Taking ESG Action Across Your Business
With your strategy in place, it is time to act. This section provides practical actions across all three ESG pillars — Environmental, Social and Governance — organised by maturity level so you can implement at the right pace for your business.
Putting Your ESG Strategy Into Practice
Taking action across Environmental, Social and Governance areas does not require doing everything at once. Use your maturity level as a guide — start with Foundation actions and progressively build toward Advanced and Expert over time.
Choose your pillar below to explore practical actions. Each pillar contains actions organised across all four maturity levels — Foundation, Advanced and Expert — with tips and examples relevant to tourism and hospitality businesses in the Mackay and Whitsundays region.
Energy Management
Understand and reduce energy use across your operations. Energy efficiency improvements can increase annual profits by between 2–10%.
- Audit your current energy use and identify the biggest draws
- Switch to energy-efficient LED lighting and appliances
- Install solar panels or purchase renewable energy
- Set measurable energy reduction targets with annual reviews
Water Conservation
Water is a precious resource in the region. Environmental certification programs can help save up to 7% in water costs.
- Track water consumption per guest or visitor day
- Install water-saving fixtures in bathrooms and kitchens
- Introduce linen and towel reuse programs for guests
- Explore rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling
Waste Reduction
Apply circular economy principles to eliminate waste and keep resources in use for as long as possible.1 Certification programs can save up to 15% in waste disposal costs.
- Audit waste streams — measure what goes to landfill, recycling and compost
- Remove single-use plastics from operations and events
- Partner with local composting or food rescue services
- Set a target to reduce landfill waste by a measurable percentage
Carbon and Emissions
Measure and reduce your carbon footprint across Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions categories. Start with what you can measure and build from there.
- Calculate your Scope 1 and 2 baseline from utility bills and fuel receipts
- Identify high-emission activities and set reduction targets
- Explore offset programs for unavoidable emissions
- Work toward a verified net zero commitment
Biodiversity and Natural Environment
Tourism in the Mackay Isaac region depends on the health of its natural environment, reef systems and native wildlife. Protect these assets through your operations.
- Avoid harmful chemicals in cleaning products near waterways
- Plant native species in grounds and gardens
- Develop a biodiversity policy and train staff on environmental care
- Partner with conservation organisations on reef and habitat programs
Sustainable Procurement
Choose suppliers and products that reduce your environmental impact — and support circular economy thinking throughout your supply chain.
- Prioritise local and seasonal produce to reduce food miles
- Choose suppliers with credible sustainability credentials
- Develop a sustainable procurement policy
- Set targets for locally sourced goods and services
Start Here — Foundation Actions
These actions can be implemented quickly with minimal cost and provide a strong starting point for your environmental performance.
Switch to LED lighting
Replace existing globes with energy-efficient LEDs across your property. Low cost with immediate energy savings.
Install water-saving fixtures
Fit low-flow showerheads and tap aerators. Simple and low-cost with measurable water savings from day one.
Set up recycling stations
Place clearly labelled recycling bins in guest areas, kitchens and back-of-house to reduce landfill waste immediately.
Remove single-use plastics
Replace plastic straws, single-serve toiletries and disposable cutlery with reusable or compostable alternatives.
Conduct a basic energy audit
Review your last 12 months of energy bills, identify peak usage periods and find your biggest consumption areas.
Write an environment policy
Draft a short, clear environmental commitment statement and share it with your team and on your website.
Health, Safety and Wellbeing
Protect your workforce through robust safety systems. A healthy and safe working environment is a core foundation of ESG’s Social pillar.
- Review and update your Work Health and Safety policy
- Ensure all staff complete WHS induction and ongoing training
- Introduce regular staff wellbeing check-ins
- Build a mental health support framework for your team
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
An empowered, diverse workforce drives innovation, reduces turnover and strengthens your business culture.
