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The long road to corporate transparency

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These days, you’d be hard pressed to find a company without a corporate social responsibility program or structure.

But accountability and transparency around the good these programs actually achieve is one of the biggest issues that remains for corporations globally.

It’s why Bernhardt, a former investment banker, started Informed 365. It’s a software platform that helps organisations of any size collect supply chain information to help make informed and responsible decisions around climate change resilience, greenhouse gas monitoring, diversity and working conditions.

And with companies that turn over an annual revenue of $100 million now required to report on their supply chains under the federal government’s Modern Slavery Act, Bernhardt’s platform has never been more relevant or beneficial.

In 2019, the organisation teamed up with The Property Council of Australia in an industry first collaboration to help the property industry and its members take a proactive approach to engaging their suppliers around modern slavery risks.

In this week’s Changmaker, Bernhardt discusses the long road ahead to achieving corporate sustainability goals, the advice that guides him, and how jumping from finance to social purpose has changed his world view.

Where did the idea for Informed 365 come from?

There is a disconnect between the environmental, social, governance space and business. And so we wanted to reduce that gap or that disconnect by offering a tech-based solution that really focuses on visualising key data that underpins why it’s very relevant for business to behave in a socially and environmentally acceptable manner.

Do you believe you are having an impact? 

We are still hurtling down a path that is not very good for humanity on this planet, but we are seeing quite a few large organisations beginning to take issues such as climate change, modern slavery and environmental degradation seriously. So I think we’re beginning to see some grassroots developments on that front where organisations are beginning to not just provide lip service in that space but also underpin it with sometimes quite challenging targets around greenhouse gas emissions, and renewable energy.

I think the space in the last five years has developed a lot quicker than it did in the previous 10 years. So that’s possibly a good sign of things to come.

What’s some of the best advice that you’ve had that has guided you throughout your career? 

I’ve received a lot of great advice over the years, but if I was going to pick one it would be 100 per cent total transparency and honesty. Following that has served me in good stead. That’s what our company believes in, and that’s what we live and breathe.

And how has the experience of running Informed 365 changed your outlook on the world?

I used to be an investment banker, so I’ve come from the dark side. And so just being in this space has changed my view on a lot of things, particularly around questioning how sustainable our lifestyle is. I really think that humanity is literally its worst enemy as far as being able to live on this planet in a sort of sustainable collaboration with the rest of the ecosystem, and so we need to find solutions to that as fast as we can.

By Maggie Coggan  |  Journalist  |  @MaggieCoggan

Maggie Coggan is a journalist at Pro Bono News covering the social sector.

Live Webinar: Unchain Modern Slavery

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Live Webinar: How our experts dealt with the practical challenges of complying with the Modern Slavery Act during COVID-19

Is your business finalising its first Modern Slavery Statement, only to find that COVID-19 has complicated the situation?

Complying with Australia’s Modern Slavery Act (Cth) has proven challenging enough in normal times, and is particularly difficult during COVID-19 as a business focuses on staying afloat.

We’ve joined forces with CIPS QLD Committee to bring you experts Renea Jaeger (NIB Group), Aaron Hills (Coles), and Dr Tingting Liu (Griffith University) to answer your questions.

In this webinar, you will learn:

    • How our experts have addressed the challenges of modern day slavery in their supply chains
    • The challenges and learnings our experts took away from their practical experience with the Modern Slavery Act
    • How ready the construction industry is to meet its obligations under the Modern Slavery Act

The webinar will be hosted and moderated by Andrew Banks.

When: 25 September 2020 at 12PM AEST

A new partnership between Informed 365 and Living Future Institute of Australia will help corporate to be more socially responsible

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Click on the image to go to the interview.

How Informed 365 can Partner with Sustainability Consultants to Customise Reporting Applications

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Over the last few years, we’ve developed a close relationship with the team at Edge Environment This culminated in us working together to deliver the Property Council of Australia’s supplier platform for modern slavery reporting.

Edge Environment interviewed our CEO, Nicholas Bernhardt, about the the project, the partnership, and what the future looks like for modern slavery action in Australia.

