Blackmores is a leading Australian natural wellbeing company, combining nature and science to deliver health solutions to people. When Blackmores first received an email about the new NSW Skills for Net Zero initiative, they took a leap of faith and signed up. They were connected with an experienced CSIRO delivery team who found them the perfect intern for their project.
Through this NSW Government-funded initiative, Blackmores discovered how beneficial a fully facilitated tertiary internship program could be to progress their ambitious sustainability goals.
Sally Townsend, Head of Sustainability for the Blackmores Group, and intern April Ridge, share how the internship helped advance Blackmores’ net zero and nature positive progress.
Why Blackmores applied
When Sally read about the initiative, the appeal was clear: access to high-quality candidates, a structured program, and support throughout the placement.
“Our target is net zero by 2030, and we're resource constrained in how we progress to deliver on that ambitious target,” Sally said.
“NSW Skills for Net Zero made it really easy for us; they de-risked the opportunity to bring someone new into the team.
“Without the program, we would have had to approach universities, design a role, advertise, manage recruitment — the list goes on. There are so many hurdles within a business to be able to develop our own internship program, whereas this was offered in a way that made it very easy for us,” shared Sally.
Finding the right fit
April, a Bachelor of Environmental Science and Management student, first heard about the initiative through a university email.
“Blackmores stood out to me because of my background in flora and ecosystems. It also aligned with my skills and interest in supply chains and sustainable agriculture,” April said.
NSW Skills for Net Zero took care of recruitment, providing Blackmores with a shortlist of candidates, including April.
“CSIRO provided us with really high-quality candidates, matching what they've been studying to the types of work we‘re leading to achieve net zero, but [they] also considered cultural fit and I think that was very important as well,” shared Sally.
Expanding capability for mutual benefit
April’s main projects involved completing nature risk assessments for key ingredients in Blackmores’ supply chain and undertaking lifecycle assessments of packaging formats. It is work that sits at the intersection of climate, biodiversity and Scope 3 emissions.
“Evaluating your climate and nature impacts and dependencies is a really important aspect of our Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD)-aligned assessments,” shared Sally.
April drew on her skillset to map out global supplier locations, analysed climate impacts such as drought and flooding, and assessed future supply risks.
“My work in Nature Risk Assessments involved research into where suppliers are, the climate impacts in those regions, and the associated climate risks with cultivation and processing. This work utilised the skills I had built at uni in a new way I hadn’t expected,” shared April.
April’s work accelerated Blackmores’ progress significantly: “We did as many annual nature risk assessments by March 2026 as we completed in the whole of 2025,” Sally said.
A career‑shaping experience
Due to the success of the placement, Blackmores has offered April further work.
“Other people in the organisation are knocking on our door to get April’s details; it’s a testament to her professionalism and the value she brings,” said Sally.
For April, the internship offered exposure to real‑world sustainability work, data analysis, auditing, emissions calculation, and cross‑functional experience, encouraging her to stay in the field.
“This internship has inspired me to pursue a career in the net zero space. Whether that be working more directly with suppliers in terms of sustainable agriculture or working with companies like Blackmores, it’s definitely opened my eyes to different roles I can get involved with now,” said April.
Participants give NSW Skills for Net Zero the tick of approval
Sally recommends NSW Skills for Net Zero to other organisations, as a fully facilitated initiative that can help you find quality candidates to reach your decarbonisation goals.
“The initiative de-risks bringing new talent into your business and provides a shared interest in building the skills that are needed to achieve net zero goals and create the workforce of the future.
“We were so lucky to have a candidate who was talented, professional and integrated incredibly well into the team. It’s meant that this has been a really enriching experience for us.”
Is your business looking to achieve your net zero goals?
NSW Skills for Net Zero is industry-driven and understands your business requirements to find the best candidate for your project.
Applications are open year-round, contact our team NSWSkillsforNetZero@csiro.au to find out more about how the initiative could support your business or