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    Business Resource Efficiency Program

    Doing more with less

    Increasing resource efficiency can help to reduce your business costs, improve resilience and protect the environment. This means limiting consumption of materials, and reducing the amount of waste your business produces.

    What is the Business Resource Efficiency Program (BREP)?

    BREP assisted small and medium-sized businesses to reduce their emissions and costs by reviewing their use of resources and finding ways to reduce waste. The program aims were to:

    • help small- to medium-sized Tasmanian businesses reduce their consumption of resources, and minimise waste streams
    • reduce operating costs and drive productivity gains
    • provide businesses with practical and tailored information about ways to improve their resource efficiency.

    There have been two rounds of BREP. The first round of the program was completed in 2020. The second round took place in 2022-23 and closed with a Review Forum, held in Launceston in September 2023.

    BREP was delivered by Business Action Learning Tasmania and funded by the Tasmanian Government. It was an action from Tasmania's climate change action plans for both 2017-21 and 2023-25.

    Fourteen businesses from across Tasmania participated in the 2022-23 round of BREP. Participant activities are listed below.

    Waste audits

    Participants, or a delegated employee, participated in an online waste audit workshop, centred on conducting an audit of material streams and identifying opportunities for resource recovery. The workshops allowed participants to use the collective knowledge and experience of the group, and were supplemented with follow-up remote assistance and access to supporting auditing resources.

    Exploratory Learning Series

    The BREP Exploratory Learning Series showcased Circular Economy (CE) thinking, existing solutions and emerging technologies from Australia and around the world. Each event presented a keynote speaker on a relevant topic and business owners and senior managers had the opportunity to ask questions and explore potential applications in the Tasmanian context. Speakers included global leaders in CE strategy, product lifecycle assessment, sustainable design and new product offerings.

    Working groups

    Building on existing networks, working groups met regularly (online and on-site) to apply collective learning to individual challenges and highlight the interdependency of a circular economy. Meetings were facilitated to encourage collaborative business relationships and joint projects that advance the circular economy across Tasmania.

    Mentored implementation

    Individual mentoring was provided by a qualified sustainable designer to assist with identified resource efficiency initiatives. Project examples include:

    • elimination of all forms of waste
    • product lifecycle assessment
    • environmental management systems
    • new product development
    • supply chain optimisation

    Site visits

    A program of site visits was offered to participants to view Tasmania’s waste management systems. Visits included regional organics processing facilities, materials recovery facilities and landfills, as well as tours of facilities showcasing resource efficiency strategies and new technologies.

    Review Forum

    The Review Forum was held in Launceston in September 2023, where BREP participants presented the outcomes and lessons learnt from their project.

    What is action learning?

    Action learning is ‘learning by doing’. The process brings together a group of people to focus on a particular project. The process of action learning encourages participants to challenge the way they do things in their workplace and to do things differently. It is a practical alternative to the more traditional methods of learning through things like lectures and reading.

    The first Business Resource Efficiency Program was completed in 2020 and helped 11 small- and medium-sized Tasmanian businesses review their resource use and find ways to improve it. The program was delivered by Business Action Learning Tasmanian in the North and North-West of the State.

    • Each business received a comprehensive waste audit, to identify opportunities for increased resource efficiency.
    • Through a series of workshops and action learning meetings, the businesses worked as a team to tackle each business’s particular waste problem and develop an action plan.
    • Businesses received one-on-one mentoring throughout the program to develop their projects, and visited waste management centres and other businesses that are leading the way in resource efficiency.
    • Each business finished the program with a set of recommendations and an implementation plan to improve their resource efficiency. Participants presented their results at a program review forum.
    • The program resources and tools summarise the key program learnings and outcomes and can help other businesses to improve their resource efficiency.

    Resources

    2022-23 BREP

    2020 BREP

    Tools and templates are available to help you analyse resource use in your business and develop strategies to improve resource efficiency. Visit the Business Action Learning Tasmania website to download these templates:

    • Action plan Gantt chart
    • Audit checklist template
    • Cause and effect worksheet
    • Meeting agenda template
    • Problem solving template
    • Waste survey calculator
    • Waste survey worksheet

    Business Action Learning Tasmania (BALT)

    Business Action Learning Tasmania (BALT) designed and delivered BREP in partnership with the Tasmanian Government. BALT supports self-reliant industry development, bringing together diverse companies through action learning, to improve their profitability, develop their people and grow the Tasmanian economy. BALT has a range of templates available for download to help Tasmanian businesses pursue resource efficiency initiatives.

    Rethink Waste Tasmania

    Rethink Waste is a statewide initiative involving the three regional waste management groups – Cradle Coast Waste Services, the Northern Tasmanian Waste Management Group and Waste Strategy South. Rethink Waste provides information for best practice waste management and recycling in Tasmania.

    Environment Protection Authority (EPA), Tasmania

    The Tasmanian EPA has information about sustainable waste management standards, practices and legislation on the Waste and Resource Recovery for Business and Industry page.

    Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRE Tas)

    NRE Tas provides information about government waste management and resource recovery, including the draft Waste Action Plan, landfill levy, container refund scheme, education and awareness, and litter management. Visit the Environmental Management page for more information.

    Sustainability Victoria

    Sustainability Victoria has a range of resources to help businesses take simple actions to reduce material use and waste.

    EPA NSW Bin Trim Tool

    Bin Trim is a simple tool to help businesses measure their waste and find out how to waste less and save more.

    Ellen Macarthur Foundation

    The Ellen Macarthur Foundation has an extensive collection of resources available online, including:

    For more information visit the Business Action Learning Tasmania website.