- Conduct a workforce diversity audit and identify gaps
- Review recruitment practices for unconscious bias
- Set targets for diversity in leadership and management roles
- Develop and publish a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policy
First Nations Engagement
Tourism in this region operates on Country. Respectful engagement with First Nations peoples, culture and knowledge is fundamental to social responsibility.
- Undertake cultural awareness training with your whole team
- Acknowledge Country in your operations, events and communications
- Engage and partner with local First Nations businesses and communities
- Develop a Reconciliation Action Plan
Community Contribution
Tourism businesses are significant community assets. Demonstrate your commitment through local investment, employment and partnerships.
- Prioritise local hiring and training programs
- Track and report the value of local procurement
- Support community events, sponsorships and volunteer activities
- Set a target for community investment as a percentage of revenue
Training and Development
Invest in your people. Skilled, well-supported staff deliver better guest experiences and contribute to a stronger, more resilient business.
- Create individual training and development plans for all staff
- Support ESG literacy across your team through education programs
- Fund access to external courses, certifications and industry events
- Measure and track training hours and outcomes annually
Human Rights and Fair Work
Protect the rights of your workforce and those in your supply chain. Human rights obligations extend beyond your direct employees.
- Review employment contracts for compliance with Fair Work standards
- Ensure freedom of association and right to collective bargaining
- Extend human rights expectations to your supplier code of conduct
- Publish a Modern Slavery statement if required or aspirationally
Start Here — Foundation Social Actions
These social actions are accessible for any business size and create immediate, meaningful impact for your team and community.
Review your WHS policy
Run a team ESG workshop
Start cultural awareness training
Identify local suppliers
Start staff wellbeing check-ins
Collect workforce diversity data
Policies and Compliance
A well-governed business has clear, documented policies that are communicated to staff and reviewed regularly.
- Audit your existing policies and identify critical gaps
- Develop or update key policies: environment, HR, procurement, privacy
- Establish a regular policy review cycle — at minimum annually
- Ensure all staff have access to and have read key policies
Privacy and Data Management
Managing customer and employee data responsibly is a core governance obligation — and increasingly expected by visitors and partners.
- Review your privacy policy for compliance with Australian Privacy Principles
- Ensure staff understand data handling obligations
- Conduct a data audit to understand what personal information you hold
- Publish a clear, accessible privacy policy on your website
Ethics and Business Conduct
Ethical business practices build trust with customers, staff, partners and community — and reduce exposure to corruption and legal risk.
- Develop or review your Code of Conduct
- Introduce an anti-bribery and corruption policy
- Establish a whistleblower or grievance reporting mechanism
- Conduct annual ethics training for all management and staff
Risk Management
A robust risk management framework protects your business from operational, reputational, financial and compliance risks across all three ESG pillars.
- Develop a formal business risk register covering E, S and G risks
- Assign risk ownership to specific team members
- Review and update your risk register at least annually
- Integrate ESG risk into your broader business continuity planning
Supply Chain Responsibility
Your ESG commitments extend to the businesses you work with. Responsible sourcing and supplier transparency are increasingly expected by partners and customers.
- Map your supply chain and assess key suppliers on ESG criteria
- Develop and share a supplier code of conduct
- Request sustainability information from key suppliers annually
- Prioritise suppliers with credible ESG credentials and local presence
Transparency and Reporting
Share your ESG performance with stakeholders — formally or informally. Transparency and credibility must underpin all of your communications relating to sustainability and ESG.
- Share progress informally through your website, social media or newsletter
- Prepare an annual ESG summary for key stakeholders
- Align reporting with a recognised framework such as GRI or TCFD
- Be transparent about setbacks as well as achievements
Start Here — Foundation Governance Actions
These governance actions establish the baseline policies, systems and practices every business should have in place.
