Corporate social responsibility (CSR) involves business organisations acting in the interests of society by taking responsibility for the impact of their activities on customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders, communities, the environment, and other stakeholders.

Increasing concern about global climate change is shifting consumer preferences in favour of green and organic products, as well as putting pressure on national governments to put in place environmental restrictions and regulations.

In response to these increasing concerns, there has been a proliferation over the last ten years of consulting firms specialising in sustainable development and the establishment of socially responsible environmental practices.

The following list of sustainability consulting firms forms part of the full list of consulting firms in Australia:

1. Net Balance Management
2. EcoSTEPS Sustainability Partner
3. GHD
4. Greensynergy Consulting
5. Urbis
6. EcoSmart
7. GerrardBown
8. tdaEnvironmental Consulting
9. Umwelt Environmental Consultants
10. Carbon Reduction Institute
11. Third Ecology Architects
12. Water Conservation Group
13. SEE Sustainability Consulting
14. Enigin
15. Neco Sustainability Consulting
16. Hayes Environmental Consulting
17. Sustainable Consulting
18. Carbon Business
19. Aria Sustainability Consulting
20. Greenbizcheck
21. Permaforest
22. Ecowise Environmental
23. HASSELL
24. Carbon Navigator
25. EcOz – VDM
26. Earth Systems
27. Ecos Environmental Consulting
28. Coomes Consulting Group
29. Green Pass
30. Impact Environmental
31. Vim Sustainability Consulting
32. Australian Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility

1. Net Balance Management

Website: www.netbalance.com

Founded in 2007, Net Balance has its head office in Melbourne, and also operates out of Sydney.

Net Balance is a leading provider of advisory and assurance services in sustainable business responsibility with social and environmental aspects, delivering services including: climate change services, environmental management, assurance, strategy & advisory, and social investment.

2. EcoSTEPS Sustainability Partner

Website: www.ecosteps.com.au

Founded in 1999, EcoSTEPS has offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth in Australia and New Plymouth in New Zealand.

EcoSTEPS provides a range of sustainability related products and services focusing on strategy development, implementation, and the development of training and change programs.

3. GHD

Website: www.ghd.com/australia

Founded in 1928, GHD operates in 14 countries and has an integrated network of offices throughout Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East and the Americas.

GHD is an international professional services company of architects, engineers, drafters, planners, scientists, management consultants and economists. GHD contributes to the goals of sustainable development and is committed to managing the social, economic and environmental impacts of its operations and assisting its clients to manage theirs. GHD is a member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and contributes to their focus areas of Energy & Climate, Development, the Business Role and Ecosystems.

4. Greensynergy Consulting

Website: www.greensynergy.com.au

Founded sometime around 2005, Greensynergy Consulting is based in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales.

Greensynergy Consulting provides sustainability services for building and construction projects, as well as providing sustainability research and education.

5. Urbis

Website: www.urbis.com.au

Founded as a property consulting firm in Melbourne in 1963, Urbis has offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Dubai.

Urbis is an interdisciplinary consulting firm offering services in planning, urban design, property, social planning, economics and research.

6. EcoSmart

Website: www.ecosmart.com.au

Founded in 2003, EcoSmart operates in Sydney and Melbourne.

EcoSmart provides residential and commercial sustainability consulting services. This includes the provision of independent advice , installation for energy and water efficient products and services, and carbon offsetting.

7. GerrardBown

Website: www.gerrardbown.com.au

GerrardBown operates out of Melbourne.

GerrardBown is a sustainability strategy consultancy working in partnership with its clients to position them for long-term success.

8. tdaEnvironmental Consulting

Website: www.tdaconsulting.com

Founded in 2000, tda environmental consulting is located in Sydney.

tda is a sustainability service provider for any industry. In particular, tda is the principal environmental management service providers for film site locations within Australasia. tda is also market leaders in developing sustainability solutions for the energy, utilities and property sectors.

9. Umwelt Environmental Consultants

Website: www.umwelt.com.au

Founded in 1993, Umwelt operates out of Perth and Toronto, NSW.

