Financial and practical help for tackling the business impact of climate change will be a feature of seminars at The Safety Show Sydney over the first two of the three-day event next week.
Six seminars from government, experts and climate change consultancies on Tuesday 28 October and Wednesday 29 October will explain how businesses can make sustainability a competitive advantage.
Speakers include representatives of the Department of Environment & Climate Change, energy retailer AGL, the Carbon Reduction Institute, AusIndustry NSW and consultancy, EnviroAction.
Among them is Gavin Pereira, environmental director of the Carbon Reduction Institute, who will offer practical advice for reducing the impact of climate change on manufacturing. Ahead of his October 28 seminar, Pereira said that, aside from addressing corporate social responsibility (CSR), there were sound financial reasons for businesses to act now.
“From an economic point of view, businesses need to care about climate change, as energy intensive and high polluting goods and services will cost more as the climate damage bill of these goods and services are factored in to the cost,” he said.
“Conversely, businesses that act early will unlock efficiency gains and can communicate their positive actions to gain support for their products and services from the market. Nearly all of the large corporates have a sustainability policy that addresses climate change. Small to medium enterprises (SMEs) that perform work for the corporates have to keep pace, as they risk losing business if they fail to match their ethics with those of the larger players.
“Supply chain effects like these are prompting SMEs to act on climate change. Other SMEs are reducing the impacts toward climate change for the CSR, stakeholder and marketing benefits. The Carbon Reduction Institute has been at the coal-face of this emerging industry for the last two years and it’s very heartening to see the growing number of SMEs contacting us about minimising their climate change footprints.”
The need of many visitors to The Safety Show Sydney to manage corporate social responsibility (CSR) was the trigger for the inclusion of climate change seminars in the event, which is otherwise dedicated to workplace safety, said organiser, Australian Exhibitions & Conferences’ Marie Kinsella.
“There’s an acceptance of the triple bottom line of people, profit and planet now that just wasn’t there two or three years ago,” Ms Kinsella said, “but sadly, many businesses just don’t know where to start. This seminar series at The Safety Show is the perfect way to get a very speedy understanding of what’s required right now, what’s on the horizon, what you need to do and where you can get help.”
The Climate Change Seminars will be held on the first two days of The Safety Show Sydney and Sydney Materials Handling, which will run from October 28 to 30 at the Sydney Showground. For more information and to book, visit www.thesafetyshow.com, email [email protected] or phone Australian Exhibitions & Conferences on +61 3 9654 7773.
