Social entrepreneur delivers insightful talk at boardroom lunch

That was among the messages from award-winning social entrepreneur, broadcaster and campaigner Jon Dee at a boardroom lunch on Wednesday [March 30].

Mr Dee's address to a 50-strong crowd at Mercure Centro Port Macquarie covered renewable energy, transport, food and how to use purchasing power to create change.

Port Macquarie Chamber of Commerce and Greater Port Macquarie Tourism Association partnered to bring Mr Dee to town for the Small Business Month event.

Mr Dee is probably best known for co-founding Planet Ark with his friend Pat Cash in 1991. He also co-founded, with Olivia Newton-John, the National Tree Day initiative and the international One Tree Per Child initiative.

Speaking at the boardroom lunch, he encouraged those who wanted to help charities to get their friends involved.

"I think it is important as business leaders we try to use our skills to give back to the community," Mr Dee said.

Some of Mr Dee's initiatives have become role models for international change.

He started the successful lobbying campaign for Australia's three year phase-out of incandescent light globes - a move that has since been copied by other countries.

Mr Dee also hosted the live prime time weekly television program, Smart Money, for three years.

The boardroom lunch guest speaker urged businesses to think about their operations.

Businesses might find there were changes they could make to have a reduced environmental impact without any cost to the business, he said.

Mr Dee also spoke about the RE100 program, which brings together large businesses committed to 100 per cent renewable power.

The companies are committed to source all of their electricity needs from renewable electricity by a set date.

Some 350 companies around the world have signed up, with more than 100 of those in Australia, including the Woolworths Group and the Commonwealth Bank.

Meanwhile, Mr Dee said solar had come down in cost by about 80 per cent in the past 10 years.

"A lot of businesses don't realise if you have solar on your business, you can actually save money," he said.

"I think the biggest argument for solar is it saves money - that's a simple fact - so I am really into the environmental initiatives where businesses actually save money by doing it, because then there is no reason for us not to do it."

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Social entrepreneur Jon Dee delivers insightful talk at boardroom lunch

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Lisa Tisdell

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