All Case Studies
A collection of all the case studies contained in this section, arranged by industry sector:
- Rural Production
- Hospitality
- Building & Construction
- Printing
- Clerical & Office
- Transport & Logistics
Rural Production
Farms across NSW are already reaping the benefits. The examples below show how green training is good for the land and good for your bottom line.
Grazier - super fine wool, Bathurst
“The formal training I have done has definitely helped me to look more closely at the interaction between the land and grazing, which allows me to plan ahead.” says superfine wool grower Michael Inwood of Toulon, an 800-hectare property near Bathurst in the NSW Central West, producing super fine wool. [Download PDF 300kb]
Winery - De Bortoli
When Rob Glastonbury, operations manager at De Bortoli winery arrived, he set about eliminating sodium based chemicals from the production process to stop complaints about the smell from neighbours. "This meant that all winery wastewater was 'plant usable' and it profoundly changed our thinking.” The wastewater is now used to generate over $200,000 in crops. [Download PDF 252kb]
Organic Macadamia and Coffee Farm
Catherine and Chris Ford could not have fulfilled their dream of a running an organic macadamia and coffee farm on the NSW north coast, without green skills training. “The courses showed me how to put together a management plan to ensure that we use sustainable methods. Now, I have a high level of understanding of the life cycles and interactions of crops, weeds, pests and diseases." says Catherine. [Download PDF 345kb]
Fish Farm - Tailor Made
It’s nothing new for top restaurants to offer quality seafood, but what’s on the menu at Tailor Made Fish Farms is quite surprising. It’s a farming system that is both sustainable and environmentally responsible. “We can control so much more by growing fish on a land-based farm in a sustainable manner. Fish can’t escape, pollutants don’t go into the sea and the water is recycled,” says managing director Nick Arena. [Download PDF 268kb]
Hospitality
The case studies below tell the stories of tourism and hospitality businesses from across
NSW that have trained their staff to be more environmentally sustainable and have
reaped the benefits.
Bowling Club
According to Matt O’Hara, Manager at Oak Flats Bowling Club “being more sustainable has helped boost the community’s awareness of the club as a ‘good citizen’. Because we are charged with managing a public asset our reputation depends on getting it right.” [Download PDF 228kb]
Greenkeeper
Greenkeeper Wade Walsh from OakFlats Bowling Club believes “in my industry, people don’t often like to change what they are doing but I am really happy to do more training. These changes are about involving the staff and the community in greener opportunities. It’s valuable because it creates more loyalty” [Download PDF 133kb]
Caravan Park
When the Camping and Caravan Industries Association (CCIA) met with Leanne and Tony Mayne, the owners of Trial Bay Eco Tourist Park, they were among the first to enrol in the Gumnut Awards Program. “We wanted to integrate environmental considerations into our business decisions and training,” Leanne says. [Download PDF 220kb]
Restaurant
Ian Slater of Scratchleys in Newcastle says “We had mountains of cardboard and bottles going to landfill and it was costing us a fortune to have it removed. We decided to reduce them one by one until we had reduced waste by 80 per cent.” [Download PDF 220kb]
Building & Construction
Building and construction companies across NSW are already benefiting from
a green skilled workforce. You can read their stories below.
- Electrician
- Interior Designer
- Plumber
- Landscaper
- Painter
- Builder/Architect
- Surveyor
- Bathroom Manufacturer
Electrician
“At the end of the day, training green electricians
is a necessary step forward in meeting the rising
demand for energy efficient products and technology
in both the consumer and commercial markets” says
Michael Brewitt, manager of Velocity Electrical,
a Sydney based electrical contracting company
[Download PDF 252kb]
Interior Designer
Investing in an accredited green skilled workforce
was essential to Pike Withers’ future business
prospects. “Everything is changing.
A new benchmark is being established in the industry.
Being green accredited interior designers shows
we are moving with the times.”
[Download PDF 272kb]
Plumber
“It was a lucky decision.
