Raising the Bar: Leading Sustainable Business in 2008

To download conference report click here (780 KB PDF)
To see conference photos click here
To read conference speeches and presentations click here
To read testimonials click here

It is with great pleasure that ACCSR held its 2nd Annual Conference in Sydney on 20th February 2008. The conference, hosted by Westpac Banking Corporation and in collaboration with the United Nations Global Compact, was a great success, attracting over 200 delegates from business, government and civil society.

Raising the Bar delivered thought-provoking discussion and insights on the four themes of the UN Global Compact: Environment, Anti-Corruption, Labour and Human Rights. Delegates heard from leading figures including Gavin Jennings MLC, Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Innovation (VIC), Graeme Innes, Human Rights Commissioner, HREOC, Frank Costigan QC, Chairman, Transparency International Australia, Don Henry, Executive Director, Australian Conservation Foundation, Gareth Edgecombe, President, Coca-Cola South Pacific and Sharan Burrow, President, Australian Council of Trade Unions. For a full list of the speakers please see the conference report (780 KB PDF).

The opening address was made by Gail Kelly, CEO of Westpac. Delegates also heard a video message from Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, now President of Realizing Rights. The conference was chaired by Paul Hohnen, Principal of Sustainability Strategies in Amsterdam and Special Adviser to the UN Global Compact.

Conference Speeches and Presentations:

Speeches:

• Serena Lillywhite, Brotherhood of St Laurence (82 KB PDF)
• Graeme Innes, Human Rights Commissioner (91 KB PDF)
• Frank Costigan QC, Transparency International (109 KB PDF)
• Geoffrey Durden, La Trobe University Graduate School of Management (86 KB PDF)
• Georg Kell, UN Global Compact (80 KB PDF)
• Tim Hall, GSL (Australia) (77KB PDF)

Presentations:

• Lisa Hunt, Transurban (565 KB PDF)
• Campbell Hanan, Investa (608 KB PDF)
• Gareth Edgecombe, Coca-Cola South Pacific (2.5 MB PDF)
• Peter Botten, Oil Search (2.3 MB PDF)
• Deena Shiff, Telstra Business (670 KB PDF)
• Dirk Morris, BT Investment Management (474 KB PDF)
• Paul Hohnen, Sustainability Strategies (420 KB PDF)

Delegates included representatives from AMP Limited, ANZ, Australia Post, Australian Business & Community Network, Beiersdorf Australia Ltd, Berry Street Victoria, Caltex Australia, Canon Australia Pty Ltd, CIPS Australia, Citi Investment Research, Commonwealth Bank, Corporate Express, CSL Ltd, Fujitsu, GHD, Greening Australia, Group of 100, IBM, Insurance Australia Group, Jones Lang La Salle, Kimberly-Clark, Lend Lease, Lion Nathan, Macquarie Group Limited, Marie Stopes International Australia, Mission Australia, Multiplex, NAB, Plastics & Chemicals Industries Association, Regnan, Rio Tinto, Savings & Loans Credit Union (S.A.) Ltd, Sensis, Serco, The Smith Family, Thiess, University of Sydney and Xstrata.

If delegates wish to see the full list of organisations who participated please email workshop@accsr.com.au

Conference Photos:

Gail Kelly, CEO, Westpac Banking Corporation Alex Malley, President, CPA Australia Gareth Edgecombe, President, Coca-Cola South Pacific

Campbell Hanan, Group Executive, Investment Portfolio, Investa Conference floor CEO Panel: (from right to left) Peter Botten, Managing Director, Oil Search, Deena Shiff, Group Managing Director, Telstra Business, Dirk Morris, Chief Executive and Chief Investment Officer, BT Investment Management with Paul Hohnen Serena Lillywhite, Manager Sustainable Business, Brotherhood of St Laurence, Patrick Colmer, Australian National Contact Point, OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and Paul Hohnen Deena Shiff, Group Managing Director, Telstra Business Dirk Morris, Chief Executive and Chief Investment Officer, BT Investment Management Don Henry, Executive Director, Australian Conservation Foundation Frank Costigan QC, Chairman, Transparency International Geoff Durden, Head of School, La Trobe University Graduate School of Management Human Rights Commissioner Graeme Innes and David Kinley Jane Kittel, General Manager, Westpac Pacific Banking David Kinley, Chair in Human Rights Law, University of Sydney Conference floor Lisa Hunt, Group General Manager Australia, Transurban Martin Tolar, CEO, Australasian Compliance Institute Mary Robinson, President, Realizing Rights       Patrick Colmer, Australian National Contact Point, OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises Peter Botten, Managing Director, Oil Search Ross Hammond, Managing Director, Westpac Papua New Guinea La Trobe Partnership (from left to right: Suzanne Young, Senior Lecturer and Geoff Durden, Head of School, La Trobe University Graduate School of Management with Leeora Black Sharan Burrow, President, Australian Council of Trade Unions Tim Hall, Director of Public Affairs, GSL Australia Minister Gavin Jennings, Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Innovation (VIC) Paul Hohnen, Conference Chair       Human Rights Panel with Leeora Black and Paul Hohnen (from left to right: Patrick Colmer, Australian National Contact Point, OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises; Serena Lillywhite, Manager Sustainable Business, Brotherhood of St Laurence; Human Rights Commissioner Graeme Innes; Paul Hohnen; David Kinley, Chair in Human Rights Law, University of Sydney; Tim Hall, Director of Public Affairs, GSL Australia; and ACCSR Managing Director Leeora Black.)

Participants said this about the conference:

“Very rarely can one attend a forum with such a breadth of experience, knowledge, tact and passion as the speakers offered us today.”
Avril Ford, National Contract Manager, Canon Australia

“Congratulations on a most informative and intellectually-stimulating conference. It is obvious ACCSR worked very hard to deliver a great range of speakers. It was also good to network with delegates from across the country.”
Betty Kotevski, Research Manager, Responsible Investment Consulting

"Thank you for inviting me to speak at the conference. So many people commented on what an excellent conference it was. The other speakers were interesting and inspirational and you had the balance just right. It was a very good
conference."
Tim Hall, Director of Public Affairs, GSL (Australia) Pty Ltd

“The ACCSR conference is taking a lead in ‘turning up the volume’ on CSR imperatives. These discussions are essential if best practice CSR is to become the corporate norm.”
Ruth Wright, National Partnerships Manager, Greening Australia

“A good balance of broad ideas and practical examples of how to embed corporate responsibility principles. Mary Robinson’s closing address was articulate and passionate.”
Mark Leopold, Manager Corporate Responsibility, NABCapital

“An opportunity to hear from the ‘leading edge’ on issues that are often not daily issues but overall are very important.”
Anne-Maree Mitford, General Manager – Darling Park, Jones Lang LaSalle

“A very professionally-run conference with an excellent line-up of speakers.”
Sheila Donaldson, Strategic Planning Manager, Namoi Catchment Management Authority

“It was a great day, well done!”
Rosemary Sainty, Head Corporate Responsibility Leaders Project, St James Ethics Centre

“A rich combination of real and revealing case studies and comments from very capable speakers with high credential and good information.”
Michael Hollingworth, Director, Global Learning

“The day provided a collage of both the origins and current developments in various aspects of CSR.”
Liz Sidiropoulos, Lecturer, Faculty of Business and Informatics, Central Queensland University – Melbourne Campus