What does Informed 365 do, in a nutshell?
Informed 365 has one simple mission: we want to help users see and understand their ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) data. If we can help our clients – from non-profits to global enterprises and governments – to visualise critical data in a meaningful way, we believe it will help them make more informed decisions, and ultimately drive better outcomes.

How did the PCA project come about?
During conversations with some of Australia’s largest property groups, it quickly became apparent that there were huge synergies to be gained, and duplication to be avoided, if companies worked together. A few key partners took the bull by the horns and defined a shared approach, and managed to get others on board with the idea. We were lucky enough to be selected – along with Edge! – as the ones to help them put that vision into practice.

Why did you partner with Edge?
We’re, first and foremost, a technology company. We’re not modern slavery experts! As such, we needed a partner we could work whose skills and knowledge could complement our tech solutions. We had already been in discussion with the Edge team about their work on sustainable procurement and modern slavery for a while when the PCA opportunity came up, and it was the ideal chance to put our ideas into practice. We focused on designing the IT solution, while Edge led the risk assessment and supplier questionnaire development. It was the perfect match!

What other industries do you see as having potential for collaboration on modern slavery?
It’s an approach that, frankly, could benefit everyone. Whether it’s with us or another company, there’s no doubt that there are benefits to businesses working together. By doing so, they can reduce the cost and administration burdens on suppliers, reduce risk, share knowledge and, perhaps most importantly in the context of Modern Slavery, increase impact.

We’re about to launch two more industry shared applications: one in the health care insurance space, and another covering energy/utilities. But hopefully that’s just the tip of the iceberg. People are increasingly realising that Modern Slavery isn’t about gaining a competitive edge, and that there’s everything to gain by collaborating.

What does Informed365 see as the big focus for year 2 of the Modern Slavery Act?
This year most organisations are focusing on the basics such as data collection, visualisation, and initial staff and supplier engagement. But we’re already seeing progressive organisations moving onto the next step – i.e. delving deeper into risk hotspots that they find and putting in place processes to eliminate modern slavery if and when it is identified in supply chains.

We’re constantly building out and enriching our platform to help clients monitor progress against key metrics, and with so many clients in place we’re in a position to rapidly roll out innovations across our network. It’s a pretty fast-moving space to be working in, so we’re all learning from each other as we go.

By Richard Griffiths

Modern slavery and COVID-19: The importance of addressing the increased risks in supply chains

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Pay cuts, reduced hours, staff stood down or retrenched – this is the confronting reality for workers and business owners across the nation – the economic consequences of COVID-19 throwing supply chains into chaos.

The Institute for Supply Management has found that nearly 75% of companies have reported supply chain disruption. While some industries like supermarkets and grocery stores, alcohol and home office supplies have seen a surge in demand, others are or have been exposed to often significant negative consequences of unstable supply chains. The International Labour Organization has reported that due to catastrophic economic downturn, an additional 63.9 million workers across the world will work in poverty as a result of the pandemic. The additional pressure of “normal production” is threatening livelihoods and increasing the risk of modern slavery in Australian businesses and organisations.

Modern slavery describes serious exploitation in the workplace, such as human trafficking, slavery, servitude and forced labour, amongst others. Findings from the Global Slavery Index estimate there were approximately 15,000 people living in “conditions of modern slavery” in Australia in 2016.

The coronavirus crisis is different from others. Looking past the imminent threat to public health, mandatory lockdowns and the closure of international borders have resulted in a sharp decline in income-generating activities. This has caused cash-strapped businesses to cut costs, potentially pushing their workforce into ethically questionable situations.

Industries such as agriculture, construction and property, and garments and textiles all involve high-risks of modern slavery in Australia – and this was already the case well before large queues were forming outside of Centrelink. Opportunities to exploit at-risk workers are heightened during times of crisis where people may:

  • Experience loss of income;
  • Have low awareness of workplace rights;
  • Are required to work excessive overtime;
  • Have increased work demand due to supply chain shortages; and 
  • Have the inability to return safely for home countries.

To avoid subjecting at-risk workers to heightened risks of modern slavery, Australian organisations and companies need to take a collaborative, solutions-focused approach to this human rights issue. This starts with transparency.

