The sustainability explosion

We’ve seen a real upsurge in the need for product manufacturers to address sustainability issues.

New clients are coming to us asking for help with meeting their clients requirements around sustainability. This could be in the form of certification, Ecolabelling or ISO14001. But it could also relate to sustainability more broadly in terms of social responsibility.

Companies like telcos, insurance, big banks and the construction industry want to know what product manufacturers and retailers are doing to address environmental and social risks. They want to know what strategies they have in place, what certifications they hold, how they are caring for their staff and addressing environmental and social risks in their supply chains. It’s really building momentum.

Why is this happening?

The big end of town is stepping up their sustainability procurement practices

Large multinationals and large Australian-owned companies, like construction companies, are really putting time and energy into their sustainable procurement practices.  They are asking their suppliers what they are doing to address environmental and social compliance.

The industry is now moving towards the early majority

Rogers’s Innovation Adoption Curve shows the changing trend. That’s why we’ve seen more and more requests for our sustainability services.

Some government organisations have been in the innovators and early adopters category. City of Sydney is an example of this. But now we’re seeing greater momentum from other government departments and it has been rumoured that the NSW Government has undergone a ‘sustainability recruitment drive’.

A new swag of standards and certifications have come onto the market in the last 2 years

These standards are finally building momentum. Standards like ISO20400: 2017 Sustainable Procurement which provides guidance to organizations, independent of their activity or size, on integrating sustainability within procurement processes.  And the WELL Building Standard which focuses on the health and wellbeing of building occupants.

The Australian Government is looking at adopting a Modern Slavery Act

This Act would call on organisations earning over $100 million dollars to report annually on what they are doing to address modern slavery. This would also apply to their supply chains.

The Modern Slavery Act would not just affect commercial businesses but other business entities like higher educational facilities. It is estimated that this will directly affect over 1000 companies.

What does this mean for product manufacturers?

Manufacturers need to understand their market and what their sustainability needs and expectations are 

When we meet with new clients, the first thing we want to know is:

• who their clients are

• what their market is

• what kind of projects they are going after

• what are their aspirations.

We have a good deal of experience with a number of different product manufacturers. These include manufacturers of furniture and building products, retailers and wholesalers. There is such a cross section of markets.  Government procurement requires different certifications than end users need. Larger construction companies have more sustainability requirements than second- tier construction.

Where are the opportunities for you in this?

1.  If you are doing good things in this area, you should:

• start talking about it

• make sure you are clearly displaying your credentials on your website, your email tags and in your marketing material

• include your certification logos on everything.

2. If you have no sustainability initiatives and strategies, you should:

• start planning

• Develop an action plan, set objectives (short and long term) to address market expectations

• Get up to speed with Ecolabelling & Green Star requirements and the new WELL Building standard

• make sure you don’t get left behind and miss out on specifications.

3. You should work out who your customers are.

Different sectors require different certifications and sustainability requirements. For example, NSW Government procurement for furniture requires ISO14001 certification for the larger projects. Universities, end-users, architects and designers require Ecolabelling certification to meet Green Star. And the top end of town want to know more about your whole sustainability strategy and credentials to include social responsibility and supply chain due diligence.

Listen to your customers. Find out what they want from you. Work out how you can help them be more sustainable.

What are the 5 key takeaways?

1. Understand your market

2. Know that the market is changing

3. Know where the opportunities are

4. Start planning

5. Get noticed

So we should see more in this area in the coming years.

Click here for more information. 

Minimizing waste means minizing costs – heres how

We waste money, energy and resources by not paying proper attention to our waste and recycling.  It doesn’t make sense just to throw away items that cost money. From an environmental perspective, being considerate of our waste streams stops the generation of methane and carbon emissons. The embodied energy in these emissions can be quite considerable - think about the amount of energy required to manufacture aluminum. 

Landfill waste gets increasingly expensive. When I first started consulting in 2008,  waste wasapproximately $92.00 a tonne. 9 years on, it’s now around $300.00 a tonne.

