Annual & Sustainability Report
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ANNUAL & SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2009-10 Contents Letter from the President 4 Part 1: ACF’s Sustainability Scorecard 6 Part 2: Our Environmental and Social impact 6 Our sustainable practices 7 Our own wellbeing 7 Reaching out 9 Part 3: Our Campaigns 9 The Climate Project – Australia 9 The protection of Koongarra 9 Sustainable Cities Index 10 Just Add Water 10 Healthy oceans 10 Alwal National Park 11 Other campaigns: from red gums to green homes 12 Part 4: Our Supporters 17 Part 5: Financials 17 ACF board 23 Independent auditor’s report 25 Financials Dear ACF Supporter commit to keep warming to below two degrees. As we look back and refl ect on the year I was also impressed and proud when passed, the challenges met and the lessons 10 of our Climate Project presenters learned, I am reminded again of the joined with colleagues from the Union strength, resilience and commitment of Climate Connectors and the Australian ACF supporters. Youth Climate Coalition in Canberra. Never was this more evident to me They met with 56 MPs to tell them that than during the diffi cult Copenhagen millions of Australians care deeply about campaign, in which ACF supporters joined climate change and climate policies would together to lobby world leaders at the infl uence their votes in the federal election. UN Climate Conference. In the lead up, There are many ways supporters, like ACF campaigners worked hard to deliver you, contribute to ACF’s work protecting science-based policy to then Prime Minister Australia’s unique natural heritage. The Kevin Rudd and senior offi cials attending number of people regularly participating in the talks. More than 6,500 supporters our online and social networking activism participated in our No More Hot Air is increasing, as are the number of you Campaign, in which you all fi lled out a signing up to EarthVoice, our monthly proxy form which ACF presented directly giving program that is so important in to Prime Minister Rudd in Copenhagen. enabling us to plan for the future. I can not Dedicated ACF supporters also joined overlook the wonderful group of dedicated in our online campaigns, delivered volunteers who each perform vital work in Copenhagen-themed presentations and ACF offi ces around Australia every week. telephoned and visited their Members Every ACF supporter can proudly say of Parliament. The enthusiasm with they are playing a very real role in building which ACF supporters mobilised in the a healthy and sustainable Australia, and lead up to Copenhagen really energised that’s quite a legacy. the organisation and those of us at the conference. While Copenhagen parties Ian Lowe, ACF President failed to reach agreement on a legally- binding treaty with targets, the deal did 2 ACF ANNUAL REPORT 2009-10 Australian Conservation Foundation Letter from the CEO Dear ACF Supporter to continue to build stronger coalitions for From an environmental perspective, action across Australian society. These will 2009-10 was a challenging year. Concerns bear fruit. surrounding the global economic situation For the natural environment, we and national government distracted by advanced outstanding new Aboriginal leadership changes made a focus on owned national parks on Cape York and environmental outcomes diffi cult. protection of the outstanding natural and Yet, when I refl ect on the year gone cultural values of the Kimberley. ACF by, I am reminded of tough, long-haul is putting the case for extensive marine efforts of the past and what it is that has protected areas in Australia’s waters, repair eventually led to success: the persistence of the Murray Darling river system, and of ACF, through the dedication of protection of the Tasmanian forests. supporters, Council, the Board, and staff, in And to ensure we are tackling the keeping public and government attention root causes of environmental damage, focused on the need to achieve a healthier ACF has developed innovative solutions environment. for environmental tax reform, measures ACF was founded on the notion that of wellbeing, sustainable cities, and by working together with our supporters sustainable population policies. we can achieve great progress for the With your ongoing support we have environment. strengthened the foundations of ACF. We Climate change remained a central are humbled by the gift of the 60L Green focus of ACF this year. Our Climate Building as a home for ACF. This will Project presenters, trained by Al Gore, help ensure our supporters efforts and have now provided personal presentations donations build on a stronger organisation of Mr Gore’s famous slide show to over more effectively able to achieve the goals 300,000 Australians from all walks of we all care so deeply about. life. We worked hard to ensure