As Week 1 of the COP15 Conference in Copenhagen draws to a close I thought it might be a good opportunity to share some of my learnings and thoughts from the events that I have attended this week.
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COP15 – the short hand name for the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was described in recent weeks by Lord Nicholas Stern as the “most important meeting since World War II” and by the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon as one that the future of humanity hinges on. Certainly very big statements and ones that you would expect might stir the nations of the world into action, but based on my experiences of the conference so far that seems to be anything but the case. Read more »
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We’re very pleased to announce the inaugural Climate Change Adaptation Forum, in Melbourne on 24-25th November and Sydney on 26-27 November 2009. Along with Net Balance, partners include CSIRO’s ECOS Magazine, Swiss Re and the Federal Government through NCCARF, and the events are run by Dealers’ Group.
These are must-attend events for decision-makers working on climate change, low-carbon development and sustainability. The events will look at key issues including:
Further half-day workshops will focus on building adaptive capability and investing in adaptation.
The events have attracted some great speakers and partners. For more information please click on the pic above or go to: www.climateadaptation.com.au
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We’re very pleased to be an Associate Partner of the Authentic Leadership Symposium in Melbourne on October 16th 2009. Hosted by leadership development experts CarmanWhite, we believe it will provide a tremendous opportunity for existing and aspiring leaders to enhance their leadership approach and to discover the great leader within.
Speakers include Ross Wyatt, Director at Net Balance, Michael Rennie, MD of McKinsey & Company, Barry Edwards, former training Manager for Emirates Airlines and People Development Manager for Sun Microsystems, Brett Kirk, Co-Captain of the Sydney Swans.
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The ‘The State of Green Purchasing in Australia’ report will be launched on October 13th 2009 in Melbourne. The report will be available on the Net Balance website soon after the launch.
A must-attend free event for businesses looking to improve environmental performance in their procurement — catering and refreshments provided, to register please contact Nicole at Net Balance.
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In July and August we ran two NGERS Industry Workshops in both Sydney and Melbourne. The workshops consisted of an overview of the legislative requirements and tips for reporting submissions. Industry speakers — including Foster’s, Melbourne Water, Amcor, Boral and Sydney Water — provided practical case studies, and the events were warmly received.
Net Balance offers services in both NGERS submission assistance and internal verification of submissions backed by our significant experience in assurance. For further info, please see our NGERS capability statement, or contact Grant or Kim from our greenhouse team.
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Net Balance recently conducted the world’s first high-level sustainability report assurance. The assurance process undertaken for EnergyAustralia, one of Australia’s largest gas and electricity suppliers, and was in line with AccountAbility’s up-dated assurance standard: AA1000AS 2008, which is designed to help ‘organisations become more accountable, responsible and sustainable’. The assurance engagement focused on the sustainability principles, appropriate site and corporate level systems as well as the data presented.
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Net Balance is proud to congratulate our client, Ferguson Plarre, on winning Australia’s most prestigious environmental award, the 2009 Origin Gold Banksia Award, as well as the Small and Medium Enterprises Sustainability Award at The Banksia Environmental Foundation awards on Friday 24 July 2009.
Ferguson Plarre was nominated for the awards due to its benchmark Keilor Park bakery, which demonstrates a high level commitment to operating sustainably for the benefit of the business, environment and the community. By harnessing the waste heat from its refrigeration systems, redistributing heat recovered from freshly baked products, employing hybrid vehicle technologies and offsetting the remaining emissions via tree planting, Ferguson Plarre has reduced its carbon footprint by over 5,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.
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IBM and Acclimatise have produced a check list of questions company directors should ask about climate change. There are ten key questions, under Risks and Opportunities. Here they are: Read more »
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Disclosures on Corporate Governance is a new report published byNet Balance Foundation in partnership with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants Australia/NZ (ACCA). The report, based on a set of criteria developed by Net Balance Foundation and ACCA, examines reporting by Australia’s 50 largest publicly-listed corporations relating to corporate governance.
The research found that top Australian companies still approach corporate governance reporting as a ‘box-ticking’ exercise, rather than a key factor in strengthening their sustainability and performance. The report makes various recommendations for improving future reporting regarding corporate governance and sustainability.
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