Transparency is key in creating and maintaining a socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable supply strategy. Supply chain visibility and traceability allows companies to identify and address risks. The disclosure of information helps tackle inequities head-on and avoid the reputational costs that come with unsociable practice.

While risks of modern slavery have accelerated and expanded in reach since the initial disruptions to day-to-day life, it is up to companies and business owners to maintain supplier relationships and foster open communication channels around COVID-19. This includes honoring ongoing contracts and avoiding short production windows, last-minute orders, onerous terms and conditions or unreasonable cost reduction demands to keep third-party workers in stable employment.

Suppliers, workers, business peers, investors and guidance groups also need to band together to identify a best practice approach to protect and support vulnerable workers. Just look to Woolworths who – early in the outbreak – offered to redeploy some of QANTAS’s 20,000 redundant staff to help serve the influx of customers in-store, restock shelves and drive delivery vans. This collaborative decision provided a lifeline and source of income for thousands.

Australian businesses and entities should look for longevity in their approach and take this opportunity to commit to positive, sustainable and enduring change. Key international resources such as the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre and the Ethical Trading Initiative should be used on an ongoing basis to guide business practices. These legislations and policies support the application of relevant changes in line with the current trading climate, strengthening strategy and process development.

This time of uncertainty has exposed the need for entities – big and small – to take proactive steps to assess and address their modern slavery risks and report on actions in accordance to the Commonwealth Modern Slavery Act 2018. Practicing human rights, fair trade and following ethical labour guidelines should be an ongoing part of every business strategy and process. It is imperative that we, as a society, move towards a structure that eradicates injustices and promotes ethical, economic, social and environmental sustainability.

By Nicholas Bernhardt, CEO of Informed 365

Photo by perry c on Unsplash

How COVID-19 can push modern slavery into the Australian supply chain

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This year we have seen a complete overhaul of everyday life due to COVID-19. The ever-changing restrictions and abrupt changes to society have meant most industries have had to adapt and meet regulatory operating guidelines. Under pressure, standards of quality and morality can often be weakened and the phrase ‘desperate times call for desperate measures’ can begin to take effect.

COVID-19 has turned international and national trade on its head as boarders are shut, factories halt production, and demand for essential products far outweighs supply capabilities. The Institute for Supply Management has found that nearly 75% of companies have reported supply chain disruption. The repercussions can be debilitating as workers, who are often already on minimum wage, are left seeking alternative income putting the defenseless at a greater risk of modern slavery.

Modern slavery describes serious exploitation in the workplace, such as human trafficking, slavery, servitude and forced labour, amongst others. Findings from the Global Slavery Index estimate there were approximately 15,000 people living in “conditions of modern slavery” in Australia in 2016.

With countries like America using prison labour to create medical-grade facemasks and hand sanitiser in exchange for less than minimum wage, the Western world is certainly not immune to exploitation. Opportunities to exploit Australians are heightened during times of crisis where people may:

  • experience loss of income
  • have low awareness of workplace rights
  • are required to work excessive overtime
  • have increased work demand due to supply chain shortages and
  • have the inability to return safely to home countries.

The ‘desperate times call for desperate measures’ mindset can lead to exploitation of workers as they look for a secure source of stable income. Unfortunately, it is common for the vulnerable to be deceived and led into manipulative circumstances, only to realise their situation when it is too late. Thus, the cycle continues.

To avoid subjecting vulnerable workers to this kind of treatment, it requires both big and small organisations to seek transparency from their suppliers and third-party operators. Transparency is key in creating and maintaining a sustainable supply strategy – socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable.

It is crucial that businesses maintain supplier relationships and keep communication open around the risks associated with COVID-19. It is essential that organisations are liaising with their suppliers to ensure vulnerable workers are supported by being flexible and adapting to the current situation. Communication is key in reinforcing rights and roles with all operational parties – that is from the CEO down to the line workers. Access to sick and carers leave, the correct protective equipment, the availability of grievance mechanisms and whistleblowing options, and the confirmed knowledge of increased cleaning in workplace facilities are all within employee rights.

Collaborating with support networks such as employees, investors, civil society, peak bodies and suppliers is the best method in creating a solutions-based approach – particularly when adapting to industry changes to safeguard ethical workplaces. This includes educating staff around the current situation and identifying what modern slavery is and how it can happen during the existing pandemic.

