Transition readiness of Australia’s most influential companies

This report focuses on the 21 Australian-headquartered real economy businesses, which directly employ an estimated 700,000 people and indirectly affect an estimated 2.2 million additional workers though their supply chains. WBA’s Nature Benchmark also assesses 310 global companies with operations in Australia. This means that many environmental and social impacts experienced in Australia are also shaped by decisions made offshore. This represents a strategic opportunity for Australia to use its regulatory power, market influence and investor expectations to shape global companies’ impacts. 
 

At a first glance our key insights are:

1. Strong governance but more action needed to mitigate risks. Across climate, nature and social indicators, WBA’s report finds that Australian companies have strengthened governance foundations, including in sectors such as food and agriculture where nature-related risks and dependencies are particularly significant.

   Among the companies assessed under WBA’s Nature Benchmark, all nine assign sustainability oversight to their highest governance bodies, while eight link executive remuneration to sustainability targets. However, governance recognition is not yet consistently translating into resourced delivery and implementation. Only one Australian company discloses the resources allocated to implement its sustainability strategy. Similarly, although awareness of water risk is increasing, only one company sets contextual site-level water targets. No Australian company fully commits to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), the globally recognised standard for respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

   Advancing from recognition to resourced delivery would strengthen transition readiness, and position Australian companies at the forefront of nature-positive business practice. 

2. Climate transition plans are increasing – now capital needs to follow. The report finds that climate transition planning is now common among the 21 Australian companies assessed, with 18 disclosing emissions reduction targets and 19 referencing elements of transition planning in their reporting. However, many of these plans remain high-level and lack the operational detail needed.

   Capital allocation, one of the strongest indicators of credibility in transition planning, remains limited. Only 5 Australian companies disclose low-carbon investment shares. Where disclosed, the median reported low-carbon CapEx share among the Australian companies is 10%. This sits slightly above the global median of 7%, but overall performance varies widely. When looking across the global results from 1,600 companies, there are examples across a wide range of countries and industries, deploying up to 30% of their total CapEx in low-carbon investments. This indicates that significant growth in low-carbon CapEx is possible, and companies across many key sectors can look to global peers for real-world case studies.

Australia’s global footprint means corporate choices made today will shape environmental integrity, social resilience and economic opportunity for decades to come. Holding these companies to account requires clear expectations, coherent policy signals and accountability mechanisms that reward credible action and deter delay. The results show that Australia is not starting from zero, and make clear what leading practice looks like. The coming years now represent a decisive window to close the gap between knowledge and action.