Sustainable business

PROJECT | 2019

Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy for American Express Australia

Through delivery of a series of internal workshops, ISF helped Amex ANZ to develop its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy with a focus on goals, strategies, initiatives and targets aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The outcomes of this project guided Amex Australia’s initial CSR activities.

Client: Amex Australia

Researchers: Alison Atherton,  Stuart White,  Joanne Chong,  Jack Herring,  Wendy Wang

PROJECT | 2018-2019

Ecosystem impacts of phosphorus and surfactants in consumer products

Investigating the environmental impact of household products shows where improvements can be made.

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PROJECT | 2018-2019

Improving gender diversity in companies

ISF partnered with researchers Alice Klettner and Thomas Clarke from the UTS Business School to analyse initiatives aimed to improve gender diversity in companies. The research looked at innovative policies relating to recruitment and retainment of talent across genders, providing case studies of initiatives and tools put in place by governments and companies that demonstrate real outcomes in improving gender diversity.

Client: Stewart Investors

Researchers: Alison Atherton,  Keren Winterford,  Simone Soeters,  Joanne Chong

PROJECT | 2018-2019

Multinational corporations and subsidiaries

ISF partnered with researchers Alice Klettner and Thomas Clarke from the UTS Business School to explore the relationship between 10 multinational corporations (MNCs) that have partly-owned subsidiaries, and the minority shareholders of the subsidiary companies. The report provided examples and analysis of how MNCs have taken into account the needs of minority shareholders.

Researcher: Alison Atherton

PROJECT | 2017-2019

Packaging Sustainability Framework and Online tool

ISF developed a packaging sustainability framework and online self-assessment tool to allow APCO members to self-report on their progress towards meeting packaging sustainability targets. The tool and framework are in use by 1,000 APCO members for annual reporting, enabling consistent collection of national packaging data for the first time in Australia and tracking progress on national packaging goals. The tool provides APCO members with an annual benchmark of packaging sustainability performance.

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PROJECT | 2017-2018

Sustainability gap analysis

ISF conducted an organisation-wide sustainability gap analysis for Waverley Council. The analysis identified current processes used to embed sustainability, the current state of sustainability in the organisation, barriers and opportunities for improvement as well as priorities and actions to embed sustainability across the organisation.

The project involved workshops and interviews with key council staff, as well as document analysis of policies and plans. ISF also identified best practice in similar organisations across key functional areas, to guide Waverley Council in identifying strategies for improving operations. The report informed a strategic plan of action to embed sustainability into Council’s day-to-day business.

Client: Waverley Council

PROJECT | 2017-2018

Sustainable supply chain relationships

In this research, ISF explored the nature of the relationships between retail companies and their supply chains. It examined which retailers are leading the field in developing robust supplier relationships, including support for dealing with emerging environmental issues, resource constraints and social issues.

The research investigated what retailers are doing to develop and maintain sustainable supply chain relationships, barriers to more collaborative relationships, and successes and opportunities. ISF developed and applied a framework to assess performance. The report provided Stewart Investors with a snapshot of current performance, a baseline for assessing future improvements and a basis for discussions with the companies about what can be done in the future.

Client: Stewart Investors

Researchers: Alison Atherton,  Scott Kelly

PROJECT | 2016-2020

Assessing corporate sustainability for investors

ISF's ongoing partnership with an international investor group results in research that influences ethical investment.

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PROJECT | 2016-2017

Identifying packaging leaders among emerging markets consumer companies

This research project was commissioned by Stewart Investors to investigate and evaluate progress being made towards packaging sustainability in emerging market consumer companies. The focus was on actions being taken to address environmental issues such as materials efficiency, the source of raw materials, and reuse or recycling of packaging at end of life.

Client: Stewart Investors

Researchers: Scott Kelly,  Joe Wyndham,  Alison Atherton,  Jenni Downes,  Damien Giurco

PROJECT | 2016

Packaging sustainability for consumer companies in emerging markets

ISF developed criteria and indicators to evaluate the packaging sustainability performance of 17 companies in emerging markets. The framework was based on international best practice and tested with a number of local and international experts. Data was collected through a desktop review of company reports, websites and interviews. The report provided Stewart Investors with a snapshot of current performance, a baseline for assessing future improvements and a basis for discussions with the companies about what can be done in the future. This project led directly to the development of the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) online tool and framework.

