On 15 March 2021, in collaboration with Edge Environment and the Global Product Stewardship Council, GECA was awarded a grant by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment to tackle the issue of commercial office furniture going to landfill. The group will use the funding to design a product stewardship scheme that will help reduce the estimated 30,000 tonnes of furniture – much of it in perfectly good condition – that ends up in Australia’s waste stream each year.

On 2 March, the GECA team took action and spent Business Clean Up Australia Day by the seaside at La Perouse. At first glance, the beaches seemed as clean and glistening as the ocean, but quickly the team uncovered an assortment of rubbish littered across the cliffs and sands. In fact, it was shockingly easy for us to fill up our bags.

Last week we were delighted to discover that our licensee, eWater Systems, have been announced as finalists in the 2020 Banksia Foundation Awards for both the Small Business Award and Ministers Award for the Environment.

Earlier this month, the Living Future Institute of Australia announced the appointment of its first industry-lead Technical Working Group after a public call for expressions of interest. Our Standards & Technical Officer, Deepali Ghadge, is one of the 18 appointed members, representing experts from a broad range of industries, organisations and experiences.

A new draft version of GECA’s standard for panel boards is now available for public comment! This standard seeks to define good environmental and social performance benchmarks for panel boards throughout their entire lifecycle.

Our CEO, Michelle Thomas, explores the tumultuous yet hopeful year that was 2020. From embracing circular solutions and a determination to build back better, to an increase in collaboration and much more!

A new draft version of GECA's standard for floor coverings is now available for public comment! This standard identifies the key environmental loads of floor coverings, including material content, adhesives, emissions during production and post-installation, energy use and waste, as well as product performance.

Last month our Business Development & Project Manager, Jess Mutton, completed the SA8000 Standard Introduction & Basic Auditor Training with Social Accountability International. The SA8000 Standard is a world-leading social certification program, providing a framework for businesses around the fair treatment of workers.

A new draft GECA standard for cleaning services is now available for public comment! We have created this standard to define environmental and social performance criteria for the provision of cleaning services, particularly the environmental impacts resulting from activities undertaken by service providers.

Since the start of 2020, Michelle Thomas has been our Acting CEO. We’re delighted to announce that the GECA Board has unanimously decided to appoint Michelle as our new permanent CEO.

A new draft version of GECA’s standard for carpets is now available for public comment! This standard identifies the significant impacts of the product category and sets specific requirements for performance, material content, adhesives, emissions, water consumption, energy use, and criteria for minimising waste.

In November, as a member of the B Corp Climate Collective, GECA joined leaders in business, technology, finance, environment and health to write a joint letter to all Members of Federal Parliament urging them to adopt the Climate Change Bill.

We designed this event to inspire, encourage collaboration and share sustainable solutions and innovations, bringing together government, businesses, and community to build a circular economy – all while celebrating World Ecolabel Day! You can now access recordings from the day.

GECA has joined the Trusted Labels Group (TLG) to utilise a range of resources and expertise to simplify and streamline labelling processes for stakeholders such as retailers. The group aims to identify common areas of interest and shared learnings while promoting the benefits of independent third-party certification.

The rise of circular economy thinking is creating new ways of approaching manufacturing and product stewardship across a breadth of markets. Buying products and materials made from recycled content is a significant step to shift our economy from linear to circular.

As a world-leading ecolabel focused on sustainable production and consumption, we know how crucial it is to tackle embodied and operational carbon in manufacturing, based on a life cycle approach. That’s why we are pleased to announce our support of WWF-Australia in calling for more action under a renewable recovery as we start to rebuild from COVID-19.

There has never been a more important time for government, businesses, and community to come together to build a circular economy! In collaboration with the City of Sydney, we present, Innovations for a Circular Economy, a half-day symposium streamed live from Customs House, Sydney.

Buildings and the construction industry in Australia have a significant environmental footprint, including waste generation, water consumption, energy usage and greenhouse emissions. Building and construction are responsible for 39% of all carbon emissions in the world. GECA is thrilled to announce Green Star recognition for six new standards, which make it easier for architects and other building professionals to select products and materials that are better for people and planet.

GECA has joined a group of Australian businesses, industry groups, universities and civil society organisations to urge the Federal Government to remain focused on the need for a sustainable future as it creates policies to aid recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Congratulations to the team at Bounce Rubber Bands for going beyond a self-declared claim and PROVING their claim via independent third-party assurance!