Author: Reshma vallabhaneni

As we approach the end of 2024, I would like to thank all of the Infrastructure Sustainability Council’s members for the ongoing support that you give to the ISC. While we as the ISC team welcome and are individually and collectively buoyed by that support, we are even more grateful for the positive impacts that you enable us to make in the market. 

Regulations are tightening, expectations of sustainability performance are simultaneously increasing while also being challenged. It is a rather confused time. The lingering effects of inflation, cost of living and broader geo-politics are also squeezing budgets for infrastructure and construction. At the ISC, we will continue to focus on enhancing sustainability performance and encouraging ‘better business as usual’. The impacts of infrastructure – good and bad – exist well beyond the stretch of any single economic cycle.  

At the same time, we have to be market sensitive and fit for purpose. As we come back in 2025, we will be enhancing our efforts to make our tools easier to use without losing their rigour. We will be releasing our new membership model, which will be at once simpler and have greater benefits for members. We are also energised by the pending launch of ISC’s Sustainability Academy, extending our well regarded training capabilities. We have also concluded strong work around our Theory of Change and that will flow into the ISC’s next five year plan, which we will be bringing to you for final input before its release, ready to run from 2025 – 2030. 

On a personal note, thank you to everyone who has welcomed me so warmly into the role as ISC’s CEO. It is a tremendous privilege to lead this organisation and I look forward to repaying your enthusiasm with even better collective outcomes in the year – and years – ahead! 

In the meantime, safe and happy holidays to all, 

Toby 

Industry Insights and Reflections from Australia, New Zealand and beyond 

As 2025 approaches, there are 60 months to deliver substantial reductions in emissions to be on track for net zero and to deliver on global and national commitments to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We are proud of the impact our members and partners have made in the last 12 months, and are equally aware of the need for urgent action and further step change in sustainable infrastructure policies and practices.  

On the global stage, COP29, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, portrayed a mixed bag with some progress on Climate Finance and Carbon Markets, a strong call for more ambitious national emission reduction targets, little progress on adaptation and loss and damage, and no consensus on phasing out fossil fuels. Overall, COP29 absolutely reinforced the very urgent need for increased climate action and finance. 

In Australia we have seen positive developments at a federal and state level on decarbonisation of infrastructure including the release of The Department of Climate Change, Energy, The Environment and Water’s Environmentally Sustainable Procurement (ESP) Policy and Reporting Framework, the Climate Change Authority’s Sector Pathway Review and (mainly cross-sectoral) recommendations, Infrastructure NSW’s Decarbonising Infrastructure Delivery Policy and accompanying Technical Guidance on Embodied Carbon Measurement for Infrastructure (now adopted nationally) and Infrastructure Victoria’s advice to the Victorian government on opportunities to reduce infrastructure-related greenhouse gas emissions. Infrastructure Australia also published guidance on valuing emissions for economic analysis, a critical aspect of infrastructure planning.  

Infrastructure planning systems and processes is a key focus in Aotearoa New Zealand currently, with work underway on a 30-year National Infrastructure Plan to outline the country’s future infrastructure needs and planned investment, and a new national infrastructure authority, National Infrastructure Funding and Financing Limited (NIFFCo), established. Initial thinking underpinning the National Infrastructure Plan identifies pipeline certainty, decarbonisation, resilience and capability building amongst key challenges to be addressed. The ISC was excited to participate in stakeholder engagement sessions and prepare a submission for the plan development.   

Global biodiversity loss has come under the spotlight in 2024 with a lot of activity in the Nature Positive and Natural Capital space. Early in the year, the United Kingdom in a global first, introduced mandatory biodiversity net gain (BNG) as a planning requirement. This pioneering framework aims to integrate biodiversity considerations into the planning process, setting a precedent for other countries to follow. In October, the first Global Nature Positive Summit Australia was hosted in Sydney, attended by over 1000 global leaders from around 50 countries, including environment and climate ministers, corporate leaders, and representatives from environmental groups and Indigenous communities. The summit underscored the importance of aligning nature-positive and net-zero objectives. We have also seen 24 Australian, and 1 New Zealand organisation adopt the Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) framework. The ISC continues to work with our members and stakeholders on highlighted natural capital assessment and reporting, nature-based solutions, and regenerative practices.  