Finally, being aware of both national and international legislation and resources in line with the current trading climate will support operations and assist practical application of any relevant changes. Staying up to date with human rights, fair trade and fair labour guidelines should be an ongoing practice in day-to-day trading. If we can learn anything from COVID-19, it is the importance of ethical and transparent trade.

The current pandemic has exposed imperfections in the stringent money-saving processes that put thousands of workers at risk just by going to work every day. Now is a time to inflict change on the current supply chain format to sustain ethical Australian businesses practices long into the future.

By Nicholas Bernhardt,CEO of Informed 365

Image by Logan Weaver

Government extends reporting deadlines for entities required to comply with the Modern Slavery Act 2018

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The Assistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs, the Hon Jason Wood MP, today announced the Australian Government will extend the deadline for entities due to lodge statements in 2020 under the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (the Act) by three months.
This three month deadline extension applies to all reporting entities under the Act operating on reporting periods that end on or before 30 June 2020.
“The Government’s decision to temporarily extend reporting deadlines under the Modern Slavery Act recognises that the coronavirus pandemic is causing significant and unprecedented disruption for Australian businesses and global supply chains,” Assistant Minister Wood said.
“Now more than ever, it is vital that entities continue to take action to combat modern slavery risks in their global operations and supply chains and report on these actions through their modern slavery statements.”
“This three month deadline extension will provide reporting entities with additional time to assess changing modern slavery risks linked to the coronavirus pandemic and help ensure that they are able to comply with their legislative obligations.”
Further information about the deadline extension and advice for reporting entities about responding to the impacts of coronavirus is available on the Department of Home Affairs’ website: https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about-us/our-portfolios/criminal-justice/people-smuggling-human-trafficking/modern-slavery“
Source: https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/jasonwood/Pages/government-extends-reporting-deadlines.aspx
Photo by Scott Graham on Unsplash

Property Council of Australia Develops Platform for Modern Slavery Data

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The Property Council of Australia (PCA) is leading a collaborative group of the 17 largest property companies in developing a tech platform that gathers and collates information from industry suppliers on their modern slavery exposures in operations and supply chain.

Robin Mellon, CEO of Better Sydney and member of the Australian government’s Modern Slavery Expert Advisory Group. The collaborative group, which includes Vicinity, Dexus, Mirvac and others, have paid for the development of a tech solution via Informed 365 to gather pre-competitive information from more than 1,000 supplier companies in the cleaning and security sectors in its pilot phase. The goal is to create a single source of reporting for suppliers and a pool of information that property companies can use when developing their Modern Slavery statements in accordance with the Australian Modern Slavery Act.

“This is a way of trying to look at the information and look at not just what do we know about our suppliers and what they know, and how they assess and address risks, but also what happens when we look at the suppliers all at once,” said Robin Mellon, CEO of Better Sydney and member of the Australian government’s Modern Slavery Expert Advisory Group. “The 17 largest property companies that are involved have a lot of shared suppliers, so how do we make this as easy as possible to collect the information, and how do we make it as easy as possible for the suppliers to report?”

“Informed 365 worked with the Property Council of Australia to develop a self-assessment questionnaire for suppliers to report on their modern slavery exposures, management and monitoring processes, as well as a risk framework to allow the property companies to assess their exposures to their tier one and tier two suppliers”, said Nicholas Bernhardt, CEO of Informed 365.

“To test the process, Informed 365 and the Property Council of Australia decided to focus on the cleaning and security sectors in its pilot stage, because those two supplier sectors were identified as bearing higher risk of modern slavery violations. The process of communicating to the common suppliers for the participating companies, as well as the collection and collation of data was a learning process”, Bernhardt said.

“The primary learning was we have to also advise the suppliers why they’re filling in these forms,” Bernhardt said. “A lot of them say, modern slavery, never heard of this, why bother? So we had to develop and provide educational material as part of this to give the suppliers a bit of clarity around why they’re completing this. The second learning was that to drive completion rates up, we have to automate email reminders, which is something that is an integral part of the solution.”

