid and Elecnor Australia, has redefined industry standards for transmission projects, and as a result has delivered exceptional ecological outcomes.
How a 700 km renewable “superhighway” set a new biodiversity benchmark for linear infrastructure in NSW.
The Challenge
EnergyConnect links the grids of NSW, South Australia and Victoria through 700 km of transmission lines traversing ecologically and culturally sensitive country, including habitat for critically endangered species such as the Plains-wanderer. After a 35-year lull in new line construction, traditional methods would not meet modern expectations or regulations, demanding new thinking end-to-end.
We put avoidance first. Interdisciplinary workshops across design, construction, environment and land access reviewed every permanent and temporary design element—towers, tracks, laydowns and stringing sites—to shift works onto already-disturbed ground and minimise clearing. Daily ecological oversight became standard practice, with approximately 12–14 ecologists and fauna handlers guiding clearing and earthworks. First Nations monitors and archaeologists were embedded to integrate cultural and ecological obligations on the ground.
Where impacts were unavoidable, we engineered careful, low-stress methods for wildlife and rapid site recovery, including specialised treesaw equipment, retention of root structures and logs, stringent erosion controls, and early rehabilitation. Post-construction monitoring is already showing higher-thananticipated vegetation integrity scores.
What we achieved
• Clearing reduced by 45%, preserving over 1,000 ha of native vegetation across the project. Actual clearing was 1227.57 ha against a permitted 2245.51 ha
• Connectivity protected at scale: against a recommendation of 95 corridors, 1,849 vegetated connectvity corridors were retained, improving longterm species viability across fragmented landscapes
• Carbon avoided: reduced clearning cut forecast construction emissions by -267,000 t CO2 (~40% of projected clearing emissions)
• Net positive habitat: seven Biodiversity Stewardship Agreements now conserve >23,000 ha in perpetuity, including Singorimbah (8,700 ha) — NSW's largest BSA — and Big
Bend (6,600 ha) managed longterm by the Barkindj Maraura Elders Environment Team. These sites were able to deliver likefor-like offsets for over 96% ocf Ecosystem credits and over 50% of species credits.
• Hollow-dependent fauna supported through >6,400 nest boxes — Australia's largest recorded nest-box program
• Plains-wanderer protection: impact capped at 0.37 ha, roughly the footprint of a single tower, achieved through meticulous site-by-site redesign
• Industry leadership: the project voluntarily achieved a 'Leading' Infrastructure Sustainability Council Design rating — the first awarded to an Australian transmission development
Legacy and next steps
EnergyConnect shows that largescale energy infrastructure can deliver more habitat protected than impacted, while enabling decarbonisation of the grid. Perpetual stewardship agreements now secure large off-site habitats,
with Singorimbah and Big Bend providing protected anchor landscapes. Big Bend will be managed long term by the Barkindji Maraura Elders Environment Team, and partnerships with private landholders underpin ongoing ecological management.
On future lines, the same playbook will be applied: Sensitive Area Plans and GIS briefings for crews, clear ecological requirements communicated through training and toolbox talks, and tightly managed clearing permits to keep constraints active on site.
Knowledge transfer is embedded. Regular lessons-learnt workshops are sharing methods and data with the HumeLink and VNI West teams, while factsheets, site tours and public updates keep communities informed and engaged.
The Royal Sydney Golf Club
The Royal Sydney Golf Club’s Bay Course is one of Australia’s finest and most exciting new golf courses – but the project did not just deliver a world-class golf course, it also represents a wider philosophy on purposeful and sustainable use of golfing green space.
The Royal Sydney Golf Club’s Bay Course is one of Australia’s finest and most exciting new golf courses. But the Bay Course Project did not just deliver a world-class golf course – it also represents a wider philosophy on purposeful and sustainable use of golfing green space.
Website: royalsydney.club/
Royal Sydney committed to making its grounds “one of the most significant sanctuaries of native flora and fauna in Sydney’s eastern suburbs”. Positioned among Australia’s leading golf clubs, Royal Sydney also saw the opportunity to redefine modern, sustainable golf course design, and to demonstrate the mutually beneficial relationship that can exist between the sport of golf and the natural environment.
The redevelopment included a comprehensive native landscape restoration which resulted in a net increase of 1,592 trees on the course, while a biodiverse understory was created by planting a rich array of 500,000 native plants. In addition to the significant increase in tree and plant numbers, floral diversity has been quadrupled (from 30 to 119). Many new species have been added ranging from the large-scale red bloodwoods to delicate flora such as fuchsia heath. Also included are numerous Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub species, listed as a 'critically endangered ecological community' in the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act (2016).
The project has ceded more than 14 hectares of mown course turf to become native landscape areas. The creation of these areas and the endemic plant choices will allow a 20% reduction in water use, saving up to 73 million litres annually, as well as a significant reduction of inputs such as fertilisers.
The project has improved onsite
biodiversity through the provision of wildlife corridors and restored bushland, as well as 100 nesting boxes, native bee habitats and several hundred habitat logs placed around the course to create habitats for birds, mammals, reptiles, insects and amphibians. Also included was the creation of a ‘Paperbark Wetland’ – the first of its kind in the local area. This saw the planting of more than 200 paperbark trees within the former course dam area, creating a wetland environment that represents an ideal habitat for a variety of fauna, particularly wetland birds.
Now, Royal Sydney is utilising the Bay Course for local biodiversity monitoring, native plant seed-banking and animal welfare programs, working with government and community organisations to achieve shared environmental goals. The project has also helped grow Royal Sydney’s connection with the wider community, from close collaboration with Woollahra Municipal Council to educational partnerships with local schools, TAFEs and universities.
Long-term, Royal Sydney believees the Bay Course Project can provide key learnings and guide similar initiatives undertaken by golf organisations across Australia and the globe. Helping to establish greater ecological harmony beween golfing spaces and their wider natural environments
25 Circular Economy Award
John Holland - M7M12 Integration Project
Addressing Australia’s growing solar waste challenge while setting a new standard for circular economy innovation in infrastructure.
Faced with Australia’s growing solar panel waste problem, John Holland’s M7M12 Integration project has turned an environmental challenge into an innovative circular economy solution. The Solar Panel Glass Sand in Asphalt initiative is an Australian-first, repurposing glass from end-of-life solar panels into a sustainable alternative to quarried sand in road construction. Developed in collaboration with PV Industries and Fulton Hogan, this initiative diverts waste from landfill, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and introduces a scalable construction material that aligns with Australia’s push for carbon neutrality by 2050.
Australian-first solution transforming end-of-life solar panels into high-performance construction material
Objectives and Challenges
The initiative sought to achieve three key objectives: reduce solar panel waste destined for landfill, lower the environmental impact of asphalt production by replacing virgin materials, and establish a viable, sustainable material for widespread use in road construction. However, the project faced a number of hurdles, including navigating strict regulatory requirements for recycled materials, addressing scepticism around the feasibility of using solar panel glass in asphalt, and ensuring the new material met Transport for NSW’s (TfNSW) stringent safety and performance standards.
Strategies and Actions
To address these challenges, the M7-M12 Integration project team collaborated with PV Industries, which processed the solar panels into crushed glass, and Fulton Hogan, which developed and tested the asphalt mix. Extensive testing was conducted to ensure the glass met regulatory requirements and TfNSW specifications. The team worked closely with the NSW Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to secure an exemption, allowing the use of solar panel glass in asphalt. Regular stakeholder engagement and transparent communication were critical throughout the process, ensuring alignment and momentum.
The result of extensive collaboration and a shared goal of sustainable innovation, the initiative was successfully trialed on a 300m stretch of road on the M7-M12 Integration project, using 240 tonnes of asphalt containing 6 tonnes of solar panel glass.
Impact and Results
This trial diverted 400 end-of-life solar panels from landfill and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5% compared to traditional materials. The initiative also conserves finite natural resources by reducing reliance on quarried sand, mitigating the environmental degradation caused by sand mining.
Now a TfNSW-approved product, this asphalt mix is available for use across NSW, with other projects, such as John Holland’s Northwest Treatment Hub, already planning adoption.
Innovation and Uniqueness
This initiative represents a significant step towards integrating circular economy principles into infrastructure development. Unlike traditional recycled glass, solar panel glass offers
superior quality and doesn’t require extensive washing. By demonstrating that waste can be repurposed into a commercially viable, high-performing product, the initiative proves that sustainability can drive innovation without compromising quality. What's more, its scalability and adaptability across industries further highlights its potential to revolutionise waste management and materials use.
The Solar Panel Glass Sand in Asphalt initiative exemplifies the power of innovation, collaboration, and persistence in addressing pressing sustainability challenges. By repurposing a growing waste stream into a valuable construction material, it not only contributes to Australia’s environmental goals but also sets a new standard for sustainable infrastructure.
Winning Group
The Winning Group’s sustainability initiatives drive circularity reaching 95% of NSW population, partnering with key suppliers, 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: winninggroup.com.au
Through its pioneering, free takeback 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 NSWs 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. Value chain collaboration influences wider product stewardship and extended producer responsibility outcomes.
Over 80,000 tonnes of e-waste recycled — Australia’s largest retailled circularity program in action
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.
Auburn Hospital Sustainability Team
Auburn Hospital Sustainability team, small actions, big impact: greening health care together.
In collaboration with Petbarn Arc, Save the Children, Cumberland Council Community gardens, various church and community organisations
The NSW Government has decreed health facilities to reduce waste to landfill by 80% before 2030. Auburn Hospital has not only placed themselves, but the local health district is in a good place to achieve this.
Auburn Hospitals proven track record over 19 years has brought positive attention to their work and meant they have been given the opportunity to trial sustainability initiatives for the district, for example:
• A trial to reduce bottled water use in health settings
• A trial introducing compostable kidney dishes
• Coordinating the district display for the Climate and Health Alliance’s ‘Operation Waste’
Healthcare has a responsibility to ‘do no harm’, yet 7% of Australia’s carbon footprint comes from the healthcare system. Waste sent to landfill contributes to environmental damage and ultimately harms people’s health, especially in the developing world. The team recognised that this connection is often overlooked by those in a position to make changes.
This is not just a story about a project that aims to wasteless, it is about a team that has created a sustained culture where wasting less is their hospitals way of doing business.
What makes this project remarkable is that it has been led by hospital cleaners who have influenced an entire Area Health Service. Their work demonstrates persistence and leadership despite barriers such
as limited support, entrenched habits, procedural resistance, and the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. Beginning with a small can recycling effort, they built momentum through consistent, practical initiatives that others could easily adopt.
They recycle, upcycle, and repurpose everyday items, showing that every department and individual can contribute. Examples include Blue Bowl Recycling, Vitamin K Syringe Redirection, Out-of-Date Stock, Furniture & Medical Equipment Repurposing, Return and Earn Scheme and additional projects.
Blue Bowl Recycling
Since 2017
• 6,700 blue bowls redirected from landfill to animal charities and community gardens, inclding overseas recipients. Saved $720 per year in waste fees
• 13,440 kidney dishes redirected similarly, saving $240 per year
• 26,880 galley pots redirected, saving $240 per year
Vitamin K Syringe Redirection
Since 2020
• 1,300 sterile Vitamin K syringes redirected to animal charities, saving $20 per year
Out-of-Date Stock
Since 2017
• Around 2,000 items redirected from landfill to animal charities, saving approximately $1,500 per year
This is not a project about wasting less; it is a culture where wasting less is simply how business is done
Furniture & Medical Equipment
Repurposing
Since 2017
• 2,000 items of unwanted furniture and medical equipment donated to local residents, community groups and animal charities, saving $12,000 per year
Return and Earn Scheme
• 52 otto bins of bottles and cans collected, raising $1,200 for Save the Children charity. The message “20 bottles or cans will vaccinate a child for life” encouraged participation across the hospital and broader community
Additional Projects
• Trial to reintroduce water jugs and glasses in place of bottled water
• PVC recyling with Baxter Pharmaceuticals to recycle IV bags, oxygen masks and tubing.
Turning
hospital waste into community value — from medical supplies to animal welfare support
Through small, persistent actions, the Auburn Hospital team has created lasting cultural change and demonstrated that meaningful waste reduction is achievable, scalable, and impactful. Their work has laid the foundation for district-wide sustainability improvements and a healthier environment for all.
Lion Pty Ltd
Lion, a B Corp certified company, integrates sustainability into its core purpose: Making the Moment Mean More. This ethos drives its commitment to environmental leadership and longterm outlook through the “Force for Good” strategy, which includes goals such as achieving net zero emissions by 2050, driving the circular economy, and fostering value chain collaboration.
Objectives and Challenges
Having met its 2030 Scope 1 and 2 emissions targets, Lion is now focused on reducing Scope 3 emissions, particularly from packaging, its largest contributor. In Australia, only about 63.7% of aluminium cans are recycled, presenting a significant opportunity.
Website: lionco.com
Only 63.7% of aluminium cans are recycled in Australia—highlighting a clear opportunity for change
Strategies and Actions
In 2022, Lion partnered with packaging supplier Visy through the Australian Climate Leaders Coalition. By 2024, this expanded to a crossindustry alliance including Novelis and Rio Tinto to improve beverage packaging sustainability. This led to the Re-In-Can-Ation initiative under Stone & Wood, aiming to create a highly recycled aluminium can with reduced environmental impact while maintaining product quality.
