Local Partnership a Case study in Sustainable Business best practice.

The environmental impact of Small to Medium Enterprises and their capability to drive sustainability is often underestimated. It is interesting to note that an estimated 99% of companies in Australia employ under 100 people and that these enterprises are responsible for 60% of employment. While we are still researching their exact contribution to GDP , it is clear that the cumulative impact of small business is significant both in terms of wealth generation and environmental degradation.

Research conducted in 1999 demonstrated that 65 % of operators in the retail and service sectors believed sustainability was either important or vital to their business. This attitude was closely linked to their day to day hands on experience with consumers. Several years later and after the unhappy consequences of Climate Change related impacts, such as water scarcity and increased power costs, we are finding SME’s are becoming more aggressive in their pursuit of sustainability.

The Environmental issues most important to SME’s tend to be Waste management, Water efficiency and Energy efficiency. Most SME’s attempt to address these in their business through their own personal drive and using their own time and funds. This is a significant drain on already strained resources and many times cannot be maintained.

To improve their capability to implement sustainability, the SME simply requires access to the right knowledge and financial assistance. The SME does not wan’t newsletters, web sites, or consultations which cost money or waste time. They do want fast and effective ways of innovating their business to enhance their environmental performance and their bottom line.

The SBA has been formed to deliver this. It provides

1. the networks, partnerships and information needed to innovate.

2. the links to financial assistance (tax concessions, subsidies or direct financial incentives) and

3. the sustainability branding and media exposure to ensure their hard work and commitment is known to the consumer.

The benefits of the SBA for our local business community were underlined when Justin met with Don Parry of Queensland Complete Printing services to discuss business sustainability.

QCP is typical of SME’s in that they have invested a significant amount of their own time and resources to learn about Climate change, global warming, carbon sequestration, carbon trading, carbon taxes and carbon emissions targets.

QCP managing director Anne Backlaw was not satisfied with what she found. "It will be months or years before local, state and the federal government come up with carbon trading schemes and the like. We don't want to wait for governments to lead the way.

Armed with the facts QCP then implemented a plan and created a partnership with a local community group Florabunda Bushcare to demonstrate how an SME in Nambour can do its bit to reduce Carbon emissions.

It is a simple and effective plan whereby the QCP fund the planting of 1000 trees in the local area. The trees will be propagated at the Florabunda Bushcare nursery and then gifted to organisations such as schools and not for profit groups to assist local creek revegetation, landcare and community planting projects. Florabunda will assist community organisations in selecting appropriate species as well as information about planting, ongoing maintenance and care. All that community organisations have to do is visit the Florabunda nursery at the end of Laidlaw Road at Woombye and they can get the trees and advice they need.

Justin Holbrook estimates that the successful implementation of the project has the potential to deliver upto 1,000,000 tonnes of Carbon dioxide sequestration over the life of the scheme. Clearly the Queensland Complete Printing Services will be making a significant and demonstrable contribution to both its environmental and community goals. Not only that, QCP will be supporting a community tree planting organisation and maximizing the environmental return to the local area.

But the story doesn’t end there. The carbon sequestration scheme is part of bigger environmental policy being implemented by the company. Plans are underway now to reduce the organisations waste generation and also its energy and water consumption.

Queensland Complete Printing service is defining itself as a clear leader in sustainable business ethics and practices. They are pragmatic, highly informed and taking action. The Sustainable Business Alliance is looking forward to working with the QCP team to implement their next generation of Sustainable Business practices.

To find out more about Queensland Complete Printing's Environmental printing go to www.qprint.com.au or email us at enquiries@qprint.com.au