Our clients are primarily large corporations across numerous sectors, but also include smaller businesses, industry bodies, government agencies and non-government organisations (NGOs). We work on a full range of issues around sustainable growth and business strategy, ranging from integrating social and environmental factors into core business through to campaigning for the success of sustainable companies and products in the market place.

We help our clients to increase shareholder value through an approach that also delivers better outcomes for society and the environment. We do this by helping our clients to better understand how sustainability factors put value a stake for their businesses and how to frame and implement strategic responses. We assist clients to build their own capacity and to work co-operatively with a wide range of external stakeholders

Past and present clients include:

Agriculture:
Australian Agricultural Company (AACo)
AWB Ltd. (formerly the Australian Wheat Board)
Cotton Australia
Hi Fert

Banking and Insurance:
ANZ Limited
Colonial First State
Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA)
Insurance Australia Group (IAG)
IAG New Zealand
Maple Brown Abbott
Zurich Financial Services

Community, Foundations  and Associations:
Boomerang Alliance
Business Roundtable (US)
NSW Business Chamber
Pew Charitable Trust
Surdna Foundation

Construction and Building Materials:
Bluescope Steel, Australia (formerly BHP Steel)
Bovis Lend Lease, Australia
Thiess Ltd, Australia

Energy:
The Australian Gas Light Company (AGL)
bp Australia
CS Energy
Entergy, US
Pacific Power, Australia
Sustainable Energy Authority of Victoria (SEAV), Australia
NSW Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA), Australia
TruEnergy

Government:
Commonwealth Department of Environment and Heritage, Australia
Queensland Government
Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority

Manufacturing:
Beverage Industry Environment Council (BIEC)
Diageo Australia
Diageo Asia Pacific
DuPont, USA
Ford Motor Company, USA
Revive Recycling
S.C. Johnson
Wattyl Ltd

Mining and Forestry:
BHP Billiton, Australia
Comalco, Australia
DuPont Titanium Technologies (DTT)
Placer Dome, Asia Pacific
Queensland Timber Board, Australia
Suncor/SPP, Canada/Australia
Western Mining Corporation, Australia

Retail:
Food Marketing Institute (US)

Services:
DuPont Safety Resources (DSR)

A leading Australian energy utility, AGL has always had a good environmental and safety track record. With recent developments in national and international policy and regulation, particularly in relation to climate change, AGL recognised the need to assess its approach to reviewing environmental risks. Greg Martin, AGL's CEO brought Ecos in to assist in developing the company's approach to sustainability in June 2003.

Ecos has been working with AGL's Leadership Team to:

You can find AGL at www.agl.com.au

Having pursued a very successful internal cultural change program called Breakout, in 2002 CEO John McFarlane recognised that ANZ's next challenge was to re-establish its relationship with the community. For Australia's big four banks, the past decade had marked an era of rapid financial growth. But with this business success came a loss of community support over branch closures and other issues.

You can find ANZ at www.anz.com

BHP Billiton is Australia's leading diversified resources company.

Ecos began working with BHP, now BHP Billition, in 1998. Our work involved facilitating strategic stakeholder engagement to add meaningful external input to BHP's commitment to operate in a more open and transparent way. We have maintained an ongoing relationship with the company, assisting to develop a sustainability framework and providing strategic advice on a range of issues. Our work on this project ended in 2002.

You can find BHP Billiton at www.bhpbilliton.com

BHP Steel was de-merged from global resources giant BHP Billiton in 2001 to become a focused flat products steel-maker. BHP Steel changed its name to Bluescope Steel in December 2003. Based in Australia, Bluescope Steel has operations in 20 countries. Though relatively small in terms of global steel companies, Bluescope Steel has developed a highly profitable business model and is pursuing an aggressive growth strategy in Australia, the US and Asia. "Inspired solutions" in steel and value adding are key elements of the corporate vision.

Steel is a product with 'high' societal value, assisting people to meet many needs and wants, from shelter to mobility, food storage and water reticulation. Many opportunities exist to reduce the negative environmental footprint of steel production and increase its positive footprint through product innovation, re-use and recycling.