“Providing suppliers with education about modern slavery, the Modern Slavery Act, and how to fill out the questionnaire was integral to the solution because part of the proposal was to build out supplier knowledge and capability to provide more transparency year on year,” Mellon said.

“One of the outcomes from the project is that, understandably, everybody is at different levels of knowledge and maturity,” Mellon said. “If organisations do a little bit of learning through each period, by the time the next supplier assessment comes around, they are almost always in a better place.”

Acting as a collaborative group also allows the property sector to use its economies of scale to work with suppliers domestically and internationally to improve their practices around modern slavery.

Informed 365 is working more than 3,000 Australian companies that are legally required to report under the Modern Slavery Act, meaning that there are other industry applications beyond the property sector.

“At this stage, we’re about to launch two more industry specific standards, relating to the healthcare insurance sector and the energy utility sector,” Bernhardt said. “The idea behind that is to standardise the self-assessment questionnaire. We have the PCA data, and we’ll likely have 50,000 supplier companies in that database in 12 months’ time. We have the same in the healthcare one as well, and it’d be sad if the data wasn’t integrated.”

“That’s the other idea – what we’re also thinking of is opening up the back end for suppliers to say, here are the standardised set of questions, answer them once here, and try to develop a standard, because otherwise we’d have a siloed solution. About 80% of the questions would be generic, with 20% that are industry specific.”

By Rachel Alembakis

Publisher/Editor at The Sustainability Report

Rachel Alembakis has published The Sustainability Report since 2011. She has more than a decade of experience writing about institutional investments and pension funds for a variety of publications.

 

The Gold Coaster Tackling Modern Slavery

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He’s one Gold Coast local who is doing his part to make the world a better place and in ways many of us couldn’t even imagine.

We sat down for a chat with Nicholas Bernhardt about abolishing modern slavery and exactly what we can do to help.

How long have you been a Gold Coast local?
I moved to the Gold Coast in 1999. I first lived in Tallebudgera and have now been in Currumbin Valley for seven years and love it there.

What do you love most about living here?
I love the combination hinterland / beaches plus the beautiful weather.

Can you give us an overview of your business Informed 365?
Informed 365 is a tech company that helps businesses in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) space. We manage, monitor and visualise data to ensure our clients make better, more informed decisions.

How are you tackling modern slavery in Australia and abroad?
With the passing of the Modern Slavery Act in Australia in late 2018 companies with a turnover of over $100 million have to prepare an annual Modern Slavery statement. We provide our clients with real-time dashboards and easy-to-use analytics functionality to drive visibility and transparency in their supply chains.

People may not be aware that slavery still exists, can you give us some more information…
This may surprise some people but in Australia there are currently an estimated 4,000 – 10,000 people living in slave-like conditions. In America, the number is a staggering 400,000 and worldwide there are between 40 million to 80 million slaves. After the drug trade, slavery is the second largest criminal “industry”. The Modern Slavery Act defines that modern slavery includes eight types of serious exploitation: trafficking in persons; slavery; servitude; forced marriage; forced labour; debt bondage; deceptive recruiting for labour or services; and the worst forms of child labour. The worst forms of child labour mean situations where children are subjected to slavery or similar practices, or engaged in hazardous work.

How did your business come about?
I used to be an investment banker and decided I wanted to help the corporate world “do the right thing” with regards to both their environmental and social activities. Corporations have in the past, solely been focusing on profits and shareholder value. It is time that purpose, environmental and social stewardship become an embedded, equally important part of every organisation’s vision and strategy.

What’s the plan for the future for you and the business?
Last year Andrew Banks (Morgan & Banks, Talent 2 and Australian Shark Tank) became an investor in Informed 365 and we are looking to expand into new markets with more innovations in the CSR space. We are continuously looking for new tech solutions to help organisations navigate their sustainability journey.

How can we help?
Be conscious – live a more sustainable life, be kind to your fellow human beings and animals and plant trees.

