Developing Sustainability Credentials for Australian SMEs

About the project 

Help Australian small businesses be more sustainable

If you are interested in developing a dynamic career in business and motivated to tackle sustainability in the workplace, the University of South Australia – Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering a hands-on project-based PhD within the Centre for Enterprise Dynamics in Global Economies (C-EDGE), in partnership with Green Industries SA.

Most of us buy products and services and some of us investing shares. How can we make the best decisions for these challenges? This research provides a game changing approach to capture the status of sustainability of an organisation as simple as star rating of white goods.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which form the backbone of our economy, often struggle to assess and improve their sustainability practices. Our innovative project aims to change that by developing a tailored, user-friendly framework that SMEs can use to evaluate and enhance their environmental, social and governance (ESG) credentials.

This research aims to develop a simple, standardised rating system to evaluate the ESG credentials of Australian SMEs, including a comprehensive, yet accessible ESG assessment framework, making it easier for stakeholders to make informed decisions. By fostering transparency and accountability, this framework will enhance SMEs' reputations, drive improvements in sustainability practices, and help them align with global sustainability goals.

As larger companies and governments increasingly prioritise sustainability, SMEs which can evince their environmental, social and ethical credentials will be better positioned to secure contracts, attract investment, and comply with evolving regulations. Such a framework can provide SMEs with valuable insights into their sustainability performance, identifying areas for improvement and opportunities for innovation. This can lead to cost savings through more efficient resource use and waste reduction, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable and resilient economy.

We will work closely with SMEs, industry experts, and government bodies to ensure practical, relevant outcomes. Our goal is to equip SMEs with the tools they need to thrive in an increasingly sustainability-conscious business environment and help them attract investors and customers who prioritise sustainability.

You will be co-located within C-Edge and CWeX at City West Campus and will have access to experts beyond the talented supervisory team. Both research concentrations are highly collaborative, real-world focused and widely networked.

You will benefit from a dynamic research environment that fosters learning and cross-disciplinary activity and provides many opportunities to build a professional platform.

What you’ll do

In this project-based research degree, you will first comprehensively review existing research on sustainability assessment of SMEs, focusing on frameworks and methodologies applicable to the Australian context.

Next, you will conduct in-depth interviews with SME owners and managers across various industries in South Australia. This may require travel to various locations within the state.

Working with the supervisory team, you will create a tailored ESG assessment framework for Australian SMEs. You will then pilot test this framework with a few selected South Australian SMEs. Again, this may require travelling to various locations within the state.

There may be opportunities to undertake an industry placement with end-users near the final stages of this project.

Where you’ll be based

You will be based in the C-EDGE, which was formed in 2021. C-EDGE brings together world-class researchers across several of the university’s academic units. It has 38 active researchers and 29 affiliate members from a range of UniSA research disciplines. This diverse group provide expert advice on the challenges of dynamic markets, support the growth and development of business and government, and provide research students with real-world experience.

Our research is clustered across five themes that intertwine, reflecting the complexity and diversity of innovation, transformation and growth across enterprise, industry, and regions. Financial Support 

This project is funded for reasonable research expenses.  A fee offset for the standard term of the program is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, and permanent residents of Australia, including permanent humanitarian visa holders. Additionally, any Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicant who holds an offer of admission without a living allowance will be eligible for the Aboriginal Enterprise Research Scholarship. This scholarship is to the value of $52,352 per annum (2025 rate). Any Aboriginal Enterprise Research Scholarship recipient will also receive a fee waiver. International applicants are not invited to apply at this time.

Eligibility and Selection 

This project is open to applications from Australian or New Zealand citizens, and Australian permanent residents or permanent humanitarian visa holders. International applicants are not invited to apply at this time.

Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. 

Additionally, applicants must meet the project selection criteria: 

• An interest and awareness of social, environmental and governance requirements of organisations. 
• Have strong data analysis skills, as the project will involve analysing sustainability metrics and developing an assessment framework. 

Applicants who can also demonstrate the following will be highly regarded:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for engaging with SME owners, employees, and other stakeholders. The student should show an interest in interviewing and facilitating workshops.
• Have some experience in data visualization tools is preferred
• Ability to think creatively about sustainability solutions tailored to SMEs.

All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project. A merit selection process will be used to determine the successful candidate.

The successful applicant is expected to study full-time or part-time in special circumstances and to be based at our City West campus in the heart of Adelaide.

Essential Dates

Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close on Thursday, 5 June, 2025.