Operate sustainably

Sustainable Business Program

The Sustainable Business Program provides advice and support to ACT businesses to help them become more sustainable.

All ACT businesses can receive support through the program.

They can help you asses the use of:

• water
• waste
• energy
• transport.

They also offer advice on how to improve efficiencies and if you’re eligible for any rebates.

Businesses operating from residential premises are not eligible for the program. They can get support through household programs.

Register now for a free onsite assessment

Rebates

The Sustainable Business Program can also help you understand the rebates your business may be eligible for.

Small-to-medium businesses can get up to $13,000 in rebates and technical advice from the program.

Eligible businesses may receive rebates of:

• up to $10,000 for energy and water efficiency upgrades
• up to $3,000 for an EV charger.

All rebates include co-contribution from the business.

Get support and rebates

Sustainable events

Use the step-by-step guide to help you plan and run a sustainable event in Canberra.

The Sustainable Event Program provides advice and equipment to make your event more sustainable.

Event organisers can borrow free equipment including:

• signage
• water units
• Container Deposit Scheme collection bins
• bin covers.

You can also get support on how to make your event plastic free.

Check out the Sustainable Event Guide

Removing gas supply

The ACT Government is preparing to electrify our city.

Canberra is transitioning away from the use of fossil-fuel gas by 2045.

Regulation to prevent new gas network connections in the ACT started in December 2023.

• Businesses with an existing gas network connection can continue using gas.
• New businesses or businesses setting up in a new location must check if the building has access to the gas network before starting a lease.

The ACT Government does not allow new gas network connections. Keep this in mind when choosing a location for your business.

If the premises does not already have a gas connection, you will not be able to get one. If the property has an existing gas connection, you will know because of a gas meter.

If you remove the gas connection, you may not be able to reconnect it. Builders sometimes need to remove the gas connection to make a worksite safe.

Think about this when you choose a location for your business. If you can, use electric appliances instead.

Find out more

Support to electrify

Begin your planning to switch from gas now.

Free advice on how to electrify your business is available through the Sustainable Business Program. The program also offers rebates on electric appliance upgrades for eligible businesses.

Use the Your Energy Journey tool to help your business plan for the transition away from gas.

Find out how to get rebates to go electric

Plastic reduction - single-use plastics

Businesses need to be aware that single use plastics are banned in the ACT.

Single-use plastic items are designed to be used once and then thrown away. They are seen as cheap and convenient, but they are bad for the environment and problematic in our waste management systems.

Stay up to date on the laws and regulations for single-use plastics.

If you’re a food business, there is more information on what you can and can’t use.

Learn more about single-use plastics changes

Co-mingle recycling

Co-mingle recycling is when all your recyclables are put in one bin. They are sorted at a recovery facility, and it saves waste going to landfill.

Businesses in the ACT are responsible for their own waste collection (including recycling) and don’t have to follow any co-mingling recycling rules.

If you want to recycle more and waste less, the ACT Government can help. The Sustainable Business Program offers free advice and an onsite assessment.

Co-mingle recycling for your business