Australia Can I sincerely thank all our supporters, was not a laggard at the Copenhagen Councillors, Board members, and staff for Climate negotiations. While the outcome your wonderful efforts. Together we are of the international negotiations was making a difference and together we can very disappointing some progress was achieve so much more for a sustainable made. We continue to advocate vigorous future. action to cut pollution and grow jobs in a clean economy, and to build strong Don Henry, CEO public support for action. In the face of inertia from our leaders we reached out to colleagues in the environment community, the trade union movement and those representing the social and research sectors 3 ACF ANNUAL REPORT 2009-10 Australian Conservation Foundation ACF Sustainability In Action The Australian Conservation Foundation exists to protect, restore and sustain the environment. That means healthy air, land, water, biological resilience and diversity – the very things that defi ne our own wellbeing. ACF inspires people to act in environmentally and socially responsible ways. Through our innovative ideas and campaigns, we provide environmental leadership to individuals and communities, and achieve national infl uence. Healthy ecosystems and a healthy society, forged by sustainable cities, clean-energy industries and social equity – this is our vision, one shared by our many supporters and partners in conservation, business and government. ACF was formed in the 1960s, and we have had many successes in our 45 years of action. Our efforts greatly contributed to the declaration of Kakadu as a national park and World Heritage Area in 1974; saving the Great Barrier Reef from oil exploration in 1981; halting mineral mining in Antarctica in 1989; the signing by Australia of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1996 and it’s ratifi cation in 1998; and the passing of land-clearing laws in Queensland in 2004 that preserved 20 million hectares of native bush. We held our fi rst GreenHome workshop in Bankstown, NSW, in 2005, and the following year ACF launched The Climate Project – Australia in partnership with Al Gore. This year, the release of our National Agenda for a Sustainable Australia has highlighted the urgency of a transition to a Save Our Murray: A continuing ACF Campaign. Photo: James Thomas clean, sustainable economy. Gaining public and political acceptance of this agenda, and Shoalhaven and Central Coast (North more about ACF’s sustainable practices, which includes policies on strengthening Gosford) in NSW. Our 80-plus employees our efforts to ensure the wellbeing of environmental laws and making wellbeing work with a board of fi ve directors who our staff, and how we fulfi l our goal of the yardstick for government decisions, is oversee the management of our facilities being a catalyst for positive change. We one of our highest priorities. and fi nances, and the implementation of summarise our recent campaign work We lead by example, which is why our strategies. These policies are reviewed and acknowledge the many forms of ACF’s Melbourne offi ce is one of the most by a council of representatives elected from support that we receive. In conclusion we environmentally friendly commercial all states and territories, which meets at document ACF’s fi nancials for the year buildings in the country. Teamwork and least three times annually. ended 30 June 2010. professionalism are the hallmarks of our Another measure of ACF’s leadership is In the wake of a period of widespread relationships – both inside and outside that we are fully accountable for our own political turmoil, ACF is working harder our workplace. We have offi ces in six activities. In the fi rst part of this report, than ever to keep critical environmental cities and towns: Melbourne (where the we assess our environmental, social and and social issues at the front of Australia’s majority of our staff are based), Sydney, economic performance over the past 12 thinking, and to institute long-term Cairns, Canberra, Adelaide and Broome. months – did we meet our objectives for solutions. We are greatly heartened by, and In addition to these, ACF has three the year just passed, and if not, what are profoundly grateful to, the many people regional branches: Mullum in Victoria, we going to do about it? Part two reveals who work alongside us. 4 ACF ANNUAL REPORT 2009-10 Australian Conservation Foundation Part 1. ACF’s Sustainability Scorecard A Summary of ACF’s Sustainability Performance in 2009/10 Change Sustainability measures 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 from prior year* Environmental Performance Water: Total water consumption1 (kL) 274.6 262.9 297.5 Paper: Total paper consumption2 (A4 sheets) 273,000 292,858 256,121 Power: Total electricity consumption3 (kWh) 71,876 102,316 100,265 Travel: Total