News & Views

We all know how pervasive Social Media is, and what a powerful tool for action it can be. In a recent multi-party study conducted with CapGemini, however, it became apparent that despite the global conversation about Climate change, we are all still sitting on our hands.

The study, conducted with Dassault Systèmes, Capgemini and French technology startup BLOOM, used AI to try and analyse the problem and their report is HERE. Another gap between words and action.

In the United in Science report, the World Meteorological Organisation says that only 15% of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are on track,which requires a systematic examination of the impact of climate change and extreme weather on the goals. This illustrates how weather, climate and water-related sciences can advance aims such as food and water security, clean energy, better health, sustainable oceans and resilient cities.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres notes that, halfway to the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), "the world is woefully off-track".

Read a great analysis of the effects of climate change on each of the SDGs HERE.

In an article from HR Leader, they report that in the Diversity Council of Australia’s (DCA) 2023 Inclusion@Work report, there are perceptions that flexible work is for women, which is causing negative attitudes to stir around men who are utilising these opportunities. This is causing issues for 57 per cent of men, with 37 per cent claiming they’ve been subjected to discrimination and harassment for using these benefits. Businesses need to ensure that flexible working opportunities exist for all employees and turn these negative perceptions around by encouraging employees to take advantage of the benefits offered. See the article from HR Leader HERE.

In a recent HR Leader podcast with Megan Dalla-Camina, founder and CEO of Women Rising, she noted that while the participation rate of men in the workforce is 71.3%, they don't say enough when it comes to gender equality. While legislation and the spreading of awareness is helping, progress could be made easier if men spoke up on issues and there is an opportunity for workplaces to encourage participation in the discussion of issues, whether through initiatives or training. Read the HR Leader article, with a link to the podcast HERE.

The uptake of renewable energy and associated components has given rise to the NSW Anti-Slavery Commission and the Clean Energy Council (CEC) developing a code of practice to help identify modern slavery risks in these supply chains. Without clarity on how to effectively manage modern slavery risks in renewable energy value-chains, both people and investments in renewable energy infrastructure may be at risk. 

The draft currently under development will be published in December 2023 and will be open for public comment until February 2024. 

See an article from FS Sustainability bout this HERE.

In a recent global survey which polled more than 900 ESG professionals, 90% believe that having a strong ESG reporting programme will give their organisations a competitive advantage in the next two years. Given that ESG is receiving heightened attention in boardrooms, it's no surprise that businesses are now adding dedicated roles to help with ESG reporting, data collection and management of metrics.

See a report about this from edie HERE - and keep up your AusLSA reporting!.

The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) have announced the release of an educational resource kit for the 2023 referendum.

The educational resources seek to minimise harm, promote cultural humility, and focus the conversation on human rights principles as they relate to the proposed Voice to Parliament.The resources include information on the history of First Nations advocacy, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), self-determination, harm minimisation, substantive reform, and more and is available from their website HERE.

Hewlett-Packard Enterprise (HPE) have said that over the past two years, more IT customers have begun requesting information about how certain technology investments can help with corporate net-zero targets as well as how they might be used to measure ESG-related metrics and manage them. This led HPE to commence sustainability training to their front-line sales force - and the financial impact of that has led to an increase in over $1.3B in contracts.

Read the Greenbiz article about this HERE and see how HPE help in understanding and reducing scope-3 emissions.

Embedding exercise into your firm's physical wellbeing program, not only boosts personal energy levels, it helps us work more efficiently. 

Dr Brett Lillie, author of Rediscover Your Athlete Within says that movement ignites creativity and increases brain plasticity and capacity. He provides five tips for employers to encourage exercise in the workplace in an article from HR Leader HERE.

The Science Based Targets Institute (SBTi) has released their 2022 monitoring report indicating that more than one third of the global economy (34%) by market capitalization had set or committed to set science-based targets, and that growth on every continent had been observed for the first time.

In saying this, they acknowledge the global issues related to climate change this year and support the UN's observation that we have entered a new era of "global boiling". Despite this, the growth with science-based targets is evidence that the private sector is becoming more and more aware of its responsibility to rapidly cut emissions in line with the demands of climate science. See the report HERE.