In this issue
warm-up / investor perspective / sustainable design / csr resources
Something we mentioned last issue, is Active Voice's passion for sustainability. Our approach to sustainability encompasses our own procedures and guides us as we make decisions about the clients we work with and the projects we undertake.
We are committed to creating sustainable strategies and tools for our clients. And we are committed to ensuring our own business practices support balance, integrity, environmental sensitivity and responsiveness to social and human issues.
This second issue of voice is a sustainability edition. You'll find an informative story about sustainable graphic design along with a free tip sheet to download, an outline of a report on corporate sustainability from an investor perspective and some handy CSR resources.
We welcome your feedback.
corporate sustainability: an investor perspective
According to the Mays report, released last week, there is no question that sustainability adds value to commercial endeavour. Despite this evidence, Australian companies continue to lag behind Great Britain and Europe in the move away from a one-dimensional approach to performance.
Shaun Mays' Corporate Sustainability: An Investor Perspective examines sustainability through the eyes of investors. It finds that companies who effectively manage social, environmental and economic risks can improve their bottom line by reducing costs, enhancing brand and increasing market share.
The report says the focus on corporate sustainability will not go away. Community pressure, increasing share ownership, smaller government and media interest are all driving increasingly sophisticated scrutiny.
Written by Shaun Mays - with assistance from representatives of ABN AMRO Morgans, AMP Henderson Global Investors, BT Financial Group, Insurance Australia Group and Sustainable Asset Management - the report features a range of CSR case studies involving some of Australia's leading companies.
The Mays Report can be downloaded from the Department of the Environment and Heritage website at: www.deh.gov.au/industry/finance/publications/index.html
sustainable design
Printing words and images on paper may seem like one of the more environmentally benign things your company does. But behind every printed page is an array of chemicals, wastes and emissions - and at the other end of the process, an increasingly aware and critical consumer.Whether you are like us and produce print based marketing tools for clients or whether your business uses print based tools to communicate with stakeholders, we all ultimately reap a reward from their production. Some rewards are financial; others are more esoteric relating to building reputation and brand.
Designers should define their role broadly as agents of good in the world, and limit their work to 'legitimate' products: those that are needed, and those that can be made without damage to nature or - through the unethical actions of manufacturers and investors - damage to people.
- Philippe StarckSustainability decisions arise at every stage of the project and small changes can have large environmental impacts.
With informed choices and good management practices you can avoid producing materials that damage the planet. And if you can communicate this to your clients or stakeholders, they will reward you for it.
A study of 1,000 Australians found 60% rewarded a socially responsible company, while 68% punished an irresponsible company when purchasing.
- B+T WeeklyActive Voice is still learning and exploring the areas surrounding design sustainability. We'd like to share our growing knowledge with you through the new resources section of our website - which is due to be completed in November. And if you have any feedback, we'd love to hear from you.
In the meantime we have produced a free sustainable design tips sheet to help guide your production towards green.
speak up about…
The Social Entrepreneurs Network is a learning and support network of people working to strengthen communities through entrepreneurial activity.If you're looking for last minute inspiration, the next Sydney gathering of SEN members (visitors welcome) is tonight! 5.15 for 5.30 pm Tuesday 30 September 2003. If you're free, this gathering should prove most worthwhile.
Speaker Richard Boele, President of Australia's Social & Ethical Auditing Institute will describe what is meant by the terms social audit, triple bottom line and corporate social responsibility, and how they might apply in a social enterprise context.
Venue: Room 15, ground floor, Block D (CM 05D.01.15), Haymarket Campus, University of Technology, Sydney.
RSVP to peter.gates@mercury.org.au.
Hope to see you there.don't miss…
This weekend, October 4 and 5, in Melbourne…the Ethical Business Network conference - Sustainability, Ethics & Small to Medium Enterprises.The conference presents a forum for discussion about the philosophies, practice and implications of social responsibility and sustainability in the Australian SME environment. Kath will report back next issue. Meanwhile, check out the website.
good measure…
The non-profit, non-partisan GreenBiz.com works to bring environmental information, resources and tools to the mainstream business community.GreenBiz provides access to countless web resources and reports on all things green including sustainable management, green auditing, clean technologies and recycling. Their free weekly e-zine GreenBuzz provides updates and articles.
Green Biz Leaders features hundreds of examples of how companies of all sizes and sectors align environmental responsibility with business success.
signing off
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Active Voice is a communication agency committed to projects that make a difference. To find out more, take a peek at our web site www.activevoice.net.au
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