Tell us your favourites on the Coast:
Cafe for breakfast: Pasture & Co in the Eco Village in Currumbin Valley or simply at home with my family and dogs!
Coffee spot: I’m a tea man but I do love the Pavilion in Burleigh (not that tea is my beverage of choice there…). Having said that, there are some great little tea / coffee places in James Street in Burleigh.
Restaurant for dinner: We love heading to Balboa or trying out any of the restaurants in the casino. A couple of weeks before COVID-19 struck, we discovered a very nice little Italian restaurant in Coolangatta called Radici and are looking forward to going back again, once the world returns to normal.
How does your weekend usually look: Bushwalking, gardening and playing with our 7-year old daughter Florence. I love spending time in the garden where we are revegetating a 10 acre block to bring back the native wildlife.

Working from home – how Informed 365 increase productivity

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With a growing number of employees encouraged or directed to work from home during the coronavirus outbreak, the largest work-from-home experiment is testing Australian businesses and employees.

Having worked remotely for over ten years, my team at Informed 365 have become highly skilled at maintaining a success business with high productivity. All while securing big name clients like the Property Council of Australia and Michael Hill, from our own homes.

We are fortunate that our work, which is the development of software applications in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) space, allows us to run our operations virtually. We provide software applications to organisations for ethical supply chain management (including Modern Slavery), Business Intelligence and Climate Change resilience and adaptation.

Studies show working from home can lead to increased productivity, if employees work smarter. However, working smarter can be difficult for the ad hoc home offices being set up across Australia, with countless distractions including kids, pets, television and the comfort of your own bed, all beckoning your name.

There are two key considerations when working successfully from home

A. Discipline and;
B. Honesty

Self-discipline can sound harsh, however at its core this just means training yourself to do the right thing. We allow our team members to work by their own rules, if they are still working. This allows our staff to sign in for the hours that work best for them – this may be beginning early in the morning or splitting your day into two chunks with a long break in the middle. So long as we are seeing the team perform within these hours, we are succeeding.

Discipline also extends to distractions. As touched on earlier, there are a myriad of “things” to do at home, whether it be getting caught up in a book or “procrasti-baking”. Some simple ways I’ve found to help eliminate distraction are:

Keep your workspace free and tidy – this includes removing books, the TV remote and even your phone. The less around you, the clearer your mind will be.

Keep the TV and radio off – external chatter can cloud your thoughts and make it hard to concentrate.

Set aside clear working hours – wake up with an idea of how your day looks, whether that’s 9-5 or a variation. Allow time for one or two reasonable breaks to get away from your screen and stick to it.

Pet time is out of work hours – our furry friends can be a huge source of distraction. Try to keep your pets out of your workspace – we know it’s hard to say no to those puppy dog eyes!

Set aside time for emails and digital communication – it’s important to stay connected with your team, but emails and online chat groups can take up a lot of time. Set aside a few windows of time each day to check communication so you aren’t continuously being taken away from the task at hand.

Work to a deadline – internal KPI’s (key performance indicators) and time limits can push you to complete tasks more efficiently. Creating a checklist can help break up the day, while allowing gaps in between to go grab lunch, make a coffee, pat the dog or take a walk, so you don’t feel the need to mid-task.

Our team can separate these activities from work due to our positive and flexible culture which has been built on a foundation of honesty. The Informed 365 team respect and honour the benefits of flexible working and in turn, I know I can trust them to do the right thing. If all parties are on the same page, working remotely provides incredible benefits such as no commute to work, no office space rental costs, location flexibility extending onto the opportunity to work with staff we may not get to if we had a home base.

While the country continues to migrate home for the time being, I recommend adapting to your environment and creating a space that works best for you. Natural light, plants, strong internet access and a segregated office space will get you a little further as you fit your working life into your personal life.

About Nicholas Bernhardt

With a passion for sustainable workplaces and positive world change, Nicholas started Informed 365 after seeing a disconnect in organisation’s corporate social responsibility and the tools at their disposal to harness and understand data. Informed 365 is now the leading tech solution for over 3,000 Australian companies legally required to report under the Modern Slavery Act with high-profile clients such as the Property Council of Australia, Zoo’s Victoria and Michael Hill.

Property Council of Australia teams up with Informed 365 to spearhead industry-first initiative to combat modern slavery

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The collaboration delivers a groundbreaking model for other sectors to follow suit and tackle modern slavery in supply chains.

