Our approach to sustainability is aligned to our purpose and values. It includes understanding and managing the impact of our decisions and operations, engaging with our clients, suppliers and communities in a responsible way, and providing transparency around our sustainability commitments and performance.
We also have the opportunity as a firm to create a positive impact on social and environmental issues - helping to solve important problems through our operations, thought leadership and community engagement. Through our client services we also support our clients and partners to manage their own sustainability journeys, helping them to transition to a more sustainable way of operating.
Our Sustainability Framework is aligned to the World Economic Forum International Business Council (WEF IBC) Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics initiative that seeks to measure how corporates are creating value for society and our planet across the four pillars of:
In 2015, all United Nations Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 SDGs. The SDGs are a set of interlinked goals and targets, representing a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. Achieving the goals requires government, private sector, civil society and individual citizens to work together in partnership.
We have reviewed each of the 17 SDGs and the associated targets to understand which of the goals we impact or can influence through our business strategy, market priorities and approach to sustainability. We also considered the inherent risk to our firm if global and local communities fail to make significant advancement toward the SDG targets.
The goals highlighted in the diagram are most aligned to PwC. By incorporating them into our sustainability approach, engagement and reporting, we believe we have an opportunity to make a real and sustained impact.
In addition to our alignment to the SDGs, PwC has a global commitment to the UN Global Compact's (UNGC) Ten Principles with respect to human rights, labour rights, the environment and anti-corruption. Locally we are participants of the UNGC Network Australia where we participate in various discussions and events.
Being a sustainable business also means being a responsible business. This lays the foundation for our social license to operate and reminds us of the importance of engaging with our clients, suppliers and communities in a responsible way. Whether this is in the way we conduct ourselves, the impact we have on people and planet, or the way we screen our suppliers – we know we must reflect our purpose and our values. We have an important role to play in solving important problems and we must strive for the highest standards of accountability, integrity and transparency in everything we do. It’s how we will achieve our vision of becoming the leading professional services firm, built on the highest ethical and professional standards with integrity at our core, a firm that delivers purposeful and sustained outcomes in everything we do.
We have a suite of initiatives in which we encourage our people to get involved in supporting the not-for-profit sector and making a positive impact in Australia, including:
Giving helps our people support the causes they are passionate about. PwC is proud to foster a culture of giving and contribute to creating a stronger, more equitable society.
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Our partners and staff hold board and advisory roles with not-for-profit organisations around Australia, using their skills at a leadership level to build capacity in the sector.
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We encourage all of our people to make a positive impact in the community by volunteering their time.
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Pro / low bono opportunities enable our people to use their skills and expertise to help build capacity in the not-for-profit sector.
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At PwC, our focus on sustainability is integral to achieving our purpose. We seek to leverage our skills and resources to make a positive impact on a range of social and environmental challenges facing Australia today.
Through our four chosen Impact Areas we aim to drive meaningful change through our operations, client work, thought leadership and community engagement and collaboration in Australia and beyond.
Supporting communities to respond and adapt to the impacts of climate change and the transition to a net-zero future.
Advancing ethical and inclusive technologies that seek to serve society, balancing technology’s benefits with its potential for harm and misuse.
Walking alongside and supporting First Nations communities to chart their own futures.
Creating a future where all Australians have access to the knowledge, support and resources they need to effectively manage their mental health.
We use our business and problem-solving expertise to research, develop and publish key insights, including:
Janette O'Neill
Partner, Chief Sustainability Officer, PwC Australia
Tel: +61 428 691 683
