The Northern Inland Sustainable Business Network (NISBN) provides practical assistance to enhance business sustainability. The main focus of NISBN is to provide:
- Initiative’s targeting carbon footprints, energy and resource efficiency, alternative energy and industry development support for new green industries
- Information about Government programs
- Cooperation between Government agencies to provide support to business
“Four things come not back: The spoken word. The sped arrow .The past life. The neglected opportunity.”
~ Arabian proverb
NISBN’s flagship initiative has been the Sustainability Advantage Program, which forms part of a state-wide initiative involving 400 medium to large-scale businesses. This three year initiative (2011-2013) has achieved cost savings and efficiencies of $8m/year as well as reduced carbon emissions of 28,000 tonnes. A range of other business sustainability workshops and programs have been delivered including a pioneering energy efficiency training program for retailers of electrical goods (Price Power) and development of engaging case studies on business sustainability successes (WWW of Sustainability). There are 14 members of Sustainability Advantage in the Northern Inland region.
Today NISBN has 120 members from a range of industries including the largest employers in the region through to small home-based businesses.
NISBN is a partnership led by TAFE NSW | New England Institute, AusIndustry, NSW Trade & Investment, NSW Office of Environment & Heritage and the University of New England.
Growing Business Leadership for Sustainability
“The great Wayne Gretzky once said that ‘the greatest hockey players have an ability to skate to where the puck will be rather than to where it is’. We are doing that with our whole community.”
~ Kip Bergstrom, Executive Director, Urban Redevelopment Commission for the City of Stamford, Connecticut, USA
NISBN’s current focus is to grow the number of businesses taking action for sustainability, particularly building on the success of the Sustainability Advantage Program. The target is to identify and recruit 50 medium sized enterprises who will then be entitled to tailored support, workshops and technical assistance to address their sustainability needs, opportunities and challenges.
Starfish’s Role
Starfish is the NISBN Network Facilitator. It’s role is to both coordinate and delivery the program of workshops, technical assistance and advice for members as well as maintain communication and administrative systems for the the Network. Starfish is accountable to the NISBN Committee.
