03 Jun 2019
Long-term sustainability is taking off
Bronwyn Corbet |
Australia’s first sustainability linked loan helped Adelaide Airport manage their environmental impact.
Sustainability
23 May 2019
Making the transition to net-zero carbon emissions
Mark Whelan | Group Executive Institutional, ANZ
ANZ is working with customers to drive a low-carbon economy, says Insto Head.
20 May 2019
Emissions busted
Kylie Swaine & Cosi De Angelis | Asset Finance Manager & GM, Transaction Banking & Asset Finance Solutions, ANZ
To combat rising carbon emissions, one transport company is harnessing new hybrid electric technology.
15 May 2019
Robots don’t like ESG
Andrew Cornell | Managing Editor bluenotes
Environmental, social and governance reporting may extend beyond the normal reporting criteria but it is highly important.
22 Mar 2019
The invisible cost of nature
Shane White | Content Manager - Institutional, ANZ
Companies must change or lose trillions of dollars to unsustainability risks, experts suggest.
09 Jan 2019
Biz must just get on with the climate opportunity
Paul Orton | Head - Project & Export Finance, Institutional Banking at ANZ
Forget about the politics, ex-BoE director says – just get on with business in a world of climate change.
07 Jan 2019
Financing a sustainable future
Bruce McKenzie | Associate Director, R&A - Food, Beverage & Agribusiness, ANZ
Sustainable finance can be a complicated service to understand but it’s a growing trend across the globe.
18 Dec 2018
ANIMATION: 2018 sustainability snapshot
Anna Stewart | Head of Corporate Sustainability, ANZ
Sustainability Review highlights actions to improve customer outcomes and restore community trust.
29 Nov 2018
Three massive factors for senior financial wellbeing
Emily Ross | Author, journalist and editor
New report isolates factors associated with financial wellbeing in older Australians – and what can be done to help.
29 Nov 2018
IN PICTURES: facing up to financial wellbeing
Michelle Commandeur | Head of Financial Inclusion at ANZ
See the key findings of ANZ’s latest financial wellbeing report into older Australians in visual form.
22 Nov 2018
The reality of financial wellbeing & older Australians
Emily Ross | Author, journalist and editor
New report into wellbeing among Australia’s ageing population shows highly disparate level of financial health.
08 Nov 2018
Financial wellbeing: the three pillars
Kath Bray | Customer Engagement Lead, ANZ
At the heart of a bank’s social licence to operate is the financial wellbeing of the community.
30 Oct 2018
The $US11trn green finance opportunity
Christina Tonkin | Managing Director Loans & Specialised Finance, ANZ
Green finance offers a huge opportunity for banks willing to get involved in the burgeoning sector.
24 Oct 2018
Doing right and making money when investing
Andrew Cornell | Managing Editor bluenotes
Ethical businesses can create a premium return-on-investment, say two expert stock pickers.
03 Oct 2018
The competitive advantage of climate risk awareness
Andrew Cornell | Managing Editor bluenotes
Investments susceptible to climate risk will struggle as the world shifts to a lower-carbon reality.
26 Sep 2018
Certainty, climate, investors & risk
Andrew Cornell | Managing Editor bluenotes
Investor forecasts on climate change are more certain than the weather.
21 Sep 2018
Three key takeaways from the GCAS
Paul Orton | Head - Project & Export Finance, Institutional Banking at ANZ
Ambitious targets, innovation and government action by 2020 critical to fulfilling promise of Paris Agreement, summit hears.
18 Sep 2018
How will we break the endless energy circle?
Alan Mitchell | Former economics editor of The Australian Financial Review
New research by the Grattan Institute warns wholesale energy prices are “very unlikely” to return to lower levels.
17 Sep 2018
SMEs & the energy spent on energy
Gareth Arbuthnot | State Manager Business Banking Vic/Tas, ANZ
Data, analytics and technology can be better employed by SMEs to control their energy use.
14 Sep 2018
Citizen science: employees helping clean up the world
Cassandra Nichols | CEO, Earthwatch Institute Australia
Looking after the environment is a priority for many companies. We talk to an expert about how citizen science is lending a hand.
