Winner:

Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, QLD

One of the biggest challenges in meeting the water quality targets – and restoring trust in science – has been the ability to determine with confidence the sources and amounts of pollutants (such as nitrogen) in catchments that flow onto the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). The stakeholder-driven “Project 25” piloted a mechanism for ‘bottom-up’ water quality research to provide farmers with stronger, more tangible feedback loops between water quality science and management, in the Russell-Mulgrave catchment south of Cairns. New water quality monitoring equipment and a customised app delivering real-time data has for the first time enabled landholders to identify where there are problems with nitrogen runoff on their own properties. Landholders are now changing their practices and working with partners including the Wanyurr-Majay Traditional Owners to remediate wetlands and further measurably improve the quality of the water leaving the catchment into the GBR.

Finalists:

Cobram Estate Olives, VIC – Cobram Estate Olives is showing the world that its product is not only good for human health, but its sustainable farming practises are good for the planet too.
HW Greenham & Sons, VIC – Greenham introduce Beef Sustainability Standard to deliver planet-positive beef to global customers.

Winner:

Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, QLD

At a time when the health of the Great Barrier Reef has never been more critical, this world-first application of science-led Integrated Pest Management principles to the problem of a marine pest has delivered a revolution in our ability to defend coral and biodiversity. The new multidisciplinary insights, methodologies, capabilities and partnerships fostered through this project are not only demonstrably increasing the Reef’s resilience – they are delivering socio-economic benefits in terms of investment and job opportunities, with a focus on training programs enabling young local Traditional Owners to care for their Reef Sea Country.

Finalists:

Accounting for Nature, NSW – Accounting for Nature works with a large number of groups and organisations to implement the Accounting for Nature framework – a world leading, scientifically rigorous methodology for measuring environmental condition.
ANU Sustainable Farms, ACT – Sustainable Farms has created a powerful tool, BirdCast, that helps farmers identify management actions that could support threatened birds on their properties.
Glenelg Golf Club, SA – Glenelg Golf club is creating a greener future and protecting urban biodiversity.
Hindmarsh Landcare Network, VIC – Project Hindmarsh – bringing communities together on Country to restore biodiversity.
Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort, QLD – Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort is on a mission to rehabilitate the natural ecosystem from a dilapidated mine site to a flourishing coral cay.
The Nature School, NSW – The Nature School, facilitated by Meridith Ebbs, photographed living things in the school playground and surrounding Innes Peninsula and then used the iNaturalist app to upload images to the Atlas of Living Australia for identification to document local biodiversity.
Warddeken Land Management Ltd, NT – Preserving biodiversity and biocultural heritage in West Arnhem Land

Winner:

MCi Carbon, NSW

MCi Carbon (MCi) is a world-leading Australian clean technology company that transforms carbon dioxide into building materials and other valuable industrial products and recently won The Clean Energy Start-up Pitch Battle at COP26 in Glasgow. MCi has an industrial headquarters in Newcastle and a global reference pilot plant, at the Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources (NIER), which was awarded the Clean technology Award at the 2022 NSW Sustainability Awards, presented by Banksia.

Founded in 2013, the company has developed a low-cost, low-pressure, low-energy chemical engineering process to transform carbon emissions from industrial sources into solid materials which can be used to create a range of products. Our mission is to contribute to the industrial pathway to zero emissions. MCi has received global recognition for its R&D, including the 2018 Resource Innovator of the Year award at the New Materials Summit in Berlin and being featured at the World Economic Forum Pioneers of Change Summit.

Finalists:

Adaptation Environmental Support Pty Ltd, NSW – Recycle Mate is Australia’s first artificial intelligence community-driven recycling app.
Fungi Solutions, VIC – Fungi Solutions create natural alternatives to polystyrene using waste and fungi.
Huskee, NSW – Waste Made Beautiful: Huskee is implementing a Closed-Loop, Full Circle Sustainable Coffee Cups Program.
Repurpose It, VIC – Leading Australian waste recycling business, Repurpose It, has built the country’s first wash plant in its mission to reduce the vast amount of construction and demolition waste going to landfill.
Thor’s Hammer, ACT – Canberra business Thor’s Hammer has created a unique timber salvaging supply chain and recycling profitability model with a simple mission; keep quality timber out of landfill by disrupting the demolition process, and design high quality products to increase demand for and appreciation of recycled timber.

Winner:

Philip Chan, University of Sydney, NSW

Philip has adopted best practice human rights and sustainability approaches at the University of Sydney, Westpac and with global clients at KPMG. His leadership, innovation and passion has helped him advise law, policy, due diligence and training across diverse sectors throughout his career, as well developing strategic approaches and relationship building with Indigenous and social enterprises. He serves on the NSW Committee – Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply, and the Social Enterprise Council of NSW & ACT. Inspiring the next generation of changemakers, he has lectured in human rights law at Western Sydney University and named a World Economic Forum Global Shaper.

