Integrated Sustainability Analysis
@ The University of Sydney

Sustainability Reporting for organisations

funded by the New South Wales Government Department of Environment and Conservation

In February 2006, the ISA Group has completed work on a 2-year Sustainability Reporting Pilot Program for organisations, funded by the NSW Environmental Trust.

The aim of the Sustainability Reporting for Organisations project was to take a TBL reporting methodology developed by the School of Physics at the University of Sydney and make of it a reporting tool that could be used by organisations themselves to report on their triple bottom line. The intended outcomes were: a TBL accounting framework and software tool; a freely accessible online training program; a certificated online training program.

To accommodate the need to engage stakeholders in the development process the Sustainability Reporting for Organisations project adopted a Participatory Action Research (PAR) process. Action research is an approach in which people work together to bring about changes. Project partners were drawn from a range of areas including:

• local government (NSW and VIC)
• non-government organisation (national)
• business (VIC)
• finance (Australia/NZ company)
• industry (global company operating in 40 countries)
• tertiary education (NSW).

• TBL accounting software underpinned by the ISA methodology, developed in consultation with end-users and commercially available and supported through Dipolar Pty Ltd
• Full project report
• Global software under construction (initially addressing the economies of Germany, Japan, UK, USA)
• Comprehensive software support manual developed in consultation with end-users
• Set of information sheets developed in consultation with end-users
• On-line free access TBL course to support use of the TBL software
• Outline and support materials for accredited course including three case studies presenting the experience of: local government, non-government organisation and tertiary institution (Wollongong City Council, Australian Conservation Foundation, University of Sydney)
• Journal articles on Social Sustainability (Cybernetics and Human Knowing) and Shared Responsibility (Ecological Economics)
• Series of three workshops open to the wider community and each attracting approximately 40 participants
• Conference presentations in Sweden and Slovenia
• Training courses on the Triple Bottom Line.

Contact:
Dr Joy Murray
School of Physics, A28
The University of Sydney NSW 2006
+61 (0)2 9351-2627,
[email protected]