Welcome to Symmetry Sustainable Business

Dear {FIRST_NAME},

Sustainability means making the future a priority in today's decision making.

The Symmetry Sustainable Business Newsletter is a quarterly publications that keeps Symmetry Subscribers up to date with the latest Symmetry news and Sustainablity tips and information. If you have any information that you feel is of interest to Sustainable business please email us at: symmetrynews@makeitinmacarthur.com.au

Project Manager's Note

Imam Ali

Symmetry has gathered momentum since its roll out in February 2008. To date 33 businesses have graduated with Bronze and 11 have enrolled for Silver. Businesses throughout the region continue to show strong interest in Symmetry, driven by the necessity to improve their environment practices, manage costs and create market opportunities.

Symmetry's success is being shared with organisations outside the region, with a presentation to about 17 Local Government sustainability officers from the Sydney metro area on 20 August 2008 at the Local Government & Shires Association offices in Sydney. The MACROC Economic Development Officer will make Symmetry the main focus of his presentation at the National Economic Development Conference in Brisbane on 9 October 2008.

Symmetry continues to receive strong support from the project partners – the University of Western Sydney, the Macarthur Business Enterprise Centre and the Macarthur Centre for Sustainable Living. C91.3 and the Advertiser continue to provide useful media support. The project is funded by AusIndustry under the Building Entrepreneurship in Small Business Program.

Over the next few months we expect some significant changes to policy settings in respect to the environment, heralded by the Governments Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. Symmetry is well placed to provide an effective solution to businesses in this regard because it has been built on the premise that: A good environment is smart business.

Bronze Graduation No. 2

Eighteen more businesses graduated with a Bronze Award at a ceremony held at the Macarthur Centre for Sustainable Living on 15 September 2008. The CEO of the Macarthur Business Enterprise Centre, David Waudby, presented the certificates. Of those graduating 9 businesses were from Camden, 5 from Campbelltown and 4 from Wollondilly.

Graduates spoke enthusiastically of their experiences and how Symmetry is benefiting their business.

Photo by courtesy of Jeffrey Hinks Photography

Read more about the Bronze Graduation No. 2

Symmetry wins awards for businesses

Symmetry helped this innovative boutique dairy in Wollondilly win the prestigious Royal Agricultural Show Society's 2008 President's Medal. John Fairley, the owner of the Country Valley Milk, said that his yoghurt beat tough competition from similar products and he was able to demonstrate his care for the environment to the judges by the work he had done since enrolling in the Symmetry program.

"As a result of this win several new opportunities have opened up for my company," said John.

John Fairley tasting his success – Lush natural yoghurt

Jennifer Baldwin, another Bronze graduate and the owner of Goddess Essentials, a jewellery and gifts retailer from Picton, said that, "By participating in Symmetry I was able to demonstrate my business's environmental credentials which in no small measure helped me win the Small Business Champions Award for NSW and ACT in the Gifts Category."

Jennifer Baldwin receiving Bronze Certificate from David Waudby
CEO Macarthur Business Enterprise Centre

Find out more about Symmetry wins awards for businesses

Why is Symmetry important for a small business?

Businesses enrolling in Symmetry are able to develop skills and capabilities to improve their environmental practice, to engage meaningfully and in mutually beneficial ways to their communities and at the same time improve their financial results. Additionally, they gain recognition in the local media when they graduate and their product and services are profiled on the Internet: www.makeitinmacarthur.com.au

Symmetry accreditation enables a firm to grow its market by being able to compete in the green supply chains of bigger companies.

Find out more about why is Symmetry important for a small business?

The Garnaut Climate Change Review - Final Report

Professor Garnaut's final report recommends that Australia should cut its green house gas emissions from the 2000 level by 25% by 2020, and by 90% by 2050 in the context of an international agreement. The targets are higher than those stated in his Draft Report and they are based on the atmospheric carbon concentration of 450 parts per million (ppm).

The report is available at: http://www.garnautreport.org.au/

Sustainability Awards for Mount Annan Buildings

Bowden Centre at the Mount Annan Botanical Garden received the top Royal Australian Institute of Architecture, NSW Chapter prize, the Sulman Award for Public Architecture. The Centre incorporates a number of innovative environmental design features.

The Bowen Centre at Mt Annan Botanic Gardens

Find out more about the Sustainability Awards for Mount Annan Buildings

Did you know?

How much water is used?

• 41,500 litres to produce a kilo of meat
• 500 litres to produce one orange
• 1.3 million litres to produce one tonne of aluminium
• 50 litres to produce a copy of Saturday's newspaper
• 4 litres to produce a bottle of beer
• 5000 litres to produce one kilo of rice

Courtesy www.ecovibe.com.au

Plastic Bags

• Australians used 3.9 million plastic bags in 2006, which can take up to 500 years to decay in the landfill and out in the oceans they pose a serious risk to marine life.

Paper

• 1 ream of paper = 6% of a tree and 5.4kg CO2 in the atmosphere
• 3 sheets of A4 paper = 1 litre of water

Green - the new colour of money

"Environmental sustainability is not simply a matter of compliance or risk management. Sustainability has become a world-wide movement driven by the desire by business to do the right thing and be profitable", says Bill Parker the Symmetry Mentor. However, he is concerned with the deceptive 'Green washing', in response to which the ACCC this year released 'Green Marketing and The Trade Practices Act' to educate businesses about their obligations regarding environmental claims under the Trade Practices Act 1974.

In short, if you are likely to engage in any conduct deemed to be misleading and deceptive or make false or misleading representations about the environmental virtues of your goods and services, you should also be prepared for fines of up to $1.1 million. Buyers may be discerning so sellers beware!

Find out more on the ACCC website

Attention:

This newsletter is purely for information. MACROC takes no responsibility and provides no guarantees, warranties or representations, implied or otherwise, for the content and accuracy of the newsletter, featured products and links.