Finalists:

Coles Group Limited, VIC – Coles is committed to safeguarding horticulture workers’ rights and wellbeing in Australia.
HW Greenham & Sons, VIC – Greenham introduce Beef Sustainability Standard to deliver planet-positive beef to global customers.

Winner:

The Keeping Place, WA

The Keeping Place is an Indigenous-owned and led, for purpose organisation that is committed to supporting Traditional Owners and their representatives to protect cultural knowledge, manage Country, and regain sovereignty of their data through a culturally considerate software platform.

We believe in empowering First Nations people, communities and organisations through our GIS based cultural heritage and land management system to realise new social and economic opportunities.

The Keeping Place provides an enterprise grade software solution that enables Traditional Owners to access, store, and manage land and cultural heritage information all in one place. Managing cultural sites in areas where they coincide with mining, exploration, and agriculture activities is a challenging task that requires a sophisticated information management system.

The Keeping Place is designed for this purpose. It monitors multiple tenements, archaeological and ethnographic sites, heritage surveys, agreement obligations and commitments, previous and future mining and exploration impacts, and numerous land-based activities.

The Keeping Place is the only comprehensive system of its kind in Australia (if not the world) that was designed by Traditional Owners, built for Traditional Owners and owned by Traditional Owners. The Keeping Place is a solution to protect cultural heritage and manage Country. The principles of Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Cultural Protocol Governance are part of our DNA.

Finalists:

DJAARA, VIC – Galk-galk Dhelkunya, (“to care for/to heal, many trees”) is DJAARAs strategic approach to lead the work that needs to be done to heal Dja Dja Wurrung Country (Djandak).
Social Reinvestment, WA – Aboriginal-led Coalition Campaigns for Youth Justice Reform.

Winner:

North Western Program Alliance, VIC

The Bell to Moreland Level Crossing Removal Project, delivered by the North Western Program Alliance (NWPA), transformed a divisive rail corridor in Melbourne’s inner north into a vibrant and active urban precinct, promoting community health, inclusion, resilience and a sustainable connection to nature.

The result was the creation of over two Melbourne Cricket Grounds worth of new public space, 2.5 kms of separated user paths enabling active transport, innovative landscaping to encourage biodiversity, and co-design for better place-making. At every step of the way, these design decisions were informed by community feedback and stakeholder collaboration.

The project’s sustainability outcomes have been rated amongst the highest ever by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council and Green Building Council of Australia.

NWPA is proud to have delivered a sustainable community precinct which can be enjoyed by future generations.

Finalists:

CarbonLite, VIC – CarbonLite, creating a future where all homes on earth are resilient, healthy, accessible, and net positive.
City of Melbourne, VIC – The City of Melbourne’s Grey to Green program has transformed over 80 hectares of underutilised hardscape into high quality, pedestrian-orientated streetscapes and open space.
Sydney Metro, NSW – Sydney Metro driving sustainability innovation in railway infrastructure, achieving world leading design ratings.
Warrnambool Community Garden, VIC – Warrnambool Community Garden members have converted a long-abandoned quarry into a new, safe and inclusive green and public space: a beautiful, accessible, natural amphitheatre able to stage public gatherings and events

Winner:

Fire Rescue Victoria, VIC

Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) has developed best practice mitigation initiatives to reduce the prevalence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the firefighting industry, the community and the environment across Victoria, Australia and around the world.

PFAS are a group of synthetic chemicals present in the firefighting industry, specifically in firefighting foams, but also in the wider community and many household items such as cookware, carpets and even clothing. Dubbed as toxic ‘forever chemicals’, PFAS have been linked to devastating health issues and diseases.

There is a lack of scientific research to determine what levels of PFAS in the human body are safe, and prior to the world-first clinical trial led by FRV, there was no known way to reduce PFAS levels in the body.

With no guidelines or examples of PFAS-free models globally, our PFAS elimination efforts required FRV to reimagine what our industry, and the world, would look like without this group of chemicals.

Finalists:

Alex Makes Meals, VIC – Alex Makes Meals is a food-based charity who provide free meals and connections for vulnerable people in the community. Through food relief and care, they help to provide a positive difference to the lives of people in Melbourne.
Assembled Threads Pty Ltd, VIC – Assembled Threads, transforming lives through training and employment in local manufacturing.

Winner:

Paradigm Foods, QLD

Roots Regenerative is 100% grassfed beef, raised exclusively on Regenerative Australian farms. Around the world consumers are demanding more environmentally sustainable products and beef is no exception.

Paradigm Foods created Roots Regenerative to cater to this need – giving consumers a better beef choice – not only for their health, but for their environmental conscience. More than this though, Roots Regenerative was born from a passion to acknowledge, reward, and celebrate the efforts of Australian regenerative producers who have been quietly leading a soil health revolution.

Roots Regenerative developed the first Regenerative certified beef, sourced across over 50 properties covering over 750,000 hectares of regenerative farmland.

Supported with an engaging and disruptive launch campaign, Paradigm Foods are proud to be connecting consumers with Regenerative produce. Roots Regenerative is bigger than beef – it’s starting a regenerative movement for a better food future.

