Businesses put their foot in it

By Melissa Meehan
FORTY Yarra Ranges businesses have been selected to take on the challenge of reducing their ecological footprint as part of the Shire of Yarra Ranges Sustainable Business Program 2008.
The Yarra Ranges Sustainable Business Program follows on from the success of last year’s Business Transformer Program, which saw 13 businesses work together to identify and adopt sustainable growth strategies.
Yarra Ranges Councillor Graham Warren said the 2008 Sustainable Business Program offered participating businesses the opportunity to learn how to grow their business sustainably, focusing on economic prosperity, social equity, governance, ethics and environmental quality.
“With the impacts of climate change affecting us all, much of the community is looking towards business to play a leading role in sustainability,” Cr Warren said.
“The Yarra Ranges Sustainable Business Program will assist businesses in reducing their impact on the environment while maintaining their business growth – a challenge that will become extremely relevant when a Carbon Emissions Trading Scheme is introduced in Australia.”
Cr Warren said the program would involve a number of forums throughout the year led by experts in the field.
“A highlight of this year’s program will be a video conference presentation from international speaker Dr Bob Willard from Toronto,” Cr Warren said.
“Bob is a leading expert in corporate sustainability strategies and has written two books on this subject, including ‘The Sustainability Advantage’ and ‘The NEXT Sustainability Wave’.”
Other program activities will include:
Workshops on ‘behavioural change in the workplace for sustainability’
A seminar on carbon trading, case study visits to businesses involved in Council’s 2007 Business Transformer, and one on one site audits on sustainable business opportunities.
Cr Warren said the program, was being run in partnership with Sustainability Victoria through its Resource Smart Program and Westpac through its Outer East Commercial Banking Centre with local Business Olex as program sponsor.
“We are pleased to be working with the generous support of these partners and sponsor, who are all leading the way in sustainability in their own right, and thank them for their commitment to this valuable program,” Cr Warren said.