Australian Paper

Greg Bourne represents the changing face of the green movement – and of business. A former oilman, he’s currently CEO of the WWF where he regularly works with business and government to find solutions with a triple bottom line. Indeed, like the businessman who developed and encouraged the notion of Corporate Social Responsibility, Bourne is part of a generation of business leaders who’ve seen the writing on the wall: resources are finite, alternatives must be found. And design too has an essential role.

What impact can environmental sustainability have on social and economic factors?

From a business perspective, reducing a firm’s footprint not only allows for better environmental outcomes, but also better social outcomes and economic outcomes in terms of its profitability and longevity.

Is it led by consumers pushing business to do this?

One certainly is consumer activism. It also comes from the top of some firms when they realise that in the long run they are going to be out of business unless they find a more sustainable way to go forward. Pressure also comes from government – rules and regulations are changed. The final one to become important is at the large retail end where companies have the ability to ensure bad products are not on shelves. So, within the supply chain, being able to intervene is really key.

Has the rate of adopting a triple bottom line (TBL) been fast enough, and what would it take to accelerate change?

‘As you raise the bar, the game is high jump, it’s not limbo’. It accelerates because the top quartile of companies are already there. And given that everyone wants to be in the top quartile, not the fourth, then it accelerates because momentum is created. As long as society wants environmental and social performance improved by firms, the bar raises. The moment the general public takes their eye off the bar, there are other firms happily eroding the standards and bringing them down. So it’s a dynamic process.

What’s the role of WWF in lobbying business to consider environmental sustainability?

We see our role as working on how you find a solution. Working with business and with government is the area we find most fruitful with regard to the footprint of a particular firm or sector.

Can you give an example where WWF was particularly successful?

The Forest Stewardship Council is an organisation ‘birthed’, as it were, by WWF primarily a bit over a decade ago. We wanted to ensure that the forest being used had passed very stringent social, environmental and economic criteria. It is effectively an embodiment of the triple bottom line.

What’s the role of government?

Were all governments required to print only on FSC papers with non-toxic inks it would send a really powerful signal throughout the whole of business, and then things would change. Awareness plus action is the real key.

Is it too easy to say it’s up to clients to lead this?

It does come from the client, but it also comes from the design end, no doubt about it. I’m absolutely sure the top quality firms who are commissioning lots of work will be buying from the leaders in the design industry and raising the bar.

What are three easy first steps for the design community?

Being aware of the environmental and social impacts of your design processes is the first thing. And then saying, ‘How would I push this? How would I make this more environmentally friendly, more socially friendly?’ And then unashamedly, ‘Can I make a margin out of it? Can I bring that attribute into my product and service and improve my economic bottom line?’.

What are the most pressing environmental issues in Australia today?

Climate change tends to dwarf everything that is changing around us.

How well does Australia rate in terms of environmental sustainability issues?

In terms of the consumption of land, energy we use, and food fibre and produce we use to support our lifestyle we have the fifth highest footprint on the planet – and high is not good.

What’s an essential information resource on environmental sustainability?

The United Nations Millennium Goals site:

www.un.org/millenniumgoals

Global Reporting Initiative:

http://www.global reporting.org

Living Planet Report 2008:

http://www.panda.org/about_our_earth/all_publications/living_planet_report

“The first question we always ask is ‘Does it need packaging?’. The next is ‘What’s the minimum amount required?’.” Vince Frost is discussing his role as Creative Director of Woolworths South Africa. But, far from talking himself out of work, it’s branding like this that forms much of his design business, Frost Design.

Since starting his company in 1994, the British-born, Canadian-raised designer has established a list of international clients ranging from banks to charities. From its Sydney base, Frost Design produces everything from books to websites, interior fit-outs to wayfinding and brand identity. Proudly declaring his business as “one of the first design companies to be carbon neutral,” Frost says: “With every job we do, we make sure we don’t create waste or use virgin resources. On our print jobs we use soy inks that are chemical-free, and recyclable or sustainable paper. Internally we recycle waste and use green electricity. And we don’t work for unethical organisations that abuse the earth or are detrimental to people’s health – we recently turned down a big job for an ammunition supplier’s headquarters in Dubai,” he chuckles, incredulous that such clients exist beyond a punchline to a poor ‘green’ joke.

