The Forum: The Banksia Ignite ‘Burning Bright’ Forum will explore, highlight and showcase the 'fires of action' that are re-shaping...

Banksia Ignite

Location:

Level 6 Terrace Entrance (Circular Quay West Side)
2000 NSW
Australia

Banksia Ignite

Featuring

Ashleigh Morris

Ashleigh Morris

Co Founder, The Circular Experiment

At the Banksia Ignite program Ashleigh Morris from The Circular Experiment will share with us the success and process behind the circular economy.

Ashleigh and Jaine Morris are sisters and Co-Founders of Australia’s first circular economy start-up The Circular Experiment. In March 2017, Jaine and Ashleigh launched The Circular Experiment’s six-month proof of concept project working with 45 small to medium enterprises on a CBD street on the Sunshine Coast to implement six circular economy principles to identify the economic, social and environmental value of the circular economy. The proof of concept project made waves in Australia and internationally with Ashleigh and Jaine representing Australia in the world’s largest green business competition in Cyprus, receiving a statement of support from Queensland’s Environment Minister and speaking at conferences across Australia. The sister’s success is only seconded by the outcomes achieved for the businesses they worked with from diverting coffee grounds to a local farmer to grow edible flowers, reducing electricity costs, collecting and diverting soft plastics, reducing litter through gamification and beautification of the street, and most importantly supporting the development of the businesses trader’s association where the businesses all now work together to achieve strategic goals for the street they operate within.

Ashleigh is an experienced Academic, Board member, Environmental Management Consultant and successful circular economy Entrepreneur. She currently works with the United Nations Environment Programme, Smart Cities Council of Australia & New Zealand, Climate KIC Australia and QLD’s Future Business Generation.

Ashleigh holds a Bachelor of Environmental Health Science with Faculty Commendation for academic excellence and the Chancellors Medal and 1st Class Honours in Environmental Management. She is an Australian-ASEAN Emerging Leader and Prime Ministers Australia Asia scholar.

Jaine is a gifted ‘people person’ and has an extensive history of being able to quickly foster connection and gain trust in challenging situations. Jaine worked for many years as a Remote Area Nurse in some of the most geographically hostile and isolated parts of our country. The care, compassion, and excellence with which Jaine delivered health care saw her warmly welcomed into the culture of the Kuuku Ya’u people from Cape York – a feat she is immensely proud.

Many of the skills Jaine mastered during her career as a Remote Area Nurse, including her exemplar communication skills, problem solving, resourcefulness and resilience transcend disciplines. She is committed to bringing about positive change in this world and her key areas of interest are in circularity as a driver of health and wellbeing, story telling as a means to communicate complex ideas and connection and care for our country.

For more information go to: http://banksiafdn.com/banksia-ignite-program/

Ole Neustrup

Deputy Head of Mission, Royal Danish Embassy

At the Banksia Ignite program Ole Neustrup from the Danish Embassy highlights the Danish success stories and experiences with the SDGs. This session includes an introduction and exploration of Unleash – The Global Innovation Lab doing exciting and disruptive work with the SDGs around the glob

Ole Neustrup is Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Denmark in Canberra since 2013. He has been employed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark since he graduated from the University of Copenhagen with a Masters Degree in Economics in 1984. He has previously been posted to Damascus, Brussels and Geneva. As the relatively small Danish Embassy in Canberra only has two posted diplomats, Ole’s responsibilities cover a broad range of tasks, including promoting strengthened relations between Denmark and Australia, preparing for visits of official Danish delegations to Australia, reporting on political and economic developments in Australia and coordinating consular assistance to Danes in need in the region.

Ole lives in Canberra with his wife Anne-Marie, who is a medical doctor and currently employed at TGA (The Therapeutic Goods Administration). Their two youngest children, Alexandra and William, finalized their Year 12 IB Exams in Canberra a year ago. They have three older children living in Denmark. Two of them have studied as exchange students at the ANU (Australian National University) in Canberra for half a year.

For more information go to: http://banksiafdn.com/banksia-ignite-program/

Justin Frank

Justin Frank

Director Marketing, Communications and National, SUEZ

At the Banksia Ignite program Justin Frank from Suez shares his insights and experience from a business perspective on the global impact of the SDGs on operating businesses, domestically and internationally.