10 Sep 2018
Trade & the distance from Paris to Poland
Paul Orton | Head - Project & Export Finance, Institutional Banking at ANZ
Time is closing in on a consensus over how the Paris Agreement rules will be implemented.
04 Sep 2018
Green lights for green financing
Sharon Klyne | bluenotes contributor
The need for green infrastructure is growing in Australia and New Zealand.
03 Sep 2018
Weathering life’s storms
Ana-Marie Lockyer | General Manager Wealth Products and Marketing New Zealand, ANZ
Money Week shines the spotlight on financial resilience and helps New Zealanders weather financial shock.
31 Aug 2018
ESG performance as important as financial performance: Elliott
Andrew Cornell | Managing Editor bluenotes
Bank seeks to balance the social and economic impacts of its decisions.
30 Aug 2018
Moving NZ’s infrastructure out of catch-up mode
Paul Goodwin | MD Institutional, ANZ NZ
NZ's infrastructure is being undermined by policy uncertainty.
24 Aug 2018
Tougher times: how the drought is impacting GDP
Felicity Emmett | Head of Australian Economics, ANZ
Australian farmers are currently experiencing the most serious drought since 2003 and it’s beginning to impact GDP.
23 Aug 2018
Green thumbs in the financing sector
Katharine Tapley | Head of Sustainable Finance Solutions, ANZ
As opportunities for green financing in Australia and New Zealand increase, so do does the interest in it.
17 Aug 2018
Getting on with energy transformation
Luke Menzel | CEO, Energy Efficiency Council Australia
The debate surrounding Australia’s energy system has hit boiling point, so what should businesses do next?
09 Aug 2018
Hand: we’ve got to support our farmers
Andrew Cornell | Managing Editor bluenotes
ANZ’s Mark Hand discusses newly announced relief measures for Australian farmers.
07 Aug 2018
SMEs, energy & control
Cosi De Angelis | GM Transaction Banking & Asset Finance Solutions, ANZ
Australian SMEs are facing an energy efficiency challenge. Here’s how one business turned it into an advantage.
02 Aug 2018
Round we go in the circular economy
Stan Krpan | CEO, Sustainability Victoria
Australia’s current economic system is predominantly linear – not ideal. But there are ways we can bring it around.
30 Jul 2018
The need to make NZ farming cleaner and greener
Mark Hiddleston | Managing Director Commercial & Agri ANZ NZ
Environmental compliance is an ever-growing consideration for agri businesses in NZ.
26 Jul 2018
Water, sustainability & entitlement
Chris Olszak | Director, Aither
Water trading is driving Australian agriculture’s competitive advantage – and providing new avenues for sustainability.
19 Jul 2018
PODCAST: why shareholders care about purpose
Shayne Elliott | Chief Executive Officer, ANZ
Consumers and investors are analysing more than just your core business strategy, says a social impact expert.
13 Jul 2018
Big promises, tiny homes
Kath Walters | Content marketing consultant and freelance journalist
Tiny houses are touted as a solution to homelessness, housing affordability and more. These are big promises.
12 Jul 2018
INFOGRAPHIC: why plastic bans are in vogue
Melissa Currie | Visual Production Editor, bluenotes
Our ‘disposable’ lifestyle means around 50 per cent of plastic is used just once and thrown away. Is it really worth the convenience?
12 Jul 2018
bluenotes debate: the renewable future
Andrew Cornell | Managing Editor bluenotes
We chat to a panel of experts about the future slate for renewable energy in Australia.
06 Jul 2018
The king of the north
Bernadette Shaw | Regional Executive Business Banking NT, ANZ
It’s easy to overlook the agribusiness prospects offered by Australia’s Top End.
02 Jul 2018
Putting green bricks in the wall
Jorge Chapa | Head of Market Transformation, GBCA
Cities which embrace greens spaces stand to gain significant benefits.
12 Jun 2018
Plastic bags – the elephant in the room
Tony Field | bluenotes contributor
Over 1.5 billion single-use plastic bags are used every year in NZ. One company is helping out.
04 Jun 2018
Australian banks can lead world on sustainability
Andrew Cornell | Managing Editor bluenotes
BoM’s Dr Karl Braganza says Australian financial services currently lag Europe in understanding, application of sustainability.