Eager to explore new arenas, his studio started an eco-fashion line using cotton made from bamboo. However, the work that most encapsulates its attitude, says Frost, is the guest-designed edition of Futu magazine: “The issue was on sustainability and we gave away 12 spreads to different charities that don’t have the money to promote themselves,” he explains. In keeping with the theme, not only did Frost introduce eco-friendly stock, but Futu is continuing to use it. Design as eco-wayfinding.

When studio South South West (SSW) was commissioned to design The Case for Export guide for Design Victoria, they were looking for an earthy, natural, recycled and Australian-made stock. One of the handful of papers SSW returns to is ‘Stephen’, says designer Andy Sargent. It was ideal for the guide’s concept of wooden crates featuring Design Victoria’s bright pink and yellow colours. “It has a really good natural texture that worked well with the image to create something warm yet vibrant,” says Sargent. “The stock’s beauty is in its subtlety. It’s a nice uncoated stock with a really good texture that doesn’t beat you around the head saying it’s ‘green’.” Stephen is Australian-made from a mix of Forestry Stewardship Certified and recycled timbers. “In the past, clients who were wanting to be seen as green would specify a stock that was unbleached and would probably be quite dull,” says Sargent. “And they would be happy to sacrifice the quality of the print job if it was obvious it was on recycled stock. Whereas these days, you can specify a beautiful paper that is sustainable to produce without sacrificing on colour or reproduction.”

www.spicers.com.au

The senior team from Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI) published a thought provoking piece in The Age today. Exploring the issues behind the population debate they raise the need for Australians to consider the economic, social and environmental impact of population growth versus decline.

They offered that the “aim of a population debate should be to work out what kind of society we want to have and the quality of life we want to enjoy.”

Would we be happy to accept a population increase if our council rates; health care premiums and city link tolls were all reduced? Would we be happy to accept population decline (or stabilization) if it meant our countries GDP growth stalled and our quality of life began to erode? I wouldn’t.

This topic is ultimately about sustainability. The definition being that we strive to meet the needs of today without compromising needs of future generations. The reality being that in order for our society to prosper and our quality of life to increase, we need sustainable growth across our industries, communities and natural resources

Australian manufacturers are trying to do just that, and they need the support of all Australians.

Paul Allen

General Manager – Sustainable Development

By Evonne Miller

With the 21st century frequently described as the era of sustainability, organisations are expected to produce Triple Bottom Line (TBL) reports outlining their impact on ‘profits, planet and people’.

But what are the social or ethical equivalents of ‘revenue and ‘expenses’ for your organisation?

Unlike indicators for profits and the planet, social impacts aren’t easy to identify and measure. In fact, there is little agreement about how organisations should define or assess their social impact, and no single tool or methodology for social TBL reporting.

Typically, social TBL has been narrowly interpreted as the dollar value of sponsorships and other philanthropic community activities, but this doesn’t take into account broader issues. Factors such as employee health and satisfaction, the safety of products and impact on local communities and consumers should all be  easured to assess an organisation’s social sustainability.

Fortunately, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) – the most well known sustainability TBL framework – identifies four core social performance indicators:

• Labour Practices – Employment,Labour/Management Relations,Health & Safety, Training & Education,Diversity & Opportunity

• Human Rights – Strategy & Management, Non-Discrimination,Freedom of Association, Collective Bargaining, Child/Forced Labour

• Safety – Community, Bribery & Corruption, Political Contributions

• Product Responsibility – Customer Health & Safety, Products & Services, Respect for Privacy

The GRI has been criticised, as some indicators aren’t relevant for Australian organisations. It’s also purposely vague about measurement, the idea being that organisations can focus on social issues relevant to their own industry and develop their own measures. Unfortunately, this means benchmarks and  comparisons can’t be made overtime or between industries.

Businesses and researchers are currently working to develop a systematic way to calculate overall social performance. I have advocated for the establishment of a quantifiable measure, and with my colleagues have developed a social impact survey utilising pre-existing measures to provide a comparison standard for judgments. For this, we focused on measures of employee andcommunity wellbeing, arguing that there is a minimum of two social impact levels: internal (i.e., employees and suppliers)and external (i.e., customers and community).

