How ecoBiz has helped Munster Group in unexpected ways

In an industry where margins are tight and expectations are high, small cost-saving steps can deliver a lot of value.

“We started this journey by feeling this might be the right thing to do,” says Colin McDonnell, Operations Manager at engineering firm Munster Services Group.

“I’ll be honest: I thought sustainability was going to be an expense for the business,” Colin said.

Instead, the opposite proved true. “It turned out there was actually a return on investment from the things we implemented as part of ecoBiz,” he said.

Aligning with client goals

Munster’s sustainability journey has been shaped in part by the expectations of the tier one contractors and utility providers they work with.

We started to notice that a lot of our clients were talking about sustainability – so it was important to us to look at what we could do to support their goals and improve our own business too.

“Not only could we save money, but we could see this was the way the industry was going especially as we ramp up towards the Brisbane Olympics,” Colin said.

Munster joined the ecoBiz program in 2020, and in their most recent assessment they were awarded a three-star partnership for their achievements across energy, water and waste. Colin said this coincided with a period of significant growth for the business.

“We responded quickly because it’s important for us to align with what our clients are trying to do,” Colin said.

Colin says that while sustainability performance may not yet be the deciding factor in winning contracts in their industry just yet, it’s becoming a differentiator.

“It’s another good story in our many good stories,” Colin says.

“And we’re able to include our ecoBiz certificate, explain that we’re audited every year – and they have everything they need to know.”

Small shifts delivering unexpected outcomes

Colin is quick to point out that while sustainability is the right thing to do, it’s also smart business.

“Innovation is one of our values and we’ve rolled out a few small initiatives across our business that saved us tens of thousands a year. AI tools, invoice automation, even a coffee machine with a built-in fridge – when you break it down into little numbers and add up those over a year, it’s a big difference.”

ecoBiz, Colin says, fits right into that philosophy. Their ecoBiz coach helped the team identify practical, low-cost changes that delivered measurable results – and even some unexpected benefits. One of the most noticeable improvements came from switching to LED lighting.

“If you asked me what the biggest difference is, it’s the quality of the photographs taken of the overhauls and refurbishments we include in reports for our clients. It’s not only that we’re saving electricity – it’s that the visual representation is better.”

Water usage and recycling also saw improvements, largely through small behavioural shifts.

“It’s the little contributions people make. Like we have a slogan on our website: ‘If everyone does a little, the difference makes a lot.’ If everyone turns off that tap one second earlier, you culminate those seconds – it’s a considerable difference in a year.”

“For other businesses out there, especially family-run businesses, they may think ecoBiz is another thing that’s going to cost them time and money. But it’s not. It’s much easier than they think.”

“We absolutely encourage other businesses to get involved,” Colin says. “And if you can get all these businesses making small changes, the difference is compounding.”

“My dad had a saying – if every person swept outside their own front door, it would only take one person to sweep the world. That’s how we see it.”

The ecoBiz program is proudly supported through the Queensland Government’s Recycling and Jobs Fund