16 May 2018
Saving their way to freedom
Professor Roslyn Russell | Principal Research Fellow, RMIT University
Helping people save can help improve financial habits – and change lives, new RMIT research confirms.
11 May 2018
Insulating for a better New Zealand
David Hisco | CEO New Zealand and Group Executive, ANZ
Every year, thousands of Kiwi children get sick from poorly built housing and it’s time to do something about it, says ANZ NZ CEO.
04 May 2018
LONGREAD: easing Australia’s housing pain
Kath Walters | Content marketing consultant and freelance journalist
Could a German funding model fix Australia’s seemingly broken apartment system?
02 May 2018
The business of improving the world
Carina Parisella | Innovation editor
Philanthropy – what’s in it for business? We hear from a company which says the answer is a lot.
02 May 2018
The power of partnerships and wind
Mel Cutler & Mark Clover | Head of Environmental Sustainability & Director of Project and Export Finance, ANZ
As environmental issues become increasingly important for businesses, some turn to renewable energy.
24 Apr 2018
Housing: supply, demand and affordability
Graham Hodges & Caryn Kakas | Deputy CEO & Tribe Lead Housing, ANZ
Home ownership has changed dramatically, so what are the social and economic forces at play? We present two insightful perspectives.
19 Apr 2018
Financial wellbeing means rethinking lending: Kempson
Janak Rogers | Host, The ANZ Way podcast
Financial wellbeing expert encourages financial services providers to identify people with an overreliance on debt.
19 Apr 2018
Financial wellbeing 2018: full coverage
bluenotes contributors |
We bring you all the views and insights from ANZ’s financial wellbeing survey.
19 Apr 2018
More than a third of Australians just getting by financially – or worse
Emily Ross | Author, journalist and editor
Many factors contribute to a person’s financial wellbeing – including some surprising ones.
19 Apr 2018
How our behaviours shape our finances
Emily Ross | Author, journalist and editor
A new ANZ survey challenges the widely held belief financial knowledge is the key to financial wellbeing.
19 Apr 2018
The good, bad & ugly of financial wellbeing
Emily Ross | Author, journalist and editor
We speak with Elaine Kempson, professor and global pioneer about the state of financial wellbeing in Australia and NZ.
19 Apr 2018
IN PICTURES: financial wellbeing in Australia
Shane White | Content Manager - Institutional, ANZ
See the key findings of ANZ’s latest financial wellbeing report in visual form.
19 Apr 2018
IN PICTURES: financial wellbeing in New Zealand
Shane White | Content Manager - Institutional, ANZ
See the key findings of ANZ’s latest financial wellbeing report in visual form.
12 Apr 2018
We can’t afford to be complacent about bullying
Lesley Podesta | CEO, Alannah & Madeline Foundation
Beyond the cost of human life, bullying costs the Australian taxpayer $525 million every school year.
12 Apr 2018
The power of a conversation
Shannon Peachey | Tribe Lead, Savers & Investors, ANZ
Sometimes the best ways to help achieve financial wellbeing are also the simplest, Good Shepherd Microfinance CEO says.
04 Apr 2018
Green, grouse and growing
Katharine Tapley | Head of Sustainable Finance Solutions, ANZ
Macroeconomic trends are driving investors and issuers towards a sustainable future.
04 Apr 2018
Aus leads Asia on CSR: Blackrock
Shayne Elliott & Pru Bennett | CEO, ANZ & Head of Investment Stewardships, Blackrock
ANZ CEO and Blackrock’s head of investment stewardships chat about returns and social issues.
29 Mar 2018
Put out your Green Bins
Stuart McKinnon | Head of Institutional Relationships NZ, ANZ
Foreign direct investment in New Zealand is helping keep the streets cleaner and greener.
26 Mar 2018
Bubbles, not balloons, for a better future
Jemma Wight | Production Editor, bluenotes
Just like individuals, organisations may not fully understand their environmental impact.
13 Mar 2018
Bridging the gap between paddock and plate
John Bennett | General Manager Commercial & Agri, NZ Central Region, ANZ
How do consumers place a value on what you do if they don’t know your story?
