Authorities consultancy Proximity has launched its inaugural affect report, which outlines the agency’s success in turning into carbon impartial and its progress on different neighborhood initiatives.
Alongside reaching internet zero, different highlights over the previous 12 months included Proximity’s largest ever contribution of professional bono hours to non-profits, and its work on a variety of initiatives which is able to ship lasting neighborhood affect.
Established in Canberra in 2011 with additional shops in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide, Proximity brings collectively consulting, authorized and industrial companies for presidency purchasers and different giant organisations throughout the nation.
Proximity CEO Zoe Lynam mentioned the discharge of its inaugural affect report marked an essential milestone, with the agency having been pushed by making a optimistic affect and serving to to create a sustainable future since inception; “We all know our purchasers and staff wish to accomplice with moral, purpose-driven organisations, and we’re dedicated to assembly these expectations,” she said.
At present with a headcount of round 120 consultants, Proximity additional mentioned its first affect report – which highlights its achievements throughout the three pillars of environmental stewardship, social duty, and consumer affect – would function a benchmark in measuring ongoing progress because the agency continues to develop and endeavours to embed ESG into each side of its operations.
Headlining the report was Proximity’s success in attaining internet carbon neutrality, with the promise of sustaining that standing on the trail to zero emissions. Measures taken to cut back the agency’s footprint embrace lowering non-essential journey and a brand new workplace fit-out prioritising sustainability, whereas additionally decarbonising its provide chain and making the change to sustainable alternate options.
Zoe Lynam is the CEO of Proximity
Social affect
Proximity’s procurement has additionally had some adjustments with respect to commitments undertaken within the agency’s Replicate RAP, which along with participating with Indigenous suppliers and company companions additional consists of embedding cultural sensitivity into its service supply. Proximity is at the moment evaluating its progress with a view to transferring onto the Innovate RAP stage over the approaching 12 months.
Progressing reconciliation and empowerment is moreover a spotlight of the agency’s CSR program, along with enhancing psychological well being and the prevention of home and household violence. Presently supporting six neighborhood organisations, Proximity final 12 months supplied greater than 160 days value of service, its largest ever complete and valued at round $370,000 along with donations.
“We see the true worth of professional bono work for each the communities we serve and our staff’s sense of objective,” Lynam mentioned. “We now have exceeded the Australian Professional Bono Centre’s voluntary and aspirational goal of 35 professional bono hours per lawyer every year for the previous six years, and we foster alternatives and encourage our staff to get entangled throughout all three of our observe areas.”
Past its charitable contribution, Proximity nonetheless goals to ship lasting social affect by means of the initiatives it undertakes. As simply a few examples from final 12 months, the agency supplied a procurement danger administration evaluate for the NDIS High quality and Safeguards Fee, and carried out work on a system to enhance the Murray-Darling Basin water buying program.
