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Corporate & Environmental Sustainability Survey 2009

In the face of the current financial crisis and climate change, companies are now faced with environmental and economic challenges that would have seemed unimaginable only a few years ago. However in situations such as the one we find ourselves in, the economic issues usually take precedence over the environmental – or do they?

There is a perceived lack of understanding in the business community around how corporate sustainability and economic sustainability interact, and whether they can both be achieved.

The 2009 Corporate and Environmental Sustainability Survey was developed to improve understanding of what motivates organisations to become sustainable, not just economically, but from the perspective of environmental, social and governance drivers.

The survey also questioned the barriers that organisations face, in the following areas:

  • the technical perspectives of analysing and monitoring an organisation's environmental footprint and performance;
  • justifying expenditure on sustainable initiatives;
  • developing an organisational strategy for action;
  • improving the governance structures of the organisation; and
  • communicating progress and achievement with internal and external parties.

As expected, it is the economic drivers that drive sustainability initiatives in organisations, but there are also some interesting responses indicating a desire for change but which is being hindered due to a lack of direction and processes.

Click here to download a copy of the Corporate & environmental sustainability survey 2009.

Survey contributors


Dylan Byrne
Partner – Sustainability Advisory Service, BDO (QLD)
BDO is a business and corporate advisory firm that has the ability to assist organisations to develop and implement best practice models to improve performance and operational effectiveness while building trust with key stakeholders and the communities in which they operate. The financial issues associated with an organisations journey to sustainability are complex and can be difficult to implement without specialist knowledge and in many cases will require external verification. BDO can help organisations to maximise the sustainability of their organisation, ensure they cover off on any risks and take advantage of the opportunities presented to them.
www.bdo.com.au

Shad Sears
Senior Advisor, Effective Governance
Effective Governance provides expertise and assistance to all types of organisations on corporate governance, strategy and corporate sustainability to clients in Australia and New Zealand. Our team has experience gained over a twenty year period, and our unique approach combines research with practical methods to provide real-world solutions for clients.
www.effectivegovernance.com.au