This will only increase as governments keep raising the waste levy to encourage more recycling so it makes good business sense to look at how you manage your waste streams in a way which saves you money.

There are 5 really important steps to consider in reviewing your waste streams  

STEP 1 – PREVENTION AND AVOIDANCE

Don’t just rely on recycling. Where possible, prevent or dramatically reduce the amount of waste or recycling that is coming to your site.

If you receive a lot of excess cardboard packaging from your suppliers and you feel less would suffice, then speak with your supplier and suggest ways to prevent the amount of materials coming onsite. Even if the material can be recycled (i.e. soft plastics, cardboard, styrofoam), it is still a cost to your business so the less you have, the less handling of materials and the better the environental outcome. I’ve seen a crazy amount of packaging for small individual materials and components that wasn’t required.

We have clients that actually buy back their packaging from their clients and then reuse it. Their clients really appreciate this initiative so its a win-win for both companies and it builds customer loyality.  

If you design your own products and packaging, then look at packaging efficiencies. You may be able to reduce the amount of material used and chose recyclable alternatives (e.g. mushroom based packaging as a replacement for polystyrene). Make sure every item in your product packaging is recyclable and indicate this to the end user –recycling identification codes can help with this.

STEP 2 – LOOK IN THE BIN & CONDUCT A WASTE AUDIT

Look through your garbage bins, both inside your manufacturing facility and the factory compound, to check whether there is anything that may be recycled or returned to the supplier or product manufacturer. Review the contents of the general waste bins on different days of the week – do this 3-5 times to ensure you capture everything.

Consider all items that have the potential to be recycled: soft plastics, hard plastics, plastic strapping, metals, cardboard/paper, styrofoam, timber etc. We’ve listed a number of websites that can help in finding local recycling facilities, e.g. business recycling.  And don’t forget about the co-mingle bin for all the kitchen and office items.

Also consider the one-offs; it may be that you’ve had 100 individual chairs returned to your factory or warehouse and you need to find recycling options.  Conduct a cost benefit analysison the cost of these items going to landfill compared to disassembly (labour cost) and the cost of recycling the individual components. Perhaps some components can be reused. 

Ask your suppliers questions; can they take back their packaging and reuse it? Explore other options; can other companies reuse your waste – perhaps styrofoam packaging could be used for packaging by another company? Think outside the square.

Government Initiatives

Check out state government initiates.  You may find there is funding that can assist your business in reducing waste to landfill and also funding for equipment that can help you recycle more efficiently (i.e. cardboard compactors). The NSW EPA has been running the Bin Trim program for a number of years. It’s a business recycling program aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises (1-199 employees). 

http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/managewaste/bin-trim.htm PHONE: 1300 361 967

Resources for recycling

Below is a list of government and non-government websites that can assist you with items that can be recycled. The business recycling website tool is great. I’ve used this numerous times, with great success.

http://businessrecycling.com.au/

http://recyclingnearyou.com.au/ewastescheme/

http://paintback.com.au/

http://www.batteryrecycling.org.au/recycling/handheld-batteries

STEP 3 – MAKE IT EASY

Set up recycling stations in each section of the factory, warehouse and admin area. Make sure there are labels on all bins – better still, colour code them – so, a recycling station may have one bin for paper and cardboard, another for soft plastics and another for aluminium.

The business recycling website provides POSTERS for all types of waste, e.g. paper/cardboard, co-mingle etc.  http://businessrecycling.com.au/research/signage.cfm

Make sure the factory compound recycling and waste bins are collected frequently. This is where there is the potential for contamination to occur.  If the cardboard and paper bin is full, staff will likelydispose of these items to the general waste bin.

STEP 4 – EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

This is the MOST important step in the process.  I work with a number of clients and their employee engagement makes or breaks how well the recycling works.

Get staff on board. Make sure they know you want to make this easy for them and that this is important to your company. Be there to support them – if you haven’t provided them with enough bins, ask them to let you know. And welcome new ideas and feedback.

Also offer staff incentives.  In step 5, we suggest setting objectives and measuring the waste going to landfill each month. For example, document monthly figures and set a target for reduction – make it reasonable, say, 5-15% depending on what you are currently recycling.

