ONE MAN’S MISSION TO SAVE SEALS AND BUILDING BETTER BUSINESSES FOR PLANET OCEAN

At the core of what we aim to do with OIO is to expand the role and volume of ‘good businesses’ to help create an abundant and sustainable future on Planet Ocean. So when it came time to approach businesses to sponsor The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2020, we went straight to the ‘home’ of good business, the BCorp Australia/NZ website.

B Corps are for-profit companies that meet rigorous standards relating to social and environmental impact and accountability. This means that social and environmental outcomes are integrated into a company’s mission and approach to doing business.

B Lab certification means passing an Impact Assessment and signing a ‘Declaration of Interdependence’, committing to ongoing consideration of multiple stakeholder interests and “using business as a force for good”. B Lab was founded in 2006 and has now expanded worldwide across diverse geographical locations and industry sectors. We are happy to see B Corp certification is up 58% in Australia since 2018.

Pitchfest 2020 IG posts - OIO branded2.png

From this exercise in investigating aligned B Corps we were thrilled to secure Bank Australia, who celebrated becoming a certified B Corp in June this year, as our Presenting Partner of The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2020. As Australia’s first customer-owned bank, and the first Australian bank to be fueled by 100% renewable electricity, the certification is well deserved. Joining the 10% of the approximately 3000 B Corps worldwide that reside in Australia and NZ, customers of Bank Australia can sleep well knowing that their funds will never be invested into harmful industries like fossil fuels, live animal export, gambling, weapons sales, and tobacco.

In 2017 Bank Australia released their 10-year strategy for the Bank Australia Conservation Reserve, a 927 hectare area of land in Victoria that is protected from further development and home to hundreds of native plant and animal species. We’re thrilled to now have Bank Australia helping us to create an abundant and sustainable ocean as our Pitchfest Presenting Partner.

Episode 26: Banking on a Better Future with Fiona Nixon from Bank Australia.

In this episode of The Ocean Impact Podcast Tim speaks with Fiona Nixon, the Head of Strategy and Communications at Bank Australia. With Bank Australia being the Presenting Partner of The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2020 we thought it was important to dive deep into the origins, focus and future of this unique customer-owned financial institution.

Many people likely know (or care) very little about the impact their bank balance, mortgage or investments have on people and the planet. As long as the money is there and going up (savings/ investments) and going down (mortgage/debts) then we’re happy.

But an increasing number of conscious consumers care deeply about the impact their funds are having on issues they are passionate about such as: climate change, social justice, inequality, gambling, arms, conservation and animal rights. Movements to divest dollars (particularly superannuation) from institutions and funds embroiled in such investments are growing rapidly alongside increases in ‘shareholder activism’ and the demand for ESG (environmental, social, governance) reform in boardrooms and businesses.

Bank Australia has purpose at its core. Originally established as a credit union for scientists from the CSIRO, the bank has evolved with a purpose built on ‘clean money’ and ‘responsible banking’ to service the growing demands of conscious consumers, future thinkers and everyday bankers alike. A recently certified BCorp, you won’t find many other banks with a carbon neutral stamp and a 954 hectare conservation reserve to their name.

As Head of Strategy and Communications at Bank Australia, Fiona is responsible for the bank’s strategy function and its engagement and communication with staff and customers. Fiona also oversees the Bank Australia Impact Fund, through which the bank invests 4% of after tax profits to create positive social and environmental outcomes.

For more information on Bank Australia please visit: https://www.bankaust.com.au/

Listen and watch Episode 26 by using the following links:

Can One Person Really Make a Positive Impact on The Ocean?

With the vast array of complex problems facing Planet Ocean it can often feel like one person’s efforts to help are a proverbial drop in the ocean.

When facing the enormous statistics about the amount of plastic pollution entering the ocean every day, week, month and year you could be forgiven for wanting to throw hands in the air and ‘give up’. But thankfully there are people out there who won’t give up - who despite adversity and challenges will do all in their power to be the embodiment of the future they want to see.

Episode 27: Saving Seals and Inspiring the Masses with Naude Dreyer from Ocean Conservation Namibia

In this episode of The Ocean Impact Podcast we caught up with Naude Dreyer from Ocean Conservation Namibia via Instagram Live to learn more about the incredible work Naude and his team are doing to rescue entangled seals from Pelican Point near Walvis Bay in Namibia.

Growing up with conservation in his blood, Naude was always passionate about protecting innocent wildlife from human impacts but it was first hand exposure to the increasing problem of seal entanglement on kayak tours near Pelican Point that inspired him to make it his life’s work. Now Naude along with his family and a growing tribe of supporters make it a regular mission to visit the local seal colony (of 30,000-60,000 seals), carefully identify entangled individuals before embarking on a spectacular race to intercept the seal before they make their way back into the ocean. Over 1200 seals have been rescued to date.

The seals Naude rescues are playful creatures that unfortunately find themselves entangled in the increasing plastic and fishing pollution from the local shipping/ fishing port. What is initially a fun game becomes a life sentence for these seals, unless of course Naude and his team come to the rescue. The seals are not a protected or endangered species and are often seen as a pest, taking fish that would otherwise be stock for local fisheries - creating long term change is Naude’s mission but it won’t be easy.

It’s not uncommon to find passionate conservationists in communities the world over who make it their mission to to rescue, rehabilitate and protect wildlife. What makes Naude unique is that he has taken to documenting each rescue and providing a data driven insight into the problem in this small patch of Planet Ocean. Naude, armed with a GoPro and some basic video editing skills has rapidly amassed a YouTube following of over 245,000 subscribers to his Ocean Conservation Namibia account and 82,000 followers to his @namib_naude account (at 16th Sept 2020).