Climate change initiatives in the workplace

Abstract

Climate change mitigation and adaptation is now a focus within government, industry, education, and research. This includes developing green industries and technologies addressing climate change along with new sustainability skills and knowledge in the workplace. These areas were a key focus of the Second Climate Change at Work Conference held in Australia in Sydney and Brisbane, hosted by the Workplace Research Centre at The University of Sydney. This Climate Change at Work Conference aimed to 'provide an insight into the latest green business solutions and carbon emissions mitigation practices in the workplace along with information and updates on ‘green’ policy, green jobs and green workforce development in Australia.' The Brisbane Climate Change at Work Conference was held on 4 August 2010. It was supported by ABC Carbon, Griffith University, Queensland Conservation, and HP (Hewlett Packard). Some 50 people attended this conference, including eco-consultants, sustainability businesses (i.e. training, employment, certification, renewable energy, carbon offsetting), conservation groups, business academics, students in a sustainable enterprise degree, business organisations (i.e. manufacturing, energy), vocational education and high schools, and the Queensland government Office of Climate Change. Key sessions at the Brisbane conference were: empowering sustainability in the workplace (Ian Lowe, Australian Conservation Foundation); environmental policy in Queensland (Office of Climate Change); environmental leadership in the workplace (Sally Russell, Griffith University); a business case study of implementing sustainability (HP); a global survey of corporate responses to sustainability (Accenture); investing in a low carbon economy to create green jobs (Ken Hickson, ABC Carbon); sustainability initiatives in the tourism industry (David Weaver, Griffith University & Stewart Moore, EC3 Global); and workplace skills for sustainability in Australia (John Buchanan, Workplace Research Centre & Georgina Davis, Energy Skills Queensland). These speakers reviewed government and industry initiatives for addressing climate change in the workplace, along with sustainability skills required for green jobs in a low carbon economy. Extending beyond Australia, a related Climate Change at Work Conference was also held in Singapore during 2010.