Retailers across Australia have a new resource to help them understand the steps they can take to get greener and reach net-zero faster.
The Australian Retailers Association (ARA), the nation’s largest retail industry organisation, has teamed up with clean-tech startup Greener to create a digital solution they have dubbed Greener Business to help small businesses on their sustainability journey.
ARA CEO Paul Zahra says many businesses are short of staff and other resources to dedicate to understanding their climate impact – even if they want to. He says Greener Business will help them work out how they can achieve their sustainability objectives.
“Retail has a lot to contribute to Australia’s sustainability efforts and addressing environmental challenges is a top priority for our industry and for the ARA,” he says.
“Pleasingly, we’ve seen many of our larger members embark on their own sustainability journeys, with significant commitments already in place to achieve net zero emissions.”
Greener Business is the first solution of its type to launch in Australia. It will help retailers show off the positive steps they have taken to reduce emissions, and then draw on a library of “best practice interventions” to develop an action plan. Positive changes are rewarded with ‘trust mark’ ratings that consumers can see.
Tom Ferrier, the co-founder of Greener, says the company’s research shows that 96 per cent of small and medium businesses across Australia want to get greener or reach net-zero, but they don’t know how or they cannot afford to employ a sustainability manager or consultant to help.
“Filling this gap between motivation and know-how is why we’ve worked with the ARA to create Greener Business. This proprietary platform does all the hard work for these businesses by helping them to build their own personalised pathway to zero emissions and waste,” Ferrier says.
“It replaces the need of having to hire sustainability resources, and the best news is, it brings these businesses new customers for their efforts. Greener Business is reflective of our vision to create a new green economy, one where every dollar spent is carbon neutral to help end climate change.”
Read Tom Ferrier’s guest column on Viable.Earth: Ending the climate crisis is possible, especially if we take imperfect action