Impact and Results
A collaborative working group began in 2023. Rio Tinto supplied lowcarbon aluminium, Novelis supplied coils with high recycled content, and Visy manufactured the cans locally. Instead of isolating a specific aluminium batch, the team used a mass balance approach, calculating emissions and recycled content over time. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) by Anthesis Group, in accordance with ISO standards, validated the approach.
Innovation and Uniqueness
Key technical achievements included the development of cans with 83%* recycled aluminium, a 30%
improvement over previous products. This innovation was paired with a strong communications campaign, including QR codes on cans linking to consumer education content.
Conclusion
The cans delivered a 59% reduction in carbon emissions compared to Stone & Wood’s 2023 baseline.
Across 15 million cans over 18 months, emissions are expected to be reduced by 1,235 tonnes of CO2-e, equivalent to removing 270 cars from the road for a year**. The initiative strengthened industry collaboration and showed that sustainability can be embedded into mainstream manufacturing. If scaled across Lion’s portfolio, it could reduce Scope 3 emissions by an estimated 10%.
Re-In-Can-Ation demonstrates leadership by challenging conventional norms and prioritising cross-sector collaboration. The success of the mass balance methodology and high-recycledcontent cans makes the model scalable across beverage and packaging industries. Lion’s transparent and collaborative approach with staff, partners, and consumers has become a blueprint
for future ESG initiatives, with shared knowledge through industry bodies like APCO extending impact.
Re-In-Can-Ation demonstrates that recycling reduces emissions, builds consumer trust, and accelerates progress toward a circular economy. It is a replicable, scalable example of environmental leadership in action.
* Based on average recycled content (by mass) of aluminium coils supplied by Novelis, 1 June 2023 to 31 May 2024.
** Reduction based on comparison to Stone & Wood 2023 375mL can baseline; LCA conducted to ISO 14040/14044.
Re-In-Can-Ation is a replicable blueprint for the beverage and packaging industries
OceanEarth Foundation
LoopFloat, developed by OceanEarth Foundation and partners, is tackling ghost gear through design, replacing polystyrene floats with Australia’s first circular product designed by and for recreational fishers.
In collaboration with OzFish Unlimited, Defy Design
Website: oceanearthfoundation.org.au/
Recreational fishing is one of Australia’s most popular pastimes, but it also contributes to a hidden problem: ghost gear.
When fishing gear is lost or abandoned, it can continue trapping wildlife, damaging habitats, and adding to the burden of plastic pollution. Crab pots and fishing floats are among the most common items, and polystyrene floats in particular quickly break down into harmful microplastics.
OceanEarth Foundation, together with partners OzFish Unlimited and Defy Design, developed LoopFloat to address this challenge. The project reflects OceanEarth’s mission to apply systems thinking to achieve transformational change. Rather than relying on clean-ups or incremental fixes, LoopFloat rethinks product design, creating solutions that prevent ghost gear at its source while embedding circularity into recreational fishing.
LoopFloat is Australia’s first circular product for the recreational fishing sector. Durable, buoyant, and recyclable at the end of its life, it was designed with fishers to prevent gear loss and provide a sustainable alternative to polystyrene floats. Features such as high visibility, an integrated flat surface for labelling, and an adjustable tie-off loop help fishers secure their pots more effectively and comply with regulations, reducing the risk of ghost gear.
The product’s journey began with two major recovery projects: the Great Aussie Crab Pot Review, funded by the Australian Government Ghost Nets Initiative, and the Yabby Trap Round-Up, funded by WIRES and the NSW Recreational Fishing Trust. Together, these programs recovered thousands of discarded pots and yabby “opera house” traps, which were dismantled and cleaned by hand to recover recyclable material. This community effort provided both the feedstock and the inspiration for
LoopFloat, proving that recreational fishing gear waste could be transformed into new products.
LoopFloat’s development also highlighted the importance of designing for recyclability. Processing old traps was far more labourintensive than anticipated, reinforcing the need for products to be made from recoverable, single-material components. By embedding this lesson into LoopFloat’s design, the project ensures circularity is not just possible but practical.
The impact has been significant. Environmentally, LoopFloat replaces polystyrene with a recyclable alternative and reduces the likelihood of pots being lost. Socially, the project mobilised thousands of volunteer hours, engaged recreational fishers in the design process, and shifted the narrative from blame to empowerment. Economically, LoopFloat is price-competitive with current floats, and retail partners estimate around 10,000 floats are sold per quarter nationally. If LoopFloat captures this demand, more than 40,000 polystyrene floats could be avoided each year.
Looking forward, LoopFloat will be sold online through OzFish and distributed via retail partners from late 2025. The product is supported by an end-of-life take-back scheme, delivered through OzFish’s ongoing Tackle Loop program, which provides a steady supply of recovered gear for future production. This creates
opportunities not only for future batches of LoopFloat but also for developing additional circular products for the recreational fishing sector.
LoopFloat demonstrates how community action, innovative design, and systems thinking can work together to tackle marine plastic pollution at its source. It shows that ghost gear is not inevitable, but a design challenge that can be solved.
Community action, smart design and circular thinking can stop marine plastic pollution at its source
Sustainable Scrubs
Closing the Loop on Healthcare Apparel
Healthcare uniforms are essential, but they generate enormous waste. Traditional scrubs are made from virgin polyester or cotton blends, worn until threadbare, and then discarded into landfill. Australia produces over 800,000 tonnes of textile waste annually, with healthcare a hidden contributor.
Website: sustainable-scrubs.com
Sustainable Scrubs was founded to change this. We are Australia’s first provider of scrubs made from 100% recycled fabric, combining plastic bottles and coffee grounds into GreenThreads™, a durable, antimicrobial, and odour-resistant fabric. Every scrub set repurposes ~14 bottles, delivering performance healthcare staff rely on, while directly reducing waste.
Our circularity doesn’t stop at design. Through our Operation Green Scrubs program, healthcare organisations and professionals return worn uniforms for recycling. With Textile Recyclers Australia, these garments are repurposed into new products such as pet bed stuffing, tiles, and insulation. Some recovered fibres are also sent offshore to certified recycling partners, where they are re-spun or re-woven into textiles — ensuring no material is wasted.
Impact in 2024
• 15,000 scrubs supplied
• 210,000 bottles diverted
• 5.4 tonnes CO2 saved
• 51,000 litres of water conserved
• 2.55 tonnes of textile waste will be diverted from landfill once the products are returned
Australia produces more than 800,000 tonnes of textile waste each year, with healthcare a hidden contributor
We are also innovating for the future. We are developing a sustainable range of shopping bags for retailers and exploring how TRG’s recycled fibres can return to our own weaving supply chain, closing the loop fully by turning old scrubs back into new fabric.
As a small brand competing with global giants, we face challenges: breaking into large procurement systems is slow, and absorbing recycling costs puts pressure on cashflow. Yet our resilience, agility, and authenticity drive us forward. Our founders, Kim Lee (garment supply chain innovator) and Jodi Harrison (retail leader, branding expert, and former social worker), combine technical and business expertise with a personal mission: building a better future for their children.
Sustainable Scrubs is proving that circularity is possible in one of Australia’s toughest sectors. By aligning design, recycling, and innovation, we are leading a small but powerful shift toward a healthcare system that consumes more responsibly and discards nothing to waste.
Sustainable Scrubs is Australia’s first provider of scrubs made from 100% recycled GreenThreads™ fabric, combining plastic bottles and coffee grounds into durable, antimicrobial healthcare uniforms
Climate Technology Impact Award
Green Gravity
Green Gravity is pioneering gravitational energy storage technology that repurposes legacy mine shafts to deliver long-duration, low-cost, and sustainable renewable energy storage.
Green Gravity is an Australian clean technology company developing gravitational energy storage systems (GESS) to accelerate the global renewable transition.
Green Gravity’s solution turns legacy mine shafts into energy storage hubs by lifting and lowering heavy weights, capturing surplus renewable energy and releasing it when demand is high.
Website: greengravity.com/
Unlike chemical batteries, GESS is long life (40–50 years), does not degrade, and avoids the environmental and supply chain issues of lithium-ion—no processed chemicals, no added water resources, and minimal critical minerals use. By reusing disturbed land and mining infrastructure, the technology delivers circular economy benefits, reduces mine closure costs, and creates jobs in transitioning coal regions.
The Green Gravity solution is modular and suited to varied locations. Midsized shafts could yield around 5MW/25MWh of storage capacity, with greater capacity available when shafts are co-located. Deep shafts could extend storage to 60–80+MWh, enabling 10+ hour duration assets. Expected installed and levelized costs are competitive with lithium-ion BESS alternatives due to system simplicity and proven components supporting infrastructure life of up to 50 years.
Green Gravity has transformational value for the global energy market, providing efficient storage and dispatchable power to meet demand, with potential to lower renewable energy prices, deliver grid stability, reduce transmission costs, and support emissions reduction in mining and industrial regions. It can also support local community energy schemes by firming distributed energy resources.
By reusing mine shafts, Green Gravity enables mining communities to develop efficient energy storage and dispatchable power, supporting emissions reduction.
This approach repurposes mining infrastructure and skills to transition to “affordable and clean energy” (SDG7), creates “decent work and economic growth” (SDG8), helps “build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation” (SDG9), and supports “climate action” (SDG13).
Designed for a 40–50 year operating life with no degradation in performance over time
Green Gravity is committed to promoting access to affordable, reliable, sustainable energy by leading clean technology innovation that is:
Circular Economy
GESS uses disused mine shafts as the vertical height needed. The energy storage medium (gravity) and the capital infrastructure required are sourced by reusing surplus mining assets.
Breakthrough LCOS
Market-leading levelised cost of storage is underpinned by long equipment life and no capital spend
Transforming
legacy mine shafts into clean, dispatchable energy storage that accelerates the global renewable energy transition
constructing vertical buildings. Unlike chemical storage cells that require continual replacement, a gravitational storage centre is built once and matches the life of the powergenerating asset.
Simplicity
The technology is fundamentally simple. Lifting and moving heavy objects is standard in mining and manufacturing. Regenerative motors used to generate electricity on demand are proven and widely deployed.
Green Gravity has an active mine site demonstration program for its GESS in the Illawarra Urban Renewable Energy Zone and a 13m high scaled test facility in Port Kembla to validate and optimise performance.
There are an estimated 1 million legacy mines globally. Green Gravity’s technology provides an alternative economic use for these assets and enhances sovereign capability in energy storage. Opportunities are being actively examined in India, Canada, Europe, and the US.
EnergyCo
The Waratah Super Battery Project safeguards the NSW electricity grid by acting as a shock absorber to ensure stability during disruptions and enabling a reliable transition to clean, sustainable energy.
The Waratah Super Battery (WSB) project is the most powerful utility scale battery in the world, capable of delivering 850 megawatts of power for up to two hours. As the largest System Integrity Protection Scheme (SIPS) in Australia, it monitors 36 transmission lines in real time and can respond instantly to system events.
Website: energyco.nsw.gov.au/
Unprecedented in scale globally, WSB is not only a battery that increases transmission capacity, providing a high-tech solution that can be deployed faster than new transmission lines while enabling existing infrastructure to operate more efficiently.
The WSB Project directly advances multiple Sustainable Development Goals:
• It accelerates SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) through renewable energy integration and grid modernisation. Renewables have replaced coal as the most affordable source of new build power generation in Australia. Increasing the supply of renewable energy into the grid will put downward pressure on wholesale electricity prices and help reduce costs for NSW energy users
• The project contributes to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by creating over 170 construction jobs and attracting more than $1 billion in private investment.
• It supports SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) WSB is the world's most powerful battery, and one of the world's largest by storage capacity, integrated within the largest SIPS deployment globally. This groundbreaking technology deployment includes
an intelligent control system and a portfolio of paired generators and transmission network upgrades. The SIPS monitors 36 transmission lines across NSW in real-time, automatically detecting potential overloads from lightning strikes or equipment failures and responds within seconds. It signals the battery to inject power while instructing paired generators—a mix of hydro, wind and solar facilities—to reduce output, maintaining supply-demand balance.
• It supports SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by enabling the existing transmission network that connects generation in the northern and southern regions of NSW to the Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong region to be run harder. It does this by relying on a utility scale battery that can be called upon should any sudden faults in the transmission system occur, taking away the need to keep redundancy in the existing transmission lines in case of a failure
• The WSB Project improves the efficiency of the existing infrastructure in NSW without the need to develop new green field sites, which aligns with SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). The WSB site repurposes brownfield land (the former Munmorah coal-fired power station site) and existing electricity infrastructure.
• It advances SDG 13 (Climate Action) by enabling the transition from fossil fuels. The WSB will also support grid stability and reliability, it will store excess cheap energy generated by solar and wind in the middle of the day and dispatch it when prices and demand are higher.
The battery energy storage system is already partially online and providing benefits to consumers ahead of project completion later this year. For example, in December 2024 when there was a shortage of generation in NSW, the battery was directed by AEMO to discharge during peak hours, helping to prevent blackouts.
UNSW — SunDotLeap
SunDotLeap, a UNSW spin-out, is pioneering farmer-first agrivoltaic panels that boost crop productivity while generating renewable energy, helping farmers build resilience against climate and energy challenges.
SunDotLeap, a UNSW spin-out venture, is redefining the relationship between farming and clean energy. Traditional solar farms and agriculture often compete for the same land, but agriphotovoltaics (agriPV) offers a unique opportunity to combine them. SunDotLeap has developed a version of this technology that puts farmers at the centre, ensuring that food production remains the priority while renewable energy becomes an additional benefit.