Finalists:

Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC), NSW – AWC’s Spotlighting the Bilby campaign showcased the efforts of conservationists around the country through a series of innovative public education materials to target a monumental audience.
Central Coast Council, NSW – The NSW Central Coast’s ECO journey to rewild destination marketing.
Hunter Water, NSW- Respect the Throne – flushing out problem behaviours from the bottom up.
Life Unhurried, QLD – Life Unhurried is on a mission to change the way people travel.

Winner:

Forico Pty Limited, TAS

How do we understand the value of our dependencies and our impacts on the natural world?

In 2020 and 2021 Forico published a world-leading and Australian-first Natural Capital Report, setting a benchmark in environmental stewardship and corporate sustainability reporting.

Our Natural Capital Reports are changing the focus of our conversations when we make strategic decisions, assess risks and deploy financial resources, ensuring nature is appropriately valued and represented in decision making.

We measured and valued our most material ecosystem services, namely (i) biomass and wood fibre production; (ii) carbon storage and sequestration; (iii) water flow and sediment control; and (iv) habitat and biodiversity services.

Our Natural Capital Reports demonstrate we strongly believe that producing sustainable forest products and providing nature-based solutions will help mitigate climate change, biodiversity loss and lead the transition to a circular economy.

Forests are climate positive and nature positive.

Finalists:

Leather Cattle Co, QLD – Leather Cattle Co leads by example in the sustainable production of beef through excellence in environmental stewardship, animal management and increased productivity.
Taylors Wines, SA – Taylors Wines has a vision for a more sustainable industry.
Swag Australia, NSW – The Swag and Veggie Saver are intelligent, multi-award winning, patented, food storage and produce bags that are reusable, machine-washable, compostable, non-toxic and scientifically proven to keep fruit and vegetables fresh for two weeks or more in the crisper of the fridge.

Sustainable Leadership in the eCommerce & reCommerce Industry Award

Winner:

The Daily Routine, VIC

Buy Once. Refill Forever. Avoid Waste. The Daily Routine is Australia’s first zero waste luxurious eco-lifestyle brand to create a range of water-soluble personal care pods that not only clean up our hands but also the planet.

The Daily Routine is a more planet-positive alternative to everyday essentials for an effortlessly sustainable daily routine. We all know that plastic is causing a huge problem for our planet and no doubt you want to do your part to make the world a better place. But, we totally get it – committing to an eco-friendly lifestyle can be pretty expensive, time-consuming and hard to stick to.

The Daily Routine was founded by two environmentally conscious best friends who both shared a deep passion for sustainability. After a few months of living together, they were horrified at the amount of household waste that they were producing every week. One night they were in the middle of popping a washing pod in their dishwasher when it dawned on them: what if they created pods for a hand wash? And just like that, The Daily Routine was born!

Finalists:

TABOO Period Products, SA – TABOO Period Products exists to eradicate period poverty through the sale of sustainably made, certified organic cotton pads and tampons.
Totem Eco, NSW – Exciting new e-commerce brand Totem Eco is on a mission to change global beauty for the better and is quickly being recognised as a leader in the clean beauty market with its holistic approach to sustainability.

Winner:

Passions of Paradise, QLD

For 30 years, Passions of Paradise has been at the forefront of marine ecotourism on the Great Barrier Reef. As the company continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the emergence of regenerative tourism and citizen science have reinvigorated the efforts of this conservation-minded organisation. By actively turning tourists into conservationists, Passions of Paradise has led the shift in nature-based tourism into an immersive, active and engaging experience for a wide variety of guests. This focus on turning the guest experience into a hands-on benefit to the Reef has proved wildly popular, and is the basis for the company’s progressive business model. As social, economic and environmental conditions continue to change, Passions of Paradise is evolving as well; what has succeeded as a tourism operation engaged in conservation has naturally built on these successes and is slowly being reshaped as a conservation operation engaged in tourism.

Finalists:

Blue Derby Pods Ride, TAS – Blue Derby Pods Ride is an off-grid eco-luxury adventure mountain biking experience in Tasmania that has an emphasis on giving guests ‘flow’; in turn facilitating the development of environmental stewards and encouraging these stewards to become more sustainable in their own lives.
Busselton Jetty Inc, WA – Busselton Jetty Environment Foundation has the lofty goal to educate and inspire as many people as it can to be stewards of the wondrous marine environment.
Fun Over Fifty, QLD – With a vision to be recognised as the most sustainable tour operator in Australia, Fun Over 50 Holidays paves a new way for over-50s travel, breaking-down barriers, and perceptions of coach/group travel by contracting local eco-cultural guides, injecting into Aboriginal owned enterprises, generating new revenue for industry in-need in and offsetting CO2-e through significant environmental protection initiatives.
TRC Tourism, NSW – TRC Tourism developed the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Policy Framework to support sustainable transformation of the Pacific region’s tourism sector in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.