Sustainable business practices: The competitive advantage

This workshop helps SMEs move beyond viewing sustainability as a compliance requirement or cost, and instead use it as a practical lever to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and strengthen competitive positioning. In this workshop, you will learn: • Understanding sustainability in a practical SME context • Identifying cost-saving opportunities (energy, waste, procurement) • Measuring and tracking key sustainability metrics • Case studies demonstrating ROI and payback periods • Communicating sustainability to customers and stakeholders • Developing a simple, actionable implementation road Presented by Dr Kaushik Sridhar – Founder, Orka Advisory and TEDx Speaker Dr Kaushik Sridhar is the Founder and CEO of Orka Advisory and an experienced strategy, sustainability, and governance advisor with over 21 years of experience across industry and consulting. He is a 3x TEDx speaker, a recognised ESG and business thought leader, and has been awarded ESG Consultancy of the Year (2025), ESG Impact Leader of the Year (2023), and Finder Green Leader of the Year (2022). Sridhar has worked with a wide range of organisations including, Regis Healthcare, Commonwealth Games Australia, Petronas, Societe Generale, John Deere, and City of Sydney, delivering projects across strategy development, sustainability, governance, and capability building. Kaushik is also an Adjunct Lecturer at multiple institutions including the University of Melbourne, where he teaches leadership, governance, and sustainability. His teaching experience further strengthens his ability to deliver engaging, structured, and impactful learning experiences. Kaushik holds a PhD and MBA from Macquarie Business School.