Website: acdc-pv-unsw.com/
In collaboration with Ziv Hameiri, Uma Ghorpade
Helping farmers increase productivity, resilience, and income while supporting the clean energy transition
At the heart of SunDotLeap’s panels are light-filtering films that act as “smart sunlight managers.” These films allow through the wavelengths of light crops needed for photosynthesis, while redirecting the rest to bifacial solar cells that generate electricity. Early trials and modelling indicate strong potential for our agriPV panels, with 10–20% improvements in crop productivity and around 4% gains in solar conversion efficiency. Together, these advances represent a significant step toward making farmland more productive and climate-resilient.
Unlike conventional agriPV systems, which mainly prioritise energy output, SunDotLeap was shaped through direct engagement with farmers. Structured customer discovery through Beanstalk’s Drought Venture Studio revealed that adoption depends on improving crop outcomes and ease of use. These insights guided every design choice, ensuring that the panels are practical, durable, and tailored to farmer needs.
The venture’s innovation and impact have been recognised through its selection into the UNSW Founders Pre-Accelerator and Beanstalk’s Drought Venture Studio, where it was chosen as one of only 20 national projects. Strong industry partnerships with Tindo Solar, Aiko Solar, Envelops, and CRS Pty Ltd are now supporting the path to commercialisation.
Industry leaders have already voiced their confidence. Folco Faber of Apex Greenhouses calls it “the future,” Steve Marafiote of Sundrop Farms sees it as “the smartest investment for crop protection and sustainability,” Jack Mooney of Provenance Propagation describes it as “a game-changer,” and Dr. D. R. Zagade of Pooja Greenhouse in India calls it “a breakthrough for farmers.”
Looking ahead, SunDotLeap will scale its technology across NSW in collaboration with farmers, industry, and local manufacturers. By embedding agriPV panels into both
greenhouses and open-field farming, the initiative will help farmers cut energy costs, improve resilience to heat and water stress, and unlock new revenue streams. The long-term vision is to make agriPV a mainstream practice in Australian agriculture, directly supporting food security, strengthening regional economies, and contributing to NSW’s Net Zero commitments.
By bridging world-class science with practical farming needs, SunDotLeap is pioneering a new model of agriculture that delivers more food, more energy, and greater resilience from the same piece of land.
Bridging world-class science with practical farming to shape the future of sustainable agriculture
Ventia
The Community Battery initiative delivers scalable, shared energy storage to regional communities, enhancing grid flexibility, supporting rooftop solar and accelerating Australia’s transition to a low-carbon future.
The Community Battery initiative is a pioneering example of climate technology in action, delivering scalable, modular energy storage infrastructure to regional communities across New South Wales.
Website: ventia.com
In collaboration with Essential Energy, Pixii
Through a strategic partnership between Essential Energy, Pixii and Ventia, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) were deployed at three pilot sites - Goulburn, Leeton, and Maloney’s Beach, to enhance grid flexibility and integrate distributed energy resources such as rooftop solar and electric vehicles. Jointly funded by the Australian Government’s Community Batteries for Household Solar program and Essential Energy, the project demonstrates innovation in infrastructure delivery.
The project involved the design, civil construction, and commissioning of modular BESS, tailored to local environmental and grid conditions. Offsite-manufactured BESS units significantly reduced installation time, environmental impact and costs while maintaining high safety standards. Ventia’s agile project management and strong stakeholder coordination enabled successful delivery under tight timelines and complex logistics. With a system nameplate of ~576 kW / 1.59 MWh, the batteries store excess solar and discharge during peak demand, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and cutting emissions.
Designed
as a scalable and replicable model suitable for diverse geographic and grid contexts
commercial viability and operational efficiency, with potential applications in residential precincts, retirement villages, industrial parks, and microgrids.
Ventia implemented a phased, parallel rollout model, supported by rigorous Factory and Site Acceptance Testing. Civil designs incorporated flood resilience and electrical interconnection protocols, validated by third-party engineering partners. Verified commissioning in early 2025 marked a key milestone in regional energy transformation.
The initiative aligns with multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including:
• SDG 7 — enabling distributed renewable energy access in regional communities
• SDG 9 — delivers resilient, low-impact energy infrastructure through modular BESS units, setting a new standard in fast, efficient deployment
• SDG 11 — boosts regional energy resilience through improved grid stability, climate-adapted design, and community-friendly infrastructure
• SDG 13 — the batteries cut emissions, boost efficiency, and strengthen climate resilience in regional energy systems
• SDG 17 — strong collaboration across partners ensured technical excellence, compliance, and communityfocused delivery
Enhances grid flexibility, stability, and resilience while reducing reliance on fossil fuels
The initiative also supports Australia’s national climate goals under the Powering Australia Plan and the commitment to net zero emissions by 2050. With limited household battery uptake, community batteries offer a shared solution to unlock the full value of distributed renewables and accelerate the transition to a clean energy future.
Its lasting legacy is a replicable blueprint for distributed energy deployment - balancing environmental impact, economic viability, and social equity - while setting a new benchmark for climate technology leadership in Australia.
The initiative’s strength lies in its integration of technical excellence with community empowerment, enabling regional access to renewable energy without requiring individual solar installations. Designed for scalability, the model suits diverse geographic and grid contexts, including flood-prone and remote areas. Its success across three pilot sites demonstrates
Reaching net zero by 2050 is not a future challenge—it is built through today’s decisions, delivered through aligned action, and sustained by global goals that ensure no community is left behind “ “
49 Large Business Sustainable Leadership Award
Alsco Pty Ltd (Alsco Uniforms)
Alsco Uniforms is transforming Australia’s commercial laundry industry through circular innovation, bold sustainability goals, and leadership in carbon reduction and textile waste diversion
In collaboration with BlockTexx®, NSW Government Sustainability Advantage
Alsco Uniforms is a fifth-generation, family-owned textile rental business that has grown from a handful of cloth towels in 1889 to a global leader in textile services. In Australia, Alsco Uniforms employs over 2,200 people and operates with a unique rental and service model that embeds circularity into its core.
Website: alsco.com.au/
Up
to 13 tonnes of recycled material annually— equivalent to 50,000 garments
From uniforms and napkins to towels and tea cloths, Alsco Uniforms not only launders and maintains these products, it extends their life while reducing environmental impact.
In 2021, Alsco Uniforms set bold sustainability goals to guide its operations through to 2030, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These goals were reviewed and approved for publication by the UN Department of Global Communications, reflecting Alsco Uniform's commitment to transparency and global standards. In 2024, Alsco Uniforms further aligned its carbon reduction targets with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), committing to a 46.2% absolute reduction by 2032.
A major milestone was reached in late 2024, when Alsco Uniforms diverted over one million kilograms of polyester-cotton textile waste from landfill through its partnership with BlockTexx®. This initiative has already achieved a 25% diversion rate, with plans to reach net zero waste by 2030. Alsco Uniforms is now working with BlockTexx® to repurpose recycled raw materials into First Aid Cabinets, creating a closed-loop system that could use up to 13 tonnes of PolyTexx® annually— equivalent to 50,000 garments.
Alsco Uniform's commitment to energy, carbon, and water efficiency has delivered considerable results. By mid-2025, the business achieved an 18% reduction in energy use, 24% reduction in carbon emissions, and 13% reduction in water consumption. With 1.3MW of solar installed across its sites and another 2.1MW planned, Alsco Uniforms is generating 1.9 million kWh of clean electricity— covering 16% of its total needs.
Innovation is central to Alsco Uniform's sustainability journey. The Wollongong Flagship Site for Innovation & Low Carbon Demonstration will showcase advanced decarbonisation technologies including multi-fuel boilers, heat pumps, automation, and load management. This site will serve as a blueprint for future facilities, including a new Perth site and upgrades to existing operations. Alsco Uniform's supply chain is also evolving, with partnerships in Pakistan and Taiwan focused on water-efficient dyeing and recycledcontent table linen. The Pakistan towelling facility now features a wastewater treatment plant and an 873-kW solar system, reducing both water use and carbon footprint.
People and community are at the heart of Alsco Uniform's sustainability strategy. The business has invested $3.4 million in training and development, including leadership programs and the “Sustainability Heroes” initiative— empowering staff at every branch to drive local action. Alsco Uniforms national and community partnerships further reinforce its commitment to equitable and inclusive outcomes. Through bold goals, innovative projects, and a deep commitment to circularity, Alsco Uniform's is redefining what sustainability looks like in the commercial laundry industry—proving that environmental leadership and business success can go hand in hand.
“Sustainability Heroes” initiative empowering employees to drive change locally
Blacktown City Council
Demonstrates sustainability leadership by embedding climate action, resilience, and innovation across governance, infrastructure, and community programs, achieving carbon neutrality and setting a national benchmark for local government.
Blacktown City Council (BCC), the largest local government area by population in New South Wales, has emerged as a national leader in sustainability through its bold, integrated, and data-driven approach to climate action. Since declaring a climate emergency in 2020, BCC
Website: blacktown.nsw.gov.au/
has embedded sustainability across governance, infrastructure, operations, and community engagement, setting a benchmark for local government leadership.
At the heart of BCC’s strategy is the vision outlined in the Blacktown 2041 Community Strategic Plan: to build a clean, sustainable, and climate-resilient city. This vision is operationalised through a suite of ambitious initiatives, including the Responding to Climate Change Strategy, Low Carbon Emissions Blacktown City Plan, and the Ten Sustainable Building Design Objectives. These programs align with key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably SDGs 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, and 17.
BCC’s approach is underpinned by rigorous climate modelling using the NSW Government’s NARCLiM 2.0 dataset and CSIRO climate files. The Our Climate Futures report revealed critical risks, including a potential tripling of major flood events and up to 70 days over 35°C annually. These insights now inform infrastructure planning, asset management, and emergency preparedness, ensuring long-term resilience.
In 2020/21, BCC achieved carbon neutrality under the Climate Active program. From January 2025, all operations will be powered by 100% renewable electricity through a Power Purchase Agreement. Energy efficiency upgrades, solar PV installations, and fleet electrification, including the commissioning of a fully electric Volvo FE beavertail truck, have significantly reduced emissions and operational costs.
Sustainability is embedded in capital works through the Ten Objectives, applied to major projects such as the Mount Druitt Hub and Pool, First Nations Cultural Centre, and Seven Hills Hub. Each design is tested against future climate scenarios (2030, 2050, 2090), ensuring adaptability and performance. These objectives are now referenced by other councils, demonstrating their scalability and sector influence.
Community engagement is central to BCC’s leadership. Initiatives such as cool centres during heatwaves, solar and battery workshops, and the Blacktown Big Ideas Environment Challenge, which engaged over 300 students, have fostered eco-literacy and resilience. Urban greening efforts have increased canopy cover, reduced heat stress, and improved biodiversity.
BCC’s sustainability strategy has delivered measurable outcomes: 39,677 tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions offset in 2022/23, over 90% construction waste diversion, and improved waterway health. Climate-resilient design has reduced infrastructure degradation and maintenance costs, while voluntary climate-related financial risk disclosures have enhanced credibility with insurers and funding bodies.
Leadership at BCC is collaborative, spanning architects, engineers, planners, environmental teams, and executives. The Council is the first in NSW to voluntarily report climaterelated financial risks in its annual report, aligning with TCFD and Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards.
Blacktown City Council exemplifies sustainable leadership through innovation, foresight, and systemic change. Its initiatives not only address immediate environmental challenges but also lay the foundation for a resilient, equitable, and sustainable future. BCC’s work is a blueprint for how local governments can lead transformative climate action, driven by data, community, and a shared commitment to sustainability.
Blue Mountains City Council
Through long term sustainability commitment, BMCC demonstrates how local government, working collaboratively with all sectors, can make a difference and lead the way
Blue Mountains City Council (BMCC) has been at the forefront of embedding sustainability in the Blue Mountains for over 25 years. It has taken a whole-oforganisation and City approach, directly linking City priorities to the United
Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and positioning the Council as a leader in local government sustainability.
Website: bmcc.nsw.gov.au/
A whole-oforganisation and whole-of-City approach linking local priorities to global sustainability outcomes
This transformation was and continues to be driven by a visionary Council Led- Community Owned project: Blue Mountains Our Future, initiated in1999. The Towards A More Sustainable Blue Mountains 2000-2025: Vision and Map for Action, pre-empted the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and to this day forms the strategic foundation for the Council’s governance and operating model for the City of Blue Mountains.
Twenty-five years on, BMCC continues to lead. It has been the first Australian council to commit to integrating Rights of Nature principles into its operations; it has adopted the Statement of Recognition and Commitment to our First Nations Peoples; and it has demonstrated a more sustainable approach to tourism that has been recognised by global ECO Destination Certification.
Sustainable Blue Mountains has provided a robust framework over 25 years - turning challenges into opportunities to learn and further achieve positive social, economic and environmental outcomes. Challenges like changing political and policy cycles, funding constraints and being declared a natural disaster area many times, have been catalysts for innovation. This was exemplified with the establishment of Council’s Planetary Health Centre which has a strong focus on disaster risk reduction and restoring the health of our planet bottom-up.