Umwelt provides comprehensive services to assist its regional, national and international clients with diverse aspects of environmental planning, assessment and management.

10. Carbon Reduction Institute

Website: www.carbonreductioninstitute.com.au

The Carbon Reduction Institute (CRI) is based in Sydney and services clients from across Australia and overseas.

CRI is an experienced carbon management consultancy and offers a full suite of services to corporations, small businesses and individuals.

11. Third Ecology Architects

Website: www.thirdecology.com.au

Third Ecology Architects is based in Geelong, Victoria.

Third Ecology Architects are multi award winning, experienced and practical sustainability architects who specialise in architecture services, sustainability advice and consulting, energy ratings and BCA Section J reports.

12. Water Conservation Group

Website: www.watergroup.com.au

Water Conservation Group is located in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

Water Conservation Group provides a complete consulting, design and construction service to help business reduce water consumption, conserve potable water, and manage water resources.

13. SEE Sustainability Consulting

Website: www.seesustainability.com.au

Founded in 2005 by David Blyth in order to provide sustainability solutions to business, SEE Sustainability Consulting is based near Newcastle.

SEE Sustainability Consulting specialises in partnering with businesses to lower energy bills, lower greenhouse emissions, reduce waste management costs and lower water bills. SEE Sustainability Consulting also has a strong commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility.

14. Enigin

Website: www.enigin-wa.com

Founded in 2008, Enigin has offices in Western Australia, NSW and Queensland.

Enigin assists organisations around the world to address the growing problems of rising energy costs, dwindling energy resources and climate change by implementing proven energy saving strategies. Enigin provides a five step program called EnergyMaps™ that includes: 1) Automatic Monitoring and Targeting; 2) Staff education and incentives; 3) Energy Audit; 4) Implementation of Energy Saving Technology with guaranteed savings up to 40%; and 5) Implementation of renewable generation.

15. Neco Sustainability Consulting

Website: www.neco.com.au

Founded in 2004, Neco operates out of Sydney and Melbourne.

Neco offers a range of services for businesses looking to improve their sustainability practices, including: providing guidance on cultural change; assisting business maintain momentum and credibility; assisting businesses to change internal processes to better monitor environmental impacts; identifying and managing tradespeople, engineers and/or installers; selecting and acquiring carbon offsets.

16. Hayes Environmental Consulting

Website: www.hayesenviro.com.au

Founded in 2000, HEC is based in Sydney.

Hayes Environmental Consulting is dedicated to providing quality and cost-effective consulting services in the form of: environmental site investigations; soil and water quality assessments; hazardous materials surveys; and management of contaminated sites.

17. Sustainable Consulting

Website: www.sustainable.net.au

Founded in 2001, Sustainable Consulting is based in Perth.

Sustainable Consulting works with businesses, government, NGOs and community groups to help them achieve widely-valued economic, social and environmental outcomes.

18. Carbon Business

Website: www.carbonbusiness.com.au

Located in Adelaide, Carbon Business is a professional service provider for organisations taking up the opportunities and challenges of climate change. Carbon Business has alliance partners across Australia helping businesses to strategically position for the low carbon economy.

19. Aria Sustainability Consulting

Website: www.ariaps.com.au

Founded in 2000 by Rick Maddox, Aria Sustainability Consulting has its office in Elanora, Queensland (approximately 100km south of Brisbane and 10km north of Tweed Heads).

Aria Sustainability Consulting is a small Gold Coast based consulting engineering company providing advice on sustainability solutions for the built environment. Aria’s mission is to facilitate the uptake of economic sustainability solutions through the provision of the highest standard of professional consulting engineering services.

20. Greenbizcheck

Website: www.greenbizcheck.com

Located in Brisbane, Greenbizcheck is an environmental certification company which helps businesses to save money whilst reducing their impact on the environment and offsetting dangerous carbon emissions. Clients complete a checklist which prescribes the reduction of energy, waste and water usage. Once a rigorous benchmark is achieved, clients receive a high quality certification with offsets calculated by the Department of Climate Change.

