NRM Regions Australia project:
NRM Regions Australia (NRMRA) has lead a project working to understand partnerships and role of NRM in the increasing focus of agriculture on sustainability. The purpose of the project is to understand and improve partnerships with agricultural industries to identify links between sustainability and market access. The ultimate aim is to increase the effectiveness of partnerships between NRM regional organisations and agricultural industries.
The NRM and Industry Partnership project is funded by the Australian Government's Building Landcare Community and Capacity (Smart Farms) program.
NRM RA, and regional NRM organisations, are seeking to identify, establish and strengthen their roles in sustainability frameworks, industry partnerships and farmer groups. The project also includes the development of Communities of Practice, catalysing partnerships between NRM Regions and agricultural industries/companies and examining how NRM Regional Planning may align with sustainability indicators.
Partnerships
A key to improving partnerships is understanding existing relationships and their components, understanding the needs and aims of potential partners and understanding the roles, resources and limits of our participation. The case studies and reports below were developed by NRMRA to showcase the partnerships that have already been developed, what has made them successful and how they interact with industry sustainability reporting or requirements.
THE NRM AND INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS DESKTOP STUDY
Cathy Phelps and Gillian Hayman, C&J Phelps Consulting, June 2021
This study informs other components of the NRM and industry partnerships project and NRM RA activities (such as the communities of practice), and provides material that can be used to inform and encourage NRM and industry partnerships. It draws on the 20 case studies listed below that cover existing and recent sustainable agriculture partnerships between NRM regions and industry stakeholders. Industry stakeholders include peak industry councils, producer groups, research and development corporations, agribusiness, processors, agriculture consultancies and individual producers.
Stories from the Regions
The selected case studies represent a wide range of industries, geographic location, and scale. They highlight the breadth, quality and variety of partnerships being implemented by NRM organisations in partnership with industry across Australia.
20 Partnership case studies
Partnership Development and Management
The case studies were analysed to identify common partnership attributes, drivers, and processes with the aim of identifying mechanisms that could be implemented to increase the number of partnerships between NRM regional organisations and agricultural industries.
The information from these will be used to develop a ‘how to’ partnership guide and a summary brochure to promote NRM’s multiple roles and value in industry partnerships.
Successful partnerships: A Guide for regional NRM organisations working with Agriculture
A summary of learnings from the NRM and industry partnerships desktop study and partnership expertise to develop a guide for understanding partnerships.
Productive partnerships videos
This series of 5 short videos condenses the learnings from the partnership desktop study and the partnership workshop presented at the 2022 NRM Knowledge Conference into a series of short presentations.
1. Partnership Overview
2. What makes a Successful Partnership
3. Partnership Pitfalls
4. The Partnering Cycle
5. Partnership Case studies
Drivers of increased interest in natural resource management in agricultural and corporate systems.
Nature has made its way into corporate business reporting and their need to report their nature impact is driving a wave of standards, frameworks and accounting systems to simplify nature to reportable widgets. This need to report is driving increased focus on their supply chains and that land managers manage natural assets that can be used to inset and offset the impact of their business practice. This is driving changes in expectations on industries to report their sustainability position. The Sustainability Reporting and Australian Agriculture Study takes a look at how these external drivers are impacting Australian agricultural industries and the way they are responding. A handy resource to see where regional NRM responses may be able to partner with industry responses for mutual benefit.
SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING AND AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURE STUDY
ESG, Agriculture Sustainability Frameworks, Natural Capital, SDGs and Net Zero - Trends in sustainability reporting. Cathy Phelps, Principal, C&J Phelps Consulting, June 2021
This report provides an overview of company and industry sustainability reporting trends and how they may impact the role of Regional NRM bodies. The information provided in the report is a snapshot in time. Sustainability reporting is rapidly evolving as companies and industries respond to changing customer, government, and investor expectations.
Sustainability or Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting is rapidly being adopted by all major corporations including food and drink companies and retailers. To meet their sustainability reporting commitments companies and investors are seeking transparent information about how their suppliers are managing their natural capital and climate risk.
The report covers three different approaches to sustainability reporting being implemented in Australia. These are:
- Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting
- Agriculture Sustainability Frameworks
- Natural Capital Accounting.
Industry partnerships in this project
ESG, Agriculture Sustainability Frameworks, Natural Capital, SDGs and Net Zero - Trends in sustainability report
Exploring partnership opportunites for Dairy and NRM in SW Victoria
Sharing information
The Industry Partnership project hosted webinars on a range of industry sustainability topics and programs. These are available for you to watch and learn from industry representatives about their programs and what role regional NRM may have with them.