Tangible outcomes for the City include landfill waste per capita being halved since 2000, environmental restoration and biodiversity projects implemented protecting threatened species and improving waterway health. Social outcomes are equally impactful. Initiatives such as building a more inclusive and accessible disability friendly City, upgrades at key public viewing points, and the Connect to Nature youth education program, highlight BMCC’s integrated approach to equity and community wellbeing. Economically, BMCC has strengthened resilience through innovative revenue measures and sustainable tourism. A flagship example includes the 19km Grand Cliff Top Walk, opened in 2024, dispersing visitor pressure from fragile escarpments while creating a world-class walking experience. As a result of such initiatives BMCC is one of a handful of councils to attain ECO Destination Certification in 2023.
Co-investment and co-design with Traditional Owners, State agencies, universities, and community groups has led to better outcomes for the community and environment. BMCC has delivered a sustainability approach that is scalable. Any local government - urban or regional - can adapt the Blue Mountains model. The strategy is flexible, holistic and built on long-term visioning, community consultation and partnerships. It integrates social, environmental, economic and civic leadership dimensions.
BMCC’s legacy is a living demonstration of how a local government and community, when driven by vision, evidence and shared responsibility, can lead, not just in conservation, but in redefining local government’s role in securing a thriving future for people and planet. This is local leadership with global relevance.
Southern Cross Care (NSW & ACT)
Leading with purpose in aged care sustainability
Southern Cross Care (NSW & ACT) (SCC) is a not-for-profit aged care provider with a bold commitment: to deliver better outcomes for people and the planet, even within the constraints of one of Australia’s most heavily regulated sectors.
Website: sccliving.org.au
In collaboration with Sustainability Advantage, 2XE
A practical, living strategy that moves beyond compliance to real-world impact
In 2024, SCC launched Living Care: Action Plan for People and Planet, a three-year strategy that embeds sustainability and climate action in every aspect of operations – from care delivery to capital projects, procurement to policy, and training to governance. Aligned to all 17 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and structured around the Laudato Si’ ecological framework, Living Care is no ‘box ticking’ exercise; it’s a working document that puts ESG thinking at the centre of everything SCC does.
Living Care drives multiple initiatives including emissions audits and full decarbonisation modeling for all sites (funded by a NSW Net Zero Planning Grant); waste diversion, LED lighting upgrades, and solar panel installations at residential care homes; sustainability education for staff and ESG integration into reporting and leadership structures.
SCC has engaged cross-functional teams – from property to clinical leaders and care staff – to codesign practical, local actions. Solar installations, circular procurement, electric vehicle feasibility, and waste diversion have been delivered with site-level ownership and strong central coordination.
The action plan is already driving results. Since 2024, landfill waste volumes have decreased by an average of 5.5 tonnes per month. LED lighting upgrades are expected to abate over 399 tonnes of CO2 annually. Solar panel installation has been completed at 17 of 25 sites, with one rooftop system predicted to cut emissions by over 85 tonnes of CO2 annually. The impact of Living Care is
already measurable, significant and independently verified, delivering a 23.1% and 0.6% reduction in scope 1 and 2 respectively when comparing FY2021 to FY2025.
Senior leaders have embraced Living Care's goal to integrate sustainability into organisational DNA, adjusting governance systems to include sustainability in board reports, risk registers, workforce strategies and capital planning.
Living Care’s success is also inspiring aged care providers across Australia, demonstrating SCC’s ability to lead with integrity and ambition in a resource-constrained sector. Without a dedicated ESG budget, SCC leveraged internal capability, external partnerships and smart funding strategies to build momentum and achieve results.
The result is a practical, valuesaligned, human approach to sustainability that turns environmental aspiration into action. Informed by data but driven by people – clients, families, staff and partners – the action plan is rooted in care, not compliance. SCC's leadership lies in system-level change, integrated planning, and the conviction that the future must be sustainable for both the climate and the people who live, work, and age in our communities.
In aged care, progress must be proven.
Cutting
landfill
waste by 5.5 tonnes a month, abating over 399 tonnes of CO₂ each year through efficiency upgrades, and achieving a 23.1% reduction in Scope 1 emissions shows that caring for people and protecting the planet can advance together— measurably, safely, and with integrity
Banksia NFP & NGO Award Marketing & Communications For Impact Award
Return and Earn
Central to Return and Earn’s success has been a strategic focus on innovative marketing, communications and engagement delivered by Exchange for Change, which has resulted in sustained behaviour change and positive environmental impact for the NSW community
In collaboration with Exchange for Change
The NSW container deposit scheme, Return and Earn, is a well-loved and highly trusted recycling initiative that has seen ‘returning and earning’ become a routine part of life in NSW.
Website: returnandearn.org.au/
The scheme rewards recycling by paying 10c for every eligible drink container returned via the 660 return points across NSW. It contributes to the circular economy through the reliable, clean stream of recyclable material it produces.
Return and Earn launched in December 2017 and is delivered in partnership by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (scheme regulator), Exchange for Change (scheme coordinator), and TOMRA Cleanaway (network operator) and funded by the beverage industry.
Over 14 billion drink containers have been returned by the NSW community through the return point network in the nearly nine years since the scheme began, resulting in $1.4 billion in refunds back in people’s pockets and a 74 per cent reduction in drink container litter since prescheme levels.
Central to Return and Earn’s success has been a strategic focus on innovative marketing, communications and engagement delivered by Exchange for Change, which has resulted in sustained behaviour change and positive environmental impact.
The community marketing and communications strategy applies a behavioural science approach to increasing participation and redemptions. Using the BJ Fogg
model of behaviour change, activities aim to increase motivation and reduce effort, or perceptions of effort, through a combination of paid advertising, innovative partnerships, media and stakeholder engagement.
The new ‘Return and Earn on your way’ campaign launched in February 2025, positioning container returns as an easy, everyday habit to foster behaviour change. Informed by consumer research and behavioural insights, the campaign engaged NSW communities using the tagline ‘It's easier than you think to Return and Earn’.
The campaign’s supporting paid media strategy focused on delivering the advertising in contextually relevant settings timed to coincide with people’s existing routines, going to and from work, school or weekend sports.
Innovative partnerships have also been used to co-design solutions with the community to make it easier to participate. From Return and Earn bin basket trials with Eurobodalla and Sutherland councils, to partnerships with influencers to drive participation among growth audiences. While leveraging the reach and authority of third-party stakeholders such as media and local councils, using localised container volumes and community stories, has helped increase the scheme’s reach and
High trust and participation drive the scheme’s success: 93% of NSW adults are aware and supportive, 74% trust it, and 83% participate, mostly monthly—proving that when recycling is easy and trusted, behaviour becomes routine
inspired ongoing participation.
The latest consumer research results from June 2025, show that the new campaign is shifting perceptions about how ‘returning and earning’ can be easily integrated into people’s routines.
The research also highlights the positive impact of the scheme’s marketing and communications activities over the last two years, with 93% of NSW adults aware of Return and Earn, 93% support for the scheme and 74% trust. Participation is high at 83% of NSW adults having participated, the majority doing so monthly.
This strong participation has contributed to a record 2.2 billion drink containers returned through the return point network in 2024-25, delivering significant social, economic and environmental benefits to NSW communities.
Be The Future
Be The Future is pioneering interactive climate solutions experiences that empower tomorrow’s leaders (children aged 2 -12) to create a sustainable future
Be The Future is pioneering interactive climate solutions experiences that empower tomorrow’s leaders (children aged 2-12) to create a sustainable future.
56% of young people now think that the world is doomed (Hickman et al, 2021).
Website: bethefuture.earth/
What if we could:
• Shift the narrative from “doomism” to “do-more-ism”?
• Captivate children with the magic of a regenerative future?
• Build mental resilience to navigate our changing world?
• Prepare children for sustainable careers of the future?
• Empower children to help create a future where people and nature thrive?
The unique approach of 'Be The Future' combines creativity, innovation and collaboration to empower children to reimagine a more sustainable future, including:
• Inspire — Awe-inspiring stories of global climate solutions and positive change, including custom-designed floor projections children can change with their bodies
• Play — Captivating play-based learning that fuses digital and physical activities, such as creating solutions with STEM tools
• Act — Incorporate and/or initiate community sustainability projects to help embed positive change
In their first two years, the singlefounder social enterprise has delivered programs to over 5000 students through collaborating with 7 councils, 8 early childhood centres, 9 primary schools, 2 cultural institutions and 1 university.
'Be The Future' designs programs in collaboration with leading institutions, including Taronga Zoo Sydney and UNSW, ensuring their experiences are scientifically sound and deeply innovative.
Impact: Building a Foundation for a Sustainable Future
Environment
Their experiences build a foundation for environmental action. 100% of educators reported that they and their students gained new sustainability knowledge and skills. This translates directly to behaviour change, with 93% of educators committing to incorporating more sustainable learning activities in the future. As one teacher noted, "The kids and teachers were so impressed, and we all had an amazing experience."
Social
They transform climate anxiety into empowered, positive action. The shift from 43% to 100% positive emotions after their experiences demonstrates a significant social benefit, building resilience and hope. Their 5-star Google rating and glowing feedback,
100% of educators reported that students gained new sustainability knowledge and skills. This led to direct behavioural change: students empowered to take environmentally positive actions
such as "It’s exactly the hope the kids need. And us," highlight their strong community engagement and a sense of shared purpose.
Economic
By preparing children for a green economy, they are building a workforce for the future. Their playful and innovative approach to “empower[ing] future leaders”, as praised by one TMRRW Awards Judge, equips the next generation with the skills and mindset needed for sustainable careers. This early engagement in green skills is a crucial investment in future economic resilience.
'Be The Future' is groundbreaking for its unique fusion of awe-inspiring storytelling, interactive technology and reimagining solutions. This approach transforms abstract sustainability concepts into playful, empowering learning experiences.
'Be The Future' have pioneered a new approach of playful, interactive climate solutions that not only sparks engagement and curiosity but also builds genuine emotional resilience and drives tangible action.
'Be The Future' is changing the way that children feel, think and act about the climate and biodiversity crises: to feel optimistic, to think like problemsolvers, and to act as solution leaders of the future.
Compass Studio
In 2023, Compass Studio joined Surfrider Foundation, Ben & Jerry’s, and local activists to turn a complex, invisible threat—the world’s largest proposed seismic blasting project—into a national movement, culminating in a historic 2024 victory that scrapped the plan and showcased the power of purpose-led campaigning
In collaboration with The Surfrider Foundation Australia, Ben & Jerry's
In late 2023, Compass Studio partnered with Surfrider Foundation and Ben & Jerry’s to lead the fight against one of Australia’s biggest climate threats — a seismic blasting project set to span 7.7 million hectares of ocean.
Website: compass-studio.com
If approved, the project would have unleashed deafening underwater airguns every ten seconds for more than a year — devastating whale migration routes, disrupting coastal economies, and eroding First Nations’ cultural heritage tied to Sea Country. It also risked locking in decades of fossil fuel expansion at a time when urgent climate action was essential.
Compass Studio’s challenge was to transform a complex and invisible issue into a national movement. The objectives were to make seismic blasting front-page news, cut through daily media noise, mobilise grassroots communities, and sustain public pressure on regulators until the project was stopped.
Strategic Approach
Compass Studio designed a PR-first strategy that amplified partner-led activities into national milestones:
Hero the Issue: The agency ensured the focus remained on those most affected — Surfrider activists, First Nations custodians, scientists, and communities. The ‘Southern Blast’ documentary ensured the issue was understood, creating an emotional connection that went on tour to coastal towns that would be affected.
Make it National: When Surfrider organised the paddle-out protest in Torquay, Compass elevated the action into the largest environmental paddle-out in Australian history.
Through pre-event media briefings, on-the-ground press coordination, and broadcast outreach, more than 1,200 participants became a primetime story that reached 31 million Australians.
Build Community & Sustain Engagement: Ben & Jerry’s activations — including QR codes on ice cream tubs linking to petitions and MP letter-writing tools — were amplified by Compass across consumer, lifestyle, and business media, reframing everyday products as tools for activism.
By ensuring every partner-led action was strategically positioned, covered, and repeated through national media, Compass created the drumbeat of pressure that ultimately forced TGS to abandon the project.
Impact and Results
The campaign delivered unprecedented outcomes:
• 300+ media stories secured, with a reach of more than 31 million Australians
• 31,000 submissions to the regulator NOPSEMS — the highest ever
• 10,000 letters to MPs generated through digital tools
• 1,200 people mobilised in the largest paddle-out protest in Australian history
Protecting 7.7 million hectares of ocean — preventing one of Australia’s largest proposed seismic blasting projects from devastating marine life, coastal economies, and First Nations’ cultural heritage
This media drumbeat created an atmosphere regulators could not ignore. On 26 September 2024, TGS announced it was abandoning the project entirely.
Legacy
An ocean area of 7.7 million hectares — larger than Tasmania — was protected because of this coalition. The Southern Ocean will continue to thrive, and future generations will inherit coasts rich with life.
The campaign also reframed corporate involvement in activism. Ben & Jerry’s provided joyful brand touchpoints and platforms for mobilisation; Surfrider brought ecological expertise and grassroots leadership; Compass served as the strategic communications partner, ensuring the story reached millions.
The results demonstrate that when communications are led with purpose, activism is amplified, and communities are empowered, history can be rewritten. This campaign set a precedent that fossil fuel giants can be held to account and showed how NGOs, brands, and everyday Australians can drive systemic change.
