Nous in ESG Our unique ESG approach to achieve purpose

The challenges to improve mental health can seem overwhelming – from insufficient services to lack of integration and difficulty navigating services for consumers, carers and families. It is essential to take a system-wide approach to action, including at the service level.

A unique approach to ESG

Real action takes place across five domains

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Our work

Our insights

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Nous stands ready to help you reshape the mental health system through:

Here's what our clients say

Contact Nous Group to discuss how we can help your business meet its objectives on purpose, sustainability and impact.

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System planning and design

Engagement and co-design

Service redesign and integration

Monitoring and evaluation

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We go beyond checking the boxes on ESG

We partner with organisations to achieve purpose, sustainability and impact

From customers to shareholders and employees, stakeholders have high expectations for the businesses they interact with when it comes to the environment, society and governance (ESG). Businesses cannot afford to shirk the hard questions or assume they are someone else’s responsibility. Instead they need to lead to ensure their operations contribute to the greater global good. At Nous, we think the need for good conduct goes beyond an organisation checking the boxes on ESG responsibilities. We partner with organisations to achieve purpose, sustainability and impact.

As the leading purpose-driven management consulting firm, our expertise in purpose, sustainability and impact is unsurpassed

Since our earliest days we have worked with clients to bring their purpose to life through social impact and sustainability. Long before ESG made its way to the Boardroom, we were navigating these issues with government departments, universities, businesses and community organisations. While the importance of purpose, sustainability and impact may now be widely accepted, we are proud that our track record spans more than two decades of thinking deeply, supporting clients and achieving results - and impact.

ENVIRONMENT

SOCIAL CAPITAL

HUMAN CAPITAL

SUPPLY CHAIN

Leadership and GOVERNANCE

As we grapple with climate change, drought and threats to biodiversity, businesses need to think deeply about their impact on the planet. It is not enough to minimise the negative impact of operations on the environment – instead, organisations need to identify pathways toward positive impact. As Nous, we support clients with policy and strategy work to support decarbonisation and environmental protection, as well as strengthening the organisational effectiveness of environmental agencies.

Strategy

Implementation

Impact measurement

Environment

Social Capital

Human Capital

Supply Chain

Leadership and governance

Environment

We worked with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) on its strategy and operations. Nous facilitated engagements to refine GBRMPA’s overall planning, including the two-day Reef Summit with Australian Government officials, scientists, the tourism industry, Traditional Owners, and international experts for discussions on increasing the resilience of the reef. We worked with a community group in regional Australia to develop plans for a clean energy hub. We blended stakeholder engagement with a technical document review to understand the region’s strengths, the possible industries that could be established and the opportunities for government support to expedite investment. We explored key potential energy industries, including large-scale renewables such as offshore wind, carbon capture and storage, hydrogen, grid support and value-add technologies. We worked with the Victorian Government as a lead advisor to assess the costs, benefits and sector strategy for establishing an offshore wind industry in Victoria. Nous led a large consortium in the technical, modelling and strategy development phases of the project, working closely with the department to understand current net zero 2050 policies, and plans in place for grid development, ports and other enabling infrastructure. We worked with an ASX-listed energy firm to develop a distributed energy resources strategy. Over 12 weeks, we worked with the firm to rapidly assess the energy market, identify growth markets, size the opportunities, screen and assess each for attractiveness and fit, then develop an overarching DER strategy and portfolio of various business offers where there was a high probability of success. We delivered a robust DER strategy and business portfolio that simplified a complex environment, identified tangible and practical business opportunities and provided a clear path to capture growth.

Social capital

Human Capital

Supply chain

Leadership and governance

Decarbonisation

Energy transition

Circular economy and waste

Biodiversity and ecosystems

We worked with a major energy provider to develop a regional economic partnership agreement with the Surat Basin region’s communities. We ran sprint workshops with the executive and subject matter experts to determine the energy provider’s and communities’ partnership goals and consulted with remote communities to ensure the agreement was culturally safe and reflected intentions. We worked with a major bank to design a strategic partnership as part of a community safety initiative to improve child protection and wellbeing through supporting research and programs. We used our expertise from work transforming systems to develop a system map to guide our work. Our expert facilitation and stakeholder engagement has ensured key stakeholders across the sector, business and government support the plan’s focus. We worked with a mining company and a Traditional Owner representative organisation in remote Western Australia to develop a comprehensive social impact and opportunities assessment (SIOA). We have conducted a multi-faceted investigation into the baseline, impacts and opportunities of the proposed project, including deep community engagement on the ground. We are now developing shared-value community programs. We worked with a member-based Australian bank to design a social impact investment framework. We developed a discussion paper highlighting the strategic decisions to be considered by the board and the executive, including decisions with respect to impact areas, appetite for impact, impact mechanisms, measurement and reporting, and organisational enablers. We then held a workshop with the bank’s leadership to refine the framework, which will underpin its social impact investment strategy. We worked with Ausgrid, the largest distributor of electricity on Australia’s east coast, to work with communities to build resilience to disaster. This involved convening focus groups that included a diverse mix of residential customers, small and medium business customers, hospital representatives and first responders. The participants identified how Ausgrid could support local community resilience through resilient network infrastructure, backup power sources, improved communication and increased strategic engagement. The insights were released publicly and are now driving Ausgrid’s strategy.