Blue Scope Steel engaged Ecos' services after identifying opportunities to pursue environmental sustainability across the company's manufacturing and marketing functions.

You can find Blue Scope Steel at www.bluescopesteel.com.au

 

Ecos actively supports the Boomerang Alliance - a group of national and state environment NGO’ with membership and support from local government - campaigning for increased rates of recycling through the National Packaging Covenant. Ecos supports the alliance, seeing this work as strongly aligned with our mission to drive change towards sustainable growth through mobilising market forces. The Boomerang Alliance is seeking to encourage Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and put in place market based instruments (MBIs) to encourage recycling, an approach that we strongly support as it is aligned with our belief that market mechanisms are required to achieve widespread action by consumers and companies to address sustainability challenges.

You can find Boomerang Alliance at www.boomerangalliance.org

BP is a leader in the issues of climate change and the transition toward renewable energy both in Australia and around the world and was one of the first energy companies to announce its plans to move its business toward clean energy solutions. BP Group Chief Executive Lord Browne has made pivotal statements and interventions in the climate change debate at an international level.

BP Solar provided the solar cells for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Athletes Village that powered 665 homes with renewable energy during the Games. These are currently being sold as energy efficient and environmentally sound private homes. BP Solar is now the world's second largest manufacturer of solar cells.

Ecos has worked with BP Australia on a number of occasions both on specific projects and to assist it in taking action on climate change and other key sustainability issues in Australia.

You can find bp Australia at www.bp.com.au

Sydney, Ecos' home city, was the host for the Green Games - the 2000 Olympics and Paralympics. In 1996 Ecos was the strategic adviser to Lend Lease Corporation (now Bovis Lend Lease), the multi-national finance and property giant that led the winning consortium to build the $A500 million Olympics Athletes Village project.

Ecos conceived and negotiated the cornerstone environmental outcome of the Games, making the village the world's largest solar-powered suburb at the time. We also aided the Australian Government in profiling Sydney 2000's green achievements and the nation's environmental technology and services sector for a global audience.

You can find Lend Lease at www.bovislendlease.com

Cotton Australia, the peak industry body for Australia's 1,500 cotton growers, asked Ecos to help the organization understand and interpret the environmental and social imperatives pressing on the industry and design a national sustainability framework.

Cotton Australia has now published its policy document with statements on trade, sustainability and landscape scale planning, vegetation, biotechnology and water management. The biggest reward for Ecos Corporation and Cotton Australia was the building of stronger relationships with key environmental groups working on issues of mutual interest.

Some of Australia's key environmental groups continue to provide advice to Cotton Australia on developing and implementing the industry's Code of Sustainability and Best Management Practice (BMP) system, as a result leading to positive marketing and branding of Australian cotton internationally.

Read more in a dedicated case study on our work with Cotton Australia.

You can find Cotton Australia at www.cottonaustralia.com.au

Since 1997, Ecos has worked with DuPont's management at both the corporate and business unit levels as the Company shifted it focus from "environmental management" to "sustainable growth". The company continues to drive the integration of sustainability into its business unit plans as a platform for growth across the corporation.

At the operating level, Ecos has worked with DuPont businesses to integrate sustainable growth into their strategic planning as well as their day-to-day operations. Examples of these include assisting the resource intensive operation at DuPont Titanium Technologies to develop a sustainable growth plan and helping to develop DuPont Safety Resources consulting business based on DuPont's 200 years of experience around workplace safety. Ecos has worked with a number of other DuPont business units.

Since embarking on the sustainable growth path DuPont has achieved significant gains in reducing its footprint while adding to the bottom line. Using 1990 as a base year, DuPont has achieved the following while increasing production by 30%:

You can find DuPont at www.dupont.com

DTT engaged Ecos in 2000 to look at strategic issues that had the potential to impact securing long-term access to its basic raw material, ilmenite ore, in Australia's Murray Darling Basin. This work led to a successful stakeholder engagement strategy that built support for DTT's approach to sustainable resource extraction amongst local communities and non-government organisations. The strategy protected and enhanced DTT's brand and reputation in Australia as well as assured DTT's long-term access to a critical resource. Ecos focused on working with stakeholders to develop a set of 'Principles for Mining Titanium Ore in the Murray Darling Basin'. This set of principles represents a new benchmark for responsible mining in Australia. Ecos is assisting DTT to develop global principles building on the success of the Murray basin.