Audit your existing policies
Review your privacy policy
Draft a Code of Conduct
Identify your top 5 risks
Add a sustainability page to your website
Map your key suppliers
ESG Action by Maturity Level
Use this table to understand what ESG action looks like at each stage of your maturity journey — and where to focus next.
| Focus Area | Foundation | Advanced | Expert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental | Switch to LED lighting, turn off equipment when not in use, set up recycling bins, identify and fix leaks. | Invest in energy efficient equipment, set waste management targets, develop a Climate Adaption Plan. | Implement advanced energy management systems, source energy from renewables, publicly commit to climate targets, eliminate single use plastics, become a leader in conservation, implement climate scenarios into business planning. |
| Social | Review employee contracts for compliance with legislation, enforce rest breaks, implement feedback systems, attend business networking meetings, participate in community events. | Develop employee handbooks and HR policies, conduct accessibility reviews and invest in CRM and cultural awareness training, implement a program for supporting local business. | Become a regional employer of choice, achieve certification in areas of excellence, help facilitate action across your supply chain, formalise support to local causes, champion cultural preservation. |
| Governance | Make a checklist of business requirements, assign team governance roles, share business values with the team. | Develop written policies for key areas around employee code of conduct, environmental policy and Health and Safety. Introduce a risk management register and review frequently. Increase transparency to customers and the public. Set regular reporting dates to stakeholders. | Implement internal audits or reviews, track ESG with metrics and feed into reporting and continuous improvement plans, map your value chain and stakeholders that influence your business and empower action across the chain, include ESG data alongside financial reporting. |
| Communications | Establish communication with stakeholders, share your commitment to sustainability publicly. | Annual ESG summary report; aligned to reporting framework. | Formal verified ESG report; industry benchmarking; certification display. |
How to Share Your ESG Progress
When you are ready, share your progress with visitors and key stakeholders. Choose to share formally or informally — and ensure transparency and credibility underpin all of your communications.
Website
Publish a dedicated sustainability or ESG page. Include your commitments, key actions and progress metrics.
Social Media
Share milestones, achievements and behind-the-scenes ESG action through your social channels regularly.
Newsletter
Include an ESG update in your regular stakeholder or customer newsletter — monthly or quarterly.
Annual Report
Publish a formal ESG or sustainability report annually — even a short summary builds significant credibility.
Supplier and Partner Sharing
Proactively share your ESG performance with supply chain partners before they ask. Builds trust and preference.
Industry Certification
Pursue recognised sustainability certification and display your credentials to visitors, partners and media.
Always communicate with transparency and credibility
Be transparent about setbacks or pain points, address challenges you face, and demonstrate accountability for areas you are focusing on. Greenwashing can seriously damage trust — only claim what you can evidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I prioritise which actions to take first?
Can I work on all three pillars at the same time?
How do I communicate ESG progress without greenwashing?
Ensure that transparency and credibility underpin all of your communications relating to sustainability and ESG. Practical steps include:
- Only make claims you can support with data or documented evidence
- Be honest about what you are still working on — visitors respect authenticity
- Avoid vague terms like “eco-friendly” without specific supporting detail
- Share your goals and timelines, not just your achievements
- Report on setbacks and challenges as well as successes
What sustainability certifications are relevant for tourism operators?
Several certification programs are relevant for Australian tourism operators, including Ecotourism Australia’s ECO Certification and Climate Action Business Certification, the Green Star rating system for buildings, and various industry association sustainability programs. Certifications validate your claims, provide a structured improvement pathway and signal credibility to visitors and supply chain partners. The toolkit encourages businesses to pursue certification as part of their Advanced and Expert maturity journey.
How do I engage my staff in ESG action?
Bring stakeholders — internal and external — on the journey through empowering action, regular communication and inclusion in the review and development of key processes. Practical engagement approaches include:
- Hold a staff workshop to introduce your ESG vision and gather ideas
- Assign ESG responsibilities to team members who are interested and passionate
- Celebrate milestones and recognise staff contributions to ESG goals
- Include ESG as a standing item in team meetings
- Provide training and resources to build ESG knowledge across your team
Ready to formalise your ESG performance?
Learn how to structure, report and communicate your ESG results with credibility.