Community engagement

Human rights

Social impact and investment

We worked with the University of Kent to develop a strategy to address racial inequalities for staff and students. We reviewed outcomes data to better understand issues for racially diverse staff and students, then used interviews to understand the underlying issues contributing to race inequalities. Finally, we facilitated workshops to develop the strategy’s vision, objectives and detailed actions. Kent is now one of the few universities in the UK with a strategy committed to advancing antiracism. We worked with a global mining company to rapidly design, build and deliver its Digital Fluency program, comprising six interactive online learning modules, to be delivered to technology staff across its international operations. This was done as part of the implementation of the company’s digital strategy to close existing capability gaps, and now forms part of the company’s onboarding program for future hires. We worked with a major Queensland infrastructure provider to develop a model to integrate its existing crew forecasting model with operational and strategic decision-making. We used R for sensitivity analysis, T-SQL for data analysis and Anaplan for the user interface. The high degree of flexibility built into the model kept it relevant through business process changes. The model enabled the client to optimise transition to its future workforce. We worked with Infrastructure Australia to assess the workforce supply for public infrastructure and compare with estimates of demand. We combined traditional labour market data and non-traditional data, including Burning Glass data on job advertisements, to develop a picture of workforce supply. Estimates of the current workforce supply were broken down by occupation, location and readiness to transition into public infrastructure projects. Each occupation was assessed for the extent to which it was already in shortage. Our analysis found that infrastructure workforce will be 48 per cent short of demand in the next two years, with shortages as high as 105,000 roles nationally.

Diversity, equity and inclusion

Employee experience

We worked with a state government agency to redesign its communication materials and stakeholder engagement approach to support stakeholders in implementing a Social Procurement Framework (SPF). We developed a suite of new materials, an updated website information architecture and a stakeholder engagement and communication approach to support supplier implementation of the framework. The result was a set of user-tested communication materials to support implementation of the framework. We worked with the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment to develop a strategy for Sustainability Advantage, a program that supports businesses and the state government to improve sustainability. One pillar of the strategy was to leverage supply chains to accelerate the transition to a sustainably developed NSW. This was done through updating the conditions for NSW Government procurement and providing expert advice to businesses to help them make their supply chains more sustainable.

Supply chain management

Partnerships and relationships

Workforce transition

We worked with a mid-tier member-based bank to develop an ESG Framework to govern how it will embed ESG across the organisation. Through interviews with executives and board members and a full-day workshop, we explored why ESG matters to the bank; how to create a golden thread that weaves ESG from purpose through strategy to benefit members; what ESG issues the bank should focus on; what levers to use; and how brave it wants to be. The board and executive came away energised by the potential for an authentic and holistic ESG Strategy to be a source of differentiation and competitive advantage and also leave a lasting legacy for the organisation. We worked with Synergy, Western Australia’s largest energy retailer and generator, to design an operating model for its sustainability business unit. Through interviews and workshops with senior leaders, we used the Nous Organisational Architecture Framework to design organisational structures, ways of working and capability requirements for the business unit’s functions. We also aligned the sustainability function performance measurement to a typical ESG framework. The new operating model supports the unit’s desire to contribute to the corporate strategy. We worked with an energy industry body to conduct a comprehensive review of its governance arrangements and analyse alternative models. We engaged with a range of market and system operators, mainly in overseas energy sectors, to identify and compare their legal foundation, governance, funding sources, cost oversight and relative efficiency. Our final report identified and evaluated potential reforms of the body’s objectives, ownership, structure, role, funding and oversight. We worked with four peak bodies in the dairy industry to develop a nationwide strategy to create a profitable, confident and united dairy industry over the next five years. We undertook extensive local, regional and national engagement with dairy farmers, dairy processors, major retailers, investors, suppliers and the government to understand their needs and interests, win over hearts and minds and ultimately build collective support for the strategy. We worked with a major private healthcare provider to provide advice on a new operating model that could deliver improved clinical governance and drive improvements in the safety and quality of care. We consulted extensively and reviewed internal operating documents to understand the current state of clinical governance across the organisation, then undertook a benchmark analysis comparing the organisation to similar organisations. Our final report set out a bold yet practical roadmap to enable the organisation to become a leader in safety and quality in Australia.