It’s a challenge for any organisation,but consumers increasingly expect businesses to be socially accountable. The global Millennium Development Poll on Corporate Social Responsibility found 45% of 25,000 respondents believed companies ‘should set higher ethical standards and help build a better society’. Added to that, 40% had‘thought about punishing a specific company perceived as not socially responsible’. I recommend thinking about how you would measure the social impact – and value – of your organisation and shape the debate over whether, how, why and what social impacts should be measured.

Evonne Miller, PhD, is a social psychologist and senior lecturer in the School of Design at Queensland University of Technology. Her main research interests are social sustainability, social gerontology, community engagement and behaviour change. She can be reached at e.miller@qut.edu.au

How you choose to serve your salt and pepper might not save the world immediately but over time small things make big differences. Discussion about sustainability has to start somewhere and what better conversation starters than Pepperino – a design initiative by Arte Veneta which aims to reduce their wastage by using their timber off cuts to produce quality chopping boards, grinders and bowls.

Having already contributed to the tasteful interiors of Melbourne restaurants such as Izakaya Den and more recently the Barbagallo Trattoria E Pizzeria, Arte Veneta use Pepperino to further apply their design skills to notonly the tables, but also to the things that go on top of them. Affectionately referred to as their ‘little brother’, the tone of the Pepperino brand may be playful but this hasn’t prevented it being taken seriously by restaurants such as Rockpool, Fifteen Melbourne, Enoteca Sileno and D.O.C.

Using French Walnut, Rare Macassar, Flamed Cyprus, English Oak and even Ancient Olive Tree, no two Pepperino products look the same. Simple designs bring out the true character of the wood and indirectly act as a reminder of the natural beauty that we are trying to protect in the first place.

www.pepperino.com.au

For printers, designers and clients committed to sustainability, Tudor RP is a valuable addition to Australia’s stock options. Australian made, carbon neutral and 100% recycled, sales of Tudor RP have also provided over $350,000 for Landcare Australia through Spicers Paper’s Recreate program.

Johanna Villani runs a carbon-neutral graphic design business in Melbourne and works on a range of publications for large organisations.

Villani explains that many of her clients are looking to go green wherever possible. “Councils in particular sendlarge amounts of material to their ratepayers and need to be accountable for what they put out,” she explains. “They want to do the right thing, and be seen to be doing so. Based on our credentials, we advise them that Tudor RP is one of the best stocks available. Landcare have programs such as the regeneration of Merri Creek that are local to Melbourne’s councils, so this paper keeps jobs in Australia. It also has that earthy, recycled feel, which is often part of the message clients want to get across. We’re pushing it wherever possible.”

Made with locally sourced recycled pulp, chlorine-free bleaching, and with every aspect of production at Shoalhaven Mill carefully managed to EPA requirements, Tudor RP is a genuinely sustainable step forward for Australian Paper.

Australian Made & People Matter!

Ken Henry (Federal Treasury Secretary) wrote a compelling essay for AFR Boss recently, explaining how Treasury’s core purpose is to use “Economic policy to improve wellbeing in a sustainable manner”.

Forget about economics being dry. This article demonstrates how at the core of economic strategy, our Treasury is seeking to improve the social wellbeing of  Australians. Henry refers to a “Wellbeing Framework” containing five dimensions that are used as “filters” for determining appropriate policy.

They 5 are:

1.       Freedom & opportunity

2.       Consumption possibilities

3.       Risk

4.       Distribution

5.       Complexity

Within these dimensions sit what many would term as “soft” metrics. Questions about how safe and secure we feel in things like our jobs and welfare.  Considerations about how “complex” life may become when overloaded with too many choices and other societal pressures.

Evonne Miller also brings this concept to life via her research on the Australian Dairy Industry. She found that “despite the clear economic value of the industry … and research into mitigating its environmental effects … little is understood about its social value or impact”

For Australian Paper, we see such articles as bringing to life the tangible meaning of Sustainability and the “Triple Bottom Line”. If we truly seek to meet the needs of today, whilst catering for the needs of tomorrow, then assessment of our Social, Environmental and Economic footprint should be made holistically. Profit at the expense of natural resources isn’t sustainable. Job loss and community collapse at the expense of total conservation isn’t justifiable. Finding the correct balance is a challenge and involves multiple stakeholders.

Wonderful to see our Public Service considering and explaining the same.