Justin has 14 years’ experience working in the development of the circular economy. Justin joined SUEZ in 2017 and works with SUEZ’s customers to unlock sustainable value in their operations.Justin previously led the strategy, marketing and sustainability functions for CHEP Australia and New Zealand helping to make networks and supply chains more efficient in order to improve customers’ experience. In his 13 years in the company, he also worked in account management across Europe before leading the logistics function in the UK and Australia. He is passionate about sustainability and innovation for long lasting positive change. Justin holds a Master of Business Administration from Manchester Business School, a Bachelor of Law from Leeds University and a NSCA Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety.

For more information go to: http://banksiafdn.com/banksia-ignite-program/

Jodi Boylan

Jodi Boylan

Executive Produce, War on Waste

At the Banksia Ignite program Jodi Boylan, Executive Producer of the War on Waste takes on the role of key moderator and presenter for our meet the innovators session and our collaboration segment of the program.

Jodi has over 20 years experience working as producer on a variety of programs for various networks in Australia & the UK.

Jodi began her career at the Nine Network in Sydney and worked on a range of factual programs, before taking a role as Senior Producer and writer on the long- running series‘This is Your Life.’

Moving to London, Jodi worked as features writer and reporter for The Evening Standard and others in the Associated Newspapers Group.
Still in the UK, Jodi went on to work as news producer and unit manager for the Nine Network’s London bureau before returning to Australia in 2007.

In the past nine years, Jodi has worked as a Senior Producer, Series Producer and writer on a range of prime-time factual and entertainment series for Australian free-to-air and subscription networks, including ‘The Biggest Loser’ , ‘Paddock to Plate’ and ‘Please Marry My Boy’ among many others. In recent years Jodi has been Series Producer and Executive Producer of ‘River Cottage Australia’. In 2017, she helmed the first series of ‘War on Waste’ for KEO Films and ABC TV. In August 2017, Jodi won the title of“Journalist/Producer of the Year”.

For more information go to: http://banksiafdn.com/banksia-ignite-program/

Dr. David Ireland

Dr. David Ireland

Chief Innovation Officer, Thinkplace

At the Banksia Ignite program Dr. David Ireland, ThinkPlace navigates us through how change and action starts at the grass roots level and then goes global!

Dr David Ireland has over 15 years of experience in advising, starting, and leading innovative companies and programs. David’s entrepreneurial and innovation experience ranges from bench scientist, to startup founder, consultant, innovation systems policy, investor, and international development practitioner. David is recognised as a leading entrepreneur and innovation specialist, receiving a 2018 Fulbright Fellowship and in 2015 was cited as one of the world’s top 50 most talented social entrepreneurs. David has started some successful businesses, learned from a few that failed, and is regularly invited to design and run global entrepreneurship and innovation accelerators and competitions and to present on innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship, and foresighting. David, an adjunct Professor at the University of Queensland, has also published widely in these fields.

For more information go to: http://banksiafdn.com/banksia-ignite-program/

Stephen Choi

Stephen Choi

At the Banksia Ignite program Stephen Choi, Living Future Institute joins us to explore what is happening in Australia at a local level under the session, The National Lens.

Stephen is a UK-registered architect and Australian-educated Project Manager with an MA in Sustainability & Design. He has been in the building industry for 17 years, working across multiple sectors and scales to advance towards a better environment.

Stephen co-founded not-for-profit environmental building and research organisation Architecture for Change in 2011, has taught at various levels from Masters Degree level to unemployed people looking to enter the industry, and has a long experience of delivering and writing curriculum. Stephen is the current Executive Director of the Living Future Institute of Australia, whose vision is one of a socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative future.

For more information go to: http://banksiafdn.com/banksia-ignite-program/

Bruce Jeffreys

Bruce Jeffreys

Founder, Dresden Optics

At the Banksia Ignite program Bruce Jeffreys gives insight and discovery around the sustainability and business as the co founder of GoGet and Dresden Optics.

Bruce has worked extensively in both the private and government sectors. His first real job was in the marketing department of the Istanbul Film Festival in Turkey, where he went on to stage an Australian Film Festival with his partner Catherine Simpson. Upon returning to Australia he worked in higher education
running a Science outreach program based at Murdoch University in Perth. Moving to Sydney, he landed a job in the new interactive arm of Singleton Ogilvy Mather before moving to the NSW State Government’s Sustainability Unit, based within the NSW Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources.

In 2003 Bruce co-founded GoGet car share with three vehicles and 12 members. Today, GoGet, with 3000 vehicles and over 100,000 members and operates in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Canberra.

In 2014 Bruce and Jason McDermott founded Dresden Optics, launching their patented eyewear system, designed and manufactured in Sydney. Bruce is also a Founding Director of the Makerspace & Company Foundation, creators of Sydney‘s first non-institutional learning and training space.