ESG governance and accountabity

Board and leadership capability

+82.4

2021 net promoter score

GLOBAL CONSULTING AVERAGE: +70.1

“Loved working with the Nous team; they were highly creative and supportive of our business needs.”

Australian Energy Market Operator

“The Nous team produced high-quality deliverables throughout, with a rigorous approach to linking outcomes, indicators of success, underlying metrics and data sources.”

Infrastructure NSW

“The enthusiasm the consultants brought to bear on the project was refreshing and gave a strong sense that they were very committed to the task of delivering a creative solution.”

WA Department of Training and Workforce Development

“Not only did the Nous team meet the brief, they went the extra mile to ensure that we got the most out of the work, built our staff’s capability along the way, and provided thoughtful support as the COVID-19 pandemic began to unfold.”

Bank Australia

"What we wanted to create was something that wasn’t a flash-in-the-pan, something that was enduring, supportive yet performance oriented. We’re setting a high bar, and that’s how the Nous program has been developed."

Queensland Investment Corporation

“I would recommend Nous for future work. They were professional, had a good communication approach in the preparation phase, understood the situation well and were very outcome driven.”

Sinclair Knight Merz

Read our thinking on some of the most important issues in purpose, sustainability and impact.

Managing climate change risk: Every part of an organisation needs to act

Unlocking the social licence gate to decarbonisation

Read full insight

The three questions every organisation needs to ask to create an authentic and impactful ESG strategy

Managing climate change risk: Every part of an organisation needs to act

The three questions every organisation needs to ask to create an authentic and impactful ESG strategy

Unlocking the social licence gate to decarbonisation

Want hybrid work to stick? First understand your organisation’s cultural driver

Read full insight

read full insight

Our people have deep experience delivering purpose, sustainability and impact

ENVIRONMENT

SOCIAL CAPITAL

HUMAN CAPITAL

SUPPLY CHAIN

LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE

Craig Knox Lyttle

PRINCIPAL

Andrew Benoy

PRINCIPAL

Simon Guttmann

PRINCIPAL

Stephen Petris

PRINCIPAL

Richard Bolt

PRINCIPAL

Phillip Vrettakis

PRINCIPAL

Carlos Blanco

director

Monique Jackson

PRINCIPAL

Rodney Williams

PRINCIPAL

Wadzi Katsidzira

director

Gill Shaw

PRINCIPAL

Abby Nduva

director

Tony Fiddes

PRINCIPAL

Claire Noone

principal

Greg Joffe

PRINCIPAL

Michele Konrad

PRINCIPAL

Krisztina Barnett

PRINCIPAL

Sarah Jones

director

Our experts

Get in touch

Businesses across all sectors need to gain a social licence to operate by collaborating and contributing to the communities they work in. Achieving this social licence can be challenging, often requiring sophisticated community engagement and cross-cultural literacy. At Nous, we support clients in undertaking a social impact assessment for the development of capital projects, as well as establishing social programs and making social investments.

Employees today are looking for so much more than a satisfying job with decent pay. Many are looking for a workplace that is driven by purpose and welcomes them to bring their whole selves to work. As we consider the future of work, employees are seeking a genuine involvement in key decisions as well as learning and development opportunities that will advance their careers. At Nous, we support clients to develop and implement workplace improvement initiatives. We also deploy a data-driven approach to workforce analytics and labour market dynamics.

Businesses have increasing legal and social obligations to ensure they have an ethical and transparent supply chain. While this can be a risk for many organisations, it can also be an opportunity. Procurement practices that advance community as well as commercial objectives can enable a business to deliver better outcomes for stakeholders. At Nous we bring a deep understanding of the legislative environment, undertake targeted data collection, management and analysis, and provide training and tools.

In an operating environment with many risks, boards offer untapped potential to shape the operations of their businesses. The right structures are essential to boards influencing operations, while also meeting their legal obligations on behalf of shareholders. Cybersecurity, executive pay and climate impact are all issues that now demand attention from directors. At Nous, we work collaboratively with boards and executives to establish governance frameworks, review performance, identify scope for improvement and implement change.

