Social sustainability has long suffered from perceptions of it being a somewhat “fluffy” addendum to urban design and masterplanning processes. So it is heartening to see a growing recognition of the positive impact of rigorous and systematic social planning and social impact assessment processes in the development of our urban environments. After all, what are [...]
Measuring social impact raises a range of challenges for practitioners, not least of which is the current lack of consensus on applicable tools and measures. The University of Technology Sydney’s Cosmopolitan Civil Societies Research Centre (CCS) brought together a range of minds to examine these issues at a recent symposium. The stimulating event saw new [...]
Leadership is a great privilege because it opens the gate to the heart’s journey – it provides us with incentive to embark and remain committed to the hero’s quest. In other words, it provides us with the impetus, challenge and support we need to unlock the key to our own wellbeing, fulfilment, and highest potential.” [...]
A new year is often a time of reflection among businesses on strategic directions and corporate goals. For many firms, sustainability – environmental, social, economic – is fast moving up the agenda. Raised regulatory standards and consumer expectations are today demanding far more from companies than an annual CSR report and a handful of associated [...]
‘The deep association that people have for place constitutes a vital source of both individual and cultural identity and security and acts as a point from which humans can orientate themselves in the world.” (Relph, E., 1981, The Modern Urban Landscape, p.27) Urbanisation. Historically the product of the industrial revolution and the associated mass in-migration [...]
Sustainable communities–it’s the catchphrase on everyone’s lips as 2010 draws to a close. Companies are using it in their annual reports, developers are embracing it, the federal government has put out a policy paper on it and now the Green Building Council is not only developing a tool for it, but plans to include the [...]
