Can organisations pave the way for sustainability in communities?

Organisations are increasingly being asked to respond to local environmental issues, however, due to competing interests, initiatives that are led by organisations can often be viewed with skepticism and mistrust. In addition, research on organisationally led initiatives to respond positively to environmental issues is lacking. Using qualitative methodology, this case study explores the drivers of a successful sustainable water allocation strategy implemented in the town of Griffith NSW, part of the Murray Darling Basin in Australia, facilitated by the local irrigation authority. Content analysis indicated that community engagement in the initial planning and scoping phase was an important step in fostering support and project success. Furthermore, equity in engagement, and facilitation via a combined top-down/bottom-up management style, increased trust. Organisational understanding of the needs of each stakeholder group appeared to generate better engagement in the project, regardless of project outcomes, indicating that authentic consultation was a significant factor. This research suggests that increasing openness and transparency between the organisation and community has a strong connection to an organisation’s successful facilitation of environmental sustainability and that, given the appropriate stimulus, communities can “emerge” their own sustainability.