GLG GreenLife paves the way in sustainable education

GLG GreenLife Group (GLG) has partnered with nationally recognised horticultural organisation Sustainable Gardening Australia (SGA) to develop the country’s first accredited course for the commercial landscaping industry.

For the first time, SGA’s Environmentally Certified Landscape Industry Professionals (ECLIPs) accreditation has been tailored to address the needs of large-scale, commercial projects such as those carried out by GLG. GLG GreenLife Group Managing Director Jeff Dominikovich said the course is playing a key role in his company’s sustainability goals and could apply to other organisations.

“Our business is about building and maintaining innovative, open-space projects that are sustainable and will last for future generations, so it’s imperative that our staff are equipped with the necessary skills to carry out this work,” he said.

“The commercial ECLIPs accreditation is the only course of its kind in Australia and we’re not only pleased to have played a role in developing the curriculum but now see 80 of our staff complete it successfully, with remaining staff to go through.

“The course is also a key part of reducing GLG GreenLife Group’s carbon footprint and the techniques taught are helping our staff to reduce their impact on the environment. In addition, we can pass valuable recommendations onto our clients to help them improve the sustainability of their landscapes.

“It’s a big commitment for a business to gain this accreditation - it requires training, ongoing education and bi-yearly auditing, but we strongly feel this is something we need to do.”

Historically, SGA has designed and run courses aimed at residential landscapers but SGA Chief Executive Officer Mary Trigger says this new course has been specifically adapted to address issues unique to commercial landscaping.

“Commercial sites can have a greater impact on the environment if they’re not handled properly so it is crucial that they are designed, built and maintained in a particular way,” Trigger said. “GLG GreenLife Group’s employees are now building on their knowledge about water management, intelligent plant selection, reduction of chemical use, biodiversity within a garden, large-scale garden waste disposal, mowing regimes and overall management of open space.”