Our commitment to sustainability

At BBM, sustainability is fundamental to a thriving society and a fairer future.

Sustainability recognises the need to balance social, environmental and economic wellbeing. It supports people and communities today while protecting the world we share for generations to come.

Our commitment to sustainability shapes how we design programs, support scholars, preserve our heritage and partner with others. This includes scholarship programs that are purposefully designed to contribute to a more sustainable future through skills development, global learning and knowledge exchange. It is embedded in our purpose, values and long-term vision and guided by our BBM Sustainability Framework.

Our sustainability framework

BBM’s Sustainability Framework provides a clear and practical approach to sustainability and impact. It brings together:

Our sustainability statement and policy
Defined sustainability and impact metrics
Scholar-led contribution and learning
Alignment with recognised sustainability and social impact frameworks

The framework supports transparency and accountability while recognising the realities of measuring impact within a small, purpose-driven organisation.

Our alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

We align our work with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a shared global framework for sustainable development.

We focus on the SDGs where BBM can clearly demonstrate contribution through our programs, using proxy indicators that reflect real and measurable outcomes.

SDGs we actively contribute to

Our Sustainability Framework focuses on the SDGs where BBM’s impact is most clearly demonstrated.

Goal 4 – Quality education
BBM supports inclusive and practical learning through vocational scholarships, international work experience and leadership development. Our programs help young Australians build skills, global awareness and long-term capability.
Goal 11 – Sustainable cities and communities
BBM protects and shares cultural and natural heritage through the preservation of the Big Brother Movement story and the lived experiences of Little Brothers, contributing to Australia’s social and cultural memory.
Goal 17 – Partnerships for the goals
BBM builds international networks and partnerships that enable knowledge exchange, collaboration and long-term impact beyond individual programs or cohorts.

How we measure our contribution

BBM uses a logic model approach to measure contribution. This connects:

What we do
What we deliver
What changes as a result
How this aligns with SDG intent
Proxy indicators that demonstrate contribution

Examples of proxy indicators include:

Skills and leadership development reported by scholars
Diversity and inclusion within scholarship cohorts
Global placement hours contributing to sustainable practice
Alumni engagement and mentoring
Preservation, digitisation and public access to heritage collections

This approach allows us to measure what matters most in a way that is practical, credible and proportionate to our scale.

Scholar contribution to sustainability

Scholars play an active role in sustainability learning and reflection.

During their placements, scholars are supported to:

Identify SDGs their work contributes to
Reflect on social, environmental and community impact
Consider how outcomes can be measured in practical ways
Share learning that strengthens the BBM alumni network

While each placement is unique, BBM’s contribution lies in creating the opportunity, structure and support that enables this learning and impact to occur.

Beyond the SDGs

BBM uses the UN Sustainable Development Goals as a macro-level framework to understand and articulate our contribution to global sustainability priorities. At the operational level, we measure our impact through Social Return on Investment (SROI) to assess the social, environmental and economic outcomes of our specific activities. Together, these approaches enable BBM to align our work with shared global goals while rigorously measuring and communicating the impact of what we do in practice and within our organisational scope. We will continue to build on this work over time, strengthening how we measure and communicate impact in ways that support learning, accountability and partnerships.