GOODSTART BERRY ST

CASE STUDYCASE STUDYCASE STUDYCASE STUDY

Goodstart Early Learning Child Goodstart Early Learning Child Goodstart Early Learning Child Goodstart Early Learning Child

Care Centre North Sydney Care Centre North Sydney Care Centre North Sydney Care Centre North Sydney ----

Berry Street is an, 89Berry Street is an, 89Berry Street is an, 89Berry Street is an, 89----place place place place

child care centre in the heart of child care centre in the heart of child care centre in the heart of child care centre in the heart of

North Sydney, conveniently North Sydney, conveniently North Sydney, conveniently North Sydney, conveniently

located close to shops, schools, located close to shops, schools, located close to shops, schools, located close to shops, schools,

public transport and North public transport and North public transport and North public transport and North

Sydney Library.Sydney Library.Sydney Library.Sydney Library.

This centre is part of not-for-profit

organisation Goodstart Early

Learning, Australia’s largest early

learning provider, formed in 2010

and that currently has 645 centres

around Australia.

At Berry St, all of the rooms are all

set up in line with an Early Years

Learning Framework, with sensory

and play based learning

opportunities. Colourful,

stimulating surrounds ensure the

children have the chance to grow

and develop through sensory, play-

based learning. Their large outdoor

playground stretches across the

large balcony up on the third level

of the building, with a smaller

enclosed yard to allow nursery

children the opportunity to explore

and participate in spontaneous and

planned activities.

BUSINESS OVERVIEW SUSTAINABILITY DRIVERS

“As educators we have a duty of care to talk

about real life issues and teach children from

an early age about the importance of caring

for the environment. A large part of our

motivation to treat the earth well comes from

a respect for indigenous communities and

culture as well as the importance of modelling

good citizenship behaviours to the children.”

ACHIEVEMENTS

Waste Saver:

• Reducing the use of disposable kitchen items and moving to ceramic utensils and Reducing the use of disposable kitchen items and moving to ceramic utensils and Reducing the use of disposable kitchen items and moving to ceramic utensils and Reducing the use of disposable kitchen items and moving to ceramic utensils and reusable plastic items in the nursery; Staff bring reusable mugs to cafe downstairs reusable plastic items in the nursery; Staff bring reusable mugs to cafe downstairs reusable plastic items in the nursery; Staff bring reusable mugs to cafe downstairs reusable plastic items in the nursery; Staff bring reusable mugs to cafe downstairs when purchasing coffeewhen purchasing coffeewhen purchasing coffeewhen purchasing coffee

• Recycling bins in place and education provides to children on how to recycle

• Reuse waste from staff and cardboard boxes for crafts

• Now have access to Food Organics bins in the building for composting

• Purchased a tumbler compost bin for the children to have fun while composting

• Investigated with their building and cleaners about waste separation in the building

• Set up a worm farm to compost food waste

• Use less paper by sharing info and documents with parents/staff digitally

• Purchase food in bulk to reduce packaging

• Use reusable containers for food storage instead of plastic film

• Print double sided and encourage children to use both sides of paper

Community Support:

• Every Christmas, choose a charity they are going to support and give away care Every Christmas, choose a charity they are going to support and give away care Every Christmas, choose a charity they are going to support and give away care Every Christmas, choose a charity they are going to support and give away care packages, babies goods, nappies, canned food, ask parents to donate (previous packages, babies goods, nappies, canned food, ask parents to donate (previous packages, babies goods, nappies, canned food, ask parents to donate (previous packages, babies goods, nappies, canned food, ask parents to donate (previous years: women's refuge, charity to assist with autism)years: women's refuge, charity to assist with autism)years: women's refuge, charity to assist with autism)years: women's refuge, charity to assist with autism)

• Have a Pay it Forward program in place where parents and children can donate items and other can take them

• Run fundraising events connected to their families and staff. Participate in sustainability or charity events such as Clean Up Australia, Earth Hour, Jeans for Genes etc. Have a calendar of events.

• Run cultural, educational and family events i.e. asthma awareness, school readiness

• Partner with local businesses for events

• Yearly events for parents and regular parents’ nights and parents-teachers meetings

• Have a Smith Family donations box for children’s clothing

• Have a Library for children to borrow books

• Partnership with Cool Australia with training for staff

• Do excursions with children to businesses owned by the families ie café, Italian restaurant

• Organise night out with staff, parents and children at the Twilight Night Food Market

• Communicate about their sustainability practices on their Facebook page to inspire others

Water Saver:

• Children now have signs in toilets about half flush / full flush; Have signs by each Children now have signs in toilets about half flush / full flush; Have signs by each Children now have signs in toilets about half flush / full flush; Have signs by each Children now have signs in toilets about half flush / full flush; Have signs by each water area for the childrenwater area for the childrenwater area for the childrenwater area for the children

• Dual flush toilets and flow restrictors installed by plumbers on taps

• Children monitored when using taps

• Only use dishwasher and washing machine when full

• Cancelled water dispenser and encourage people to drink from tap

• Used water used in garden outside, collected in buckets PROGRAM PARTNERS:

““““Take a first step and start small.