06 Mar 2018
IWD2018: leadership, leaning poppies and the Drake Passage
Dr Sophie Adams | Clinical Director, Orygen, The National Centre for Excellence in Youth Mental Health
Could the tall poppy syndrome we collectively create and despise actually help us be better leaders?
22 Feb 2018
IN DEPTH: the thing about impact investments
John Treadgold | Writer and researcher
We look at the blend of philanthropy, finance, sustainability and development aid changing the way people invest.
21 Feb 2018
Go equal, get bigger
Andrew Cornell | Managing Editor bluenotes
There is an indisputable body of evidence demonstrating organisations which strive for equality perform better than those who don’t.
20 Feb 2018
Sustainable homes for sustainable communities
Shayne Elliott & Jeremy McLeod | CEO, ANZ & Founder and MD, Nightingale Housing
ANZ’s Shayne Elliott chats to Nightingale Housing’s Jeremy McLeod about environmentally and financially sustainable urban housing development.
16 Feb 2018
INFOGRAPHIC: around the world (for good)
Harry Cunningham | bluenotes contributor
We take a look at the anatomy of a fundraiser which raised $NZ56,000 over 26,000 kilometres.
07 Feb 2018
When sharper credit's too sharp
Andrew Cornell | Managing Editor bluenotes
Well-intentioned but comprehensive credit reporting comes with risks for everyone. How do we handle it with care?
24 Jan 2018
How migration helps shape thriving communities
Isaac Rankin | Managing Director - Commercial, ANZ
Community and corporate support for the economic participation of migrants can lead to a number of benefits for all.
09 Jan 2018
Why social enterprise could be the next boom
Tom Cropper | Freelance Social Enterprise Journalist
Social enterprises in New Zealand and Australia are proving you can make money and do good at the same time.
15 Dec 2017
A new kind of mental health support
Gerard Kerr | Head of Life Insurance, Wealth, ANZ
Insurance has an opportunity to improve by considering how it can support mental illness beyond merely honouring policies.
30 Nov 2017
Banks realise climate change is a banking issue
Paul Orton | Head - Project & Export Finance, Institutional Banking at ANZ
Former BoE exec says banks are finally coming around.
29 Nov 2017
LONGREAD: are skyscrapers right for every city?
Jean-Paul Pelosi | Freelance journalist
As towers rise around us, it remains unclear if residential skyscrapers present the best model for new housing in cities.
29 Nov 2017
Biz must embrace diversity or fail
Carina Parisella | Innovation editor
In order to be successful, businesses need to drive more innovation – and that’s a by-product of diverse workplaces, MYOB CEO says.
28 Nov 2017
A step toward safety
Tony Field | bluenotes contributor
NZ has one of the highest rates of domestic violence in the world but a new partnership hopes to help ease financial abuse.
27 Nov 2017
How to harness the energy transition
Craig Shortus & Tsen Wong | Head of & Director of Utilities & Infrastructure, Institutional Banking at ANZ
The challenges of energy supply are significant; the costs of getting it wrong even more so.
23 Nov 2017
COP23: warming warning to banks, insurers
Sharanjit Paddam | Principal, Deloitte Actuaries & Consultants
Australian institutions aren’t adequately prepared for the impact of the transition to renewable energy.
23 Nov 2017
COP23: global carbon markets are critical
Paul Orton | Head - Project & Export Finance, Institutional Banking at ANZ
With only one year before the Paris Agreement rules must be in place, what happened at COP23?
16 Nov 2017
Economic, green demands are a single package
Paul Goodwin | MD Institutional, ANZ NZ
Infrastructure and the environment are the key to shaping our future and cannot be considered in isolation.
15 Nov 2017
The $A650 million marriage equality present
Cherelle Murphy | Senior Economist, ANZ
Successful legislation could inject a huge amount of wedding-related capital into a broad range of sectors.
06 Nov 2017
Corporate reporting – it’s time to tell the whole story
Anna Stewart | Head of Corporate Sustainability, ANZ
For modern businesses, stakeholders want to know more than the numbers.
18 Oct 2017
LONGREAD: China’s green shift and how Australia should respond
John A Mathews | Professor of strategy at MGSM, Macquarie University
China has adopted a new energy strategy with determination and ambition. Australia needs to position itself strategically.