The success of this work has led to an ongoing relationship between Ecos and DTT. Currently, Ecos is working with DTT to fully integrate environmental and social issues into the decision-making process for the business, across its global operations. One of the key elements of this is to actively engage all employees around the implementation of their sustainable growth strategy.

You can find DTT at www.titanium.dupont.com

Ford is the second largest automaker in the world and a leading brand name. In 2000, the company had revenues of US$170 billion and was ranked 4th in Fortune Magazine's Global 500 list.

Ecos began working with Ford in September 2000, developing strategies to drive sustainability through the company's business units. Our work included:

Given the significant contribution vehicle emissions have in adding to levels of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, and the size of Ford's market share, even modest improvements in fuel efficiency pose significant potential for adding societal and environmental value.

Ecos completed this work with Ford in early 2002. We maintain an ongoing relationship with Ford, offering high-level strategy advice on a case-by-case basis.

You can find Ford at www.ford.com

The insurance industry has a logical affinity for sustainability because of the range of environmental, social and economic factors that influence its core business. Not only do these factors affect the way the industry calculates risk and sets appropriate premiums, they also influence the way the insurance companies assist people to manage and reduce their risk exposure.

Insurance Australia Group (IAG) is the largest general insurer in Australia and New Zealand. Ecos has been working with the senior executive team at IAG to develop and implement a value focused sustainability strategy for the business.

When Mike Hawker joined IAG as CEO in 2001, he recognized insurance as the perfect "community product". The business challenge was: "How can the focus on the community be leveraged as a commercial driver for IAG?"

IAG engaged Ecos in 2002 to explore its sustainability potential, ensure that sustainability is incorporated into the business operations and becomes an integral part of the business strategy. A core challenge was to expand the company's focus on reducing insurable risks like fire, accidents and crime in the community, rather than simply paying claims after the event.

Dubbed the 'flying squad', an Ecos team worked with IAG's senior executives to understand how sustainability could add value to its business strategy. This led to the executive committee adopting a Framework for Action on Sustainability, highlighting a focus on safety and the environment. Ecos' team has worked closely with IAG's key divisions, covering motor and home insurance, worker's compensation, group risk, R&D, human resources and corporate affairs, as well as working with IAG in New Zealand.

IAG is now widely recognised as one of Australasia's sustainability leadership companies, with a particular focus on climate change as a driver for risk in the community. It is now a signatory to the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) and in 2003, IAG was awarded Sustainable Company of the Year by Ethical Investor Magazine.

Ecos continues to work with IAG, providing strategic support for senior executives and the sustainability team.

You can find IAG at www.iag.com.au

Ecos was engaged by IAG New Zealand's Executive in 2003, to assess the value of sustainability in terms of revitalizing the Company's State Insurance brand. Soon after, IAG NZ purchased NZI, making IAG NZ the largest general insurer in New Zealand.

Following the acquisition, the business priorities focused on minimizing the risks inherent in the post-acquisition integration process, repositioning the brands as new dynamic players in the market and establishing a platform to grow the new business. Sustainability has played a significant role in each of these priorities.

The sustainability value proposition for IAG NZ is heavily geared toward proactive risk reduction - that is reducing the societal risk of fire, flood, burglary, car theft and vehicle accidents, which from a business standpoint reduces the frequency and size of claims. This adds both significant societal and shareholder value.

Ecos took a similar framework we had developed with IAG (the parent company) in Australia and adapted it to the New Zealand operating environment, ensuring it fit with the integration process and new business plan for the company.

