CSIRO logo, csiro.au.
Australia’s National 
Science Agency

Sustainable CSIRO

Safeguarding our future through our 
Sustainability Strategy 2020–2030

Strategy highlights 
March 2021



Sustainable CSIRO outlines our sustainability vision 
and provides a snapshot of how, as Australia’s 
national science agency, we are shaping our future 
through our Sustainability Strategy. 


Cover: CSIRO has been adding solar 
power generation and consolidating 
its property footprint in Perth.

Below: The world-leading Australian 
Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder 
radio telescope is lighting up frontiers 
of CSIRO science and sustainability. 
This photo was taken to coincide 
with CSIRO’s participation in the 
2019 Sydney Mardi Gras.



Sustainability is at the core 
of our purpose

We solve the greatest challenges through 
innovative science and technology. 

CSIRO’s purpose is to provide innovative scientific 
and technology solutions to national challenges; 
with opportunities to benefit industry, the environment, 
and the community, through scientific research and 
capability development, services, and advice.

Our key areas of research are focussed on 
Australia’s greatest challenges, identified as:

• Food security and quality 
• Health and wellbeing
• Resilient and valuable environments
• Sustainable energy and resources
• Future industries
• A secure Australia and region



Sustainability is therefore at the 
core of CSIRO’s purpose. 

The science and research we undertake deliver 
national benefits by providing solutions that 
protect our quality of life, our economic health 
and preserve our unique environment and our 
position in a globally competitive world.

Our science delivers national benefit by providing solutions 
that protect our quality of life, our economy and our unique 
environment.



Why have a 
sustainability strategy?

This Sustainability Strategy aims to improve CSIRO’s 
own performance in relation to its environmental 
and social impact, including application of CSIRO 
technical expertise and innovations where possible to 
solve internal challenges, and to improve governance 
and transparency of sustainability actions.

CSIRO is a vast and complex organisation, with over 
5,500 employees spread over 56 sites, comprising over 
1,000 buildings, located both nationally and internationally. 
CSIRO manages one of the largest property portfolios 
among Commonwealth Government agencies, 
with a large environmental footprint. We are an Australian 
Government statutory authority. In addition to our own 
research, we look after National Facilities on behalf 
of the Australian government, such as the Australian 
Centre for Disease Preparedness, the National Research 
Collections and Marine National Facilities. We conduct 
world class research on behalf of the nation and nurture 
and develop young scientists. An organisation of this 
magnitude faces its own sustainability challenges.

CSIRO has made good progress in reducing its operational 
environmental impacts; the last five years have seen 
a steady reduction in gas and electricity-related emissions, 
currently sitting at 15% below 2000 levels. The recent 
expiry of our Carbon Strategy 2020, and advances in 
international best practice in sustainability, have presented 
an opportunity to evolve our approach to 2030 and beyond. 
The development of this strategy has also provided an 
opportunity to identify gaps in our practices and ways 
that we can do things better, by understanding what is 
important to our staff, wider stakeholders, and our future.

This Strategy addresses Objective 4 of our Corporate 
Plan (‘Ensure the sustainability of CSIRO’) and will guide 
strategic objectives, metrics and initiatives around CSIRO’s 
environmental and social impacts, providing a clear and 
cohesive sustainability vision across the organisation.

This will include setting bold and challenging 
targets that address our emissions profile, improve 
efficiencies in our resources management and ensure 
a responsible value chain, to name a few. In addition, 
select CSIRO sites will be exemplars of sustainable 
practices and provide a model for implementation.

Sustainability Strategy vision: 
To be an exemplar of sustainable 
culture and practice, befitting of a 
world class research organisation 
that has sustainability at its core.

Newcastle, NSW is to be a demonstration site for net zero 
emissions (NZE) implementation.



United Nations Sustainable 
Development Goals

Alignment to the UN Sustainable 
Development Goals (SDGs)

The SDGs are a set of 17 global goals, agreed by all 
UN Member States, which provide a ‘blueprint’ for a 
sustainable future. The SDGs serve as an urgent call to 
action, providing a common set of goals and targets 
for governments and businesses alike to address the 
world’s biggest sustainable development challenges. 
They also provide a ‘sustainability lens’ through which 
to view an organisation’s activities.

Australia has adopted the SDGs and it is the 
responsibility of all governments, businesses, and civil 
society to progress the SDG targets. As Australia’s 
national science agency, CSIRO plays a leading role in 
Australia’s contribution to the SDGs, addressing many 
through the six key challenges that represent our key 
areas of research. 

This Sustainability Strategy is therefore a further 
opportunity to highlight the vast impact that CSIRO is 
having on advancing the SDGs and the unique role it 
can play in bringing together partnerships which will 
enhance and accelerate positive outcomes.

CSIRO is advancing the Sustainable Development Goals both within its operations and externally.



Our approach

The development of this strategy was informed by 
a materiality assessment, which identified a list of 
20 topics1
1 The 20 topics are set out on page 7.

 considered material to CSIRO’s sustainability 
performance. The topics were tested through 
stakeholder workshops including a validation 
workshop with members of CSIRO’s Executive team.

Following this, priority actions to improve the 
environmental and social impact of CSIRO’s material 
issues, and to improve governance and transparency 
of sustainability performance, were identified 
under six key focus areas as set out on page 8. 
These actions also considered existing work and 
opportunities where CSIRO technical expertise 
could be applied to solve internal challenges.

CSIRO science is supporting solar charging infrastructure and introduction of electric vehicles to our fleet.