06 Oct 2017
Growth in remote areas helps all: FMG’s Power
Kathleen Jahour | Head of Regional Business Banking WA
Fortescue CEO says partnership with ANZ will help remote communities meet needs of surrounding industry.
18 Sep 2017
Energy security needs national leadership
Mark Stone | Chief Executive at the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Rising power costs are felt by everyone – but the impact they have on small businesses can be devastating.
01 Aug 2017
Women > men (when it comes to investing)
Jennifer Farmer | bluenotes production editor
A growing body of data suggest the stereotype around women and investment is out of date.
31 Jul 2017
Why green is no longer a soft investment issue
Simon O’Connor | CEO at Responsible Investment Association Australasia
Responsibly invested assets have quadrupled in the last three years to $US622 billion.
20 Jul 2017
How do we nurture the green bond market?
Robert Scharfe | Chief Executive Officer of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange
Exchange groups have the power to support the transition to greener economies.
20 Jul 2017
Australia’s energy certainty opportunity
Shayne Elliott | Chief Executive Officer, ANZ
It is in all our interests to move beyond old debates and seek certainty around energy policy.
10 Jul 2017
Youth education key to regional prosperity
Isaac Rankin | Managing Director - Commercial, ANZ
Supporting youth education is vital to building vibrant and sustainable regional communities.
07 Jul 2017
We must shift gears to save our cities
Jean-Paul Pelosi | Freelance journalist
Australians should be asking more questions about how their streets are used before it is too late.
30 Jun 2017
Q&A: BoE’s Carney on the role of business on climate
Francine Lacqua | Bloomberg
FSB chair chats to Bloomberg about climate and financial stability ahead of G-20 meeting.
30 Jun 2017
From rubber waste to black gold
Tom Cropper | Freelance Social Enterprise Journalist
An Australian company has broken new ground with a revolutionary technique which turns waste tyres into a potential goldmine.
26 Jun 2017
Finkel: from recommendation to reality?
Sharon Simon | Head of R&A, Utilities & Infrastructure, ANZ
The Finkel Review highlights the need for clarity and certainty in Australia’s electricity market.
20 Jun 2017
NZ agri: there’s an app for that
Con Williams | Rural Economist NZ, ANZ
A technology tsunami is upon the primary sectors. What are the apps which will help?
14 Jun 2017
For people with a disability, media diversity can change lives
Meg Dalling | Lawyer, ANZ
We need more diversity in our media. Here are the groups making a difference.
05 Jun 2017
Elliott: banks must be more than profit
Andrew Cornell | Managing Editor bluenotes
ANZ CEO acknowledges companies must do more and help communities to thrive.
02 Jun 2017
Giving and perspective from below the line
Lorissa Paulk | BlueNotes contributing editor
Kate Langan spent five days living on $2 a day and gained a greater perspective on those living in need.
28 Apr 2017
Investors are demanding green credentials
Kate Mackenzie | Manager Investment & Governance, The Climate Institute
Investors are ramping up pressure on companies to sharpen their climate credentials - leading companies to grapple with a rapidly-emerging arena in corporate risk, strategy and long-term planning.
28 Mar 2017
Experience and the battle for the ages at work
Cameron Cooper | Business journalist, blogger & editor
They sound like the perfect employee – a wealth of experience, true loyalty and a willingness to accept lower-paying roles just to stay active in the workforce.
20 Mar 2017
Livestock, supply and social responsibility
James MacPherson | Head of Regional Business Banking Queensland, ANZ
Australia is working hard to set global benchmarks with livestock exports and the animal welfare obligations which come with being one of the world’s largest exporters of live cattle and sheep.
14 Mar 2017
The future of financial health in Fiji
Mark Skulley | Freelance journalist
The tragic aftermath of Fiji's most powerful storm - Tropical Cyclone Winston - demanded an emergency financial response.
07 Mar 2017
Being bold for change: BlueNotes on #IWD2017
Catherine Fox | Journalist and author
To celebrate International Women’s day, all week BlueNotes will be guest edited by experienced journalist and author Catherine Fox. We’ll be publishing content on women, their experience in the workplace and the future of equality as the world looks to #beboldforchange. We hope you enjoy it. #IWD2017
07 Mar 2017
IWD2017: Your baby or your boss?
