Pick up any magazine or turn on the television, and it’s clear that we are in the midst of the one of the greatest social transformations of our generation.

Many communities and individuals are urging policymakers to make bold political, technological and economic reforms that reduce carbon emissions and slow climate change. And whilst many Australians are taking on more sustainable practices in their homes, it is in the workplace where the battle will be won or lost – it is here where we as a society will determine how we use energy and water and how we generate waste.

There are good reasons to help workplaces become more sustainable. The first is a moral one – as public health practitioners, we know that climate change is looming as the greatest public health challenge we have ever faced. That’s why The Lancet, the world’s top medical journal, said earlier this year that ‘climate change is the biggest global health threat of the century’. [Ed: See AMSA's – The Australian Medical Students Association – take on this imperative in the YouTube clip 'Climate change code green campaign' below.]

And it will be the poorest, most vulnerable communities in the world that will suffer from the impacts: droughts, sea-level rises, fresh-water deficiencies, failed agriculture and changes in the distribution of a range of vector-borne diseases. The possibility of literally millions of environmental refugees is something that should concern us all.

The moral argument aside, there are other good reasons to embrace sustainability in the workplace.

In terms of climate change, Australia is one of the most vulnerable developed countries in the world, and so it makes economic sense and is ultimately in our national economic interests to ensure that climate change is mitigated as much as possible.

Finally, there are ‘side’ benefits in supporting sustainable practices, including employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction, and preparedness for regulations or incentives that are beginning to emerge.

Even though strong international agreement from the Copenhagen summit did not eventuate as many had hoped, environmental sustainability is here to stay on the political agenda and is now an integral part of risk management for most companies as they plan for the future. Change will come from the top in due course – but surely the time for workplace reform is now?

Professor Rob Moodie and Associate Professor Grant Blashki are from The Nossal Institute for Global Health, a not-for-profit organisation based out of The University of Melbourne committed to improving global health through research, education, inclusive development practice and training of future leaders. Rob is also a member of the advisory board for this web forum.

Where do you stand?

Add comment (0)  |  Trackback  |  Follow comments (RSS)  |  More by Rob Moodie and Grant Blashki