Plan a BBQ with the staff if the target is met as a way of saying thank you for their comitment and for achieving this result.

Also, make sure the cleaning staff are aware of your recycling program so as to avoid recycables ending up in the general waste bin.

STEP 5 – MONITOR, MEASURE & SET TARGETS

Once you have set up your recycling bins or stations, make sure they are monitored regularly by the factory manager, production manager or a waste champion, who can assist staff if there are any issues with contaminated recycling.  If staff know their bins are going to be monitiored, they are more likely not to create contamination, i.e. general waste in recycling bins and vice versa.

Check the factory compound general waste bin too. This is often the place where we find recycled items. This could be associated with factory staff, contractors or delivery guys just using your bin for their rubbish - keep an eye on it.

If you want to measure your waste and set targets, review the previous year’s wasteinvoices and document tonnage for the year.  You then have a baseline from which to set targets for the year ahead.  For our clients, we set up a monthly monitoring register, which documents tonnage per month so they can monitor this against production/sales figures. 

KEY TAKEWAYS

• AVOID AND REDUCE – find opportunities to avoid waste or to reduce the amount of packaging you receive from your suppliers. Consider whether another company can use your excess waste or recycling or whether you can reuse it.
• CONDUCT A BIN AUDIT – look at all the items that are being thrown into the general waste bin and see if there are recycling streams or whether these items can be reused. 
• GOVERNMENT INCENTIVES – check state government initiatives to see if you can get support or funding for recycling or reuse of materials.
• MAKE IT EASY – get your staff on board. Make it easy for them to recycle by providing plenty of CLEARLY labelled bins and recycling receptacles. Provide lots of training and give staff incentives. 
• MONITOR AND MEASURE IT – have someone monitor the individual bins to ensure staff are using the bins correctly. Secondly, monitor how many tonnes are going to landfill each month and set a target to reduce it.  Celebrate successes and reward staff for helping the company reach the target.

Sustainability trends driving business for product manufacturers

We have identified two key issues that are influencing sustainability right now - calling out implications for product manufacturers in particular. The first is greater client expectation around human and labour rights and the extension of this through manufacturers’ supply chains. The second trend is focused on the health and wellbeing of building occupants and the health impacts of products.

1. Market trends and clients expectations - Sustainable Supply Chain

Over the last few years, a lot of our clients’ customers have started requesting more than just product ecolabelling certification such as GECA, Global GreenTag and AFRDI GreenTick.

We are seeing now that sustainability requirements for businesses are aligning with Corporate Social Responsibility.  This is being driven by the major construction companies and large corporations. There is mounting pressure on businesses to ensure that they address adverse human rights AND impacts linked to their supply chains, as well as environmental impacts.

Corporations want to partner with sustainable businesses and are conducting supply chain due diligence to mitigate risk of human and labour rights abuses.  Most of the larger corporations publish annual sustainability reports, which look at sustainable supply chain outcomes. They have an obligation to their stakeholders and shareholders to report on matters such as environmental performance and human and labour rights due diligence, within their own production processes and their supply chain.

These corporations want to ensure that their suppliers (i.e. product manufacturers) are addressing environmental issues, that they have workplace health and safety systems in place and that they have policies and procedures to address human and labour issues. 

A summary of how to meet market expectations:

• Ensure internal workplace health and safety policies, procedures, risk assessmentsand training is in place
• Have internal human and labour rights policies to address  anti-discrimination, workplace harassment and bullying, fair pay, forced or compulsory labour, freedom of association and mechanisms for staff to raise grievances
• Have systems in place to address environmental impacts
• And for the above requirements to be extended to YOUR suppliers (environmental and human rights compliance)

Product certification schemes recognized by the Green Building Council of Australia’s (GBCA’s) have also adopted supply chain due diligence as part of their certification requirements.

When you think about furniture procurement, it is likely that some if not all components that make up a chair, workstation or table are being sourced from overseas, potentially from developing nations where there is a greater risk of human and labour rights issues and poor environmental compliance. Though, human rights issues are not confined to developing nations, they too can occur in countries like Australia.

