Job and Biz News with new GECA (Good Environmental Choice Australia) chief executive officer Joshua Begbie settling into his new role, he’s already appointed Ina Eileen Peukes as the new standards manager.
When The Fifth Estate caught up with Begbie about his new role, he said the new standards manager will be assisting with the implementation of his visions and strategies for GECA, including his concerns on green-hushing and green-washing.
“Having a third-party certifier can be a wonderful partner for people if they don’t have the expertise and need to outsource for someone to help them understand what does good,” Begbie said.
“Questions about green-washing and green hushing go away when somebody else has checked and verify what you are doing and gives you the ability to be confident in your messaging.”
With extensive experience in the NSW government and previously board secretary of the World Fair Trade Organisation in Asia, Begbie said the idea of “doing good” was what attracted him to the top role at GECA, along with the opportunity to solve problems for consumers and businesses.
“I think there is potential for growth in this space and if you look at the broader Australian landscape and look at what the ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) is doing [prosecuting companies for greenwashing], they are highlighting the fact that if we don’t get certification then consumers get confused, businesses are confused, and environmental outcomes suffer,” Begbie said.
“There is huge potential to keep growing in this space and I want us to be a part of the solution. We are all here, we have the tools, how can we help solve those problems for consumers and businesses and there’s a huge opportunity to embrace that once I settle into the role.”
Peukes has come from a background of environmental and sustainability roles from across the globe in organisations such as recruiter Hays, where she was in a sustainability role, and in German-based Ressourceneffizienz-Zentrum Bayern (REZ), EBP in Switzerland as well as the ACT state government.
Property Council to Clean Energy Finance Corporation
Tim Wheeler is moving on from the Property Council as National Policy Manager sustainability and regulatory affairs, and the hiccup is finding a replacement. His next role will be with the Clean Energy Finance Corporation as manager of strategic research programs.
But if the Property Council hopes to find a candidate to match Wheeler’s background, they might find the job harder than they’d like!
Wheeler, who’s got a French Zimbabwean background, has an undergraduate degree in marine science, a post graduate degree in environmental science and law from the University of Sydney and a sustainable finance degree from the University of Cambridge, the latter of which should come in handy in the next gig.
He’s moved around job-wise in all the right circles – The Green Building Council of Australia, the International Energy Agency, and the Property Council (where he’s moved to twice). The job is to fill the role previously held by Frankie Muskovic who moved to the national policy director role (but is now on maternity leave).
Jobs on Offer
Fresh food retailer Harris Farm Markets is looking for a full-time head of sustainability to lead development and execution of its sustainability agenda.
The role will involve monitoring, measuring, and improving outcomes.
It is a serious role. Successful applicants will need a tertiary qualification in sustainability or similar field, five years’ experience in sustainability management, experience with reporting and data analysis and strong management skills will give applicants the edge during application.
Stantec Australia is opening its sustainability graduate program, meaning newly or almost graduating students can now apply for a full-time role in sustainability at the company.
The role includes an accredited two-year graduate program that will provide opportunities to take student careers offshore, access global industry leaders, work on projects across the globe, mentoring and support while also enjoying employee benefits.
Renumeration ranges from $74,000 to $77,000 a year.
Graduates will either work in the buildings team in Queensland or the environment team in Victoria.
City of Subiaco
It gets hot in Perth and with the recent weather events in the northern hemisphere is likely to have sharpened the thinking of Subiaco City Council as it’s looking for a climate change officer to help with its city strategies to mitigate the risks associated with the impacts of climate change.
According to the job post, the creation of the role of climate change officer is due to restructuring and continued growth of the planning services team.
“The City of Subiaco is going through a transformation with significant change and evolution in terms of residential options, the commercial sector, retail, entertainment, leisure and recreation,” writes the council on their job post.
Mirvac’ is looking for a new national environmental social and corporate governance (ESG) manager to be responsible for mapping, articulating, and driving the division’s delivery of strategic ESG priorities.
Theres’s also a finance manager in ESG & financial reporting role on offer. And with all the disclosure roles coming down the pipe, this won’t be the only property company looking for skills in that area.
CBRE
We’re excited to be holding our final Electric Ideas masterclass #5 Portfolio Transition at the CBRE offices in Sydney as a hybrid event on 30 August, so couldn’t help but notice the company’s name pop up with a raft of jobs on offer to expand its ESG offering.
The roles include:
- three senior/associate director ESG – building consultant at Melbourne
- two senior/associate director ESG – building consultant at Brisbane
- two senior/associate director ESG – building consultant at Sydney