What does “Triple Bottom Line” mean to you? What should business do to ensure the ongoing social, environmental and economic prosperity of all Australians?

Paul Allen

Joost Bakker is an artist who provokes questions about the way we (re)use the materials in our lives. Challenging notions of what sustainability can involve with beautiful, surprising and deceptively simple designs, his initial floral work for Melbourne restaurants and bars has led to everything from public installations to large housing solutions. After creating his Greenhouse restaurant in Melbourne’s Federation Square using completely recycled and sustainable materials (with a functioning roof garden), Bakker successfully replicated it in Perth to much excitement.

Bakker’s family migrated to Australia from Holland when he was nine years old, and has a long history of farming flowers. With his inventive eye for what others might term rubbish and a deep connection to the spaces in which we like to gather, Bakker is a natural fit for our social sustainability spotlight.

www.joost.com.au

www.greenhouseperth.com

Has your work always had a sustainable bent?

I’ve always found life in what other people see as waste. Once you’re interested, you start to get an understanding of how complex something like recycling actually is. Take the sticker on an apple. Making compost, I keep coming across these little stickers and thinking, ‘why couldn’t we use something that breaks down organically, instead of plastic?’ And I’ve always wondered why you’d buy flowers in Queensland and send them to Melbourne. It’s never made sense to me.

How did you go from working with flowers in small social spaces like restaurants and bars, to bigger work with other materials?

You do flowers in a restaurant and become friends with the people who own it, then they might ask for help with something else.

Is there an educational element to your work? 

I’m not into hammering things down people’s throats. I just do it, and if people like what I do, great – but it’s up to them to make change. And it is up to people, not government. People have to demand change. So I figure I won’t ram it down people’s throats, which means they might not pick up on some little details in my work. But I also like the idea that people who’ve been coming to Greenhouse for four months will suddenly notice something different.

Tell us about the Greenhouse in Perth.

It’s right in the heart of the city and will stay there for 10 years. We make everything there; yoghurt, fetta, jam; we’re milling our own wheat from a farm outside of Perth and making our own bread and pasta. It’s much busier than Melbourne and way beyond what we expected.

How do you feel about the response?

I’m shocked. As an artist I’m always doubtful people will appreciate an idea I have, but Perth must be ready for it. Somebody bought a piece at an exhibition back in 2002, and said, “I don’t like it, but I know I will. I know your stuff grows on me.” If you instantly love something, you can only grow to dislike it. If it slowly grows on you, I think you’ll have a better  appreciation of it.

Would you like to do more than simply make things?

I get asked to sit on panels and so on, but I’d rather keep doing stuff. I think that’s my role.

What are some of the problems thatcome up when businesses don’t take social sustainability into account?

A good example is the lack of focus on local communities. My daughter’s school is currently having an extension built. I pushed for them to use local builders, but they had to use governmentapproved contractors who ended up coming from the other side of the city.

If you had builders who live nearby working on this project, not only would you be reducing pollution and transport, they would take a lot more pride in theirwork than someone who’s more interested in finishing up in time to miss peak hour traffic.

Do you see business benefits from socially sustainable ideas?

Look at Greenhouse. If you run a business that sells food in Perth and you’re quiet, and you look across the road at a place that’s milling their own grain, growing their own vegetables, using cuts of meat that nobody normally wants and they’re busy, then you’d want to investigate.

Located on Sydney’s old common gardens, The Commons Local Eating House has taken its name not only from the site, but also its use of shared environmental and cultural resources. Through careful consideration of both, the restaurant is resonating with casual diners and critics alike.

Instead of simply working towards a sustainable business on their own, the collective who run the restaurant are involving their local community, and looking to implement solar panels with neighbouring properties. Herbs are grown on site, a worm farm converts kitchen waste to fertiliser, and reclaimed and certified plantation timbers make up the furniture.

Chat with staff and you’ll discover the ‘local’ in their name has dual meaning. Most ingredients are locally sourced, and all meat is from ethical suppliers. The kitchen rotates the menu regularly in response to what’s available and in season, instead of chasing ingredients from around the country or beyond. When dining at The Commons, it’s impossible to ignore the relationship between our plates, our planet and our community. After all, looking forward is also about looking more closely around you.

The Commons – Local Eating House

32 Burton Street, Darlinghust

02) 9358 1487

www.thecommons.com.au