I saw water shortages early on in the peace …
back then people weren’t thinking about solar power
or eco toilets. Now it's just a matter of time before
all new houses will have both,” says
Warren Perrett chief executive officer at Aquablock and 2008 GreenPlumber of the Year
[Download PDF 300kb]
Landscape Contractors
Tony Bright believes training has improved staff
retention at ESD Landscape Contractors, “in recent
years it has helped to limit staff turnover – they feel
appreciated and valued because we invest in them.”
[Download PDF 382kb]
Painter
Peter Sutcliffe, Managing Director of painting company HMP, says “Sustainable operations have a positive impact on the environment and will help us stay competitive. The implementation has cost us money but we see the long-term benefits of greener business practices,” he says. [Download PDF 252kb]
Builder and Architect
“We have introduced Wednesday afternoon as a training day,” says Oliver Steele of building and design company Steele Associates. “It’s a good time for eco-friendly product representatives to educate our staff on their products. We look at environmental issues such as erosion control, housing insulation and draft control. We also discuss regulatory issues, like BASIX compliance.” [Download PDF 260kb]
Surveyor
Gary Polkinghorne believes receiving green training through the Sustainability Advantage program helped the company’s environmental vision. “We now have a better awareness of sustainable practices . . . we have improved our productivity through better business planning and staff engagement, reduced costs through optimising resources and enhanced our reputation." [Download PDF 240kb]
Bathroom Manufacturer
Marquis Bathroom Products' operations co-ordinator Phillip Gray stumbled upon the advantages of sustainable production after completing a Cleaner Production course in 2003. “We’ve created more efficiency in our product manufacturing and it’s been relatively easy. Knowing where to start and how to identify areas that could be improved was a key step in improving our business. Getting on board through training courses made all the difference.” [Download PDF 240kb]
Printing
Printing businesses across NSW are already benefiting from a green skilled workforce. Here are some of their stories.
Finsbury Green Printing
For Finsbury Green, it is easy to see the pay-off of being a sustainable business to the company’s bottom line. Rodney Wade, the company’s environmental and technical manager points out “in the seven years of this sustainability journey, our business has trebled in size.”[Download PDF 238kb]
Bright Printing Group
Becoming more sustainable is a key selling point for the Bright Print Group, says Director Debbie Burgess, “People have come to expect a high level of environmental performance. For many customers, procuring green products is an important part of their company’s environmental policy.” [Download PDF 248kb]
Industry case studies
- Commercial Real Estate Company
- Commercial Furniture Manufacturer and Supplier
- Information Management Consulting Firm
Clerical and office-based businesses across NSW are already benefiting from a green skilled workforce. Here are some their stories.
Commercial Real Estate Company
Craig Roussac, General Manager Sustainability, Safety and Environment at Investa Property Group, believes “greening your workforce” is critical if businesses want to rise to the challenge of reducing their greenhouse emissions and environmental footprint. “Businesses increasingly need the knowledge, experience and know how to address environmental impacts, and green skills training and a stronger culture of innovation are the answers.”
[Download PDF 244kb]
Commercial Furniture Manufacturer and Supplier
Saving resources can ensure a company’s very survival – commercially and environmentally. “We take our corporate and social responsibility very seriously,” says Victorian Sales Manager Michael Bond, of Zenith Interiors, “and it has helped us grow into the market leader we are today.” [Download PDF 268kb]
Information Management Consulting Firm
The backbone of the environmental initiatives the company is taking is the engagement of its workforce. "Staff engagement is a powerful aspect of any sustainability program." [Download PDF 244kb]
Transport & Logistics
Transport and logistics professionals across NSW are already benefiting from a green skilled workforce. Here are some of their stories.
Relocations Company
Annie Larkin is Smoothmoves' business manager. Sustainable practices help her speak her staff's language.
“Our staff are generally younger. They are in their twenties or thirties and they care about the environment,” Annie says. [Download PDF 220kb]
Carton Rental Company
Business owner John Eustace saw a market advantage in turning BOXSMART Carton Rentals into a carbon neutral company. In order to gain carbon neutral status, John worked on developing the skills of his small team of four employees to bring their work practices into line with BOXSMART’s environmental policy statement. [Download PDF 216kb]
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