Our work included an intensive internal alignment and communications strategy that has resulted in the successful positioning of sustainability both as a new cultural attribute for IAG NZ as well as a new business growth strategy.

The Executive has remained extremely supportive and involved in the program and because of the rock solid business case for the focus on proactive risk reduction, the program has had a very high degree of uptake and support within the company.

IAG NZ is the first insurance company in New Zealand to 'step up' to the sustainability challenge. Given it accounts for 40% of the insurance market in New Zealand, it is likely that other industry players, including the Insurance Council of NZ will shift their position in the future to be more closely aligned with IAG NZ's ground breaking approach.

Read more in a dedicated case study on our work with IAG NZ.

You can find IAG NZ at www.iag.co.nz

Pacific Power was one of three electricity generators involved in the recently deregulated electricity sector in the Australian state of New South Wales. Pacific Power was a coal-focused generator with key assets including the 2400MW Eraring Power station, several coal mines and an Asian-focused energy services business.

In November 1996, Ecos commenced work with Pacific Power's management to develop and implement a business strategy that was responsive to the challenges presented by sustainability, particularly climate change. As a result, Pacific Power's vision was to "lead the transition to a sustainable energy future".

As well as pursuing greater efficiencies in its coal operations, Pacific Power expanded its energy services business, taking investments in gas, co-generation, solar and wind generation. These include the world's largest solar suburb for Sydney's 2000 Olympic Games Athletes' Village, the Crookwell Wind Farm (Australia's largest and the first to be grid connected), Australia's first carbon trade and an AUD$67 million investment in one of the world's leading new generation solar technologies.

We provided strategic advice and support to Pacific Power in implementing its vision between 1996 and 1999. Pacific Power maintained its commitment to sustainability until it was sold in 2003.

Placer Dome is a leading Canadian gold mining company that has embarked on a business strategy to be the "Earth's Gold Leader". The company identified excellence in sustainability as a crucial component of this strategy, particularly in light of the poor historical record and reputation of the gold mining industry on environmental and social issues.

In 1997, Ecos assisted Placer Dome Asia Pacific to produce the world's first mining sector sustainability report. This report outlined Placer's economic, social and environmental track record.

Additionally, with Placer Dome Asia Pacific Ecos:

You can find Place Dome at www.placerdome.com

The Queensland Timber Board (QTB) is the industry association representing the timber industry in the Australian state of Queensland. Faced with an ongoing conflict around environmental issues that were undermining the viability of the industry, the QTB began working with Ecos in October 1995. We helped the QTB develop and implement a new approach for the industry's future.

The resulting strategy has seen a dramatic change in attitude - from seeing environmentalism as a threat to seeing it as presenting new commercial opportunities. To quote the head of the QTB Rod McInnes: "There is now a hard commercial impetus for industry to embrace environmentalism, and there are plenty of examples of industries successfully making this shift and gaining substantial market share as a result."

QTB is now widely regarded as the leading forest industry organisation in Australia, showing the way forward for the industry by converting confrontation into a constructive debate and relationship with key environmental and political leaders in Queensland. The Queensland timber industry now has proactive commercial approaches to issues including biodiversity protection, climate change and eco-labeling.

Read more in a dedicated case study on our work with Queensland Timber Board.

You can find the Queensland Timber Board at www.qldtimber.com.au

Revive Recycling is an Australian based technology company that is working with major international technology providers to operate and market automated collection centres for recyclable containers. Revive’s focus is on two areas:

Revive’s automated collection centres improve the quality and economics of recycling by sorting and compacting at a central collection point, which in turn

Revive’s technology encourages growth in recycling because automated centres can be conveniently located for consumers and the mechanisation of collection, sorting and compaction makes the recovery of containers more efficient. The “reverse vending” technology behind these centres is well established with tens of thousands of installations around the world, providing consumers with easy access to recycling services and reducing costs associated with recycling programs.

Ecos provides strategic advice and support to Revive Recycling to assist their growth strategy in Australia including:

Our sustainability objective with this work is to promote higher rates of recycling and material recovery, recognising this will benefit the environment and Revive’s business.