21. Permaforest

Website: www.permaforest.com.au

Founded in 1997, Permaforest operates in the Northern Rivers/Gold Coast hinterland region of Australia.

Permaforest is an environmental land planning and design service provider. Services offered include rural development, environmental land planning & design, sustainability consulting, project management.

22. Ecowise Environmental

Website: www.ecowise.com.au

Ecowise Environmental has been operating nationally for more than 30 years, and has offices in Canberra, Sydney, Nowra, Newcastle, Moruya, Mudgee, Muswellbrook, Port Kembla, Brisbane, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Hobart, Melbourne, Geelong, Bendigo and Wangaratta.

Ecowise Environmental provides water-related and environmental consulting services to clients across Australia. Its expertise includes: strategy development and research; planning and design; procurement advice; risk management and audit; environmental monitoring; and conditional assessments of natural assets.

23. HASSELL

Website: www.hassell.com.au

In Australia, HASSELL has offices in Adelaide, Brisbane, Bunbury, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. HASSELL also has offices in Bangkok, Beijing, Chongqing, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

HASSELL is a planning and design consultancy providing architecture, interior design, planning, sustainability and urban design services. HASSELL is a founding member of the Green Building Council and believes in being responsive to the climate, using resources and energy more efficiently, conserving species and fostering biodiversity, and minimising waste production.

24. Carbon Navigator

Website: www.carbonnavigator.com

CarbonNavigator™ is an online carbon management system designed by tradeslot Pty Ltd.

25. EcOz – VDM

Website: www.ecoz.com.au

EcOz Environmental Services is a fully Australian-owned and well respected environmental consulting business with 17 years experience in providing environmental services to industry, communities and government in northern and central Australia. The company was established in 1990. EcOz merged with the VDM Group in July 2006.

EcOz offers a range of environmental services including: assessment, reporting, auditing, development of management plans, risk assessment and surveys.

26. Earth Systems

Website: www.earthsystems.com.au

Founded in 1993, Earth Systems has offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Shanghai and Laos.

Earth Systems seeks and implements innovative and effective solutions to environmental problems. It has consulting, project management and research and development capabilities in the environmental sector.

27. Ecos Environmental Consulting

Website: www.ecosec.com.au

Founded in 1999, Ecos is based in Melbourne.

Ecos is dedicated to providing services in the areas of natural resource management, sustainable development and public health. Ecos provides a unique service to the water and environment industries throughout Australia, with an emphasis on technically challenging projects.

28. Coomes Consulting Group

Website: www.web.coomes.com.au

Founded in 1984, CCG has offices in Melbourne, Shepparton, Bendigo, Albury/Wodonga and Geelong.

CCG is a multi-disciplined firm of consulting engineers, surveyors, planners, landscape architects and urban designers. CCG has expertise in sustainable development practices.

29. Green Pass

Website: www.greenpass.com.au

Green Pass Australia was founded to address the rapid emerging need for Australian business to take action against climate change through the development of sustainable business practises. Green Pass Australia supports carbon dioxide reduction and through sustainability, offsetting and clean energy.

30. Impact Environmental

Website: www.impactenviro.com.au

Based in Port Macquarie, Impact’s key focus areas include: waste management, environmental education, training, and conferences.

31. Vim Sustainability Consulting

Website: www.vim.net.au

Founded in 2003 by John Brodie, Vim is based in Sydney.

Vim offers sustainable building design, construction and operational solutions on a range of construction projects including: single dwelling homes, apartments, multi-storey offices, hotels and shopping centre developments.

32. Australian Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility

Website: www.accsr.com.au

Founded in 2003, ACCSR serves clients in Australia from its office in Melbourne.

ACCSR helps organisations build performance and competitive advantage through responsible business practices.

33. Cundall

Website: www.cundall.com.au

Founded in 2003, Cundall is a leading ESD consultancy with 15 offices around the world. In Australia, Cundall has offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide.

Cundall provides services in a range of industry sectors including ecologically sustainable design (ESD), mechanical, electrical, hydraulic , fire and vertical transportation engineering. Cundall’s services broadly fall into the categories of planning, procurement, operation and metrics (rating tools and simulation).

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