Welcome to this month's edition of Good Environmental News
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Reflections on the GEN Conference
From Kate:
I've just come back from the annual GEN (Global Ecolabelling Network) conference - what a great time of year!
It is always a special time to be with our fellow GEN members, and to learn and be inspired from each other about all things environment and ecolabel-related across the world.
This year we were hosted by Nordic Swan in Stockholm, Sweden. Their membership with GEN and story of success is a dream come true for any ecolabel, with huge take up from government, business and community.
What does true cooperation within a country look like? Shelves full of ecolabelled products in an ecolabelled supermarket. Staying in an ecolabelled hotel, drinks at the ecolabelled restaurant before attending the conference in the ecolabelled venue.
Oh and at the end of it all, catching the carbon neutral ecolabelled train direct to the airport!
Congratulations Nordic Swan.
It's time for the power of the ecolabelling in Sweden to head further south. Watch this space Australia – time for us all to work together for more solutions for responsible consumption.
- Kate Harris
Take the Pledge!
Take a stand for procurement that will do good for our planet and the people on it.
Is your organisation looking for a unique opportunity to differentiate itself from the competition and demonstrate leadership and innovation within your sector?
We’re inviting you to get in touch with us to take the GECA Positive Procurement Pledge and commit to developing, documenting and implementing a sustainable procurement policy to govern all purchasing decisions by December 31, 2020.
GECA’s Positive Procurement Pledge is open to any organisation – regardless of its sector, size, and location – that is involved in procurement decisions and processes.
We understand that every organisation’s pledge journey will be unique. Some of our pledgers will have existing sustainable procurement policies, while others will be taking their first steps in this area. Our pledge has been designed to allow you to move to the next level at your own pace no matter where you’re starting from.
By committing to long-term sustainable procurement, your organisation can build resilience and become future-proofed through increased efficiency and effectiveness.
Tomorrowland: Building for a Sustainable Future
Thanks to all of those who attended 'Tomorrowland' and the GECA Licensee Only event that followed! It was fantastic to see so many people passionate about exploring the technologies that will enable us to improve the building industry of the future. It was also great to spend time with some of our valued licensees, brainstorming how certification has helped them and new directions that we can explore collaboratively. We look forward to seeing you again at future events!
GECA recognised as 'Best for the World': B Corp
GECA is honoured to have been recognised by B Corp as one of 61 Australian and New Zealand companies that are 'best for the world'. Each year, B Lab honours companies around the world that are "leading the movement of business as a force for good".
The Best for the World Honorees are recognized for creating the most positive social and environmental impact. These companies have earned an overall score in the top 10% of all Certified B Corporations on the B Impact Assessment, a rigorous and comprehensive assessment of a company's impact on its workers, community, and the environment.
Congratulations to our fellow honorees! You can see the full list of honorees from around the world here.
Chemicals in cleaning: the good, the bad, the misconceptions
'Chemical' is a word that is frequently misunderstood and misused, by industry professionals and laypeople alike. For many people, the word 'chemical' is synonymous with 'hazardous', 'synthetic', even 'toxic'; meanwhile, anything 'natural' is good.
So what's the solution? We discuss some of the issues surrounding terminology in the cleaning products industry in the September/October issue of Inclean magazine.
Freshly recertified
Envirofluid and Hetin Foam have recently renewed their GECA certification, demonstrating their ongoing commitment to having a lower environmental, health and social impact!
Envirofluid manufactures a range of specialty cleaning products and solvents, including the Triple7 range of industrial cleaners, degreasers and wastewater treatment chemicals.
Hetin Foam Industries creates 100% Australian made and designed foam specifically for the green building community. Hetin Foam is moulded high-resiliency polyurethane, suitable for a range of industries and applications.
Sustainable Procurement and the Chain of Responsibility
Interested in improving the sustainability and responsibility of your organisation’s supply chain? The Australian Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility (ACCSR) is offering a brand new course in sustainable procurement, which will provide you with the knowledge and skills to develop a sustainable procurement policy and plan, and improve supply chain visibility. The course includes a presentation from GECA's Shaila Divakarla.
