Educate for the sake of the future

Ulrike Schuermann looks to the future and asks what do Australian children need and what can the public and the government do to help protect them and make their lives more secure?

Children are naturally vulnerable and most people wish to ensure they are protected and grow up to reach their full potential regardless of their background and circumstances. There are many individual issues that affect the quality of childhood. These include their health and  mental health, the provision of sufficient opportunities and the quality of their education to name just a few.

Let’s break the population taboo

Together we can change our world

When most people think Girl Guides they probably don’t think of progressive girls and young women who play a significant advocacy role in local and global issues?

Well,  think again everybody!

This is precisely what the 10 million members of the world’s largest  volunteer organisation for girls and young women do, with memberships across 145 countries including Australia.

The girl effect

The girl effect: girl + school + cow > cows > buisness > $ > clean H20 > social change > stronger economy = better world!

On the 8 March 2011 we will be celebrating the centennary of International Women’s Day – a good occasion to remind us of the plight of girls around the world.

Did you realise that currently:

• Women work two-thirds of the world’s working hours, produce half the world’s food, and yet earn only 10 % of the world’s income and own less than 1% of the world’s property?
• Women make up 70% of the worlds 1.3 billion people who live in poverty?
• Women over the age of 15 in the least developed countries are twice as likely to be illiterate than men.

The solution? Social investment in girls.

Creating a movement for positive change

The beginning of a new year offers an opportunity for a fresh start full of good intentions.

2010 marked the beginning of a new decade with great hopes for sustainable development including biodiversity – but – it was not a good year for global sustainable development. It was marked  and marred by an entirely preventable, highly publicised, major environmental disaster and, in the main, a “business as usual” approach.

It was also marked by increased calls for true sustainability versus the rhetoric of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and its various incarnations.

So what kind of year will 2011 become and be remembered for?

Will it become known as the year where we galavanise into  positive action? Will it be remembered for a substantial swing towards long term planning?

Medium sized enterprises united through First 5000

Sustainability initiatives are often focused on corporate Australia, First 5000 brings together an influential group of medium sized businesses creating an opportunity to advance sustainable practices in their section of the market.

According to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) SMEs account for about 90 per cent of business worldwide, employing 50 to 60 per cent of the world’s workforce.

In Australia, Australian Bureau of Statistics data indicate small businesses in Australia comprise up to 89 per cent of all employing enterprises, with medium businesses making up another 10 per cent.

The SME sector is not only huge but also extremely diverse – with  60% of all of these businesses not having any employees – this diversity creates challenges on many levels and  areas including responsible business practices,  corporate sustainability and philanthropy.