UQ Business School is leading the way in corporate sustainability by conducting its first carbon audit to chart its carbon footprint.
Initiated by the Head of the Business School, Professor Tim Brailsford, 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.
The audit estimated overall emissions at 576.86 CO2-e, or approximately 2.6t CO2-e per employee.
"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," Professor Brailsford said.
The report is the first step to a sophisticated carbon management and emissions-reduction strategy.
UQ Business School is uniquely equipped to review its own practices with experts such as Professor Griffiths on staff.
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.
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," Professor Griffiths said.
"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."
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).
Media: Cathy Stacey (07 3365 6179, 0434 074 372).