Procurement managers, construction companies and end users understand this and want to see product manufacturers addressing these issues.

For further reading and understanding of the current state of sustainable supply chains in Australia, then click on the below link for a report conducted by the UN Global Compact and EY - The State of Sustainable Supply Chains, Building Responsible and Resilient Supply Chains.

2. Market trends & clients’ expectations – health impacts of products

Green Buildings have always had a focus on occupant health, though with the introduction of the WELL Building Standard this will give a greater focus on not only occupant health but the wellbeing of the occupants and how this can positively impact productivity. 

The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) is partnering with the International WELL Building Institute™(IWBI™) and has agreed to work collaboratively to promote health and wellbeing in the design, construction and operations of buildings, fit outs and communities in Australia.

 “Increasingly, leaders in Australia’s property and construction industry are looking to pursue more than one rating to demonstrate transparency, accountability and sustainability,” says the GBCA’s Head of Market Transformation, Jorge Chapa.

The WELL Building Standard ™ (WELL) is the first building standard to focus exclusively on the health and wellness of the people in buildings.  WELL is a performance-based system for measuring and certifying features of the built environment that impact health and wellbeing, through air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind. 

So, how will this affect product manufacturers?

The table below lists the WELL requirements that relate to product manufacturers. It also lists the corresponding Green Star requirement, which may be familiar to a number of you.

A summary of key takeaways to assist you in meeting market expectations

Consider all life cycle aspects of your product, including:

1. Material selection - Product Emissions

Volatile Organic compounds (VOC)

If your company manufactures or assembles furniture or materials that contain plastics, timbers, foams, fabrics, powder coated materials and uses adhesives, then have the product tested for VOCs. 

Formaldehyde

If the product contains engineered wood products (laminated board), composite veneer or plywood then ensure your product is EO board and ensure you have certificates to verify this.

2. Material selection - Elimination of hazardous and prohibited substances

Be able to ensure that your product contains no hazardous or prohibited substances and be sure you can verify this.

3. Design Phase - Ergonomics

Ensure your furniture item or equipment is designed with ergonomic features that safeguard against repetitive stress injuries, maximise comfort and allow for adjustable work settings.

Further Guidance

For more information on the partnership between the Green Building Council of Australia and WELL certification, click on the below links:

• Green Star & Well
• Green Star & Well Approaching Buildings and Fitouts

Or, if you would like to download and explore the Well Building Standard in greater detail, click on the link here.

Top 5 business benefits of embracing sustainability

Owners of small businesses may believe that sustainability strategies are the domain of larger organisations, their business is too small to have an impact, or that adopting sustainability practices will be too expensive.  And many still believe that there must be a compromise between business profitability and ethical business practices. But from my experience, this is not true.  No matter the size of the organisation, a sustainability strategy can benefit a business in numerous ways.

Businesses have different reasons for focusing on sustainability; some of our clients need to have ISO 14001 EMS certification as a prerequisite to do business, others see a business case for return on investment, and others adopt sustainable business practices because of ideological beliefs and values. This diversity of motivation shows some of the range of ways having an effective sustainability strategy can deliver value to your business.

1.    REDUCED OPERATING COSTS

I know this is stating the obvious but costs for energy and waste keep increasing. The cost of disposing waste to landfill has at least doubled since I started consulting, so it just makes good business sense to recycle or reuse waste wherever possible, or avoid it altogether. When it comes to waste, think outside the square; how can your ‘waste’ be someone else’s ‘treasure’, and what other recycling streams are available?

Even small changes can reduce your expenses, especially when it comes to energy efficiencies. Start with the low hanging fruit; ensure appliances are switched off when not in use (e.g. office machinery, lights in staff rooms, air-conditioning, factory machinery), have someone check the premises at the end of the day to ensure EVERYTHING is switched off, and ensure your machinery is properly maintained and fully efficient.

