UQ Business School practices what it preaches - corporate sustainability

UQ Business School's Sustainable Business Unit has released its first internal carbon audit estimating overall emissions at 576.86 CO2-e or approximately 2.6t CO2-e per employee. Initiated by Professor Tim Brailsford, Head of the School, the carbon audit reported on the School's greenhouse gas emissions, electricity consumption, waste and employee travel. Professor Brailsford said the audit was conducted by the School's Sustainable Business Unit headed by Professor Andrew Griffiths, Chair in Business Sustainability and Strategy. "UQ Business School is uniquely equipped to review its own practices with experts such as Professor Griffiths on staff," Professor Brailsford said. "Professor Griffiths is one of only a handful of academics worldwide with expertise in the area of corporate sustainability, developed over more than a decade of research and consulting. "We felt it was essential to take early, voluntary action, as a way of demonstrating that our commitment to supporting the corporate sector is matched by a commitment to cleaning up our own backyard. "The report is the first step to a sophisticated carbon management and emissions-reduction strategy." Professor Griffiths said it was not possible to benchmark the School's performance because of the lack of data available. "There is data at the university level but it is not sufficiently detailed to allow comparison at the business school level." "A broader, university-wide carbon audit was recently undertaken as part of UQ's strategic response to engage with a broader sustainability agenda and to take a leadership role in this area," Professor Griffiths said. UQ Business School's Sustainable Business Unit consults to a wide range of organisations providing services from carbon audits to strategic planning and change management. For more information about the Sustainable Business Unit contact Rob Douglas (07 3365 8295 or 0437 834 195).