Businesses and environmental sustainability

Becoming a sustainable business can be easy. It's not only great for saving money, but can:

• help to attract new customers
• build better staff morale
• support and protect the environment. 

Whether you’re a café or restaurant, hairdresser or beauty salon, retail business or office, the smallest change can make a difference.

For more information about how we are working to improve our City's environmental sustainability, visit our Environment, sustainability and climate action page.

Receive a free waste reduction consultation

If you’d like to learn simple ways to improve your business’s waste and recycling processes and make a real impact, register for a free, one-on-one, hour-long waste reduction session with a member of our circular economy team.

The session will be tailored to your business operating style and needs, to help you divert waste from landfill, save money and lead the way in circular economy actions in your industry.

Register for a waste reduction consultation

We’ll contact you to arrange a time to visit you onsite at your business for a one-on-one consultation. Following the consultation, you’ll receive a report with obligation-free recommendations to reduce waste and increase recycling and reuse initiatives.

Business Recycling and Waste Toolkit

This toolkit is designed to help you improve your waste and recycling systems and use them correctly. It includes tips on getting the most out of your bins, assessing and reducing your waste, and other information on how to responsibly dispose of items that don’t belong in your bins.

Sustainability resources

Compost Revolution

Businesses, residents and schools in Boroondara are eligible to order a discounted worm farm, compost bin or food waste composter, with free delivery. For more information, visit the Compost Revolution website.

Sustainable Salons

Sustainable Salons collects waste from hair and beauty salons, barbers and pet groomers.

Items such as shampoo and conditioner bottles, foil and packaging are sold, and all proceeds go to companies such as Oz Harvest, which provides free meals for people in need. You can donate ponytails to Sustainable Salons, which works with wigmakers and charity organisations to distribute wigs to people experiencing hair loss as a result of illness. You can find out more on the Sustainable Salons website.

End Food Waste Australia

End Food Waste Australia is a partnership of organisations who operate along the farm-to-fork food supply chain, with a vision of reducing our food waste by 50% by 2030. You can find out more on the End Food Waste Australia website.

Plastic Free July

Plastic Free July provides tips on how to reduce plastic waste, including staff and customer engagement, packaging, food service and promotion. 

Responsible Cafés

If your café offers incentives for customers to bring in their own reusable cup, or you’re taking other positive action to reduce waste, then register on the Responsible Cafe website. This innovative program is a great way to get your business noticed by new customers.

A to Z recycling and waste guide 

For your guide and tips to recycling and smarter ways to reduce waste, including those unwanted items you’re not sure what to do with, visit our A to Z recycling and waste guide.

WaterSmart program 

The State Government’s WaterSmart program assists businesses and other organisations to become more water efficient through water use monitoring and water audits.

Grants, rebates and discounts

Business Energy Savers Program

Is your business looking to cut the cost of energy bills while reducing greenhouse gas emissions? The Business Energy Savers Program is an initiative run by local councils, including City of Boroondara. It helps businesses as they complete energy efficiency upgrades. 

Businesses can engage qualified installers to replace or retrofit existing appliances and equipment that are subsidised by the State Government under the Victorian Energy Upgrade Program. This includes LED lighting, high-efficiency air conditioning units, refrigerated display cabinets, ventilation fans, motors and other items. You can find out more about the Victorian Energy Upgrade Program on the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water, and Planning website.

We have carried out a competitive process to find suitably qualified and experienced installers to deliver services to business across Boroondara. This means you will access quality products and services with appropriate warranties.

Get a free quote today

Emissions Reduction Fund     

The Emissions Reduction Fund provides businesses with the opportunity to earn Australian carbon credit units for every tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent a business stores or avoids emitting through adopting new practices and technologies. You can make an application at any time. You can find out more on the Business Australia website.

Victorian Energy Upgrades 

Victorian Energy Upgrades provide businesses with discounts on a wide range of energy-saving products and services when accessed through accredited providers. You can make an application at any time. You can find out more on the Business Australia website.

Community Rebate Program

The State Government’s Community Rebate program supports corporations and not-for-profit organisations to assist customers in vulnerable and hardship situations to reduce water consumption.

Australian Government grants

To keep an eye out for future sustainability funding for small businesses, please visit the Business Australia website on a regular basis.

Other resources

• Planet Ark’s Recycling Near You website provides resources and programs to support businesses to reduce waste and increase reuse and recycling. They also have a directory to find areuse and recycling options for a range of materials close to you.
• Learn how your business can become certified carbon neutral through the Climate Active website.
• The Clean Energy Council website has renewable guides for consumers.
• Visit the Marine Stewardship Council website for information on buying sustainable seafood that supports the ethical treatment of sea life.
• Sustainability in your business information on the Business Victoria website has tips on ‌ways to make your business more environmentally sustainable.
• The Water Efficiency Labelling Standard scheme (WELS) is designed to help you choose more water-efficient products for your home and business. You can find out more on the Australian Water Rating website.
• Find out how to have your business’s water efficient products and services independently certified through Smart Drop’s website. The label helps consumers to shop wisely and provides a market advantage for businesses.
• The Federal Government’s Water Efficiency page highlights water-efficient appliances and fixtures and tips for sensible water use to save money and help keep our reserves at sustainable levels.

Reduce single-use plastics

Certain single-use plastics are banned from sale or supply in Victoria. For more information to help your business understand and comply with the law, visit the Single-use plastics page of the Environment Protection Authority Victoria website.

Making the switch away from other non-banned single-use plastics can benefit your business, attract new customers and help protect the environment.

Avoiding single-use plastics is the simplest option you can take. Where avoidance isn’t possible, reusable alternatives are a good option.

The Single-use Plastic Bans page on Planet Ark’s Recycling Near You website includes information to consider when researching alternatives to single-use plastics.

Here are 4 tips to help you cut down on single-use plastics at your business:

• Brainstorm with your staff about ways to reduce single-use plastics and make a plan together.
• Think about what you’re giving out to your customers. What plastic products or packaging can you remove, reduce or replace with sustainable options? Talk with your suppliers about the alternatives they offer.
• Ask customers to bring in their own reusable coffee cups, takeaway containers and bags.
• Spread the word and get your customers on board. The more people who are aware of the issue and the solutions, the bigger the impact! This can include social media content and shop signage.

Business survey on environmental sustainability 

Between March and June 2021, we ran a survey to understand the sustainability issues that are important to you as a business and what support you need to be more environmentally sustainable. You can see the results of this survey in the Business sustainability survey - data report, available below.