CSIRO Materiality Matrix 

3.0

2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

Responsible 
value chain

Action for 
reconciliation

Reducing our 
carbon footprint

Community 
enagement and 
capacity building

Diversity, inclusion 
and belonging

Resource 
efficiency

Risks and 
opportunities 
of the global 
climate transition

National and international 
research partners

Collaborations 
with business 
and industry

Ethical 
science and 
research

Data 
security 
and privacy

Culture, ethics, 
integrity and trust

Digital disruption 
and innovation

Research, dissemination 
and application, 
and impact measurement

Impactful science 
and research areas

An agile, 
future-focused 
workforce

Connected and 
collaborative 
ways of 
working

Relationship 
with government

Financial 
sustainability

Health, safety 
and wellbeing

Impact to CSIRO

Importance to stakeholders

Time Scale

Short term (feeling the impact now)

Medium term (impact will become 
material in the next five years)

Long term (impact felt out beyond five years)

Material topics

Environmental and social impact

Excellent science

Foundations

Our people

Partnerships and engagement



Priority actions

The following table provides an overview of the priority actions 
identified under each focus area of our Sustainability Strategy.

TARGETS & MEASURES

WHEN

ALIGNMENT TO SDGS

Focus area 1- Governance and transparency: Increase transparency around sustainability performance through improved governance 
processes and systems, including regular public reporting aligned to the SDGs

Establish Sustainability Steering Committee

By June 2021










Develop performance measurement framework

By 2021

Publish Sustainability Report

By 2022

First refresh of materiality assessment

By 2025

Report to Board

Annually to 2030

Focus area 2- Excellent and impactful science: Apply CSIRO’s technical expertise to solve internal challenges, and respond to global 
priorities by creating internal and external partnerships that drive the SDGs

Establish Sustainability Advisory group incorporating CSIRO science expertise

By 2021




Identify opportunities under CSIRO Missions program to apply science 
solutions to operational challenges 

Ongoing annually to 2030

Focus area 3- Our people and capacity building: Create a culture that supports our highly capable and diverse workforce on 
sustainable practices, and promote capacity building and understanding of sustainability issues through community and industry 
engagement

Sustainability communications and engagement plan 

By 2021







Develop training plan and material to improve sustainability skills of staff

Ongoing to 2025

Focus area 4- Sustainable property portfolio: Ensure fit-for-purpose buildings, aspiring to net zero carbon impact, that stimulate 
excellent science and improve staff health and well-being

Property Strategy Implementation Plan reviewed

By 2021













Sustainable Buildings strategy incorporating ESD and data capture systems

By 2021

Physical climate risk assessment of property portfolio

By 2025

New buildings maximise net zero carbon impact

Ongoing to 2030

Consolidated and sustainable property portfolio 

By 2030







TARGETS & MEASURES

WHEN

ALIGNMENT TO SDGS

Focus area 5- Transition to a clean energy future: Improve energy demand management and efficiency to support the transition to net 
zero emissions

Define organisational emissions boundary

By 2021










Net zero emissions (NZE) pathway defined

By 2021

Engage and align with CSIRO’s NZE Mission team

By 2021

Transitional climate risk assessment undertaken

By 2025

Newcastle demonstration site achieves NZE

By 2025

All CSIRO sites use 100% renewable electricity

By 2030

Net zero scope 1 and 2 emissions achieved

By 2030

Net zero material scope 3 emissions achieved (noting this Board-approved 
target extends past this Strategy’s 2030 end date)

By 2050 

Focus area 6- Responsible value chain and resource use: Understand the environmental and social impacts of purchase decisions, 
and embed circular economy thinking and the highest standards of responsible procurement

Supplier due diligence processes reviewed to ensure supply chain integrity 
around environmental and social considerations

By 2025










Water management strategy developed to improve efficiency

By 2025

Develop waste strategy that aligns with National Waste Policy Action Plan

By 2025

Target 80% recovery rate (by weight) for all waste streams

By 2030





Responsible resource use and waste management is targeted within CSIRO’s operations.



Governance

Achievement of the Sustainability Strategy will 
require input and ownership of the targets across all 
research and support functions of CSIRO. Therefore, 
a comprehensive governance framework shall be 
established to support implementation of the Strategy.

The Executive Sponsor for implementation of the strategy 
is CSIRO’s Chief Operating Officer. Two supporting 
committee’s will also be formed - the Sustainability Steering 
Committee will provide oversight and strategic direction 
on progress and reporting, while the Sustainability 
Advisory Group will provide advice on aligning 
sustainability actions with leading science practice.

The Steering Committee shall determine when 
and how often issues relating to the Strategy 
shall be reported to the Executive Team and Board, 
with issues to be reported at least once per year.

A sustainability report will be developed and published 
by FY2022 and annually thereafter, detailing progress 
made on the priority actions. In line with CSIRO’s rolling 
strategy approach, the Sustainability Strategy will be 
reviewed on a regular basis, and at least annually, to be 
able to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances or events. 

The governance and reporting framework will 
enable CSIRO to manage, review, track and 
report its performance under the Strategy. 

CSIRO Board on a visit to Lab22 - Australia’s centre for innovation in metallic additive manufacturing. The Board oversees governance 
for CSIRO including for sustainability initiatives.



Our scientists are helping agricultural 
industries to sustainably feed and 
clothe Australians and grow our share 
of premium agribusiness markets.



As Australia’s national science 
agency and innovation catalyst, 
CSIRO is solving the greatest 
challenges through innovative 
science and technology.

CSIRO. Unlocking a better future 
for everyone.

For further information

CBIS Sustainability
sustainability@csiro.au

Contact us

1300 363 400

csiro.au/contact

csiro.au