February 2009 – Environmental Sustainability in Business

QWESTNet aims to bring together sustainable technology users and retailers in an informal environment.

Agenda (PDF, 80K)*

Introduction
Partner Presentation
Key Note Presentation
Business Sustainability Frameworks
Case Studies
Edgy Info
Hot Topics
Exhibitors

Introduction

On Wednesday 18 February an overwhelming number of businesses and suppliers participated in QWESTNet's first forum of 2009, held in association with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland.

This forum focussed on the road to sustainability; aimed at businesses who were either considering moving along the green road or who were already travelling the road but were looking for further ways to improve their business.

A challenge was issued to businesses supplying 'sustainable' products and services: is your business 'walking the talk' or just another business selling a 'green' product? Delegates learnt of a number of programs and services available to assist their businesses improve their triple bottom line.

Disclaimer: The presentation of a service, product or technology does not constitute endorsement of any kind by the department or Queensland Government.

Partner Presentation

Glen Henderson

Business Sustainability: helping your bottom line

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Download PDF version (PDF, 216K)*

Glen Henderson, Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland

Glen covers the range of services offered by the Chamber of Commerce & Industry Queensland (CCIQ), focussing on sustainability services in particular. Glen discusses the benefits of moving towards sustainability, how achieve it and the pitfalls of not acting.

Key Note Presentation

John Cole

Climate Change, Sustainability & the Financial Crisis

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Download PDF version (PDF, 2.1M)*

Dr. John Cole, Office of Clean Energy

In this insightful presentation, John considers the mounting pressures placed on businesses that jeopardise the longevity of a business. John looks across the spectrum including energy and water pricing pressures, a carbon constrained environment and indicates some ways forward. The presentation challenges the viewer to forecast how their business will survive to operate in the future and provides a valuable checklist all businesses need to ask themselves if they wish to remain profitable.

Business Sustainability Frameworks

Brett Hazlett

Gathering Sustainability Information

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Download PDF version (PDF, 1.5M)*

Brett Hazlett, ecoSpecifier

Making my business sustainable: Why am I doing it? What do I want to achieve? Where can I get verified assistance and advice? How can I find out about government programs? What initiatives might be right for my business? Do I need to identify my baseline? Brett discusses how your business can get started with sustainability and briefly outlines how ecospecifier can help. Much more than just a database of products and materials, ecospecifier is a knowledgebase that brings together resources and links from around the globe. ecospecifier offers targeted and valuable information to make your decision making quicker, easier, and more effective.

Paul Hodgson

Planning Change

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Paul Hodgson, Enterprise Connect

When we sit and think about "change" it is a daunting prospect. However, our lives and workplaces are constantly undergoing change with new people, technologies, regulations. Why do some people and companies only cope with change whilst others excel and thrive? In this short presentation, Paul highlights some 'Do's' and 'Don'ts' in planning change and briefly outlines how the Australian Government's Enterprise Connect Manufacturing Network can help support you with your change initiatives.

Howard Nielsen

Tracking Change in Sustainable Business Practice

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Howard Nielsen, NAC Consulting

Howard discusses an appreciative model for developing a sustainable business by focusing on two sustainability assessment and reporting tools. This model includes knowing how to track sustainability progress and assess future options for action. Businesses have a choice of sustainability and eco-efficiency survey and reporting tools and other audit processes which enable progress to be tracked and reported.

Case Studies

Bob Cameron

Rockcote's Convenient Truth

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Download PDF version (PDF, 1.2M)*

Bob Cameron, Rockcote

We've all heard a lot about Al Gore's 'Inconvenient Truth', now hear the other side of the story. Addressing environmental issues can present huge opportunities for business growth for fun and profit. Bob explains you don't have to be a sustainability expert to change your business, and do it very profitably.

Ben Crennan

Attaining Employee Engagement

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Download PDF version (PDF, 1.5M)*

Ben Crennan, Priestley's Gourmet Delights

Ben's presentation covers the structured methodology that Priestley's Gourmet Delights have enlisted to improve staff involvement and improvement. The key message is managing by fact and getting a result from business Key Performance indicators in a specified time frame. Then in turn rewarding personnel for the improvements. Ben provides valuable examples of systems and tools he uses to great effect in getting staff on board and producing results.

Alan Paul

Supply Chain Management

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Alan Paul, Finsbury Green Solutions

Finsbury Green Solutions is a leading environmental supply chain management company. Finsbury Green has a policy of alleviating environmental impacts by adopting green technologies, new eco friendly products and devising new methods and processes. Alan discusses some of the issues Finsbury Green encountered as they worked with their suppliers to 'green' the supply chain. Alan has some remarkable stories about how different suppliers responded to Finsbury Green Solutions' initiatives.

Edgy Info

Deb Caruso

Promoting Change I: sustainability with substance

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Deborah Caruso, Three Plus

Once you have made the commitment to going green, are you getting the best bang for your buck and are you ready to put money where your mouth is? Deb speaks on the importance of ensuring there is substance behind your message before you go to market and provides some insights into how to leverage your sustainability program to build your brand, cut through the climate change clutter and reap the business benefits of your commitment.

Albert Julum

Promoting Change II: the trouble with greenwash

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Albert Julum, Australian Consumer and Competition Commission

Albert looks at green marketing from an enforcement perspective. The presentation provides guidelines for businesses on what they should take into account when advertising the environmental benefits of their goods or services. The presentation also provides examples of actions taken by the ACCC where businesses have engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct.

John Monico

It's a Carbon Jungle Out There: a survival guide for business

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John Monico, Department of Environment and Resource Management

John introduces the new 'Carbon Guide for Small Business' developed by the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management. This guide is intended to provide businesses with a fundamental understanding of what carbon is, how it will affect your business and how to deal with it successfully. The guide is a Climate Smart Business initiative.

Hot Topics

Lisa Smith

ecoBiz Small Business Edition

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Download PDF version (PDF, 532K)*

Lisa Smith, Deaprtment of Environment and Resource Management

This presentation provides a brief overview of the Small Business Edition (SBE) of the ecoBiz Toolbox. It provides a snapshot of some of the features of the SBE and why it might be a great tool for your business to use to step through the ecoBiz program and improve the energy, water and waste efficiency of your operations.

Troy Harrison

Emissions Trading

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Download PDF version (PDF, 445K)*

Troy Harrison, Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland

Troy's presentation provides a summary of the federal government's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) white paper released in December 2008. The presentation focuses on how the introduction of the scheme in 2010 and the shift into a carbon constrained business environment will affect small to medium enterprises.

Troy was joined by Dan O'Sullivan (Manager Strategic Policy, Dept. of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry) and Dr. Greg Picker (Associate Director, Maunsell AECOM). The panel of three fielded questions from the audience in relation to Troy's presentation.

Exhibitors

Exhibitors present on the day:

Disclaimer:

The presentation of a service, product or technology does not constitute endorsement of any kind by the department and Queensland Government.

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Last reviewed 24 April 2012
Last updated 13 April 2011