Global recognition for Queensland’s ecoBiz  

By Emma Clarke

Business Chamber Queensland’s ecoBiz program, delivered in partnership with the Queensland Government, is officially world-leading, named the Best Green Transition Project at the 14^th World Chambers Congress in Melbourne this month.   

It’s the only international award that recognises the most innovative projects undertaken by Chambers of Commerce and Industry globally. 

ecoBiz was a finalist selected from applications from across the world, with CEO Heidi Cooper highlighting the programs’ success, long-term impact, originality and scalability to a live panel of international judges in Melbourne.  

Ms Cooper says ecoBiz is made by business for business and gets real outcomes for SMEs every day.   

“The program is a pioneer in sustainability capability-building for SMEs, filling a major gap in support for businesses who want to adopt sustainable business practices but simply do not have the resources to do so. ecoBiz provides free support for SMEs to change the way they operate to be more sustainable and there is no other program like it,” Ms Cooper said.  

ecoBiz helped more than 800 businesses in one year alone to avoid the equivalent of 3,200 households’ average annual electricity use, 20 Olympic swimming pools of water, and more than 100 garbage trucks of waste. Those businesses avoided more than three million dollars in direct costs. 

ecoBiz blends digital tools and personalised coaching through a curated user journey informed by an individual business’s maturity and capability level. It means it delivers value at scale, as well as meaningful one-to-one support with efficiency.  

The human coaching element ensures that behind the dashboards and data, there is always a trusted advisor helping businesses translate insight into action that is tailored specifically for that individual business. 

“Every day ecoBiz helps Queensland businesses operate more sustainably and the cumulative impact is huge – both within their individual businesses and across supply chains, as well as through employees, customers and communities,” Ms Cooper said.  

“Sustainable businesses are competitive, productive and future-ready – ready to meet evolving consumer demand and supply chain needs, ready to compete for major procurement opportunities, ready to export and ready to do their part to address one of the greatest challenges of our time.   

“This has never been more important as we look toward the enormous opportunity we will see in Queensland in the lead up to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and beyond. 

“We are so proud of ecoBiz and the impact it makes to Queensland businesses every day.  Our expert in-house team truly believe in this program and the proof is in the outcomes. It’s successful because it makes sustainability accessible. It meets businesses where they are – regardless of industry, size, or maturity. 

“This award recognises the impact ecoBiz has made in Queensland for the past decade and the opportunity to have further impact both nationally and globally in the future.” 

Treasurer, Minister for Energy and Minister for Home Ownership Hon David Janetzki MP says the award is due recognition for a program that is delivering for Queensland businesses.   

“Each year, ecoBiz enables SMEs across every industry sector in Queensland to embed sustainable practices into their everyday operations, reducing operating costs and ensuring their productivity, resilience and competitiveness in the immediate and long term,” Mr Janetzki said.  

“ecoBiz is helping Queensland businesses to take the steps they need today, so they can compete, grow, and thrive tomorrow. 

“This award for ecoBiz is another example of Queensland thriving on the world stage.”  

The Chamber team has been delivering the program in Queensland for more than 10 years in partnership with the Queensland Government. ecoBiz uses business data to baseline resource consumption, provides free access to a sustainability coach in the relevant region or industry sector, delivers an action plan to guide business investment and behaviour change, then benchmarks progress.  

Business Chamber Queensland continues to grow and evolve the program with two new modules being launched this year:  

• a Carbon Module which helps businesses understand, track and take meaningful action towards carbon emission management and reporting aligned with global frameworks like the Taskforce on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures  

• a Climate Adaptation Module which helps businesses to understand physical and transitional climate risks and opportunities and prepare for future natural disasters 

With more coming,  2026 will see the launch of a circular economy module, focused on business innovation, competitiveness, and productivity.   

Minister for the Environment and Tourism and Minister for Science and Innovation Hon Andrew Powell MP said he was proud to see a home-grown project celebrated on the global stage.  

“The Crisafulli Government is proud to support the ecoBiz program which is making a tangible impact for businesses across the state,” Mr Powell said.   

“It shows that sustainability and profitability can go hand-in-hand with ecoBiz helping Queensland businesses save money and protect our environment.” 

Editors’ note 

About Business Chamber Queensland  

Business Chamber Queensland is the state’s Chamber of Commerce. We are an independent, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting Queensland businesses to thrive and ensuring our state is the best place to do business in Australia. 

We are the largest and most representative business body in Queensland and represent businesses in every industry, of every size and in every region of our state. For 157 years, we have supported businesses to create a resilient, diversified, sustainable, and competitive economy. 

Our extensive business insight and decades of data is the state’s most trusted, comprehensive and authoritative snapshot of Queensland business sentiment, expectations, and conditions. 

ENDS 

Business Chamber Queensland media contact: Emma Clarke | 0403 944 902