Nous has supported clients across all five domains

The power of these domains is unlocked with coordinated action

It is a mistake to treat purpose, sustainability and impact as issues for which costs and benefits can be tallied and compared. Instead, success depends on taking a holistic approach that asks the question: Is the world better off because your company is in it? We offer a suite of services to help you take a holistic approach:

STRATEGY We help businesses to develop sophisticated frameworks to achieve their purpose, sustainability and impact aims.

IMPLEMENTATION We help businesses to turn their strategic aspirations into action.

IMPACT MEASUREMENT We help businesses to quantify and contextualise their impact outcomes, allowing them to use data to drive their decision making.

learn more about our strategy capability

learn more about our implementation capability

learn more about our impact measurement capabiity

Craig understands the needs of organisations facing discontinuous change and how to build a consensus across diverse teams. His focus is on helping leaders in mining, energy and highereducation transform their operating models to create greater purpose, sustainability and impact.

Andrew co-leads Nous’ Implementation practice and is expert in designing and implementing new operating models. Andrew also specialises in design, evaluation and strategic reviews across industry and regional development, primary industries, health and human services.

Simon brings extensive experience in Australia and the US as a management consultant, marketing and sales executive, economist and researcher. He has led work with diverse organisations across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors.

Stephen brings more than 20 years of experience working with senior leaders in environmental, primary industries and emergency management agencies in strategy, policy and organisational design.

Richard has led organisations ranging from a community-based advocacy group to a large government department. His achievements include lead roles in national carbon and energy policy reform, and driving technology innovation in energy, resources and agriculture.

Gill has extensive experience in evaluation, reporting performance frameworks and community development. She has deep experience in the Indigenous sector, and has worked extensively on successful strategies to reduce the prevalence of petrol sniffing through the use of low aromatic fuel.

Rodney has diverse industry experience across the private, public and community sectors, where he has held board, senior executive and management roles. He brings over 20 years’ experience in consulting, Indigenous economic development, banking and finance.

Monique is passionate about improving outcomes for vulnerable children and families. She works with clients in system design, policy reform, strategy, service and operating model design, stakeholder engagement, workshop facilitation, and evaluations.

Tony is an experienced human resources leader with expertise building organisational performance through people strategy; leadership, talent and executive development; culture change; diversity; and learning and development.

Claire is a leading thinker in regulatory design and practice, governance and integrity management. She draws on her wealth of public sector leadership experience to help organisations align strategic planning and delivery, focusing on measuring outcomes.

Greg leads projects in business and digital strategy, public policy, service design, operating model, organisation design, efficiency and transformation. He works with financial services, health and utilities private sector clients and with an array of government agencies.

Krisztina is a people and organisational effectiveness professional specialising in complex change, business transformation, and people and organisation programs. She has spent over 20 years advising clients and leading programs of work in organisational effectiveness and change leadership.

Phillip’s experience includes strategy development, business planning, business transformation and program delivery at a corporate and business unit level. He has a strong track record of designing and delivering strategic initiatives for client solutions.

Carlos is passionate about working with clients to deliver innovative and practical solutions to complex challenges. His focus is on translating insight into action that delivers improved performance, working across government, not-for-profit organisations, foundations and private sector organisations.

Wadzi brings more than a decade of strategy consulting experience in social service design and delivery, finance strategy and operational planning. She has worked with financial services institutions, government agencies and multilateral bodies in Australia, Europe, Africa and North America.

Abigail has extensive change management experience in the public and private sectors across the UK and Australia, including service design and evaluation projects targeted at improved engagement of diverse end-users and employees.

Sarah has 15 years of experience working in government, not-for-profit and consulting environments. She has a passion for social research and evaluation as a key mechanism for evidence-based, person-centred solutions, Sarah has developed and led major social outcomes-focused projects.

Michele is a leader with a track record of success in senior operational and corporate roles. She is also a storyteller, skilled in using creative approaches to expand influence and engage support. This combination of operational and creative skills make Michele an impactful advisor and leader.

Our approach

Annette Madvig

PRINCIPAL

Annette has designed, managed and evaluated policies and programs in government and non-government settings, and built capability in cross-cultural and cross-sector environments. She has a sharp eye for complexity that informs a practical approach in education, health, justice and human services.

Christie Allison

PRINCIPAL

Christie is an organisational development specialist with over 15 years of experience. She partners with clients to lead, design and deliver innovative people, culture, leadership and transformation initiatives.