For more information go to: http://banksiafdn.com/banksia-ignite-program/

Thomas Schroder

Thomas Schroder

Director Marketing, Communications and National, South Pole

At the Banksia Ignite program Thomas Schroder from South Pole will explore the global context of what is happening at the forefront of sustainability initiatives by organisations.

Thomas is South Pole’s Director Marketing and Communications. His focus is on corporate branding and positioning, lead generation, communications and events, as well as project storytelling to highlight the environmental and community impacts of sustainable development. Together with his team, he provides comprehensive marketing support, empowering many of the world’s leading brands on their sustainability journeys. Prior to his role at South Pole, Tom established m-way and sharoo, two start-ups in the areas of electric mobility and peer-to-peer car sharing, acting as intrapreneur for Migros, Switzerland’s biggest retailer. He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. South Pole is a leading provider of global sustainability financing solutions and services. Our vision is to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy. The company has 200 experts in 18 global offices and works with a wide range of public, private and civil society organisations for over a decade. The company’s expertise covers project and technology finance, data and advisory on sustainability risks and opportunities, as well as the development of environmental commodities such as carbon credits or renewable energy credits. South Pole has developed and provided climate-finance to over 500 projects in emission reduction, renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable land-use. For more information, visit southpole.com or follow the company @southpoleglobal.

For more information go to: http://banksiafdn.com/banksia-ignite-program/

Simon Robinson

Simon Robinson

Director, Corporate Citizenship

At the Banksia Ignite program Simon Robinson from Corporate Citizenship, takes us through how we should measure our sustainability efforts and impacts - how do we do this and what is the impact and importance of doing so.

Simon is a specialist in measurement and benchmarking of corporate community investments and impact assessment using the LBG methodology. Simon has been a CSR professional, connecting business and communities, since the early 1990’s. He has held a range of senior positions including Deputy Regional Director for Business in the Community (UK) moving to Australia in 2004 he has held positions as GM for Corporate Responsibility at Sensis and inaugural CEO of Melbourne / Australia Cares. Simon has been working with LBG now for over 9 years.
In that time Simon has led the introduction of LBGOnline, member results sharing and impact assessment. He was voted into the top 25 of the most influential people in the social sector in Pro Bono’s Impact 25 in 2014. LBG Australia & New Zealand recently transitioned to its global home, Corporate Citizenship. Simon now heads up the new office of Corporate Citizenship, a global management consultancy specialising in sustainability and corporate responsibility, with offices in London, New York, San Francisco, Santiago, Singapore and now Melbourne.
Simon has a Bachelor of Science degree from Liverpool University and postgraduate certificate in management.

For more information go to: http://banksiafdn.com/banksia-ignite-program/

Cate Harris

Cate Harris

Acting Executive Director, Global Compact Network Australia

At the Banksia Ignite program Cate Harris, from Global Compact Network Australia will launch the Australian SDG website and will introduce highlighted case studies with Qantas, Optus and Lendlease.

Cate has been actively involved in the design, planning and management of sustainability strategies across both the public and private sectors. Cate is currently seconded, from Lendlease, as the Acting Executive Director at the UN Global Compact Network Australia (GCNA).
Cate has worked at Lendlease for close to 10 years in various senior and executive level sustainability roles. Most recently as the Global Head of the Lendlease Foundation, Cate was responsible for the management and the delivery of Foundation’s suite of programs globally, with responsibility for the governance of the Foundation, reporting to the Lendlease Group Executive, Lendlease Board and Lendlease Foundation Trustees. Cate led the function through the implementation of significant governance and funding model changes.
Prior to her Foundation role, as the Head of Lendlease Workplace Programs, Cate was responsible for the management and delivery of Lendlease’s global workplace strategy: Nextplace, including the delivery of the landmark workplace project of a new global head office at Barangaroo, co-locating over 2000 Lendlease employees from five different sites, under the one roof.
Cate has also worked in private engineering and environmental consultancy, with national and international clients seeking sustainable outcomes, as well as in the public sector on several pivotal State and Local Government led sustainability initiatives, including leading the development and implementation of the Moreland STEPS tool and Sustainable Design Scorecard and the Sustainability Strategy and related planning scheme amendment for Doncaster Hill.
In 2011 Cate was named as one of ABC Carbon’s 100 Global Sustain Ability Leaders and was a winner of the Australian Financial Review BOSS Magazine Young Executive of the Year 2009.

