Compass Housing Services is one of seven Hunter-region-based institutions to have founded a task force to advocate and drive the local adoption of the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The group of businesses, not-for-profits and government bodies – Compass Housing Services, Port of Newcastle, City of Newcastle, Hunter Water, Kumalie, Port Waratah Coal Services and University of Newcastle – have committed to raising awareness and actively implementing the SDGs in the region.
The establishment of the Task Force follows the UN’s launch a decade of action to deliver the global goals.
Compass has taken a lead role in advocating for sustainability nationally and internationally particularly through the promotion of the implementation of the UN SDGs and New Urban Agenda (NUA). Group Managing Director, Greg Budworth, is Vice President of the UN Habitat General Assembly of Partners.
Initiatives include:
- integrating the SDGs into Compass’ strategic plan, business systems and its People, Place, Performance (PPP) programs to help deliver sustainable tenancies, social regeneration and increase social and economic participation
- aligning business operations to the SDGs to play its part in ending poverty, protecting the planet and ensuring prosperity for all
- giving all staff have KPIs on sustainability and waste and emissions reduction
- hosting the International Congress of Affordable Living in Sustainable Cities in November 2018 and co-organising other NUA and SDG events
- achieving Gold Partner Status in the NSW Government’s Sustainability Advantage Recognition Scheme
- the appointment of a Sustainability Manager who was named 2019 sustainability champion in the NSW Government’s Sustainability Advantage Recognition Scheme.
Sustainability is at the heart of Compass’ operations because it makes good business sense. Underpinning the commitment to sustainability is a belief that safe, affordable and adequate housing is a basic human right.
Compass works with its tenants help them to participate in building resilient, sustainable and inclusive communities.
The New Urban Agenda (NUA) is the outcome document from the UN Habitat lll Conference held in Quito in 2016. Australia is one of 193 nations to adopt the 2015 SDGs and one of 167 signatory nations to the NUA.
Information on how the SDGs and the New Urban Agenda align is available at https://www.sdgsnewurbanagenda.com.
Task Force members are sharing resources and are running a webinar series. These are open to anyone interesting in advancing or learning more about SDGs.
Compass is calling on other Hunter organisation to join the Task Force.
For more information go to huntersdgtaskforce.org
