There’s an elephant in the room when we talk about our sustainability actions. There’s a big gap between the ambitions our industries have and the reality of what many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can achieve. Industry associations have a powerful opportunity to fill this gap.
While big players like BlueScope, Fletcher Building, InfraBuild, Holcim and Hanson do and communicate a lot of valuable work, many SMEs need support to move forward. How can ‘the little guys’ tackle the big problems of sustainability? How can a small company develop systems and certifications to verify that they’re contributing to a more sustainable built environment?
The reality is that many SMEs lack the resources to respond to what is asked of them. They don’t have the people and time to work on new systems and they don’t have the money to invest in Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and other certifications.
We expect start-ups to come up with solutions to address climate change but, being small businesses to start with, they share the same struggles. We need to give them a way in.
To support these businesses, we need to work with someone who knows the needs of the industry. Someone who can give them access to a pool of relevant resources and provide them with tools that work for their specific challenges. We also need someone who has enough clout to influence whole industries to move forward together.
Industry associations: knowledge, networks, leadership
This is where industry associations come in. They have the power to transform their industries, to inspire and help create change across a broad sweep of businesses and not just with the big players.
They understand what their members need, what they don't need and what works for them. They can provide bespoke tools for their industry to help them improve in a way that suits them. They can also push their industry forward as part of an industry strategy. The effort they invest applies to many businesses and the benefits of this impact are multiplied.
An example: ASI drives change in the steel industry
We worked with the Australian Steel Institute (ASI) to revise its Environmental Sustainability Charter (ESC). This meant the organisation could support its members to meet the growing sustainability demands of the building and construction industry. The main goal was to develop pathways for their members to comply with the new, rigorous requirements of the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA)’s Responsible Products Framework.
Together we created the ESC’s successor, the new Steel Sustainability Australia (SSA) certification program. Based on the principles of the GBCA’s Responsible Products Framework, the program rewards steel suppliers who have a lower environmental impact, are transparent, respect human rights, are acting to reduce carbon emissions and pursue circular solutions.
Read our case study about developing the Steel Sustainability Australia program.
Empowering the steel industry to succeed sustainably
The SSA certification program assesses sustainable practices throughout the steel supply chain, from crude steel manufacturing to finished steel products. It helps small and medium businesses that do not have their own sustainability specialists to move ahead. Businesses that achieve certification will have more opportunities to market their products to be used in Green Star-rated buildings.
Now that the SSA is launched and the ASI is operating the certification system, we are helping ASI members comply. While we wrote the program, we are not involved in the certification process. This means we can apply our knowledge to help SSA applicants understand how they currently comply, fill gaps and develop new systems that are the right size to add value to their organisation.
A big opportunity for industry associations
The ASI has shown how an association can create positive change across a whole industry. The action the ASI has taken is helping the steel industry to comply with the GBCA’s requirements. It is making it possible for these businesses to understand their environment, health and safety impacts and responsibilities on a new level and in a way that helps them comply with legislation. Few sustainability professionals have as much opportunity to have a transformative impact in the short term.
This isn't just true for the built environment. These opportunities flow across all sectors. We know that, at times, associations can struggle to define how to create real value for members. Creating workable sustainability pathways for their members is an excellent way to show members their value and lead the way to an environmentally and socially sustainable future.