For more information go to: http://banksiafdn.com/banksia-ignite-program/

Graz van Egmond

Graz van Egmond

CEO, Banksia Foundation

At the Banksia Ignite program the CEO of the Banksia Foundation Graz van Egmond will drive and deliver key session around the UN Sustainability Development Goals set out in 2015 along with industry think tanks. Graz van Egmond commenced as CEO of the Banksia Foundation in 1998. Originally startong her career in the Biochemistry Laboratories of St Vincent’s Hospital. Graz soon transitioned to the tourism industry where she spend eight years within Public Relations at Tourism Australia, before moving across to the Melbourne Tourism Authority and creating the Asia Pacific Incentives Meeting Expo (AIME). Graz also spent time at Telstra where she managed a number of programs including the Telstra Small Business Awards before inaugurating the Telstra Business Women’s Awards.

For more information go to: http://banksiafdn.com/banksia-ignite-program/

Ken Richards

Ken Richards

Managing Director, Leaf Resources

At the Banksia Ignite program you will hear from Ken Richards, Managing Director, Leaf Resources, who will explain the journey of an Australian start up and illustrate how Australia is innovating globally under the SDGs. Ken has over 30 years of experience as a Managing Director in listed and unlisted companies across the agriculture, finance and technology sectors. He has a track record in managing and transitioning high growth companies, including several startups. During his life as a public company CEO Ken has completed transactions, takeovers and capital raisings, in excess of AUD $200m. Ken holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Master of Business Administration degrees from the University of WA. He is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

For more information go to: http://banksiafdn.com/banksia-ignite-program/

Katie Vines

Katie Vines

Director of Sustainable and Resilient Cities, Climate-KIC

At the Banksia Ignite program Katie Vines will introduce the innovators and the game changers operating in the sustainability space. Katie Vines is Director of Sustainable and Resilient Cities at Climate-KIC Australia. She brings expertise and experience working with mega-cities around the world to create innovative, end-user led transformation towards sustainable and resilient Australian cities and regions. She previously worked as the Head of Adaptation Research at C40 Cities climate leadership group. In this role she led a program of research and facilitated a global network of city staff that drove meaningful, measurable and sustainable climate change adaptation. Katie has worked in State and Federal government in Australia where she collaborated with communities, local governments, researchers and public and private organisations on building adaptive capacity.

For more information go to: http://banksiafdn.com/banksia-ignite-program/

Reece Proudfoot

Reece Proudfoot

Innovation Strategist, WWF

At the Banksia Ignite program Reece Proudfoot will introduce the innovators and game changers operating in the sustainability space. Reece is Innovation Strategist at WWF Australia. In 2017 Reece founded WWF-Australia's sustainable technology accelerator: Panda Labs, with a mission to develop, support and scale innovative, global solutions for the Sustainable Development Goals. Panda Labs supports both social enterprise startups and corporate ventures and is currently incubating two blockchain venture partnerships. In 2017 Reece authored the report "Can Technology Save the Planet?" and developed the WWF global network's global blockchain strategy. Reece currently chairs the WWF global blockchain working group.

Reece’s career began in advertising at News Limited in Sydney before making a significant pivot to work for two years in the Kingdom of Tonga - on capacity building and climate change adaptation with the Tongan business sector. Reece joined WWF in 2012 working on climate change campaigns, including Earth Hour, which engages hundreds of millions of ordinary people on sustainability, climate change and energy every year. Reece now has over fifteen years experience in innovation strategy and capacity building, campaigning and coalition building. Reece has a Masters Degree in International Social Development from the University of New South Wales, and is especially motivated by building public participation in problem solving and solution design.

For more information go to: http://banksiafdn.com/banksia-ignite-program/

Christine Holgate

Christine Holgate

CEO, Australia Post

At the Banksia Ignite program Christine Holgate, CEO of Australia Post will deliver a powerhouse session. Learn why this influential woman is a driving force behind the SDGs in Australia.

Christine Holgate joined Australia Post as Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director on 30 October 2017, after nearly 9 years as the Chief Executive Officer of Blackmores Ltd.Christine has more than 30 years of diverse international leadership experience in highly regulated industries, including healthcare, media, telecommunications and finance.

She has more than 20 years of public board experience as either a non-executive director or CEO and has held senior management positions in Asia, the Americas and Australia. Christine is the inaugural Chair of the Board of the Australia-ASEAN Council (which supports the development of trade and cultural relations between Australia and the 10 member countries of the ASEAN region). She also serves on the board of the Collingwood Football Club. Christine’s past appointments include time as a non-executive director of Ten Network Holdings Limited.