Fiona Smith | Leadership journalist
To celebrate International Women’s day, all week BlueNotes will be guest edited by experienced journalist and author Catherine Fox. We’ll be publishing content on women, their experience in the workplace and the future of equality as the world looks to #beboldforchange. We hope you enjoy it. #IWD2017
07 Mar 2017
IWD2017 VIDEO: women are still being left behind at work
Tammy Medard | Head of Diversified Industrials and Global Subsidiaries, ANZ
To celebrate International Women’s day, all week BlueNotes will be guest edited by experienced journalist and author Catherine Fox. We’ll be publishing content on women, their experience in the workplace and the future of equality as the world looks to #beboldforchange. We hope you enjoy it. #IWD2017
06 Mar 2017
IWD2017: Why it’s time to stop fixing women
Catherine Fox | Journalist and author
To celebrate International Women’s day, all week BlueNotes will be guest edited by experienced journalist and author Catherine Fox. We’ll be publishing content on women, their experience in the workplace and the future of equality as the world looks to #beboldforchange. We hope you enjoy it. #IWD2017
03 Mar 2017
IWD2017: The scientific (role) model: Hollywood, girls & STEM
Matt Nicol | bluenotes contributor
To celebrate International Women’s day, all week BlueNotes will be guest edited by experienced journalist and author Catherine Fox. We’ll be publishing content on women, their experience in the workplace and the future of equality as the world looks to #beboldforchange. We hope you enjoy it. #IWD2017
03 Mar 2017
IWD2017: women in information security
Catherine Fox | Journalist and author
To celebrate International Women’s day, all week BlueNotes will be guest edited by experienced journalist and author Catherine Fox. We’ll be publishing content on women, their experience in the workplace and the future of equality as the world looks to #beboldforchange. We hope you enjoy it. #IWD2017
02 Mar 2017
IWD2017: To survive and prosper, business needs women
Yoomi Jun | Author, UN Women
To celebrate International Women’s day, all week BlueNotes will be guest edited by experienced journalist and author Catherine Fox. We’ll be publishing content on women, their experience in the workplace and the future of equality as the world looks to #beboldforchange. We hope you enjoy it. #IWD2017
23 Feb 2017
The technology challenge of financial inclusion
Angelo Manos | General Manager, Specialised Segments, ANZ
It’s no surprise digital technology and regaining community trust are key themes for banks globally but the two overlap in a third, vital area: financial inclusion.
22 Feb 2017
Can the next generation of coal power be banked?
Andrew Cornell | Managing Editor bluenotes
The Australia government has flagged an expansion of the mandate of its so-called ‘green bank’ to allow investment in clean-coal technologies – at the same time as the banking regulator delivered its most detailed comments to date on how banks should think about climate change.
08 Feb 2017
Why I am a young philanthropist
Fiona Holt | BlueNotes contributing editor
In our series on philanthropy and the science of giving, BlueNotes presents prominent figures and representatives of organisations speaking about giving and its social impact.
01 Feb 2017
Gender & geography: does where women live affect their opportunity?
Elizabeth Masamune | Managing Director of @Asia Associates Japan
Do some countries value women more than others?
30 Jan 2017
Despite what we know, we’re still sexist: Jenkins
Anna Green | CEO Philippines, ANZ
Deeply embedded attitudinal barriers toward women in the workplace still exist despite what we know about discrimination, Australian Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins says, even if we think we have moved beyond them.
20 Dec 2016
Where is Australia’s boardroom diversity?
Anna Green | CEO Philippines, ANZ
The lack of diversity in Australian boardrooms means business is not making the most of the talent the country has to offer, according to Australia's Race Discrimination Commissioner.
19 Dec 2016
BlueNotes Debate: trust, sustainability & corporate culture
Andrew Cornell | Managing Editor bluenotes
Issues of sustainability, trust and social licence are increasingly important across the political and business environment - as developments in the US, Britain and Australia upend long-held conventional wisdom about how it all works.
10 Dec 2016
Shining a spotlight on risky business
Mark Evans | Managing Director Transaction Banking, ANZ
If you are selling chocolate bars, the need for controls on food safety is obvious. If you are flying planes, safety checks are critical. But when it comes to financial services, the case for risk controls hasn’t always been so well understood.
