From Kim Andrews: You may have seen recently that GECA introduced my new role of Sustainable Development and Senior Accounts Representative. Bringing the Sustainable Development Goals into the conversation around ecolabelling is an important evolution in the business world and that’s part of my role. I like a challenge! You may ask, why?

Some recent research has collected statistics from each OECD country and then used the 17 goals as indicators to create country profiles. Each country was ranked for their performance level for each goal to create a snapshot of our current state and level of ‘future fitness’. This new lens provides insight into where weaknesses and strengths lie for each goal. So how did we score? Read more from Kim here.

Where is third-party certification heading in terms of the Sustainable Development Goals? Where can Australia lead the way? And how is GECA providing solutions to address broader supply chain issues and help provide assurance to procurement professionals?

Kate Harris recently spoke in collaboration with the Supply Chain Sustainability School at their event "Discover the future of best practice development around Western Sydney". You can watch the full video of her presentation here.

You can also read more about how the Supply Chain Sustainability School helps increase sustainability knowledge and competency in the construction and infrastructure industries here.

GECA was pleased to be a supporting partner and exhibitor at this year's CleanScene event, which was held in Sydney from 6-8 September.

It was fantastic to meet and speak with so many of our valued licensees, and the GECA stand was absolutely packed with samples of certified cleaning solutions! Sustainability was definitely a theme for the event - it was great to hear so many visitors asking questions and discussing the growing demand for cleaning products with a lower impact on human health and the environment.

We hope to see an even greater demand for certified sustainable cleaning products in the future!

There are many standards designed to assist with making genuinely sustainable purchasing decisions, to the point where the sheer number of different standards and players can be a cause for confusion. It seems strange, then, that the introduction of yet another standard could be seen as the solution.

Yet this is precisely what the forthcoming ISO20400 International Standard for Sustainable Procurement is designed to do. Read more at Sourceable and stay tuned for more news about developments with the standard.

GECA is pleased to welcome Atkar Architectural as our newest licensee! Their Au.diBoard VoglFuge acoustic panel is now certified under our Panel Boards standard, demonstrating a commitment to lower environmental, health and social impacts.

The VoglFuge system allows for a variety of sound absorption values and comes in a range of different perforation patterns to suit any aesthetic or performance requirements. The result is a continuously perforated flush jointed plaster solution which achieves designer acoustic ceilings quickly, economically and with the most reliability during installation.

Atkar have been working directly with the design and construction industry for decades to help transform design potential into successful, built solutions. They offer a large range of architectural and acoustic panelling systems to a variety of projects across the retail, corporate, education, government, health, hospitality and residential sectors.

Architecture & Design invites you to join Australia’s leading figures in the green building industry for the 2016 Sustainability Awards presentation evening on 13 October in Pyrmont, Sydney.

Designers, suppliers and building practitioners from all over the country will gather together to recognise the works of those at the very forefront of environmentally sustainable building design in Australia.

The Sustainability Awards presentation evening offers attendees the chance to network, socialise and, most importantly, celebrate real progress in Australia's AEC sector. Read more.

The Green Building Institute has collaborated with Masters in Building Training to offer Australia's first funded online Diploma in Building and Construction Management course, specialising in sustainability.

This nationally recognised course is subsidised in NSW and ACT, is recognised by government licensing bodies, and is designed for persons working in a site supervisory role on green building projects, including Green Star. Read more.

Calling on creatives! Hub Furniture is giving artists, designers, furniture makers and industrial designers the chance to meet and Design Speed Date Patrizia Moroso, Creative Director of GECA certified company Moroso!

Submissions are now open in this rare and incredibly exciting opportunity to sit with one of the design world's most influential and respected figures in Melbourne and Sydney when she visits in October. Head to Hub's website for all the details.

GECA licensees Elyptol have walked the red carpet with some of the stars of Hollywood at this year's Emmy Awards! Their range of antimicrobial hand gels and rubs helped these celebs freshen up at the big event. Elyptol are certified under our Personal Care Products standard, making them a better choice for your health and the environment. Check out the video by clicking on the image on the right to see what everyone thought!

A recent report into global green building trends has found that Australia has a "relatively mature green building market, with stable growth and a clear commitment to green building." There's also been an increased focus on health.

Growth is expected in the new low-rise residential sector, in retrofits of existing buildings, and in institutional construction such as schools, hospitals and other public buildings. Key triggers driving this 'green growth' are increasing environmental regulations and a greater focus on creating 'healthy' neighbourhoods. Read the full report here (pdf) - Australian data is on page 46.

It's also World Green Building Week this week (September 26 - October 2) - find out more here.

The Environmental Film Festival Australia (EFFA) is thrilled to announce its full program for 2016! Check it out and start planning. There are films across Australia.

EFFA is more than just a film festival – it’s a catalyst for positive and sustainable change. The goal is to fuel conversations about how to make the world a better place, now and into the future, with a program of film screenings, discussions and debates.

Films at the festival come from the world’s most talented and socially-conscious filmmakers, from Australia and beyond. And they’re not just entertaining – they challenge the way viewers think about the natural world. Find out more here.