Destination Central Coast
Destination Central Coast plants the seeds of change to grow their certified ECO Destination
In collaboration with Ecotourism Australia, Take 3 for the Sea, Destination NSW
Website: lovecentralcoast.com/
The Central Coast is a destination known for its immaculate coastline and bushland, just 45 minutes from Sydney and Newcastle. Since becoming an ECO Certified Destination in June 2022, Central Coast Council’s tourism team, Destination Central Coast, has set out on a mission. Certification marked the start of transforming recognition into collective action with industry and community to protect the region’s natural beauty.
Transforming recognition into action — ECO Certification in June 2022 was just the start; the goal was to embed sustainability into the identity of the Central Coast and inspire both industry and community
From the beginning, the Central Coast sought to maintain its certification, grow a cohort of ECO Advocates and embed sustainability into the identity of the region. However, small tourism businesses felt that becoming ECO Certified was a costly endeavour. At the same time, destinations across Australia were also becoming ECO Certified at a rapid rate, reducing the Central Coast's uniqueness. Destination Central Coast needed to strategise and alleviate barriers to ECO Certification, capture the interest of ECO-centric people across Australia, and build momentum within the tourism industry that would endure beyond their own leadership.
In 2023, the ECO Advocate Incentive Program launched, offering local operators subsidised certification fees or mentoring to start their sustainability journey. The following year, efforts shifted to showcasing the Central Coast’s ECO status through curated video assets featuring tourism operators who begun pursuing certification, a sustainability pledge, and a dedicated campaign page highlighting nature-based experiences. Partnerships with Take 3 for the Sea and the Ground Swell Litter Lab workshop drove antilittering initiatives and practical
sustainability actions for both consumers and industry. By 2025, the ECO Advocates campaign featured operators sharing their certification experiences in interview-style videos, inspiring more businesses to pursue sustainability through widespread promotion across social media and industry channels.
Within two months of launching the Incentive Program, eleven operators began their sustainability journey with Ecotourism Australia. Collaborating with the ECO Advocates, video assets were created for the ECO Destination campaign, which reached over 281,000 engaged eco-centric people through Meta ads and drove over 10,000 visits to the campaign page and itinerary. The Take 3 for the Sea partnership sparked real change, with Glenworth Valley Wilderness Adventures launching guided kayak tours where visitors collected rubbish. In 2025, the ECO Advocates campaign delivered exceptional engagement, generating over 420,000 industry impressions and 625,185 consumer campaign impressions.
The Central Coast has continued to evolve whilst growing their connections with community and industry. The incentive program in partnership with Ecotourism
Australia and Destination NSW, made certification accessible, led to real change, and they amplified how visitors can love the Central Coast whilst travelling sustainably through emotional storytelling. Importantly, over the years it’s shifted from Council-driven messaging to peerled education and advocacy, creating momentum beyond their own leadership.
Through innovation, collaboration and authentic and emotional storytelling, the Central Coast is paving the way and showing how Councils can turn certification into collective action.
Net Zero Action 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.
Property & Development NSW
Property & Development NSW reached net zero for its regional office portfolio 26 years early through smart energy management, onsite renewables, 100% Green Power, and collaborative sustainability practices.
Property & Development NSW (PDNSW) achieved net zero in FY2024 and is on target to do so again in 2025. Their vision is to be a leader in net zero for NSW Government agencies and set precedence for this to be achieved by others. PDNSW is committed to action on decarbonisation and progress on UN sustainable development goals.
With over 1.1 million m2 of owned assets under management, PDNSW faced a formidable challenge: decarbonising a diverse and aging portfolio of buildings while maintaining operational efficiency and fiscal responsibility.
PDNSW adopted a diverse range of decarbonisation and energy management initiatives to take action on this goal.
• Rigorous emissions baseline and data interrogation Multiple data owners were engaged to build a complete, and independently reviewed, emissions baseline. Transparency and accuracy of emissions and the operational boundary underpinned the net zero journey
• Utilities monitoring systems — Smart metering to give accurate energy and water data is employed and displayed on digital platforms that can be monitored remotely to take action on faults and exceptional use. IoT technology and AI is being employed to further improve asset performance
• Energy efficient systems — Inefficient lighting has been replaced with LED with smart control systems
• Solar PV systems — PDNSW has installed enough Solar PV to power 748 homes annually. This represents 6% of government's solar, yet PDNSW account for 1% of government's energy consumption
• 100% Renewable Energy Procurement —
PDNSW secured GreenPowercertified electricity contracts for all sites,ensuring that energy was sourced from renewables. Residual emissions were offset by NSW sourced ACCUs
The results have been transformative —
• Net Zero Operations — As of 2025, PDNSW's entire owned portfolio operates with zero net emissions
• Energy Savings — Efficiency upgrades and management have led to 30% reduction in energy use compared to the baseline
• Sector Leadership — PDNSW is the largest government property portfolio in NSW to achieve net zero, setting the benchmark and inspiring action in other agencies
• Sustainability Accreditations — PDNSW's achievement has been independently verified through recognised frameworks: Climate Active, Green Star Performance and NABERS, reinforcing its credibility and commitment to climate action
As of 2025, PDNSW’s entire owned portfolio operates at zero net emissions
What sets PDNSW apart is its portfolio which is regionally distributed and has an average age of 58 years. Implementing net zero in operations has been a collaboration across several different teams, particularly Asset Management, Facilities Management and Tenant agencies. With Facilities Managers located regionally across the state, ongoing training and collaboration is needed on the ground to identify site specific strategies and monitor consumption, ensuring swift actions and identification of new opportunities.
PDNSW engages with other agencies to provide net zero and sustainability services, building capabilities within the government that meet the growing need to develop robust sustainability reporting and emissions reduction plans. It has also been an opportunity to guide other agencies and share the knowledge and tools to save time and effort for others, with a goal to maximise public sector efficiencies.
PDNSW’s net zero achievement illustrates that large-scale government portfolios can decarbonise rapidly and responsibly.
PDNSW is lighting the path for others to follow.
Hunter Joint Organisation
Powering Tomorrow: Regional Councils NSW Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) is a renewable electricity initiative co-led by MNCJO and HJO, securing 83 % renewables to 2030 , cutting 185,000 tonnes of emissions and saving $5 .2 million
The Powering Tomorrow: Regional Councils NSW Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) is a pioneering renewable electricity procurement initiative co-led by the Mid North Coast Joint Organisation (MNCJO) and Hunter Joint Organisation (HJO).
This cross-regional collaboration enabled thirteen councils across NSW to come together as a buyers’ group to collectively procure more than 390 GWh of electricity through to 2030 - 83% of which will be sourced from renewable energy projects in regional NSW.
Website: hunterjo.nsw.gov.au/
At the heart of the project was a shared need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, manage rising energy costs, and meet growing community and policy expectations around sustainability. As many councils faced the expiration of existing electricity contracts in 2024, MNCJO and HJO saw an opportunity to deliver greater impact by aggregating demand, streamlining procurement, and securing better environmental and financial outcomes than any council could achieve alone.
With technical support from Sourced Energy, and governance input from Baker McKenzie, Procure Group, and Regional Procurement, the project implemented a rigorous threestage tender process. Iberdrola was selected as the preferred supplier based on emissions impact, price certainty, and performance capability. Through this process, councils secured pricing that is expected to save them a combined $5.2 million compared to their 2024 rates, while avoiding approximately 185,305 tonnes of CO2e emissions.
The project was delivered between January 2024 and June 2025, navigating significant challenges including volatile wholesale energy markets and the local government caretaker period. A key innovation was the use of a governance model with price and time based triggers,
allowing councils to act swiftly when market conditions were favourable. Councils were also supported through onboarding sessions, webinars, and technical workshops, building capacity in emissions forecasting, billing, and energy contract management.
Importantly, the PPA demonstrates that regional local governments can lead bold climate action while ensuring financial sustainability. The collaborative model made participation accessible for smaller councils, distributing technical and legal support costs through a tiered structure based on energy use. This equity-driven approach ensured broad participation and maximised collective emissions reductions.
The project was further strengthened through support from the Joint Organisation Net Zero Acceleration (JONZA) initiative, funded by the NSW Government. JONZA played a vital role in the early stage engagement and design, offering strategic guidance, emissions modelling tools, and access to best practice resources. It created a platform for Joint Organisations and councils to scale net zero action regionally, and the PPA is a successful outcome to date. Councils leveraged this support to identify procurement gaps, co-develop evaluation criteria, and embed climate outcomes into procurement practices.
Collective
climate action: Enabling regional councils to cut emissions, manage rising energy costs, and meet growing sustainability expectations together
The initiative supports NSW’s Climate Change Policy Framework and aligns with several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), such as:
• Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7)
• Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12)
• Climate Action (SDG 13)
Beyond this PPA, the model is now being explored for other joint procurement opportunities, such as fleet decarbonisation and waste services.
Powering Tomorrow stands as one of the largest regionally coordinated renewable energy procurement projects in the state’s local government sector. Its legacy will not only be in tonnes of emissions avoided, but also in how it demonstrated what is possible when councils collaborate across boundaries to achieve net zero goals.
Incitec Pivot Fertilisers
Driving Australia’s transition to low-emission agriculture through the large-scale deployment of enhanced efficiency fertilisers that reduce nitrous oxide and ammonia emissions.
Incitec Pivot Fertilisers (IPF), a major supplier to the Australian agriculture sector, is leading the transition to climate-smart farming through its development and commercialisation of innovative nitrogen inhibitor technologies.
Recognising that agriculture is responsible for 85% of Australia’s nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions— a greenhouse gas with 300 times the warming potential of CO₂—IPF set out to transform conventional fertiliser practices.
Website: incitecpivotfertilisers.com.au/
Leading climate-smart agriculture — Incitec Pivot Fertilisers is
transforming conventional fertiliser use to cut one of agriculture’s most potent greenhouse gases—nitrous oxide
To address this challenge, IPF developed two patented Enhanced Efficiency Fertilisers (EEFs): Green Urea NV®, a urease inhibitor that reduces ammonia (NH3) volatilisation, and eNpower®, a nitrification inhibitor designed to curb N2O emissions. These products aim to preserve more nitrogen in the soil, improving nutrient use efficiency, crop productivity, and environmental outcomes.
Between 2021 and 2024, IPF implemented one of Australia’s largest agricultural emissions trials, involving 20 large-scale field sites across NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania. These trials tested the performance of Green Urea NV® and eNpower® under diverse soils, crops, climates, and farming systems, including pasture trials near Grenfell, NSW.
Using custom-designed gas chambers for in-field measurement, the team quantified emissions over time and compared them to conventional urea use.
Results showed:
• Up to 96.5% reduction in N2O emissions with eNpower-coated urea
• Up to 91% reduction in NH3 losses with Green Urea NV®
• Improved nitrogen retention in the soil, translating to better crop uptake and yield potential
NSW being a key part of this effort, IPF conducted emissions reduction trials at the long-established ‘Glenelg’ site near Grenfell, a renowned longterm phosphorus research trial location. The trial demonstrated how IPF’s products significantly reduce emissions in real farming conditions. For example, N2O emissions dropped by 64–73% depending on nitrogen application rate, while ammonia losses were reduced by up to 83%, a powerful outcome for sustainability in regional agriculture.
This initiative aligns strongly with multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals —
• Zero hunger (SDG 2)
• Clean water and sanitation (SDG 6)
• Industry, innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9)
• Responsible consumption and production (SDG 12)
• Climate action (SDG 13)
• Life below water (SDG 14)
Which support cleaner waterways, innovation in agricultural inputs, and responsible consumption. It also contributes to IPF and grower Scope 1 and Scope 3 emissions reductions.
The success of the project has led to national adoption and commercial scaling of these products. In recognition of its leadership, IPF received the 2025 Net Zero Transition Award from Chemistry Australia. Importantly, the project’s strength lies not just in its science, but also in its collaboration, with field agronomists, partner growers, and research institutions, and its proactive communication of findings through field days, webinars, technical training, and industry publications.
IPF’s initiative offers a proven, practical pathway for reducing fertiliser-related emissions while improving productivity, making it a vital model for achieving net zero targets in agriculture.
A proven pathway to net zero agriculture: Demonstrating that emissions reduction and productivity gains can be achieved together
Banksia NFP & NGO Award
The Wagonga Inlet Living Shoreline — Eurobodalla Shire Council
Transformation Through Nature-Based Solutions
In collaboration with NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, The Nature Conservancy, Australian Government
Website: esc.nsw.gov.au/
The Wagonga Inlet Living Shoreline (WILS) project is a landmark coastal management initiative, transforming 500 metres of failing seawall on Narooma’s iconic NSW south coast foreshore into Australia’s most comprehensive living shoreline system. The project demonstrates how nature-based solutions can deliver effective coastal protection while restoring marine ecosystems and strengthening community and cultural connections to Country.
Collaborative Vision and Implementation
WILS emerged from unprecedented collaboration between Eurobodalla Shire Council, NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, The Nature Conservancy Australia, and First Nations peoples. This partnership recognised that coastal protection and ecological restoration are complementary solutions delivering exceptional outcomes for both nature and communities.
The project's comprehensive approach began with extensive ecological and social assessments, informing a nature-positive design strategy that prioritised multi-habitat biodiversity coupled with reimagined recreational infrastructure. More than 22,000 seedlings were strategically positioned to maximise carbon sequestration, improve air quality, and create resilient connected ecosystems.