Consider your procurement processes; when replacing factory machinery or compressors, do your due diligence. Ask the manufacturers about the energy efficiency of each item AND ask them to verify their claims. Check what government assistance is available – both state and federal – for purchasing energy efficient machinery and lighting.

2.    BRAND LOYALTY AND AWARENESS

A successfully implemented sustainability strategy can positively impact a company’s reputation and brand image. It’s important to demonstrate that your company is taking responsibility for its actions and embracing change for the greater good.  Your clients want to partner with companies that have ethical business practices.  

Many of the larger corporates, banks, telcos, insurance companies and builders are initiating Suppliers and Vendors Codes of Conduct to ensure companies like yours are addressing human and labour rights and extending your environmental management systems through your supply chain. They don’t want the RISK of partnering with companies where there is the possibility of human rights abuses. This will damage their brand so it’s important for your organization to address these issues, not only internally, but with your own suppliers.

It’s crucial for your clients to have confidence in your company and products so, if you are taking this type of action, then ensure you make this clear in your communication. Make sure your certifications and sustainability initiatives are clearly stated on your company website. Ensure you can substantiate your claims and be authentic with your communication.

3.    DON’T BE LEFT BEHIND

Although not every client cares about sustainability, more consumers, end users and construction companies want to partner with ethical businesses. I’ve seen the growth in demand for this increase, especially in the last 2 years.

Sustainability, by its very nature, is in constant flux and is based on the principle of ‘continual improvement’. An example of this is that Type 1 Ecolabelling certification requirements are regularly reviewed and updated to match industry trends and market expectations. When I first started consulting in 2008, it was all about the environment. Now clients (end users) and construction companies have compliance requirements around social responsibility, including human and labour rights and how this extends through your supply chain.

If you don’t have a strategy, then you are constantly reacting to market expectations and pressures. Not every situation can be foreseen, but make sure you are not on the back foot. Don’t miss out on having your product specified for a Green Star Project because you don’t have your product certified.  Understand that clients want to partner with sustainable and ethical businesses and consider this as part of your strategy and course for action.  Think about what policies, procedures and training you need to demonstrate social responsibility.

That’s where developing a strategy and a roadmap can help you keep up and/or stay ahead of the needs and expectations of your clients, and also ensure that you meet product Type 1 Ecolabelling certification requirements.

4.    ATTRACT NEW CUSTOMERS AND INCREASE SALES

Product manufacturers sell products in Australia and also globally, so having certifications such as Type 1 Ecolabelling or ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS) gives your organisation credibility. Clients seeking to use you will understand that you have a commitment to addressing environmental issues.

If you want your products to be certified for Green Star Projects, then it’s a must have to have your product certified by one of the following certification schemes, which are recognised by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA):

• Carpet Institute of Australia Limited - Environmental Certification Scheme
•  Global GreenTag GreenRate
• Australasian Furnishing Research and Development Institute - Green Tick
• Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA)
• The Institute for Market Transformation to Sustainability - Sustainable Materials Rating Technology

Be mindful, that some of the largest projects in recent years have been Green Star Projects, like the Barangaroo precinct in Sydney.  If you’re interested in some of the great sustainability initiatives that have been initiated by Lendlease, then check out the link below – it’s quite impressive. Click here for more information.

5.    EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

This might come as a surprise to some, especially in small businesses, but from my experience spending time with factory, admin and sales staff, I have seen a real shift in staff’s attitude towards sustainability, particularly in recent years.

There is a sense of pride from staff that their company is initiating sustainable practices and staff enjoy the group training sessions and activities, where they too can have a say, participate and contribute. They are the key players when it comes to improvements so it’s particularly important for them to be engaged. Poor staff moral can lead to passive sabotage in the form of reduced productivity, bad workmanship, quality issues and absenteeism, all of which can damage a company’s profitability.

