April 2025 saw the celebration of the annual Banksia Awards, Australia’s awards for sustainability.

With hundreds of finalists and winners across 15 categories from ‘Built Environment and Infrastructure’ to ‘Circular Economy’, and from ‘Energy Innovation’ to ‘Technology for Impact’, there were examples of sustainability leadership across the country. And with the Banksia Foundation’s categories recognising not just Large Business Sustainable but Small to Medium Business Leadership, it was clear that businesses of every size and type had stepped up.

Not only have I been involved as Chair of Judging for the Banksia and NSW Sustainability Awards judge, but I was there to MC the Banksia Awards for the third year in a row. With a theme of ‘optimism’, we opened the event with a quote from actor, filmmaker and cultural icon Tom Hanks: “Truth is, I’ll never know all there is to know about you, just as you will never know all there is to know about me. Humans are by nature too complicated to be understood fully. So, we can choose either to approach our fellow human beings with suspicion… or to approach them with an open mind, a dash of optimism and a great deal of candour.” Given recent international challenges to ESG, I love the simplicity of Tom Hanks’ message, and I not only choose optimism, but encourage others to do the same.

 

Video credit: ImportExportTV, Ethical Trade Alliance, Banksia Foundation

 

In many of the finalists and winners at the 2025 Banksia Awards we can not only find optimism embedded in their DNA, but a culture of hard work, perseverance, innovation and determination. Increasingly, the winners are linking their work to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals and 10 principles of the UN Global Compact Network Australia. Let’s take a look at some of the 2025 winners across the built environment space, and what makes them stand out:

The 2025 Banksia Gold Award and Circular Economy Award winner is BlockTexx Textile Recovery technologies, based in QLD. BlockTexx has created a world-first solution to tackle a huge problem: how to recycle clothes made from a mix of polyester and cotton. Most of these fabrics end up in landfills because they’re so hard to recycle. Using their special technology, BlockTexx breaks down these clothes and turns them into two useful materials: recycled polyester (PolyTexx®) and cellulose (CellTexx®), which can be reused in new products. Their recycling plant in Queensland can handle 10,000 tonnes of fabric every year (that’s 8,000 shirts an hour), keeping mountains of clothes out of landfills and cutting down on pollution. They also use blockchain technology to track every step of the recycling process, so nothing goes to waste. Find out more about their work at https://www.blocktexx.com/

 

Photo credit: Banksia Foundation / Nigel Welch, Pulse Photography

 

The 2025 Marketing and Communications for Impact Award winner is the Community Power Agency with their Haystacks Solar Garden project. Haystacks Solar Garden is Australia’s first large-scale solar garden, providing people locked out of rooftop solar with the opportunity to benefit from the transition to renewable energy. Launched in April 2024, the project is housed within the 1.5MW Grong Grong Solar Farm in NSW Riverina. Participants purchase a solar ‘plot’ and then receive credits on their electricity bills, enabling them to benefit from solar power without needing to own a sunny, suitable roof. The project, developed by Community Power Agency, Pingala, and Komo Energy, offers a new, innovative way of addressing energy inequity, whilst also taking action on climate change and contributing to a renewable energy future. By generating 3,700 MWh annually, it powers up to 700 households and reduces CO2 emissions by approximately 2,700 tonnes each year. Managed by Haystacks Solar Garden Cooperative, it ensures democratic decision-making and robust community engagement, setting a standard for future solar gardens in Australia. Find out more about their work and this project at https://cpagency.org.au/project/haystacks-solar-garden/

The 2025 Agriculture and Primary Industries Award winner is Farmers for Climate Action, VIC. Although farmers are at the sharp end of climate change and feel the impacts every day, they also own 50% of the landmass in Australia and have the greatest opportunity for impactful change. Farmers For Climate Action (FCA) is a farmer-led organisation leveraging a strong industry and grassroots relationships to ensure farms can farm forever, while supporting farmers to take strong action on climate change. are independent, non-profit and non-partisan. FCA represents over 8,000 farmers across Australia, with a supporter base of over 45,000 Australians committed to climate action for agriculture, in a climate and country where farmers remain the trusted spokespeople for middle-ground and conservative audiences. Through regular training programs, FCA’s members can deliver persuasive, on-message communications through interviews, media engagements, and press conferences. Find out more about their work at https://farmersforclimateaction.org.au/

The 2025 Built Environment and Infrastructure Award winner is the John Holland – Hobsons Bay Main Duplication Project, VIC. The Hobsons Bay Main Sewer is a vital part of Melbourne’s sewer network, transferring approximately 30% of the city’s wastewater to the Western Treatment Plant in Werribee. John Holland was appointed by Melbourne Water to design and construct a duplicate sewer tunnel from Spotswood to Port Melbourne under the Yarra River. The Spotswood site is located within Melbourne’s Scienceworks museum, operating year-round with over 500,000 visitors annually. The Port Melbourne site is located within a State Park – Westgate Park. This project had a vision to be the most sustainable construction project possible, and achieved the following outcomes:

  • Reduction of Embodied Carbon by 34%
  • The first carbon neutral construction project, contributing to the progression of John Holland’s and Melbourne Water’s Net-Zero strategy
  • Reaching gender parity within the project team
  • Award-winning social impact and employment opportunities
  • True collaboration with local communities resulting in 95% community satisfaction.