Central to WILS is the restoration of Australia's first intertidal Sydney Rock Oyster and subtidal Native Flat Oyster reef complex, reinstating critical ecosystem services including enhanced water filtration and marine biodiversity. The living shoreline's layered design creates a self-reinforcing climatemitigation system where oyster reefs attenuate wave energy, promoting sediment deposition and foreshore stabilisation.
Remarkable Environmental Outcomes
Robust ecological monitoring demonstrates progress within remarkably short timeframes. Millions of Sydney Rock Oyster spat naturally recruited to restoring intertidal reefs within one growing season, while subtidal reefs supported the same fish species diversity as remnant reefs within 2.5 years, indicating returning ecosystem function.
The rehabilitation of 5,700 square metres of degraded saltmarsh habitat now provides critical nursery grounds for juvenile fish while supporting migratory and threatened shorebirds. This multi-level saltmarsh demonstrates remarkable adaptability, naturally adjusting to environmental variations while building resilience against sea-level rise and storm impacts.
Natural water filtration by oyster reefs delivers superior estuarine water quality, while supporting seagrass recovery and creating cascading ecological benefits throughout the system.
Community and Cultural Connections
WILS exemplifies meaningful community engagement through comprehensive consultation frameworks prioritising inclusivity and cultural respect. Partnerships with Wagonga Local Aboriginal Land Council and Joonga Land and Sea
A blueprint for the future — proves nature-based solutions can outperform traditional engineering, while restoring ecosystems and honouring culture
Corporation Rangers embedded Traditional Ecological Knowledge while creating employment opportunities and strengthening cultural connections to Country. The celebration of Sea Country through art, Dhurga language and stories has been a standout achievement, demonstrating how collaborative stewardship deepens both cultural and ecological outcomes. Three new boardwalks, interpretive trails, jetty and pontoon create a 'landscape of wellbeing' promoting outdoor activity and community connection.
Leadership and Legacy
WILS advances nine UN Sustainable Development Goals while delivering measurable environmental, cultural, social, and economic benefits. The project has received multiple awards, validating its technical excellence and replicability.
By demonstrating superior performance of nature-based solutions over traditional engineering approaches, WILS opens pathways for sustainable coastal management that builds rather than degrades natural systems. The project provides both inspiration and practical guidance for communities worldwide, proving that innovative collaborative approaches can deliver superior outcomes for current and future generations while honouring cultural heritage and ecological integrity.
Electrify 2515 Community Pilot
An innovative, community-led research project rapidly switching an entire neighbourhood from gas to electric, providing critical insights to guide Australia’s transition to a smart, electric future
Website: electrify2515.org/
The Electrify 2515 Community Pilot is showing what Australia’s clean energy future can look like when communities take the lead. In the Illawarra’s 2515 postcode, 500 households are being supported to replace gas appliances with efficient electric alternatives such as induction cooktops, heat pump hot water systems, and reverse-cycle air conditioners. Each home also receives a smart energy device to monitor and optimise electricity use, lowering bills while reducing emissions.
In collaboration with Rewiring Australia, Electrify 2515, Brighte, Endeavour Energy
This three-year project, backed by $5.4 million in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), is being delivered in partnership between the local community, Rewiring Australia, Brighte and Endeavour Energy. Volunteers provided the spark and continue to anchor engagement, while the partner organisations bring expertise in mobilisation, finance, and network management. What makes the project unique is the way it integrates strong community engagement with technical solutions: pairing real-world upgrades with research on household experiences, installer practices, and grid impacts.
The pilot began as a conversation among neighbours in a Thirroul pub in 2022. Inspired by local scientist Dr Saul Griffith, volunteers launched “Electrify 2515” and quickly built overwhelming support to create Australia’s first ‘electric postcode’. More than 1,500 residents registered interest, laying the foundation for the nation’s first community-led electrification pilot. By November 2024, the project launched to a full house of 600 locals at Anita’s Theatre in Thirroul.
So far, 60 households have completed upgrades, installing nearly 80 efficient appliances. Early findings show high satisfaction, strong demand for home batteries, and a powerful “neighbourhood effect” as residents who see neighbours making the switch are more likely to join. These insights are shaping national conversations about energy; when data from 2515 revealed that 70 per cent of applicants wanted a home battery, it provided compelling evidence that informed the Federal Government’s Cheaper Home Batteries program.
Electrify 2515 is as much about people as technology. By training and engaging local trades businesses to deliver installations, the pilot is creating new opportunities for skills and employment while ensuring benefits stay in the region. The project is also testing how smart energy devices and grid monitoring can make homes more efficient and future-proof networks.
At the household level, the pilot is building evidence of how switching to electric appliances reduces bills, and cuts emissions. These experiences are being translated into practical resources that will help other communities navigate the transition. Targets for lower-income participants have been set, and targeted recruitment of renters and apartment dwellers is underway. This is all part of identifying solutions that make electrification possible for all types of homes.
Already, more than 20 communities across Australia - from farming regions to city apartments - have approached the project team to explore their own demonstrations. This shows how a local idea has become a national catalyst, providing both inspiration and evidence for broader change. Electrify 2515 is building a blueprint for how every Australian household can benefit from cheaper, healthier and more sustainable all-electric living.
What started in one postcode is now inspiring more than 20 communities nationwide — proving local action can drive national change
Sydney Metro Martin Place Integrated Station Development
Sydney Metro Martin Place Integrated Station Development (SMMPISD) delivers a sustainable, future focused transport and commercial infrastructure hub in the heart of Sydney’s CBD
In collaboration with Macquarie Group, Sydney Metro, Lendlease, Arup, Grimshaw Architects, JPW, Tzannes
The Sydney Metro Martin Place Integrated Station Development (SMMPISD), completed in July 2024, seamlessly integrates a major interchange for Australia's only fully-accessible, driverless train service. Includes two commercial towers at 1 Elizabeth (1E) (~60,000 m²) and 39 Martin Place (39MP) (~30,000 m²), and expansive, light-filled retail and dining spaces (~4,000 m²).
The completed precinct aims to revitalise the cultural, civic, and business centre of Martin Place.
Website: youtube.com/watch?v=TvYEouCfxwQ
Delivered for Sydney Metro as part of the Sydney Metro City & Southwest project with construction partner Lendlease, this multibillion-dollar project showcases multidisciplinary expertise across a complex multi-sector development. SMMPISD integrates the new built form and transport infrastructure with historic architecture, with new planning controls that contributed to preserving Martin Place’s character, increased density in a suitable location, and improved built form impacts. The project enhances connectivity throughout the precinct through activated public spaces, through-site pedestrian links, and diverse retail and dining offerings, delivering on Macquarie’s vision to create a place for everyone.
The precinct was constructed over more than 6 years, with over 10,000 people contributing more than 10 million hours. The design of the precinct aims for a 100-year minimum life and has embedded sustainable features throughout design, procurement, construction and operations. The project has achieved 6 Star Green Star Design & As-Built v1.1 Design Review Certified Ratings for all components of the precinct and is also targeting 6 Star Green Star As-Built Certified Ratings. The Sydney Metro Martin Place Station has already achieved a 6 Star Green Star Design & As-Built (Sydney Metro v1.1) certified rating, representing ‘World Leadership’. The towers have also achieved a 5.5 Star NABERS Energy Designed Review Target Rating.
Construction was powered by renewable energy, including through the purchase of GreenPower® and LGCs, and utilised biodiesel in plant and equipment. Throughout construction, over 90% of waste was diverted from landfill and 94% of potable water waste used in concrete production was recycled. Sustainable features of the precinct include 100% electrification, net zero carbon emissions in normal operations (including through the purchase of independently accredited renewable energy), abundant natural light,
extensive material reuse, efficient building management systems and smart technology, systems for rainwater and condensation capture and reuse, and native landscaping.
Extensive community engagement was conducted with diverse community groups to directly inform the precinct’s design. Outcomes of this engagement include improved public spaces, accessible amenities, enhanced wayfinding and the incorporation of First Nations design elements, including public art.
With high sustainability targets and complexities in creating a resilient transport hub beneath the city’s existing infrastructure, the project was delivered during Covid-19 lockdowns and unprecedented rainfalls on-time and on-budget. This is a development delivered through and characterised by strong partnerships between design and delivery partners, government, and community. The project has created spaces that enhance connectivity and community in Sydney's CBD, delivering on Macquarie Group’s commitment to create a place for everyone.
Designed for longevity — 100-year minimum design life with sustainability embedded across design, construction, and operations
Banksia NFP & NGO Award
Primary Industries and Regional Development Award
Ferrero Australia
Through its sustainability strategy, Ferrero is committed to supporting the Lithgow community economically, environmentally and socially
Ferrero Australia’s factory in Lithgow, NSW, is setting a new standard for sustainable regional manufacturing.
Established in 1976, the facility has become an enduring part of the community, employing nearly 100
people and producing more than 15,000 tonnes of Nutella annually for Australia, New Zealand, and East Asian markets.
Website: ferrero.com/au/
In line with Ferrero Group’s global sustainability commitments, Lithgow is pursuing a bold transformation: to become a thermal-energy free facility by 2026, aligning with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C pathway and the company’s Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) commitment to halve Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030.
The factory’s journey is anchored by certified management systems (ISO14001 and ISO50001), which have driven continuous improvements across energy, water, and environmental performance. These systems supported the introduction of major innovations, including a rooftop solar array that covers 75% of the facility’s roof, generating up to 20% of its electricity needs. Since its commissioning in 2019, the solar system has avoided 3,881 kilo-tonnes of CO₂ and provides real-time monitoring through a dashboard on public display.
The most significant breakthrough came in 2025 with the installation of a vertical electric hazelnut roaster, replacing a gas-fired steam oven in service since 1985. This disruptive technology eliminates up to 90% of the site’s gas demand and has already reduced thermal gas consumption by 48.6% year-on-year. Supported by an innovative heat recovery unit, the roaster also contributed to an overall 9% reduction in electricity use despite stable production volumes — a clear demonstration of how innovation can deliver both environmental and operational benefits.
Beyond technology, Ferrero has made a deliberate choice to embed
sustainability in its regional context. The factory supports the Lithgow Emerging Economy Plan (LEEP), helping the community diversify and build resilience. Contributions to Lithgow’s Seven Valleys Visitor Information Centre, through Nutella donations, have raised over $1,000 annually for local tourism promotion. Staff actively participate in school career events, sharing knowledge and encouraging the next generation to pursue opportunities in advanced regional manufacturing.
These actions have been recognised through third-party validation: Lithgow has achieved Ferrero’s maximum 4-star internal energy efficiency rating, holds ISO certifications, and has been awarded Gold recognition three times in the NSW Sustainability Advantage Program.
Looking ahead, Ferrero is preparing to electrify boilers and hot water systems, expand solar generation, and implement rainwater harvesting.
Together, these initiatives will create a facility that is not only thermal-energy free, but also largely self-sufficient in energy and water use.
Ferrero’s Lithgow factory demonstrates that with discipline, innovation, and collaboration, regional industry can decouple growth from environmental impact. It provides a blueprint for sustainable manufacturing that benefits both business and community, leaving a legacy of resilience and pride for Lithgow.
A 9% drop in electricity use achieved without slowing production — sustainability that also
Small to Medium Enterprises (SME) Sustainable Leadership Award
Pablo & Rusty’s Coffee Roasters
More Than a Delicious Cup of Coffee: Pablo & Rusty’s Blueprint for SME Sustainability Leadership
In an industry often associated with high consumption and complex supply chains, Sydney’s Pablo & Rusty’s Coffee Roasters has redefined what it means to be a successful SME. Driven by a core mission to help people "Drink Better Coffee™", the company has
meticulously integrated sustainability into every facet of its business, proving that positive impact can be a powerful business model.
Website: pabloandrustys.com.au
Objectives and Challenges
From its inception, Pablo & Rusty’s aimed to address the significant environmental and social challenges inherent in the coffee industry, including carbon emissions, singleuse packaging waste, and inequitable farmer compensation. The primary objective was not just to mitigate harm, but to create a business that actively benefits the planet and its people. The challenge was to achieve this without compromising on quality, and to do so in a way that was both authentic and commercially viable, setting a new standard for leadership in the SME sector.
Strategies and Actions Pablo & Rusty’s adopted a holistic, evidencebased strategy built on a "triple
accreditation" of globally recognised standards. First, as a certified B Corporation since 2017, and recertifying in 2024 with an elite score of 97.1, the company committed to the highest levels of verified social and environmental performance.
Second, it became the first coffee roaster in Australia to achieve Carbon Neutral certification under the government-backed Climate Active program. This was accomplished through a dual strategy of reducing emissions, by investing in an 80%-more-efficient Loring roaster and a 31.48 MWh solar panel system, and offsetting its remaining footprint, neutralising 3,810 tonnes of CO2 last year.
A cornerstone of their commitment is their membership in 1% for the Planet. This is a profound pledge to donate 1% of total annual revenue to vetted environmental organisations. This transparent and significant financial support delivered over $125,000 last year to partners like OzHarvest and Surfrider Foundation, turning business success directly into positive environmental action. With over $500,000 in contributions over the last few years. This framework is supported by innovations like using one of Australia's first homecompostable coffee pods and partnering with BioPak and Huskee to champion circular packaging.
Impact and Results
The results are clear and quantifiable. Environmentally, the company has saved tonnes of plastic and coffee grounds from landfill and made significant strides in renewable energy. Socially, it has contributed over $47,000 in Fairtrade premiums to farmers and fostered an awardwinning workplace culture. These actions are transparently documented in its annual Impact Report, demonstrating a deep commitment to accountability.
