New courses by alumni on the ESG frontier

Environmental, Social and Governance are the new buzzwords in business with ESG strategies and reporting predicted to be embedded in every business within five years, yet no qualifications in ESG are offered in Australia.

That will change later this year when Bond University launches a series of qualifications in the emerging field.

The online, self-paced courses will be overseen by Bond MBA alumni Natalie Hick (nee Williams) and Michelle Peden. Ms Hick (Class of

2014) is founder and CEO of Natural Capital Co Pty Ltd. Ms Peden (Class of 2014) is the company’s Chief Operations and Sustainability Officer.

ESG refers to the measurement and reporting of business elements such as environmental sustainability practices and ethical trading.

“In five years’ time, ESG and non-financial reports will be embedded into every business,” Ms Hick says.

According to Ms Hick, the Bond ESG courses are borne out of necessity. “If current managers, employees, board members and C-suite executives don’t upskill, they won’t be competitive in workplaces that include a younger, more sustainability-conscious generation,” she says.

Bond University was ranked in the world's top 100 universities for its performance in the Good Health and Wellbeing category of the Times Higher Education Impact Ratings which assesses universities against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Professor Hearn takes helm in First Nations Health

Proud Noongar man Shane Hearn has joined Bond University as Professor of First Nations Health.

With a distinguished record in the field of higher education and demonstrated leadership in research, scholarship and management, Professor Hearn also holds roles on the boards of the Australian Children’s Music Foundation, First Nations Media Australia and the Jilya Institute for Indigenous Mental Health.

Professor Hearn was driven to pursue a career in public health for the most personal of reasons.

“The passion to teach health was there from an early age.

“I lost a number of relatives early in life, for different things, but it was always an early death, so I wanted to understand more and contribute and give back,” he says.

Bond joins Tweed health hub

Bond University will help train the next generation of healthcare workers in Northern New South Wales in an innovative collaboration with the Northern NSW Local Health District. The Northern NSW Academic Health Alliance, comprised of Bond, Griffith University, Southern Cross University and TAFE NSW will deliver an integrated clinical training and collaborative research hub at the new Tweed Valley Hospital.

Bond University Executive Dean of Health Sciences & Medicine Nick Zwar said the Alliance partners provided collective expertise in research, education and training across a wide range of health disciplines.

“The most important asset of any healthcare organisation is its people. Healthcare workers need to be skilled and knowledgeable, but also adaptable and engaged in lifelong learning," Professor Zwar said.

"This alliance provides another drawcard to attract and retain health staff in the region, with the added benefit of on-site education and 21st century training facilities.”