Employee engagement is especially important when it comes to your sales team. Employees who are passionate about the company and its products are the best advocates. I have found when I’m inducting sales staff who are new to an organization, they are chuffed when they understand that their new employer has some great stories to tell about their sustainability initiatives. Good sales staff understand the importance of any type of differentiation from competitors, especially when it comes to partnering with the top tier construction companies.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Consider your clients and what their expectations are of your business in terms of sustainable outcomes
• Consider the company you want to create for ALLyour stakeholders, including staff
• Consider a way forward, where to invest your dollars and  in what certifications
• Be honest and authentic in your communication to your stakeholders
• Seek opportunities for reducing business and operating costs

With a sustainability strategy as the guide, a company can be ready for changing expectations, trends, drivers and regulations in their industry.

I'm dreaming of a green Christmas...

I love Christmas, and everything that it brings, but I often think it’s a shame that Christmas is at the end of the year when everyone is burnt out, stressed and tired.  Though it is possible to enjoy the festive season and be kinder to each other, kinder to ourselves, and kinder to the planet. 

We can do this by minimising consumption and being more mindful of our purchases. This frees us up for what’s really important…..enjoying all of those wonderful Christmas celebrations with family and friends.

These are my top 5 tips to keep your festive season sustainable, fun and stress free.

 NO: 1 - GIVE to a CHARITY

Most of us have multiply Christmas parties, family, friends, your family, your partner’s family, etc. All this gift giving can get out of hand. Usually we just end up with more ‘stuff’ we don’t really need or want.  For our family Christmas celebration, we all donate to a charity, usually Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without borders).

 If you’re looking to support an organisation that is taking care of Australian families that are doing it tough, check out #Makegoodhappen

Good360 currently has over $5 million worth of new goods in their warehouse and need help distributing it. For a $25 donation you can help send the gift of a Goodie Bag full of clothing, toys, toiletries, and other quality goods to Australia’s most disadvantaged this Christmas. Choose from a range of Goodie Bags full of surprises suitable for babies, children, teenagers, men and women. Find out more here. 

NO: 2 - Be MINDFUL of CONSUMPTION

When purchasing, think less is more and consider more sustainable options:

• Choose one big gift or a gift voucher
• Gifts made from recycled materials or sustainable sources
• Use E-cards, or
• Christmas cards and wrapping papermade from FSC paper (Forest Stewardship Council)
• Restrain from buying cheap and nasty products from Two Dollar shops, they will likely end up in landfill
• Buy a gift that can be eaten. There are so many locally made gourmet vinegars, jams and chutneys. Our local school Christmas fete is where I buy the most delicious chutneys, relishes and vinegars.

NO: 3-Support FAIR TRADE

I’m blessed to have the Trading Circle in our local shopping village.  My first port of call when I’m purchasing Christmas cards, decorations or Christmas bon-bons.  You can also purchase online.

 I had to laugh when I jumped on the Oxfam website and saw the heading ‘because you can never have too many goats’. Funny, but true!

The giving of goats has been around for some time, and it’s not the only item that can be purchased to help people in developing nations, but as a way of a reminder - when you purchase a goat, you are helping communities world-wide.  When a goat is presented to a person living in Mozambique, they know that it can bread to create more goats, provide manure for growing food and be sold to pay for school fees or tools. Find out more at  The Trading Circle and Oxfam.

NO: 4 - Support OP SHOPS

It used to be that buying from Vinnies, Salvos and the Red Cross meant that you were likely to score a bargain, this may not always be the case, but I do love entering Op shops to see what kind of treasures are abound.  This is a great place for stocking fillers and also helps these organisations with fundraising.

NO: 5 - Support retailers that have ETHICAL SOURCING policies

Last but not least, support retailers where you know they have some form of due diligence, or Ethical Sourcing Polices to address human and labour rights of workers and environmental management practices within their supply chain. Companies like David Jones, Cue and K-MART.   

WESTFARMERS, the owner of Bunnings, Myer, K-Mart, Target and Officeworks have a commitment to Ethical Sourcing.

Their principles include:

PEOPLE – safety, diversity and people development

SOURCING – suppliers and ethical sourcing

COMMUNITY – community contributions and product safety

ENVIRONMENT - climate change resilience and water and waste use

GOVERNANCE – robust governance.

