About Us

Our products & services:

• Ratings – The leading system for evaluating the sustainability of infrastructure planning, design, construction and operations
• Training – Building capability at all levels of the infrastructure sector

• Data analysis – Verified project data driving sustainability insights for infrastructure in Australia and New Zealand

• Advocacy – Advocating on policy and to bring positive systemic change in the infrastructure sector

• Events – We run a diverse calendar of events to foster knowledge-sharing, innovation and professional connections
• ISupply – Connecting infrastructure projects with suppliers who support sustainability
• Membership – The peak industry body for infrastructure sustainability in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand

The Infrastructure Sustainability Council (ISC) has a proud and enduring history, rooted in collaboration and shaped by industry expertise.

Our Origins:

In 2007, a group of visionary leaders founded the Australian Green Infrastructure Council to explore a sustainability rating scheme for Australian infrastructure.

This vision led to the launch of the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia at Parliament House in 2012, supported by the then Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, The Hon. Anthony Albanese MP.

From the beginning, we’ve worked collaboratively with all levels of government and across the political spectrum.

Our Scheme:

Underpinning much of our work is the IS Rating Scheme — a robust tool certifying infrastructure sustainability across environmental, social, economic and governance areas.

Launched in 2012, the Design & As-Built tool set a new standard. It was followed by the International tool in 2016, the Operations tool in 2017, the Planning tool in 2018 and then a major update of the Design & As-Built tool in 2024. That same year, we introduced the Essentials tool to support smaller projects. Each iteration of the rating tools has been developed in consultation with industry, so that the tools remain relevant and rigorous.

Our Members:

We’ve always valued strong industry connection — celebrating leadership through our annual awards, training over 1,200 Infrastructure Sustainability Accredited Professionals, and fostering a vibrant member community.

Reflecting our growing membership and presence in Aotearoa New Zealand, we became the Infrastructure Sustainability Council (ISC) in 2021.

Today: 

The IS Rating Scheme is now embedded in infrastructure policy across all levels of government in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. It spans the full asset lifecycle and aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Recognised by the World Bank in 2018 as ‘world-leading’ and awarded the Banksia Gold Award in 2019, the scheme was most recently referenced in the Australian Government’s Environmentally Sustainable Procurement Policy, led by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

We are delighted to introduce the Infrastructure Sustainability Council’s 2030 Strategy – a clear and timely roadmap to guide how we advance the future of sustainable infrastructure across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

This strategy has been shaped through engagement with our members and broader stakeholders, whose insights and feedback have been invaluable. Our thanks to everyone who contributed to this process. Your voices have helped us craft a strategy that is grounded in real-world needs and aspirations, while remaining ambitious in its vision. Strategy 2030 builds on ISC’s relatively short but proud legacy. It harnesses the strengths of our previous five year strategy, while positioning us to take bold steps forward.

We stand at a defining moment in ISC’s evolution. The urgency for sustainable infrastructure is growing, not diminishing. As we look toward 2030, we face a convergence of global and regional milestones: the conclusion of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the arrival of Net Zero interim targets, and the opportunity to showcase certified sustainable infrastructure at the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane.

Our strategy responds to these challenges and opportunities with clarity and purpose. We have refined our purpose to “enable connected infrastructure that supports people to thrive on a healthy planet.” This reflects our commitment to supporting systems that are not only technically and economically sound, but also socially inclusive and environmentally restorative.

Connected infrastructure is the backbone of a functioning society. It includes transport networks, water and energy systems, digital infrastructure, and more—working together as integrated, mutually supportive assets. These systems must be designed, built, and operated to enhance quality of life, protect public health, and preserve our natural environment. As digital technologies become increasingly embedded in infrastructure, the ability to share data across previously siloed assets should unlock new levels of efficiency and resilience.

At ISC, we are proud to serve an industry that is central to intergenerational wellbeing. By embedding sustainability into every aspect of infrastructure, we help deliver economic, social, and environmental returns for communities today—and long into the future.

This strategy is more than an internal plan; it is a call to action. It is our commitment to collaborate, to innovate and to lead. Together, we can build infrastructure that not only meets the demands of today, but also shapes a thriving, sustainable tomorrow.

To download a copy of our Strategy click below.

We are excited to announce the launch of our REFLECT Reconciliation Action Plan.

Our vision is for a positive future for people, planet and the economy. It raises up the  importance of legacy and long-term investment. It recognises the interconnection between past, present, and future and the kinship we have with nature, and one another. In the spirit of reconciliation, we recognise that there is much to learn from listening to First Australians.

Traditional Owners have sacred traditions which honour the responsibility for guardianship of the environment and its importance to intergenerational wellbeing. We at the Infrastructure Sustainability Council accept that this is a responsibility that must be shared equally. Our unique role in the infrastructure sector provides us with an important opportunity to make a significant contribution to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. We are committed to progressing reconciliation and fostering respect and trust to enable positive change through our industry and in our business.

Our Reconciliation Action Plan is our commitment to:
– Increasing our awareness and engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures
– Providing partnership and opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities through our activities and our industry.
– Widening our talent pool of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.