Client: Stewart Investors

PROJECT | 2012

Western Sydney Parklands sustainability action plan

Western Sydney Parklands is a large area on the fringe of Sydney that contains diverse land uses including bushland, farming, recreation, waste management and trunk infrastructure. It has areas leased to commercial, industrial, residential and recreational interests as well as areas under its direct control. In 2010, the Western Sydney Parklands Trust published a plan of management to deliver its vision over the 10 years to 2020. Both the vision and principles in the plan are explicit in the expectation that the Parklands be sustainable.

In 2012, ISF worked with the trust to document the first in a series of phases leading to implementation of sustainability. The project involved developing a sustainability framework and action plan for the trust’s operations that would guide it towards achieving its vision for sustainability 2020. Over 100 actions were developed across a sustainability framework, utilising the One Planet Living program as a guide, tailored to the trust’s unique governance structure as a landlord and steward (for parkland operations) as well as a leasee (for office operations). The plan was intended as an operational manual for trust staff that could be practically used and updated to document and drive sustainability action.

Client: Western Sydney Parklands Trust

PROJECT | 2011-2013

Enhancing the adaptive capacity to climate change of small and medium enterprises

This project explored the key underlying factors and processes shaping the adaptive capacity of Australian small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) to climate change and associated sea level rise. Specifically, ISF investigated how SMEs have considered and integrated adaptation into business planning; the key underlying processes that constrain and influence the adaptive capacities of SMEs; and what types of support are required to promote SME business continuity under a changing climate.

The research adopted theories from political ecology and drew on literature on vulnerability and hazards to understand the processes that mediate the adaptive capacity of SMEs. The empirical research involved an online survey targeting SMEs, attending business engagement events hosted by chambers of commerce, 30 semi-structured interviews with secondary stakeholders, five case studies involving SMEs and secondary stakeholders, and finally a stakeholder workshop that brought together participants from both groups.

The central conclusion of this study was that underlying contextual processes are critical to enhancing the adaptive capacity of SMEs. These processes include: the social relationships between SMEs and support organisations; the relationships within support organisations themselves; the agency of SMEs to direct resources toward building resilience into business continuity; SMEs’ perceptions of climate risks; and power struggles between support organisations. This study suggested that the success of efforts to build the adaptive capacity of SMEs to future climate and related stresses will depend on how these underlying processes are addressed.

Client: National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF)

Researchers: Natasha Kuruppu,  Pierre Mukheibir,  Janina Murta,  Anna Gero,  Tim Brennan,  Joanne Chong

PROJECT | 2010–2011

Green Chrysalis Innovation towards Australia’s new economy: opportunities for small and medium enterprises

Green Chrysalis explores the opportunities arising from the economic shift to producing lower carbon emissions, and its implications for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

The Australian Business Foundation commissioned this research recognising SMEs will be critical contributors to Australia’s transition to a greener and more productive economy as they generate 46 per cent of economic output and 42 per cent of employment in Australia.

ISF undertook research with SMEs to capture case studies demonstrating the processes that drive innovative SME business activity in response to the new green economy. The resulting report details how this shift influences small businesses’ ability to transform and gain a competitive advantage, and what support and knowledge is available for SMEs facing these changes, including the role of universities as 'knowledge suppliers’.

Client: Australian Business Foundation

Researchers: Joanne Chong,  Stuart White,  Sally Asker,  Tim Brennan,  Janina Murta,  Ceridwen Dovey,  Caitlin McGee

PROJECT | 2008-2016

Sustainability strategies

As part of the University’s Environmental Sustainability Initiative, ISF developed UTS’s inaugural sustainability strategies in the areas of transport, climate change and paper reduction.

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PROJECT | 2007

Footprinting Emissions

Greenpeace Australia wanted to see the environmental impact of their operations in Australia, and asked ISF to help. In order to give Greenpeace a clear picture of their footprint, and how they might improve it in the future, ISF applied a Carbon Management Framework that would:

- Measure all direct CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions of the operations of Greenpeace Australia

- Identify areas where emission reductions were possible and make recommendations

- Audit all Greenpeace’s operations that produce indirect emissions and rank these according to the ability to reduce these emissions.

The research prompted ISF to develop new methods for estimating indirect greenhouse gas emissions associated with the use of products and services in an office environment, including paper products, stationery, printing services and couriers. In addition to reporting on Greenpeace Australia's then-current footprint, ISF developed a reporting format and tools to enable Greenpeace to measure and report their own emissions in future years.

Client: Greenpeace Australia

PROJECT | 2007

Paradigm shift to long-termism in the Australian finance sector

ISF collaborated with the UTS Faculty of Business to explore the key causes of – and solutions to – short-termism as it relates to institutional investments. For this, researchers conducted a literature review and stage a series of focus groups. The research led to the publication of two discussion papers and an action plan for implementation by members of the investment community and stakeholders.