You don’t have to make huge changes

but its being conscious about your

choices.” ” ” ”

Lale Ada, Centre Director

ACHIEVEMENTS (cont.)

Staff Support:

• Now including commitment to sustainability and green transport in new Now including commitment to sustainability and green transport in new Now including commitment to sustainability and green transport in new Now including commitment to sustainability and green transport in new employee induction emailsemployee induction emailsemployee induction emailsemployee induction emails

• Annual engagement survey

• Have a sustainability champion with goals and responsibilities

• Time in lieu and incentives; KPI and goal monitoring in place

• Good team culture and atmosphere

• Organise weekly group leader meetings and monthly all staff meetings

• Celebrations and social events, team building events (bowling, housewarming party, baby shower etc.)

• Share all green information with staff; Educational leader did sustainability webinar, ask questions to staff. Got everyone to do a sustainability practices module on the Goodstart online learning.

Energy Saver:

• Have worked with electrician to divide lights to have individual switches for Have worked with electrician to divide lights to have individual switches for Have worked with electrician to divide lights to have individual switches for Have worked with electrician to divide lights to have individual switches for each room and inside each roomeach room and inside each roomeach room and inside each roomeach room and inside each room

• Purchased and installed a foldable clothes rack in outside area to use for sheets and reduce the need for tumble-drying

• Placed signs in each room about the importance of saving energy

• Turn off lights and equipment and use natural light as much as possible

• Air dry instead of tumble-drying for clothes after water play

• Regularly test fridge seals to ensure efficiency

• Purchased a new fridge more energy efficient for staff room; Keeping fridges as full as possible as buy in bulk

• Recently tested all A/C thermostat sensors and regularly clean filters to ensure efficiency

• Purchase energy efficiency equipment and lightbulbs when need replacing

• Use of blinds to insulate indoors; Open doors for ventilation

Sustainable Transport:

• All staff and most parents takes public transport as located close to North All staff and most parents takes public transport as located close to North All staff and most parents takes public transport as located close to North All staff and most parents takes public transport as located close to North Sydney train station and bus stopsSydney train station and bus stopsSydney train station and bus stopsSydney train station and bus stops

• Buggy depot available to parents allowing them to walk to the centre

• Receive deliveries when needed, especially arts&crafts and cleaning supplies, only ad hoc deliveries

• Encourage people not to drive to the centre and mention that there is no parking available

• Added Public Transport information in new staff induction email

Sustainable Purchasing:

• Recently changed to eco products, Ekoworx made out of oxydised water, Recently changed to eco products, Ekoworx made out of oxydised water, Recently changed to eco products, Ekoworx made out of oxydised water, Recently changed to eco products, Ekoworx made out of oxydised water, used for mopping, spraying; also a brand owned by a local familyused for mopping, spraying; also a brand owned by a local familyused for mopping, spraying; also a brand owned by a local familyused for mopping, spraying; also a brand owned by a local family

• Purchased a worm farm and compost bin to compost food waste and to teach the children about composting

• Some 2nd-hand items donated by parents, some from Vinnies, Reverse Garbage

• Have a herb garden & veggie patch to engage children with nature & gardening

• Have books for children about sustainability

• Received free native Wattle seedlings from North Sydney Council bushcare to plant in outdoor area

• Purchase recycled toilet paper and paper towels

• Many decisions made by head office, emailed to ask to switch to recycled options

• Try to use seasonal produce as much as possible; Offer vegetarian options for children’s meals

• A lot of staff bring their own food from home and keep in kitchen

• Refill water bottles and children use cups and refill, no disposable

MORE INFORMATION

GOODSTART BERRY STREET

Lale Ada, Centre Director

Level 3, 20 Berry St, North Sydney NSW 2060

02 9929 6271 | kib@goodstart.org.au

www.goodstart.org.au/Centres/North-Sydney-

Berry-Street

BETTER BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP

(02) 9777 9761

www.betterbusinesspartnership.com.au

info@betterbusinesspartnership.com.au

ADVICE FOR OTHER

BUSINESSES

“There’s so many supports available for you

and this is very important all our futures. You

can make it more effective by making sure

you understand where your starting point is

and then incorporating sustainability into part

of your business planning. By making it

business as usual, its easy to achieve a lot.”

RESPONSE FROM THE

COMMUNITY

Families in the centre have been actively

involved in steps towards greater

sustainability. The centre agrees that

sustainability has strengthened

FUTURE PLANS

Goodstart have a thorough Sustainability

Plan which outlines their future plans for

increasing native plantings at the centre.

There are also plans for equipment swaps

with other centres, looking at the feasibility

of the installation of water tanks and the

replacement of laundry lighting to sensor

lighting.