Asides

CSIRO invests $28.8 million in Indigenous Education

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“Education is the silver bullet. Education is everything. We don’t need little changes. We need gigantic monumental changes.”

Merely a quote from character Sam Seaborne, of the critically acclaimed US political drama The West Wing, this sentiment nevertheless rings true as the most promising way to lift a society out of the quagmire of poverty and ill-health.

Currently, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) people are severely under-represented in local and private education programs, with only around 10% of aboriginal children graduating from high schools nationally. Research from the last decade shows that ASTI students are often disadvantaged due to language barriers in early conceptual development and a mismatch between cultural beliefs and national education values. Indeed, by the time they start year one, 60% of ATSI children are behind developmentally. Later, at a university level, adjusting to socio-economic challenges in a predominantly non-ATSI student population can prove extremely difficult. Continue reading CSIRO invests $28.8 million in Indigenous Education

TEDXPerth 2014 is coming this Saturday!

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TEDXPerth 2014 is coming this weekend!

The local TED Talk event for 2014 is happening this Saturday 4th October at the Perth Concert Hall, but unfortunately tickets are all sold out. You might get lucky and score on from the TED Perth Facebook page, as that seems to be the place to grab unwanted tickets. You can also get updates on the TEDPerth Twitter page.

If you aren’t able to do that, you can still catch all the action at Northbridge Piazza (Cnr James &, Lake St), where there will be a live broadcast of the event, starting from 9:30am this Saturday. Continue reading TEDXPerth 2014 is coming this Saturday!

Zambrero plates up success

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Not long ago, Sustaining People discussed the community engagement work being done by Kellog with their Breakfast for Better Days program. Another company that is following suit is the Australian Mexican fast food franchise Zambrero, with their Plate 4 Plate initiative. For each standard meal purchased, Zambrero donates one meal to someone in need through their international partner Stop Hunger Now which to date has provided over 160 million meals in 65 countries. Continue reading Zambrero plates up success

Analyst, Diplomat, Sentinel or Explorer?

Corporate Social Responsibility is an ethical concept, and its definition across the globe can vary widely – as detailed in our previous Defining the importance of CSR post. Personal and cultural experience is central to an individual’s development of ethical standards and values; thus we can assume that CSR, and engagement in it, must (to a certain extent) also be a subjective and personal experience.

Generally, for external CSR programs, a broader approach can be used, given that a target audience for the organisation’s core competencies should be available, or easily defined. Internally, the ‘one size fits all’ approach does not always apply. Whilst a company will have an organisational culture unique to itself, employees will integrate with this at different levels. Employees at the lower end of engagement, can negatively affect intra-office cohesion, openness of communication, personal productivity and the productivity of those around you. Continue reading Analyst, Diplomat, Sentinel or Explorer?

Churches, superfunds & universities search for greener investment pastures

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Australian superannuation giant Hesta has announced it will be restricting its investments in thermal coal operations. “This ‘unburnable carbon’ is likely to become an increasing risk in the medium to long term, especially for companies heavily invested in thermal coal, or those seeking to develop new long-term assets” said Chief Executive Officer Anne-Marie Corbuoy in a statement on Friday.

Hesta, a fund representing 785,000 members and 155,000 employers in the health and community services sectors, is one of few institutional investors accounting significantly for climate change impacts on their long term investments. Not only has the $29 billion superfund decided to limit its direct association with thermal coal projects, it has announced that it will not invest in any newly listed companies that derive more than 15% of revenue from exploration or production of thermal coal.

With a focus on environmental risk, Hesta has now joined a number of national and international organisations that have recently been looking at a long term boycott of fossil fuel investments, in order to mitigate their own carbon footprint. Surprisingly, it is religious organisations that are taking a lead in this strategy. Continue reading Churches, superfunds & universities search for greener investment pastures

Why is Atlassian the best place to work in Australia?

The best place to work in Australia

BRW’s Best Places To Work Awards have named Aussie tech startup Atlassian as the best place to work in Australia. Along with numerous employment package perks they have all the modern perks that the Google Offices and Facebook Offices have – games rooms, drinks fridges, food and a pool table. It is not these perks, however that are the main focus of their success; it’s the way that they engage their employees and value their input, above and beyond their responsibilities as employees. Continue reading Why is Atlassian the best place to work in Australia?

Michael Traill to step down from SVA Australia

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Michael Traill, the Founder of Social Ventures Australia has announced he is stepping down from his role as CEO, at the annual SVA Oration, at the NSW House of Parliament last night. His exit will be sadly be effective October this year and will be succeeded by Rob Koczkar, the current Managing Director of Pacific Equity Partners. Continue reading Michael Traill to step down from SVA Australia

Australia’s Green Labour Force: The Next Generation

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Just over a week ago, Australia celebrated EnviroWeek 2014, a fantastic community initiative that works with Australian schools to promote sustainable practices. The project was run by Cool Australia, and its CEO Jason Kimberley has a built a real future-focused movement for sustainability education in schools. Since starting the organisation in 2008, Jason and his team have engaged more than 15,000 teachers and 500,000 students across Australia, with  172,732 students from 2137 schools this year taking part in 314,495 local and community projects to promote sustainability and help the environment. Continue reading Australia’s Green Labour Force: The Next Generation

Climate change satire to get you through the end of the week

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Since the repeal of the Carbon Tax and the debate around the Renewables Energy Target the future of Australia’s energy seems more and more uncertain every day. With this in mind, and given that it is friday, Sustaining People would like to lighten your load with some good old fashioned satire from our friends at The Shovel.

The Shovel has an alternative to our future energy problems and it’s hilarious. Read the article after the jump and enjoy the rest of your friday!

Renewable Target: 20% Of Australia’s Electricity To Be Powered By Burning Scientific Reports – The Shovel.

How your cornflakes are helping Aussie kids

Kellog’s breakfast cereals are well known, and this brand recognition is being leveraged to invest in a health initiative that has already seen food distributed to over seven million people in Australia since the The Breakfasts for Better Days  program was launched in February 2013.

In brief, Kellog’s is donating one breakfast to a child or family in need, for every box of cereal sold. They state that in Australia, one in seven kids don’t eat breakfast, and that this has an effect on important developmental learning and social interactions.  The program has already donated seven million meals, and aims to feed 12 million Aussie children and families by 2016. With only five million more meals to serve in the next two years, it looks like they will meet (or even exceed) their target. This Australian strategy contributes to the global initiative, which is hoping to feed half a billion people by 2016. Continue reading How your cornflakes are helping Aussie kids