05 Dec 2016
The crucial role of financial security in combating domestic violence
Ha Bui | BlueNotes contributing editor
Financial institutions have a crucial role to play in combating domestic violence by helping ensure victims have the financial security they need to escape their predicament.
02 Dec 2016
Four attitude-change areas to help Australians with a disability
Christine Linden | General Manager, Regional Business Banking, ANZ Australia
Almost 20 per cent of Australians, around four million people, live with a disability.
25 Nov 2016
VIDEO: the joint fight for financial literacy and inclusion
Fred Ohlsson | Group Executive, ANZ Australia
Nearly three million people across Australia face exclusion from mainstream banking and financial products.
17 Nov 2016
Farming for funds: How do we pay for Australian agriculture?
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
Australia has a globally competitive position in agricultural production. We produce high value products. But that position may not last long.
16 Nov 2016
Have visa, will travel: women won’t be left behind
Fiona Smith | Leadership journalist
Gaynor Reid is into her fourth year in Singapore with hospitality company AccorHotels and she still finds others in the expatriate community wrongly assume she is the “trailing spouse”.
15 Nov 2016
Lots of steam still left in coal exports but renewable building a head
Mark Lawson | Retired senior journalist
Does renewable energy spell the end of coal as an energy source? And, if so, when? The demise of thermal coal in the energy mix seems an inevitable outcome of policy designed to reduce carbon emissions and tackle climate change – the election of a pro-coal, climate-change-skeptical American president aside.
09 Nov 2016
A professional’s experience of motherhood – and 10 lessons learned
Sarah Imm | Founder, Vélo-à-Porter
Much has been written about the reasons why women in Australia and around the world are absent from senior management roles, boards and the C-suite.
04 Nov 2016
Consumers are demanding sustainable business practices
Sarah Boumphrey | Head of Strategic, Economic and Consumer Insight, EuroMonitor International
Sustainability is top of the agenda for consumer goods companies as customer attitudes evolve.
27 Oct 2016
Linking social enterprise with social demand
Lisa Boothby | Head of Enterprise Development, Social Traders
At around 6 per cent, unemployment in Australia is not bad. However, unemployment of new migrants, indigenous Australians, youth, ex-offenders and people with disabilities is unacceptably high, ranging from 15 per cent in some groups to over 50 per cent in others.
20 Oct 2016
It’s time to ‘man up’ for gender parity
Alex Kewley | Director, Client Insights & Solutions, ANZ
I recently sat on a panel discussing gender diversity composed of bankers, consultants, Google employees, economists and a room full of European Business School students.
17 Oct 2016
Getting a Handel on paying bankers to help customers
Steve Worthington | Professor at Swinburne University
It was, with hindsight, inevitable Wells Fargo chairman and chief executive John Stumpf would resign, to be replaced not just by a new chief executive but a quasi-independent chairman.
28 Sep 2016
VIDEO: the many rewards of giving refugees a chance
Bob Santamaria | Group General Counsel, ANZ
The economic case for the increased workplace participation from refugees and others from a diverse background is solid. When given the chance, refugees seize it and make the most of it - yet still encounter barriers to employment in Australia.
19 Sep 2016
It’s good business to put things right
Kylie Rixon | Chief Risk Officer Wealth and Digital, ANZ
Things go wrong in business. In this day and age when that happens the news can be instantly all over social media. The community is very sensitive to corporate culture and banks in particular.
15 Sep 2016
REWIND: The key to successful savings programs
Professor Roslyn Russell | Principal Research Fellow, RMIT University
Saving is like magic, in that sense that advanced science is like magic: profound and yet ultimately logical.
12 Sep 2016
Taking the talking stick away from the men
Fiona Smith | Leadership journalist
When sociologist Dr Margaret Byrne filmed hundreds of hours of business meetings for her PHD on leadership 16 years ago, she discovered women’s voices were often ignored or silenced by interrupting men.
06 Sep 2016
Funding Asia’s great green transition
Emma Herd | CEO, Investor Group on Climate Change
In the next 20 years, at least $US7.7 trillion is needed for renewable energy and energy efficiency markets to meet the demands of China, India, Japan, and Southeast Asia.