Innovation and Uniqueness
Pablo & Rusty's "X-Factor" is its unwavering commitment to holistic, certified leadership. The "triple accreditation" is incredibly rare and serves as undeniable proof that its sustainability claims are not just marketing but are deeply embedded in its operational DNA. This, combined with product innovations like their compostable pods, positions them as a true pioneer.
Conclusion
Pablo & Rusty’s Coffee Roasters stands as a powerful testament to the potential of SMEs to lead on a global scale. It has crafted a successful, resilient business that does not just sell coffee; it sells a better, more sustainable way of doing business, offering an inspiring and verifiable blueprint for others to follow.
Cargo Road Wines
Cargo Road Wines, 37ha of Land in Orange NSW, Dedicated to a Regenerative and Sustainable land for the last 28 years
In 1997, James Sweetapple took over a degraded 37-hectare property just outside Orange, NSW known as Cargo Road Wines. In a state of disrepair –severely eroded, gullies throughout the entire property, a lack of diversity of grasses, legumes and forbs, invasive blackberries suffocating the property, no young trees, poor soil and little biodiversity.
Website: cargoroadwines.com/
In collaboration with James Sweetapple
James set a goal: to see this property regenerated into the beautiful parcel of land he knew it could be, since that day he started his sustainable journey to leave this land set for future generations.
Over 28 years, James Sweetapple has created a truly sustainable and regenerative business, focusing on the quadruple bottom line –environment, future, finance and community. Vineyard, Grape Sales, Winery, Sheep, Cellar Door, Camping, Boutique Loft Accommodation, Quince, Fig and Cherry Trees and Beehives, a truly multi-faceted business built and relying on sustainability.
Never using pesticides in the vineyard, Sweetapple chooses to rely on organic and biodynamic products such as cover crops, organic sprays and crimp rolling. Sheep are used to holistically graze down the vineyard, manage weeds, fertilize the soil and
cycle minerals. Followed by dung beetles to enhance soil structure, aerate the soil and deep placement on nutrients.
Powered by solar energy, Cargo Road Wines utilizes their 25kw solar panels and the 16kw battery, reducing the need of electricity from the grid by 90%. Lightweight ‘lean green’ wine bottles are used in production of their wine bottles. Being 30% less glass, this reduces the energy and emissions caused by production and transportation. James has maintained a strong commitment to reusing and recycling wine boxes. Some have been in circulation for over two decades.
The Cellar Door is to Showcase the wines but also is used to educate their customers and the community on their sustainable practices, with regular “Tour and taste” events to show guests around the property and discuss their sustainable
Powered by the sun, Cargo Road Wines meets 90% of its energy needs off-grid
practices while tasting their wine. Local agricultural classes and holistic management workshops also take trips out to attend workshops to see how James has things running sustainably.
James Sweetapple’s commitment to sustainability is proven by achieving the first vineyard in the world to receive Ecological Outcome Verification (EOV certification). An achievement based on measured ecological improvements such as bare soil, wind and water erosion, dung decomposition, live canopy abundance and biodiversity levels.
Cargo Road Wines has had its fair share of struggles, with drought, fire and human error, including a $100,000 crop loss in one year. Despite these setbacks – the sustainable practices have allowed the business to remain financially positive. James Sweetapple’s resilience and commitment to regenerative practices have turned challenges into learning opportunities.
What sets him apart is his hands-on approach. With only a small team James is working hard with his own head, hearts and hands to ensure this property is in the best possible condition it can be. He is doing it all, from planting the seeds to helping it grow and harvesting the fruitturning sunlight into wine, all backed by sustainability.
Colormaker Industries
While traditional paints and inks have relied on fossil fuel energy and harmful chemical formulations, Colormaker Industries is taking a bold, alternative path to redefining the standard for sustainable paint production.
In collaboration with Dr Martin Poole - Executive Director, Epuron & Director of Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering at USYD, Rod HislopPrincipal, Energeering Pty Ltd, Adam MiddletonVision Electrical Services, Fred Hopley - Engineer, Zero Emissions Sydney North, Tim Maguire - Go Solar Mackellar, Solar Alliance Brookvale, Relectrify Australia, Northern Beaches Council
Website: colormaker.com.au/
Paint with a purpose
From rooftop solar to bold murals, Brookvale-based boutique paint business, Colormaker Industries demonstrates how integrating sustainability, innovation and community engagement enables small businesses to punch above their weight.
Colormaker Industries is redefining the standard for sustainable paint production. From Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Colormaker is proving that small businesses can make a significant impact, leading the way through innovative approaches to social and environmental sustainability. Collaboration with staff, suppliers, customers and community helps amplify impact through shared learnings and supporting others along the journey.
While traditional paints and inks relied on fossil fuel energy and harmful chemical formulations, Colormaker is taking a bold, alternative path. Six years ago, they installed a 100-kW solar array that powers their entire manufacturing operation and delivery fleet. In 2023 they commissioned a ReVolve® solar storage battery, built around second-life batteries from nine EVs to store excess solar energy for later use. This pioneering system has made Colormaker almost entirely self-sufficient for electricity, whilst also powering their small but growing fleet of EVs over 60,000 km.
4 Cleaner products, healthier planet
The company has reformulated most of its products to remove harmful substances such as petrochemical solvents and plastic microbeads, known to pollute waterways and damage aquatic life. Most of their products are now water-based and low VOC, offering safer alternatives for end users and the environment. They also responsibly manage on-
site waste by repurposing cardboard, recycling paper, scrap metal and e-waste and treating all wastewater to minimise their eco-footprint.
Local roots, global reach
A small business with just 17 employees, Colormaker distributes products across Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific, the USA, Europe and Asia, while staying deeply connected to its Northern Beaches roots. Locally, they support schools with art materials, sponsor environmental art prizes and donate paint to artists for murals and community projects. They also support local and regional galleries and Indigenous art programs, including children’s workshops and art therapy in underfunded areas. Where possible, Colormaker sources goods and services locally, helping keep money within the community.
Beyond the Northern Beaches, Colormaker supports impactful aid organisations. They’ve backed FREE THE REEF, a national tour raising funds and awareness for the Great Barrier Reef, donated materials to Every Daughter Matters, an antihuman trafficking NGO in Nepal and partnered with UK artist Nellie Rose to run screen printing workshops at Nepal’s Janakpur Women’s Centre, empowering women through creative, income-generating skills.
Advocacy, educational outreach & social impact
Colormaker promotes sustainability through action, education and advocacy, sharing its purpose-led business model with:
• universities
• schools
• scout and community groups
They host excursions, internships and demos to show how business can drive positive environmental and social outcomes. The business also takes part in climate expos, community art events and environmental group education. Sustainability is embedded in their culture - from reducing carbon emissions to developing eco-friendly coatings and engaging meaningfully with community.
They’re striving to make the world a better place through colour and provide an example of how businesses can go green, support community and thrive.
A small paint business proving sustainability, creativity and community can power global impact
Symbio Wildlife Park
Symbio Wildlife Park is leading the way in sustainable wildlife tourism by embedding conservation, community, and climate action into every aspect of its operations and visitor experience
Symbio Wildlife Park, a family-owned and operated organisation celebrating 50 years in 2025, has built its mission around three words: Educate – Inspire – Preserve. Sustainability is woven into every part of the park’s operations,
with a clear goal to demonstrate that protecting the planet and biodiversity is not only compatible with business success, but essential to it.
Website: symbiowildlife.com.au
Symbio offers immersive wildlife experiences that delight visitors while embedding environmental education at every touchpoint. From hands-on animal encounters to daily keeper talks, guests are encouraged to see their role in conservation and adopt sustainable practices in their own lives. More than 220,000 visitors a year experience this unique model of wildlife tourism, which places people, animals, and the environment at its core.
The park has implemented ambitious environmental targets. It has achieved zero organic waste to landfill through full composting, is actively eliminating single-use plastics, and is working towards net zero electricity by 2035 with solar generation, energy efficiency upgrades, and battery storage plans. Symbio is also on track for net zero water use (excluding human consumption) by 2030, with more than 850,000 litres of rainwater harvesting capacity already in place.
A milestone in recent years has been the launch of the Symbio Conservation Foundation, a DGR1registered charity dedicated to wildlife conservation. This provides a platform for large-scale projects such as breed-to-release programs and field-based conservation initiatives. Symbio’s recent 50% land expansion has unlocked plans for a Koala Veterinary Hospital, large-scale habitat restoration, and the growth of species rewilding programs.
Beyond its gates, Symbio is deeply connected to community and industry. The park partners with universities, government agencies, conservation organisations, and local businesses to scale impact. From supporting fieldwork with Aussie Ark and rediscovery programs for endangered reptiles, to collaborative tree planting with BlueScope and Benedict Sands, Symbio leverages collaboration as the engine of change. Partnerships with Aboriginal
Symbio is redefining wildlife tourism — not as consumption, but as regeneration
community groups further ensure that conservation is grounded in respect for Country and cultural knowledge.
Visitors are also invited to be part of the journey. Refill stations, Return & Earn bins, interpretive signage, and sustainability-focused programs create visible, interactive opportunities for participation. School programs and junior keeper camps embed sustainability education into the next generation, while community tree planting and fundraising events provide hands-on engagement.
By combining ambitious environmental goals, innovative conservation programs, and a deep commitment to community, Symbio Wildlife Park is setting a benchmark for sustainable wildlife tourism. Its ground-breaking approach shows that tourism can regenerate rather than consume, inspiring visitors, partners, and the broader industry to reimagine what is possible.
Sustainable Tourism Award
Region X — Adventure Projects
Shuck, paddle, slurp — discover how oysters, kayaks and a pristine river make sustainability delicious on the Clyde
RegionX has spent 17 years building a reputation for eco-adventures with “minimal environmental impact without compromise.” That philosophy has since matured into a culture of
custodianship, where guides and the business actively protect the environment they work in.
The Clyde River Oyster Tasting Kayak Tour embodies this evolution. Over a decade ago, RegionX co-founder Josh met Jade, a fifth-generation oyster farmer, at The Oyster Shed in Batemans Bay. Together they saw an opportunity: combine Jade’s oyster farming expertise with RegionX’s kayaking tours to create an experience that was richer than either could deliver alone.
Guests paddle short, calm stretches of the Clyde River — one of the last large undammed rivers in Australia, with 98% of its catchment protected. They arrive at Jade’s farm gate to hear her family’s story and learn how oysters are grown. Freshly opened oysters are tasted on the water, their shells returned to the estuary to seed future habitat. Along the way, guides interpret the leases, mangroves, and birdlife, connecting Jade’s knowledge with the living ecosystem.
The results speak for themselves. In the past three years, more than 3,000 visitors have joined the tour, with participation growing by around 10% each year. Visitors are mostly domestic road-trippers from Sydney and Canberra, with a steady share of international guests. The experience now contributes about 5% of Jade’s farm revenue, an essential buffer during harvest closures caused by heavy rainfall and floods. At least 20% of guests return to the farm gate to purchase additional oysters, boosting sales and reinforcing Eurobodalla’s reputation as “Oyster Country.”
The wider industry impact is significant. The oyster sector contributes $16 million annually and 100 jobs to Eurobodalla’s economy. The tour strengthens this by diversifying income streams, building resilience, and amplifying the visibility of oysters as both a premium food and an ecological keystone.
Environmental outcomes are just as compelling. Each oyster filters up to 5 litres of water per hour, improving clarity and biodiversity. Guests leave with a new understanding of oysters as “ecosystem engineers” and “canaries of river health.” Indigenous
cultural stories, such as oysters traded for the first didgeridoo, add depth and connection between ecology, culture, and heritage.
The social impact is clear too. With double kayaks and short, flatwater routes, the experience is accessible to almost everyone — families, seniors, beginners, and nervous paddlers. Guests consistently highlight this inclusivity in feedback.
Reviews capture the transformation: “The highlight was tying up to the wharf and having Jade open oysters right in front of us. I’ve eaten oysters before, but never like that – straight from the river. You can taste the difference.” Another wrote: “I never realised oysters actually clean the water – learning they filter the river and are like a canary for its health was a real eye-opener.”
With 575+ five-star TripAdvisor reviews, state-level promotion by Destination NSW, and recognition from Australia’s Oyster Coast, the tour has become a flagship example of sustainable tourism in NSW.
The Clyde River Oyster Tasting Kayak Tour shows how small business collaboration can achieve big outcomes — blending economy, environment, and culture into one powerful model of sustainable tourism.
The Clyde River tour proves small business collaboration can deliver big environmental, economic and cultural outcomes
City of Sydney’s Sustainable Destination Partnership
Driving collective impact through the Sustainable Destination Partnership
Since its inception in 2018, the Sustainable Destination Partnership (SDP) has played a pivotal role in transforming Sydney’s visitor economy into a model of environmental responsibility. By uniting accommodation providers, cultural
institutions and entertainment venues, the SDP has created a collaborative platform to tackle climate change, reduce resource consumption, and promote sustainable tourism.
In 2024, the partnership contributed to a significant milestone: Sydney was ranked 10th globally and number 1 in Australia on the Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDSI) – a leap from 29th place in 2023. This achievement reflects the collective efforts of the SDP’s 32 partners and 73 buildings, representing over half of the hotel rooms in the City of Sydney’s area.
