What is a Green Recovery?

If there’s a word we’re all a bit sick of at the moment – other than ‘corona’ – it would have to be ‘unprecedented’.

This pandemic has turned our world upside down and challenged us in new ways every day.

Many people and businesses are doing it really tough and my heart goes out to them, especially after the brutal summer of bushfires we’ve already endured.

After launching the Sustainable Australia Fund last year, and riding a wave of excitement and enthusiasm as we went national and sought to bring affordable environmental finance to more businesses, we too have felt the impact of many building upgrade projects being put on hold.

But, as I have said to my team and our stakeholders and anyone who will listen – we’re here for good and we’re here to help.

This crisis is huge, with the full extent of the economic impact not yet known.

But, we will get through this. I’m choosing to focus on making sure when the inevitable recovery begins, we make it a green one.

What is a Green Recovery?

I’ve been mulling this over for weeks. And to be honest, I don’t really know. And I don’t want to add to the noise out there telling you something definitive in a time of uncertainty. All I know is it must be a priority. In my worldview, economic success and having a healthy world are not mutually exclusive. We have an opportunity to make sure that the projects we undertake to stimulate the economy and lead the recovery have some key characteristics:

• Help businesses and households unlock cash through renewable energy and other upgrade projects
• Decarbonise our economy and help us move towards Net Zero Emissions
• Are long-term by nature, not looking for quick wins but rather genuine sustainability

How can Environmental Upgrade Agreements (EUAs) help?

We’re all doing it tough at the moment and one of the things I’ve loved seeing in recent weeks is the way people and communities have come together to support each other. It feels like the way it should be.

The work we do at SAF provides businesses with the capital they need to go sustainable. In doing so, we can open up a triple-positive of lower operating costs for the business, a thriving Aussie solar and construction industry making use of our great natural resource, and greener, better buildings for everyone to enjoy.

And while the government stimulus package is going to be crucial to our recovery, our finance sits outside that. With Bank Australia backing us, we’re working with Australia’s greenest bank to help fund some of Australia’s greenest projects.

How can we help you?

I feel strongly that this needs to be a conversation, not a lecture. I know that our finance can help many businesses save money and unlock sustainability, but I also want to hear from you:

• How do you see the recovery happening?
• What does a Green Recovery mean to you?
• How can our finance help make it a reality?

 

Scott Bocskay, CEO & Managing Director