SYDNEY, SEPTEMBER 2019: The Property Council of Australia has today announced it has collaborated with corporate social responsibility (CSR) tech platform, Informed 365 to help the property industry and its members take a proactive approach to engaging their suppliers around modern slavery risks.

This follows the introduction of the Modern Slavery Act which requires companies with over $100 million annual revenue, which are based or operating in Australia, to report every year on the actions they are taking to identify risks and remediate instances of modern slavery in their operations and supply chains. 

This industry-first collaboration, championed by 15 of the Property Council’s leading members who are committed to tackling modern slavery in their supply chains, allows Property Council members to engage with suppliers on what they are doing to manage modern slavery risks through an online questionnaire. 

Frankie Muskovic, National Policy Manager for the Property Council said: “The property industry has a strong track record of collaboration when it comes to sustainability, and we are pleased to see our members keen to share resources and collaborate on this issue.” 

“Modern slavery is a complex and challenging issue that requires long term commitment from businesses to address. We won’t get to the bottom of our entire supply chain tomorrow, but that must certainly be the long term objective we are working towards,” she said. 

“Our strong intention is to create resources that are open-source for the entire sector, and that remove the barriers for suppliers to engage with our members on these issues. It is for that reason that the supplier questionnaire developed for this platform will be freely available for anyone to use, and it will be free for suppliers to log into the platform and provide responses to these questions. By only answering these questions once on the platform, we are also streamlining the reporting burden on our supply chain, a critical component of this initiative,” she added.  

Informed 365’s web platform is the industry-leading tech solution for over 3,000 Australian companies which are now legally required to report under the Australian Government’s Modern Slavery Act.

Nicholas Bernhardt, CEO and co-founder of Informed 365, said the platform gives members an efficient and consistent way of reporting that will save them time – each supplier through the supply chain needs to complete the relevant information only once, not multiple times for multiple clients – and help them keep their legal obligations front of mind.

“It’s the first time we are seeing an entire industry adopt a strategy of collaboration to gather accurate reporting on human rights and modern slavery risks – across clients, suppliers and sub-contractors, including organisations that might usually be seen as competitors,” said Mr Bernhardt.

“The model offers more transparency and a game-changing solution to hold companies accountable and for other industries to follow suit,” he added.

With the launch of this platform, the Property Council will focus its efforts on broadening the uptake of the platform across the property sector.

Informed 365 is becoming one of the key players around the conversation on CSR in corporate Australia. It recently partnered with entrepreneur and ‘shark’ on Shark Tank, Andrew Banks, announcing its commitment to transforming the growing global supply chain management market, which is on track to reach $19B in 2021.

Following its collaboration with the Property Council, Informed 365 plans to work with more organisations and industry bodies who need assistance with their supply chain management data collection, tracking and reporting as the full weight of the Modern Slavery Act comes into play with the first year of data due next year.

List of participating Property Council members:

  1. P Capital Investors
  2. Stockland
  3. Dexus
  4. Mirvac
  5. Charter Hall
  6. Frasers Property Group
  7. GPT
  8. ISPT
  9. Cromwell
  10. Vicinity Centres
  11. Brookfield
  12. Investa
  13. Landcom
  14. Abacus

What Should Your Modern Slavery Statement Address?

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Most Australian companies will need to submit their first Modern Slavery Statement by the end of 2020. But what do organisations really need to include to be compliant?

Robin Mellon, CEO of Better Sydney advises, your Modern Slavery Statement will need to ‘answer’ (or respond to) these seven reporting criteria:

  1. The name of your organisation as an entity
  2. Your organisation’s structure and operations
  3. Your organisation’s key modern slavery risks
  4. The actions being taken to address them
  5. How your organisation assesses the effectiveness of the actions being taken
  6. What consultation has taken place within parts of your organisation’s business (including overseas)
  7. Any ‘other initiatives’ – consultation, collaboration etc.

Below are some examples of how other organisations have submitted statements in the UK. This gives an idea of how others have done it and the level of detail required.

If your organisation needs to submit a Modern Slavery Statement and you are not sure where to start, call us on 1300 552 335 or email info@informed365.com, we would be happy to share insights on how some of Australia’s biggest companies are taking the action in preparation.