BioRegional's One Planet Living framework is gaining traction in the Australian market following its recent tour across the county demonstrating the use of the 10 principle system to make building communities, organisations and local council more sustainable.
The framework aims to make sustainable living 'easy and affordable for all' and during the tour, Pooran Desai, co-founder of BioRegional, presented a showcase of the WestWyck EcoVillage, a mixed-use community in Brunswick that was awarded ‘endorsed’ status to become the first One Planet Community in Australia.
A number of Australian architectural design firms and consultants have adopted the One Planet framework, while Cundall recently announced it was the world's first consultancy to be formally endorsed as a One Planet Company.
At the Thriving Neighborhoods Conference in Melbourne Desai spoke of the importance of benchmarking ecological footprints as fundamental to the One Planet Living vision.
“One Planet Living is first and foremost a framework that identifies what is being done well and where the gaps in living a one planet life may be, leading to a simply understood action plan that enables users to implement one planet actions”, said Desai.
The Cundall Case
Cundall adopted the One Planet framework in 2011. In 2012, measurable targets were established and a detailed action plan prepared, which includes targets and actions against each of the ten principles, was then endorsed by BioRegional.
Cundall Partner David Clark explains “We liked the One Planet approach. It is not about abandoning civilisation but about using our share of the world’s resources more fairly. This means setting some tough targets appropriate to our business, and creating a culture to deliver these.”
Each year the company has to report their progress which is independently audited by BioRegional.
“Cundall was already proactively reducing its business’s impact on the environment, however, becoming a One Planet Company is pushing us to the next level” Clark said.
“BioRegional reviewed our initial targets and challenged us in some areas to aim higher. The endorsement was tough to get which is exactly why we pursued it. We didn’t want an easy green label that rewards business as usual.”
Achieving the One Planet Company status is only the first step on a long journey. Now the targets have been set they have to be achieved. This means engaging with staff in all of Cundall’s global offices, and to encourage them to apply the principles at home as well as at work.
“One Planet Company is not a rating tool with rigid definitions,” explains Clark.
“We cannot ask our Newcastle office to implement the same strategy as our Dubai office; they are different sizes, in a different climate, have different challenges and different impacts. We have set up office green teams comprising staff volunteers and they use the ten principles to guide activities relevant to their office. Ideas are regularly shared around the practice to assist or inspire others.”