Find out more about the project from Melbourne Water at https://www.melbournewater.com.au/services/projects/hobsons-bay-main-upgrade-project

 

Video credit: ImportExportTV, Ethical Trade Alliance, Banksia Foundation

The 2025 Energy Innovation Award winner is Solar Thermal Australia with their Reclaim Energy initiative. Reclaim Energy exemplifies leadership in energy innovation by designing the world’s first WiFi-enabled CO₂ heat pump system, seamlessly integrating solar energy for residential and commercial use. Their system empowers consumers to maximise the efficiency of their excess solar power, reducing energy costs and emissions. Through partnerships with Panasonic and Solar Analytics, they introduced advanced technology to the market, including load-shifting and enhanced data management tools. Solar Thermal Australia are expanding into commercial sectors with groundbreaking high-temperature heat pumps for industries like dairies and breweries, eliminating the need for gas systems. Beyond their technology, Reclaim has influenced industry-wide adoption of low-GWP refrigerants and stricter Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS), reshaping regulatory frameworks for sustainability. Find out more about their work at https://reclaimenergy.com.au/

The 2025 Large Business Sustainable Leadership Award winner is Ramsay Health Care for their ‘Advancing Sustainability in Healthcare’ initiative. Ramsay Health Care, a global leader in private healthcare, exemplifies innovation and leadership in sustainability through its Ramsay Cares strategy. Rooted in the company’s purpose of “people caring for people”, the strategy addresses the interconnected challenges of climate change, health and environmental stewardship. By committing to net zero greenhouse gas emissions across its global value chain by 2040 and achieving notable milestones like a 23% reduction in emissions since 2020, Ramsay demonstrates measurable impact. Sustainability-linked financing, waste reduction initiatives and responsible sourcing programs further underscore Ramsay’s commitment to sustainability in healthcare. Initiatives such as reducing single-use plastics, adopting lower-emission anaesthetic gases and installing rooftop solar systems showcase key solutions to inspire the broader sector. Find out more about this initiative at https://www.ramsayhealth.com/en/sustainability/

The 2025 Small to Medium Business Leadership Award winner is Bridge Housing with their Sustainability Framework. Bridge Housing is a community housing provider committed to driving system change that enhances environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors across the housing sector. Their Sustainability Framework guides all operations and strategic planning with a focus on advocacy, innovation, and transparency. With a vision to create a sustainable future for both the organisation and for the communities it serves, the Sustainability Framework addresses the significant challenges faced by community housing residents. People in social and affordable housing, on low-moderate household incomes are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and can least afford interventions. Bridge Housing aligns its Sustainability Framework with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and integrates sustainability into every facet of operations across Environmental, Social, and Governance pillars. Find out more about Bridge Housing and their work at https://bridgehousing.org.au/developments/

The 2025 Supply Chain and Responsible Procurement Award winners is the South West Gateway Alliance for the Wilman Wadandi Highway or Bunbury Outer Ring Road Project in WA. This project, delivered by the South West Gateway Alliance in partnership with Main Roads Western Australia and the Office of Major Infrastructure Delivery, has created a 27-kilometre highway in the South-West of Western Australia. The project set ambitious social procurement targets, including $450 million for local businesses, $30 million for Aboriginal businesses, and 10% of the workforce from Aboriginal and previously unemployed individuals. Challenges like limited regional capacity, workforce shortages, and low unemployment were addressed through innovative strategies such as the Local Business Advisory Group and the award winning Yaka Dandjoo Sustainable Employment Program. These initiatives facilitated local business engagement, skills development, and inclusive employment pathways.

As of 31 October 2024, the project surpassed targets with $612.1 million committed to be spent locally and $57.1 million committed with Aboriginal businesses. Tailored procurement approaches and stakeholder engagement have driven lasting benefits, fostering a resilient regional economy and creating sustainable opportunities. You can read the Infrastructure Sustainability Council’s project summary at https://www.iscouncil.org/bunbury-outer-ring-road-borr-social-outcomes-2/ or the Main Roads WA summary at https://www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/projects-initiatives/all-projects/regional/bunbury-outer-ring-road/

Video credit: ImportExportTV, Ethical Trade Alliance, Banksia Foundation

 

The sponsor of the Supply Chain and Responsible Procurement Award was Informed 365, whose CEO, Nicholas Bernhardt, reminded attendees that “while 6 out of 10 global organisations expect geopolitical instability to negatively impact their supply chains in the next three years, the average cost of a supply chain disruption is $1.5 million per day”, a timely reminder to engage with your supply chains early and often.

You can discover all the finalists and winners at the 36th National Banksia Sustainability Awards in the ‘Sustainability Success Stories 2025’ publication at https://issuu.com/banksiafoundation/docs/australia_s_sustainability_success_stories_2025_

 

By Robin Mellon, CEO of Better Sydney and Deputy Chair of the UN Global Compact Network Australia