Is your Business ResourceSmart?
Above all, this has established the environment and the management of greenhouse gas emissions, as an expectation of shareholders, government and the community. The climate change debate has moved beyond the issue of if we are heading for a carbon constrained economy, to the mechanics of how such an economy will operate.
Clearly, business needs to consider greenhouse impacts in developing any long term strategic plan, much like the way issues of safety and corporate governance have become embedded in the boardroom. In short, this is something that good businesses pay attention to.
Business has to keep ahead of the game because investments are capital intensive and long term, and its best chance to get it right is in the planning. Taking small steps early can also give a business a significant head start in building its internal capability to manage carbon impacts. But the starting point for any business is a commitment to change.
Smart businesses realise that understanding their greenhouse impacts requires a holistic approach. That is, their indirect greenhouse impacts through materials use, logistics, waste disposal and so forth may be as significant as their direct impacts from energy use.
To be ResourceSmart, businesses need to be forward thinking, and commit to educating themselves on these linkages. From there, they find they can reduce their impacts through a range of measures including work practices, new technologies and systems, supply chain and commercial relationships and product design and life cycle analysis. Importantly being ResourceSmart is about innovation, as the future will not be an extension of the past in a carbon limited economy.
Sustainability Victoria can help your business to take these initial steps to long term profitability.
Paul Hogan, Manager Sustainable Business, Sustainability Victoria