The SDP’s approach is grounded in measurable targets and transparent reporting. By June 2025, the partnership aims to reduce carbon emissions and potable water use by 50% (from a 2017–18 baseline), source 50% of electricity from renewables and divert 70% of waste from landfill. As of 2024, the partnership achieved a 31% reduction in emissions, 21% reduction in water use and 69% waste diversion, demonstrating strong progress toward its goals.
One of the standout features of the SDP is its emphasis on renewable electricity adoption. A total of 14 buildings now purchase renewable electricity, contributing to 12% of the partnership’s total electricity use. While this is short of the 50% target, it marks a significant increase from just 6% in 2018. The partnership also supports members in developing net zero action plans, with a focus on energy efficiency, data transparency and stakeholder engagement.
The SDP’s impact is further illustrated through compelling case studies. For example, Accor has committed to net zero emissions by 2050, with interim targets of a 46% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030. The company has already achieved more than 200 eco-certifications and is introducing NABERS ratings across its hotel portfolio. Similarly, the Art Gallery of NSW’s new Naala Badu building is powered entirely by GreenPower and has achieved a 6-star Green Star rating, setting a new benchmark for public cultural institutions.
The partnership also champions circular economy projects, such as the Sydney Opera House’s collaboration with Recolab to repurpose theatre materials into eco-friendly bags. These sold-out collections not only reduced waste but also raised funds for further sustainability initiatives. Meanwhile, SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium has partnered with Seabin to remove more than 800,000 plastic items each year from Sydney Harbour, highlighting the SDP’s commitment to marine conservation.
Looking ahead, the SDP has identified 5 key actions: increasing renewable electricity purchases, developing net zero plans, expanding third-party certifications, halving food waste and amplifying success stories. With strong leadership, clear metrics and a culture of collaboration, the Sustainable Destination Partnership is not only helping Sydney meet its climate goals –it is redefining what sustainable tourism looks like on a global stage.
31% reduction in carbon emissions, 21% reduction in water use, and 69% waste diversion achieved by 2024
A
city-wide partnership bringing hotels, cultural institutions and entertainment venues together to reduce emissions, cut resource use and lead sustainable tourism
Trolley’d
Trolley’d transforms the event experience with aviation-themed mobile bars that achieve zero waste, source 90 % of ingredients locally and ethically, and inspire guests to celebrate sustainably.
Trolley’d is a Sydney-based mobile hospitality company proving that premium events can be sustainable. Using refurbished airline trolleys as zero-waste cocktail and mocktail bars, Trolley’d delivers memorable
experiences while minimising environmental impact and supporting local communities across New South Wales.
Website: trolleyd.com.au/
Objectives and Challenges
Trolley’d set out to show that celebrations need not generate landfill or rely on long supply chains. The challenge was to redesign sourcing, logistics, materials, training, and guest engagement so sustainability was embedded without compromising quality or speed at high-volume events.
Strategies and Actions
Trolley’d’s ingredient strategy prioritises biodiversity and cultural respect. Sixty percent of ingredients are sustainably foraged native botanicals; thirty percent are purchased from First Nations suppliers through ethical partnerships; the remaining ten percent are sourced from local NSW farmers to reduce food miles and support regional economies. Serviceware is reusable or compostable. Over the last year, more than 50,000 compostable cups were collected and composted onsite. At every onsite event, Trolley’d operates a zero-waste system with back-of-house sorting, organic capture, and verified composting or recycling streams. Refurbished airline trolleys extend product life and create modular, efficient workstations that reduce setup time and footprint. Staff introduce each drink by its provenance and seasonal ecology, turning service into a brief lesson in responsible tourism.
Community and Partnerships
Trolley’d regularly collaborates with the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence, Blak Markets, Newtown Refugee Centre, AIME Mentoring, WEAVE Youth & Community Services, Will 2 Live, and local galleries, contributing professional service to community events and amplifying partners’ missions. The business is accredited as a Sustainable Tourism enterprise with the NSW Government and maintains a public sustainability commitment. Knowledge-sharing occurs through mentoring, supplier showcases, and open conversations with peer operators about practical zero-waste methods.
Impact and Results
Trolley’d achieves 100% zero waste at every onsite event. The team composted over 50,000 cups in the past year, eliminated singleuse plastics from operations, and diverted organic and packaging waste from landfill. Procurement directs meaningful spend to Indigenous enterprises and local producers, strengthening circular local economies and keeping cultural knowledge at the centre of product design. At Vivid Sydney 2025, Trolley’d delivered a highvolume, zero-waste activation that demonstrated to thousands of visitors that a festival bar can be both premium and environmentally responsible. Post-event feedback
Sustainability isn’t an add-on — it’s designed into the entire experience, from culturally respectful sourcing and zerowaste operations to staff training that turns service into education
indicates guests left more confident about composting, trying native ingredients, and asking for sustainable options at future events.
Innovation and Uniqueness
The aviation concept is more than aesthetic—it is a circular-economy solution that turns surplus airline equipment into modular bars and a striking conversation starter. Combined with live storytelling at service, each drink becomes an educational moment that normalises responsible consumption.
Conclusion and Future Trajectory
Trolley’d shows that luxury and responsibility can reinforce each other. The company will scale impact by expanding training, publishing resources for event organisers, and piloting a franchise model so likeminded operators can replicate the zero-waste, culturally respectful approach in new regions. In doing so, Trolley’d advances responsible consumption, climate action, thriving local ecosystems, and strong partnerships across NSW’s tourism economy.
107 Messages From The 2025 NSW Sustainability Awards’ Supporters
AV1 proudly partners with the NSW Sustainability Awards, aligning our commitment to sustainability and community enrichment with the esteemed Banksia Foundation. We have been a certified B Corp for over seven years, emphasising social impact and eco-conscious practices in the events industry. AV1 specialises in audio visual and technical production services, delivering innovative solutions for events of all shapes and sizes across Australia and internationally.
AV1’s purpose is to enrich our communities with bold brains, full hearts, unwavering soul and generous spirit. Through our partnership with Banksia Foundation, we aim to amplify our impact and support sustainability leaders.
AV1 is honoured to contribute to the success of the Banksia National Sustainability Awards and we congratulate all the inspiring individuals and organisations featured in the 2025 NSW Sustainability Awards Success Stories publication.
Production specialists for your events av1.com.au
Informed 365 is proud to support the 2025 NSW Sustainability Awards, an important platform that celebrates organisations working to build a fairer, more ethical and environmentally responsible future. For more than a decade, we have partnered with the Banksia Foundation because we share a conviction that business can and should be a force for good. Seeing hundreds of organisations recognised for their commitment to responsible action has been deeply rewarding and continues to inspire our own mission.
Our work is grounded in the belief that ethical choices; made by businesses, governments and communities; can drive lasting, system-wide change. Whether through greater transparency, stronger governance or embedding sustainability into everyday operations, every step toward responsible practice makes a meaningful difference.
informed365.com/
MCI is an events & engagement agency. Our purpose is to help you engage and activate your audiences through live event experiences, incentive management, digital platforms, strategic communications, and expert consulting. We see sustainable events as powerful catalysts for positive change. Our holistic approach to sustainable event design goes beyond minimising costs and environmental footprints. It elevates participant experiences, sparks innovation, and enhances brand reputation while leaving a lasting social legacy. Harnessing our deep expertise in audience
engagement and community building, we empower you to motivate, incentivise, collaborate, grow, and interact with your people in ways that matter. By blending experience with intelligence, we craft solutions that drive activation, creativity, and strategic impact, helping shape a future that’s brighter for all.
Shape Your Tomorrow with MCI. wearemci.com australia@mci-group.com
The Australian National Maritime Museum is proud to be a partner of the 2025 NSW Sustainability Awards.
The Museum is Australia’s museum of the sea. It is a place to explore our relationship to the saltwater and freshwater that surrounds us and provides us life. Our oceans and waterways are the heartbeat of who we are. We are the keeper of the rich and compelling narrative of an island nation, shaped by its oceans and waterways.
We connect our visitors to their unique role in understanding our past and its influence on our present and, increasingly their role in shaping our future. We explore topics of maritime heritage, migration, commerce, archaeology, culture, lifestyle
and, of course, ocean science and sustainability. The Museum believes in a sustainable future for our waters and our world and is proud to have committed to a 10-year program in support of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development which allows us to work with research, innovation and knowledge partners across Australia and the globe to increase ocean literacy.
sea.museum/
Tahbilk is delighted to be a proud sponsor of the 2025 NSW Sustainability Awards, reinforcing our long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable business practices.
Guided by the fifth-generation Purbrick family, Tahbilk has led from the front in embedding sustainability across its operations.
As one of only eight wineries worldwide to achieve product-and-organisation level carbon-neutral certification over a decade ago, Tahbilk’s work in emissions reduction, solar energy adoption and
ongoing landscape regeneration is exemplary. Tahbilk’s vision is simple: look after our environment, support our community and craft quality wines, to ensure we have a sustainable legacy for generations to come.
By aligning with the NSW Sustainability Awards, Tahbilk honours those organisations making measurable, positive contributions to people, planet and prosperity. Together, we celebrate leadership that inspires change.
tahbilk.com.au
NSW Sustainability Awards Honour Roll
2024
Minister's Young Climate Champion Award
The Littie Committee “Reuse Your Shoes”! - Caddies Creek Public School
Biodiversity Award Mulloon Rehydration Initiative
Circular Economy Award Citizen Wolf
Climate Technology Impact Award Reclaim Energy - Solar Thermal Australia Pty Ltd
Large Business Transformation Award Hawkesbury City Council
Marketing & Communications for Impact Award Haystacks Solar Garden
Small, Medium Enterprises Sustainable Leadership Award Underwear for Humanity
Sustainable Tourism Award Taronga Conservation Society Australia
2023
Minister's Young Climate Champion Award Belltrees Public School
Biodiversity Award Upper Murrumbidgee Demonstration Reach
Circular Transition Award The Reconnect Project
Climate Technology Impact Award
SIMPaCT: Smart Irrigation Management for Parks and Cool Towns
Communications for Impact Award Action4Agriculture
Large Business Transformation Award Port of Newcastle
Net Zero Action Award
Rheem Australia Pty Ltd
Placemaking Award
Parramatta Light Rail Stage 1, Transport for NSW
Primary Industries and Regional Development Award Oceanfarmr
Responsible Supply Award Underwear for Humanity
Small, Medium Enterprises Sustainable Leadership Award Underwear for Humanity
Sustainable Tourism Award Take 3 for the Sea
2022
Minister's Young Climate Champion Award St Brigid's Primary School
Biodiversity Award ANU Sustainable Farms
Circular Transition Award CurbCycle
Clean Technology Award MCi Carbon
Communications for Impact Award Hunter Water Corporation
Future Cities Award Sydney Metro
Large Business Transformation Award Port Authority of New South Wales
Net Zero Action Award UNSW Sydney
Primary Industries and Regional Development Award
ProAgni
Small, Medium Enterprises Transformation Award Swag Australia
Youth as our Changemakers Award
Climate Wise Agriculture Joshua Gilbert
2021
Minister’s Young Climate Champion Award Kya's Bushfire Recovery Community Seed Bank
Biodiversity Award
Sydney Institute of Marine Science
Circular Transition Award
Planet Protector Packaging
Clean Technology Award Degnan Constructions
Large Business Transformation Award
Net Zero Action Award
Hunter New England Local Health District
Small and Medium Enterprise Transformation Award
Youth as Our Changemakers Award
Sydney Opera House
Green Eco Technologies
Seaside Scavenge
Banksia Sustainability Awards Judges
The Banksia Judging and Awards Governance Committee is heavily underpinned by the dedicated individuals that give up their time and expertise in order to review each entry. These individuals have been selected for their expertise and their commitment to Banksia’s mission of identifying and celebrating Australian leadership.
The Banksia Foundation would like to thank our judges based right around Australia. These judges are independent to the Banksia Board and Staff. It is of the utmost importance for the Foundation to maintain the independence of the judging process and this is fundamental to the integrity of the Banksia Awards. The judges are all specialists in their fields, and the judging panels are constructed so that each judge is assigned to a category, which matches their expertise. All potential conflicts of interest are declared from the outset, and these judges do not take part in that particular entries assessment.
Banksia would like to acknowledge our Head of the Audit and Risk Committee, Melissa Schultz. Her commitment and support along with the other Audit and Risk Committee members is invaluable and ensures that we maintain a viable, efficient and reputable judging process.
On behalf of the Banksia Foundation we would like to thank the following individuals who have provided their time and expertise in judging the 2025 NSW Sustainability Awards —
Alex Hillman
Alexander Legaree
Amy Croucher
Anne Astin
Belinda Bean
Barbara Nebel
Belinda Bean
Dayana Brooke
Dominique Hes
Dr Ehsan Noroozinejad
Emma Treadgold
Evelyn Jonkman
Fiona Walmsley
Fran Madigan
Garth Lamb
Heidi Robertson
Iain Smale
Jack Noonan
Jacqui Bonnitcha
Jennifer George
Katrina O'Mara
Mark Thomson
Mark Watson
Monica Richter
Sarah Magner
Sascha Rust
Sara Redmond-Neal
Scott Losee
Simon Boughey
Turlough Guerin
For more information on the judges and the judging process for the NSW Sustainability Awards, head to banksiafdn.com/judging-process-nsw/