The below link gives you more information on Westfarmers ethical sourcing audit programs, supplier training, timber procurement, living wage, supply chain transparency, Australian suppliers and Westfarmers human rights and modern slavery statement.  It’s worth a read, especially the information on the ‘living wage’. Find out more here.

Wishing you all a very happy, healthy and 'green' Christmas. 

From Libby at Sustainable Business Matters xo

Our top 5 tips on how to communicate sustainability

Having spent many years working with product manufacturers, my experience has been that product manufacturers are good at making products, but may not always be good at communicating sustainability. I read environmental copy on company websites and brochures and it’s often unengaging, irrelevant and sometimes makes little to no sense.

Having any type of certification, ISO14001: EMS or Ecolabelling is a huge investment for most organisations, but more so, for small to medium size businesses.

So let’s get these credentials working for you. Here are our top 5 tips.

1. Make it relevant – what is important to your clients, do they have social and environmental requirements, or are they only interested in meeting Green Star requirements and want a Level A certified product. Consider what your clients are requesting– what are the most common asked questions, what forms part of your client’s tender requirements and then target these requests.

2. Make it easy – often it’s really challenging to find where the company’s environmental information is located on a company’s website.  If Designers and Architects are looking for your Ecolabelled certified products on your website make it obvious as to which products are certified and to what Level – Is it a Level A, B or C?

3. Make it real - and make it meaningful. So often when I’m perusing websites I see so much ‘over the top’ sustainability or environmental information which sounds really disingenuous and sometimes nonsensical.  Make sure you understand what you are writing.

4. Be honest - ensure you can substantiate your sustainability claims.  The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) sets out Australian consumer law on how to market your environmental claims. Failing to comply can result in serious penalties.  More information on the consumer law can be found on the ACCC’s website or by downloading our PRODUCT MANUFACTURERS’ GUIDE TO COMMUNICATING SUSTAINABILITY.

Most Ecolabelling product certification schemes require companies to follow ISO14021 – Environmental labels and declarations – Type ll, to ensure no false or misleading product claims.  

Avoid ‘greenwash’ and using terms like ‘environmentally friendly’ or ‘ecologically sustainable products’. ‘Environmentally preferable’ would be a better option.

5. Make sure it’s engaging – tell your story, your unique story.  Bring your clients along with you.  What have you been doing that is different from your competitors?  Why would they want to support your organisation?

For more tips and on how to communicate your company and products sustainability story and credentials download our free PRODUCT MANUFACTURERS’ GUIDE TO COMMUNICATING SUSTAINABILITY.

If you want to know more:

·       Call Libby on 0448 026 508 or email us

SUSTAINABILITY 101

So what is Sustainability?

Sustainability can mean different things to different people and or organisations. For me, it’s all about protecting the ENVIRONMENT and PEOPLE.

Years ago I came across a great VIDEO that explains, for me the true meaning of sustainability, especially in the context of product manufacturing. It’s called the STORY of STUFF.

The Story of Stuff outlines the REAL COST of producing products, both in terms of the human and environment cost and looks at the underside of consumption.

This video may be challenging or confronting for companies making products – but I beg you, stay with it. If you manufacture products and or specify products I would strongly urge you to take these 20 minutes and watch the Story of stuff.  If you stay until the conclusion of the video, you will see that there is certainly a great deal or optimism and great opportunities for product manufacturers. 

We all have a role to play in ensuring we have a more sustainable future, by producing more sustainable products and adopting ethical business practices. And for Designers and specifiers to reward these companies that are taking the lead.

Watch Video Now

10 years on I still remain extremely motivated to create positive change and provide sustainable solutions to product manufactures. As Annie Leonard concludes in her presentation, “there are people working on saving forests, cleaner production, labour rights, fair trade and conscious consuming, by the people for the people. What we need is a new mindset based on sustainability and equity”.

The video finishes on this final note – “Some say its unrealistic, or idealistic, some say it can’t happen”. I say, lets work together to create a more sustainable environment.

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Definition of sustainability development (Brundtland Commission)

"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It contains within it two key concepts:

·       the concept of needs, in particular the essential needs of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and

·       the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment's ability to meet present and future needs.