ALCAS is delighted to welcome Kate Harrise, CEO of Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) to the board. We thought it appropriate to feature her in our Member Profile this month so that all members could get to know her a little better.
Kate came to sustainability on a rather circuitous route. Born in Adelaide, she started her career as a registered nurse, before moving on to become a singer, performer and clown doctor. Seeing herself as a social ecologist and changer maker, she developed a passion for sustainability and her career moved with her passion. The founder of consulting firm Future Ready, Kate had six years at the Centre for Sustainability Leadership, with two years as CEO, before being appointed CEO of GECA in 2015.
As well as sitting on our board, Kate is also an Executive Member of the Australian Build Environment Council (ASBEC) and a Non-Executive Director of the Living Future Institute of Australia.
We asked Kate to fill us in on the role LCA has played in her sustainability career thus far.
When and why did you first become involved with LCA?
My first real exposure to life cycle assessment was 2 years ago when I joined GECA. I am extremely proud of the fact that we use a life cycle approach and LCAs to create standards for our ecolabel.
Using an LCA approach to metrics enables us to drive a very effective and efficient pathway to best practice products and service.
You recently joined the ALCAS board. What prompted you to put your hand up for this position?
I am passionate about growing the importance of and recognition for LCAs. Life cycle assessment is so important to practically and credibly lead future decision making and innovation toward a sustainable future.
What would you like to see achieved by ALCAS in the next 12 months.
I expect ALCAS to continue to drive awareness and action within a wide range of relevant sectors. The bottom line is we need to embed LCAs into corporate and government thinking and decision-making. That is a pivotal role for ALCAS.
What do you predict will be the future of LCA in Australia?
Let’s face it, LCA is a great to benchmark actual data and to support best practice in the built environment and beyond. I think the use of LCA will continue to grow, and is it becomes more disciplined and institutionalised through things like AusLCI and EPDs life cycle assessment will become more readily accessible and easier to use.