The project identified the need for further research and an in-depth finance sector-led review. It also outlined immediate steps that could be taken to begin to promote long-termism.

Client: Total Environment Centre

Partner: "Faculty of Business, UTS"

Researchers: Alison Atherton,  James Lewis,  Roel Plant

PROJECT | 2006-2009

The effectiveness of public/private partnerships in achieving sustainability outcomes

Given the rise of public/private partnerships and the issues that have stemmed from them, this research project was particularly topical and provided practical recommendations for future success of such partnerships. The research modelled best practice governance of public/private partnerships, with particular reference to their capacity to drive organisational changes required to improve the environmental performance and productivity of Australian businesses.

A case study approach was combined with face-to-face interviews, focus groups and survey analysis to deliver outcomes to advise policy-makers and business on the successful design and implementation of such partnerships. This project was conducted in partnership with the UTS Faculty of Business and with assistance from the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change. The project also gained financial support in the form of an Australian Research Council grant.

Client: Australian Research Council

PROJECT | 2006-2007

Environmental costing for Yarra Valley Water

Budgeting for a large-scale shift to sustainable operations is a challenge for many industries. In 2006, Yarra Valley Water (YVW) approached ISF with a challenge: how to financially plan for a number of sustainability-related strategic objectives the retail water corporation had identified for the coming years.

In answering the challenge, ISF researchers built on existing frameworks for Sustainability Accounting to to prepare a preliminary environmental cost statement, followed by a more comprehensive cost statement for YVW. They analysed available costings for initiatives to realise YVW’s six environmental strategic objectives, identified gaps in the data and, where possible, estimated future costs. In conducting their research, ISF identified ways that the process of obtaining this kind of data could be improved for future projects, as well as methods to improve costing the achievement of strategic objectives. In order to assist YVW in putting their strategic objectives into practice, ISF also developed tools for communicating the proposed sustainability measures to all sections of YVW’s business and to the wider investment community.

Client: Yarra Valley Water

PROJECT | 2006

Developing a visioning tool for businesses

The NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) Sustainability Advantage program provides support for medium and large businesses and organisations to accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices. 

In 2006, the DECC asked ISF to develop, document and deliver the Visioning module of DECC’s Sustainability Advantage program for businesses. To do this, we conducted a series of workshops in which businesses were guided in outlining their vision: a set of broad strategic goals to guide their path to sustainability.

The workshops also gave researchers an overview of some of the main issues and opportunities that arise for business facing the growing pressure to become more sustainable.

Group exercises were then undertaken, to analyse each participating organisation's current environmental impacts up and down the supply chain, and well-known frameworks were used to encourage managers to think broadly about the risks and possibilities for the company.

The module that was developed in this project is now run in conjunction with the program's Commitment and Planning modules.

Client: NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC)

PROJECT | 2006

Powerhouse Museum sustainability strategy

Working with the Powerhouse Museum, ISF used the Global Reporting Initiative framework, other relevant frameworks and interviews with Museum stakeholders to define sustainability in the museum context, report on current achievements and detail the Museum business case for a sustainability strategy. ISF drafted a Powerhouse Museum sustainability policy and made detailed recommendations for a Powerhouse Museum sustainability strategy. ISF also designed and ran a workshop open to all Powerhouse Museum staff to engage them with the sustainability strategy and gather ideas for implementation.

Client: Powerhouse Museum

PROJECT | 2005

Socially responsible investment

ISF published the results of its survey 'Mainstreaming Socially Responsible Investment (SRI): A role for Government?' in October 2005. The survey collected opinions across the business spectrum including SRI practitioners, institutional investors, related stakeholders, and interested government departments. These results provide a critical understanding of the instruments that key industry members believe are most likely to encourage the widespread uptake of SRI.

PROJECT | 2001

State and Local Taxes in Australia: Towards Sustainability

In 2001 the Australian Tax Research Foundation (ATRF) published the results of 'State and Local Taxes in Australia: Towards Sustainability', an ISF project that aimed to determine possible changes to the type and extent of state and local taxes and charges in order to improve the compatibility of revenue raising with principles of sustainability. The taxes and charges focused on relate to resource use (e.g. water charges), waste generation (e.g. load-based licensing, solid waste generation, landfill, effluent), and sustainable transport and land use (e.g. land tax, betterment tax).

Client: Australian Tax Research Foundation (ATRF)