An ambitious journalist turned sustainability professional  

Szeto Yan Weng left high school in Malaysia with the ambition to become a journalist. “I wanted to write for the business section of a newspaper – my idea was to write about business in an entertaining and simplified manner to appeal to the everyday reader.”  

He knew he wanted a break from studying, so headed straight into employment taking up an opportunity at a national newspaper. However, Weng quickly realised that a career in journalism wasn’t for him.  

Following his father’s advice, to enrol in a university course.  Exploring his options, a  Bachelor of Economics featuring a student exchange program to Portland, Oregon, USA, caught his eye..   

Weng spent the final two years of his degree studying at Portland State University. “Living in Portland as a student was such a memorable time of my life – it shaped my future.” 

A career inspired by nature 

Weng had always been an environmentally conscious person, however, a career in sustainability wasn’t on his radar until he was in Portland. “I was really inspired by Oregon’s natural beauty, and the people of Oregon are very environmentally conscious. I was drawn in!”  

In his final year of study, the link between the environment and economics piqued his interest and Weng knew he wanted to pursue a career in sustainability. “I saw the environment as an entity with no voice to negotiate with its users, and I wanted to have a positive impact.”  

Once Weng finished his degree, he found it difficult to get a job in Portland. Disappointed, he found himself back in Malaysia where he landed a job at one of the top four accounting firms as a research analyst, which he openly admits was not the role for him. Facing an unexpected turn of events and unsure of what to do next, Weng’s father encouraged him to enrol in a Master’s course to specialise. 

“I knew what I wanted to do, so it wasn’t too long before I enrolled in a Master’s in Environmental and Resource Economics in Canberra, and after completing my masters, I was determined to find a job in Sydney.”   

Securing a job in Sydney was again another challenge for Weng, however, his luck changed when he discovered that Gamuda, a Malaysian Engineering company, was being set up in Australia. “I was able to get my foot in the door at Gamuda through my Malaysian contacts.”  

Leadership is a journey defined by the opportunities you take   

Weng learned early on that sustainability, like economics, is a broad and often complex topic. He was able to apply his ability to simplify complex topics, to persuade and influence key stakeholders.  

“I really enjoy being able to use my environmental economic knowledge and apply the principles of science communication to achieve desired outcomes. Some people can profit from providing misinformation, whereas my value is being able to comprehend and deliver information on technical topics.” 

 Weng was honoured to be offered the role of Sustainability Representative on the Coffs Harbour Bypass project which saw him responsible for delivering key sustainability outcomes for the project. “It’s a big deal and a cool project. I’m proud to be part of it, and I appreciate the trust given to me by the team, and especially the client.” 

Weng embraced every opportunity that came his way, always looking for ways to add value and tackle new challenges. This proactive approach led him to an early career opportunity where he was entrusted with managing a graduate, setting the stage for his growth as a leader. 

 “The RISE mentoring program was another incredible opportunity that allowed me to develop my leadership skills,” he said. “It was an obvious decision for me.” -The idea of having an experienced professional, outside of the business, willing to commit their time and share their experiences to develop him professionally was what appealed to Weng the most. 

The value of having a mentor 

Weng joined the RISE mentoring program as a mentee in 2023. “For me, having access to an independent person to help me identify where I could develop and guide me on how else to solve problems was incredibly important.”    

“I was most interested in developing my people management skills. I had just been given a graduate to manage, and I wanted to know how to best support this person. I also wanted to expand my network, which I did through the program.” 

One-year on, Weng and his mentor remain in contact. They continue to commit time to each other and further cement their great relationship, which is one of the most valuable outcomes of the program.  

“The people who need the ISC RISE mentoring program the most are the people who don’t think they need it. This program really allows you to explore the unknowns without having to step out of your official duties. Your capabilities expand horizontally and your breadth of knowledge increases, which can often be missed when you focus on your current relationships. I am so glad I enrolled in this program and would strongly recommend others to do the same – you won’t regret it.”