The course is supported by GECA and is suitable for sustainability, procurement, and business professionals. It covers supply chain risks and offers extensive case studies to illustrate examples of pro-active supply chain management.
24 October, Melbourne.
GovProcure
Now in its fourth year, the GovProcure conference has established itself as the place that procurement managers from all levels of government come to meet, engage and build the skills that they need to continue to deliver efficient, effective, ethical and economical goods and services.
Come and hear from GECA's Kim Andrews and Shaila Divakarla as part of over two days of conference sessions and a full day of in-depth sessions. Over 25 procurement experts will help you deliver better outcomes for your organisation by giving you insights into leading case studies and evolving best practices.
Sustainability Awards 2017 Gala and Seminar Series
On 26 October 2017, Architecture & Design's Sustainability Awards Gala will bring together the pioneers of sustainability in Australia.
The night-time Gala – where the winners are revealed – will be a night of food, drink and revelry. Prior to the Gala, Architecture & Design will be holding the Sustainability Live Panel Discussion Series where speakers with a collective and diverse background in sustainability, innovation and development share their experiences and knowledge. To view the full program click here.
Don’t miss out on tickets to the Gala Dinner and Seminar Series.
National Energy Efficiency Conference
Registrations are now open for the National Energy Efficiency Conference 2017, which will take place on 20 - 21 November at Pullman and Mercure Melbourne Albert Park.
Now in its ninth year, the National Energy Efficiency Conference is Australia’s premier annual event on energy efficiency, bringing together up to 400 efficiency leaders, innovators, energy users and policy makers.
The theme for 2017 – Security, Affordability, Productivity – underlines the growing recognition that smart demand side investments are the quickest and cheapest way to solve Australia's energy crisis, and keep our energy system reliable and affordable.
Green Globe Awards Night
Join us at the Green Globe Awards Night! The Green Globe Awards showcase people and projects making real progress toward sustainability in NSW.
The event is a fabulous opportunity to meet emerging and current leaders, industry experts and the Green Globe Awards network. Register today!
19 October, Sydney
Beyond Plastic Pollution Conference
When valuable resources float out to sea, they not only pollute the human food chain and detrimentally impact wildlife, they represent a shocking waste of resources, and a financial loss to business and industry. The cost of inefficient recycling systems is already a burden, economically, socially and health-wise. It will only grow worse, weighing heavily on business, government and community. Unless we act now.
For the first time, in the Asia-Pacific region, Boomerang Alliance is convening a conference, bringing together the finest thinkers, change makers and innovators to assess the research, the prognosis, and the solutions to marine plastic pollution. Find out more.
30 October - 1 November, Sydney.
Plasticity
GECA is proud to be a supporting sponsor for Plasticity Sydney, part of the Beyond Plastic Pollution Conference. Join us for a day of 'Ted Talks' style speakers and broad conversation followed by networking drinks. Plasticity Sydney will take place on 31 October - get your tickets today and use the code 'Plasticity_Geca' for your 20% discount!
31 October, Sydney.
2018 Annual Review of the State of CSR
Registrations are now open for the 2018 Annual Review of the State of CSR in Australia and New Zealand.
The Annual Review, managed by the Australian Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility (ACCSR), is one of the largest ongoing longitudinal studies on corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices, trends, and capabilities in the world. The insights uncovered by the research illuminate business views, priorities and competencies in the field of CSR, giving us a unique nation-wide perspective of the state of CSR.
By registering your company to participate, you will enter the CSR Top 10 Awards competition and receive a customised CSR insights report related to you organisation’s CSR performance.
For more information about the survey or to register, click here.
Living Future Institute of Australia Symposium
Last month, the Living Future Institute of Australia ferried over 160 people across Sydney Harbour to Quarantine Station to participate in their inaugural Symposium. Themed around untold stories, individuals (including Kirsti Luke - LBC Hero) openly shared their powerful experiences to shape cultural change and demonstrate the power that buildings can give to the community. You're invited to read more about it, and check out photos from the event.
Photography: Cawillen Soeng for LFIA Symposium