For more information go to: http://banksiafdn.com/banksia-ignite-program/

Jaine Morris

Ashleigh and Jaine Morris are sisters and Co-Founders of Australia’s first circular economy start-up The Circular Experiment. In March 2017, Jaine and Ashleigh launched The Circular Experiment’s six-month proof of concept project working with 45 small to medium enterprises on a CBD street on the Sunshine Coast to implement six circular economy principles to identify the economic, social and environmental value of the circular economy. The proof of concept project made waves in Australia and internationally with Ashleigh and Jaine representing Australia in the world’s largest green business competition in Cyprus, receiving a statement of support from Queensland’s Environment Minister and speaking at conferences across Australia. The sister’s success is only seconded by the outcomes achieved for the businesses they worked with from diverting coffee grounds to a local farmer to grow edible flowers, reducing electricity costs, collecting and diverting soft plastics, reducing litter through gamification and beautification of the street, and most importantly supporting the development of the businesses trader’s association where the businesses all now work together to achieve strategic goals for the street they operate within.

The sisters have extremely diverse and complementary skills sets and are often coined the substance and sparkle of The Circular Experiment respectively.

Ashleigh is an experienced Academic, Board member, Environmental Management Consultant and successful circular economy Entrepreneur. She currently works with the United Nations Environment Programme, Smart Cities Council of Australia & New Zealand, Climate KIC Australia and QLD’s Future Business Generation.

Ashleigh holds a Bachelor of Environmental Health Science with Faculty Commendation for academic excellence and the Chancellors Medal and 1st Class Honours in Environmental Management. She is an Australian-ASEAN Emerging Leader and Prime Ministers Australia Asia scholar.

Jaine is a gifted ‘people person’ and has an extensive history of being able to quickly foster connection and gain trust in challenging situations. Jaine worked for many years as a Remote Area Nurse in some of the most geographically hostile and isolated parts of our country. The care, compassion, and excellence with which Jaine delivered health care saw her warmly welcomed into the culture of the Kuuku Ya’u people from Cape York – a feat she is immensely proud.

Many of the skills Jaine mastered during her career as a Remote Area Nurse, including her exemplar communication skills, problem solving, resourcefulness and resilience transcend disciplines. She is committed to bringing about positive change in this world and her key areas of interest are in circularity as a driver of health and wellbeing, story telling as a means to communicate complex ideas and connection and care for our country.

Access and Inclusion

  • Wheelchair Accessible - Access to the venue is suitable for wheelchairs (toilets, ramps/lifts etc.) and designated wheelchair spaces are available.
  • Hearing Loop - A hearing loop (sometimes called an audio induction loop) is a special type of sound system for use by people with hearing aids. The hearing loop provides a magnetic, wireless signal that is picked up by the hearing aid when it is set to 'T' (Telecoil) setting. Many venues have an induction hearing loop system. Check if your venue has this system.

Event Details

The Forum: The Banksia Ignite ‘Burning Bright’ Forum will explore, highlight and showcase the 'fires of action' that are re-shaping our society towards sustainable growth and how action in leadership by business, government and the Australian community are creating change. Expert sustainability innovators will share their insights as well as draw from the knowledge and expertise in the room – you. This is an opportunity to interact with our team to collectively discuss, review and learn what will take us into a glowing ‘Burning Bright’ future.

Why Now: In 2015 the UN Sustainable Development Goals were introduced to herald prosperity and protection for all people and the environment by 2030. The 'Global Goals' were not intended to be a firecracker, ignited once a year, but to establish a constant burn. What is required now after their introduction? How can these Goals create global, national and local growth? Since their inception, is Australia keeping the fire burning bright? Is that light beginning to dim? 

Attendees will: Meet leaders and industry innovators in sustainability programs willing to share and discuss best practice; evaluate and understand current developments in policy and practice initiatives around sustainability; learn strategies to improve design and execution of sustainability goals; establish ‘big picture’ perspective; collaborate with industry colleagues and establish relationships that assist your own sustainability goals.

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Access and Inclusion

  • Wheelchair Accessible - Access to the venue is suitable for wheelchairs (toilets, ramps/lifts etc.) and designated wheelchair spaces are available.
  • Hearing Loop - A hearing loop (sometimes called an audio induction loop) is a special type of sound system for use by people with hearing aids. The hearing loop provides a magnetic, wireless signal that is picked up by the hearing aid when it is set to 'T' (Telecoil) setting. Many venues have an induction hearing loop system. Check if your venue has this system.