Science in Action: The ZooX Ambassadors Program
The ZooX Ambassadors Program provides an opportunity for investors in Great Barrier Reef research to identify and develop in-house sustainability champions (ambassadors).
In the three years of the program’s operation, 76 ambassadors from 6 companies (BHP Billiton MetCoal, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Energetics, KPMG, Qantas Airways, Telstra) have participated.
The two key benefits for participating companies are firstly, that it identifies and develops passionate, strategically selected groups of sustainability champions and secondly, that the workplace projects developed and implemented by Ambassadors at the end of the program have real potential for signifcant commercial and environmental outcomes.
Once selected, ambassadors attend an intensive 3-day field-based program at the University of Queensland’s Heron Island Research Station. There, expert scientists provide a grounding in coral reef science and accompany Ambassadors on guided snorkelling trips on local reefs. Ambassadors also contribute by carrying out coral reef transect observations and data-gathering activities.
To link their learning back to the workplace, ambassadors are equipped to take the climate change challenge back into the business by developing measurable and practical sustainability projects for implementation on their return.
The company invests in the success of the projects by developing project boundaries well before the Ambassadors depart for the Reef.
How ZAP is shaping up for 2011
Companies participating in 2011
- BHP Billiton Metallurgical Coal
- Commonwealth Bank of Australia
- Energetics
- The GPT Group
- KPMG
- Qantas Airways
- Telstra
The scheduled field trips for 2011 are:
- Arriving on Heron Island Monday 5 September and departing Wednesday 7 September
- Arriving on Heron Island Tuesday 13 September and departing Thursday 15 Septemer
- Arriving on Heron Island Tuesday 11 October and departing Thursday 13 October
- Arriving on Heron Island Tuesday 25 October and departing Thursday 27 October