BUSINESSES of all sizes from across a range of industry sectors have benefited (from sustainability) - they have reduced costs, developed better products and services and increased productivity. This has all been achieved through improved environmental performance.

We are now focusing on facilitating sustainable development, creating environmentally sustainable jobs, demonstrating the real dollar value to business of sound environmental management, and ensuring that the sustainable use of our natural capital benefits Queensland.

EPA has a range of incentives and partnership programs to encourage innovation and sustainable practices. Agency programs foster sustainable industry, through engagement and partnerships aimed at showcasing best-practice and helping meet the cost of research and development that will help businesses do more with less.

We launched our signature industry program ecoBiz to help Queensland businesses increase profits and market competitiveness by improving their environmental performance.

Since ecoBiz began in 2004, more than 200 companies from around the state have joined the program, making improvements in the ways in which they consume materials, energy and water, and reducing or eliminating production of wastes and greenhouse gas.

Since it's inception in 1999, the EPA's sustainable industries division has worked to make it easier for Queensland business to achieve eco-efficiency. Our ecoBiz Program provides users with a simple methodology for defining resource costs in terms of units of production. This assists businesses to prioritise areas for improvement and enables accurate calculations of payback periods. Dividends are most likely to be seen in cost savings through reduced energy and water consumption, and more productive use of materials.

In addition to establishing new process benchmarks, some businesses find that eco-efficiency initiatives make a major contribution to continuous improvement and innovation. Importantly, it doesn't cost a fortune to make environmental gains and in many cases it improves profitability.

The ecoBiz rebate scheme is designed to assist with the capital cost of projects that demonstrate a high level of innovation, increased recycling, and conserve water and energy.

Rebate assistance for projects ranges from $1,000 to a maximum of $150,000. Rebates are limited to a maximum of 30 percent of capital equipment costs. Ultimately, the business outcomes of ecoBiz are competitive advantage, a stronger market position and growth.

Queensland businesses that bring smart ideas forward to make better use of energy and water resources also stand to benefit under the Queensland Sustainable Energy Industry Fund (QSEIF).

Administered by the EPA, QSEIF provides much needed funds to assist in the development of new products or systems which reduce consumption of water and fossil fuels and the production of greenhouse gas emissions.

The Queensland government acknowledges that industry sectors are often faced with high development costs and risk when innovating and bringing ideas through concept stage to full commercialisation.

QSEIF funding offsets the technical risk of developing and commercialising new environmentally-sustainable technologies. It can offset up to 80 percent of external project costs, up to a maximum contribution of $200,000.

Severe drought conditions in south-east Queensland have placed even greater emphasis on conserving water.

The EPA's own water efficiency management plan was developed to direct the Agency's own efforts in managing its water consumption and to benchmark savings achieved. Water-efficient devices are being installed in all new capital works and the EPA is replacing non-conforming fittings through routine maintenance in existing infrastructure.

Engaging with Queenslanders and communicating how to achieve a sustainable future has become central to our business and a personal goal.

Why? To me it's a simple case of wanting to leave a better world for our kids as well as basic risk assessment. At a time of accelerating change, people are consuming the natural resources of the planet at a rate that is unsustainable.

Just how quickly we adopt sustainability into everything we do is the urgent challenge we face. If we want to maintain the lifestyle for which Queensland is famous, we really don't have a choice.

The EPA calls for new QSEIF applications twice a year. New applications to the ecoBiz Program are welcome at any time. Business leadership in dealing with climate and sustainability issues requires commitment to change.