02 Sep 2016
The growing scope of Asia’s green demand
Benjamin McCarron | Managing Director, Asia Research and Engagement
The Asia Pacific is a critical battleground in the global effort to tackle climate change. Many nations and businesses across the region are investing in policy frameworks and commitments necessary to drive climate solutions.
01 Sep 2016
The new climate for the dairy sector
Lauren Hull | Former Communications Coordinator, University of Melbourne
Twenty years from now, dairy farming will look and feel different. By 2040, farmers will have to deal with warmer temperatures and more extreme weather events, while more variable rainfall will see seasons shift and feeding strategies altered.
23 Aug 2016
The risks and opportunities climate change poses for business
Katharine Tapley | Head of Sustainable Finance Solutions, ANZ
Climate change creates risks for all businesses and incorrectly assessing the impact of climate change on in the market they operate puts sustainable growth at risk.
04 Aug 2016
Three ways business is giving back in emerging markets
Anna Green | CEO Philippines, ANZ
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is changing. Gone are the days where an annual gala dinner or charitable donation to a worthy cause featured as the only CSR event on a successful businesses corporate calendar.
15 Jul 2016
IN PICTURES: Sydney style
Sarah Imm | Founder, Vélo-à-Porter
My husband lost twenty kilos in 2012 during two months of parental leave. He bicycled everywhere with the kids and his weight plummeted.
13 Jul 2016
Why there’s no support club for straight white men
Catherine Fox | Journalist and author
A woman working for a large company tells her teammates she’s off to a meeting and will be away for an hour or so.
07 Jul 2016
Face or façade: Inspiring change through the power of the arts
Catriona Noble | Managing Director Retail Distribution Australia, ANZ
Art can be a powerful way to tell a story and share an important message with communities. As US artist Trevor Paglen says, art is “objects that live in real places, economies, spaces and architecture”.
04 Jul 2016
Filling the indigenous talent pipeline
Kath Walters | Content marketing consultant and freelance journalist
Down on the floodplain of the Goulburn River, in the regional town of Shepparton, a quiet revolution is taking place.
20 Jun 2016
Refugees: crucial to Australia’s success story
Tony Nicholson | Executive Director, Brotherhood of St Laurence
The refugee journey is part of Australia’s success story and has helped shape its multicultural
16 Jun 2016
INFOGRAPHIC: an ethical wrap up
Ewa Hudson | Head of Health and Wellness Research, Euromonitor International
Ethical labelling is growing as an industry around the world as consumers place a greater importance on social responsibility and sustainability.
14 Jun 2016
How impact investing is making a difference
Chris Rowlands | Social Entrepreneurship and Economic Development Manager, World Vision Australia
Impact investing is intended to do what it says: make an impact on social or environmental problems. New and innovative investment models are indeed delivering positive outcomes for society as well as a financial return, developing commercially viable models of philanthropy along the way.
07 Jun 2016
The environmental market is heating up
Andrew Cornell | Managing Editor bluenotes
In the last month, both China and India have emphasised the critical role green investing can play in addressing environmental damage, carbon intensity and global warming; the global banking Financial Stability Board has expanded its climate-related financial disclosure task force; and a major investor group has published seven climate change policy priorities.
07 Jun 2016
Banks, financial risk and our changing climate
Kate Mackenzie | Manager Investment & Governance, The Climate Institute
Climate change is now widely recognised as presenting potential financial risk. Investors and other financial agents must decide exactly how they respond and take advantage of the opportunities which might arise.
06 Jun 2016
What Steve Ciobo and Penny Wong need to know about giant lobsters
Tania Motton | ANZ General Manager, Business Banking Australia
For three generations, the Ferguson family has been fishing Southern Rock Lobsters out of the Great Australian Bight. But they had a problem: too many lobsters were too big.
26 May 2016
Financial assistance can change lives
Fred Ohlsson | Group Executive, ANZ Australia
The digitisation of financial services has made banking more accessible than it has ever been. Sadly, more than two billion adults around the world still lack access to financial help.
11 May 2016
Why STEM needs more than pink lego and 'girl power'
Carina Parisella | Innovation editor
Few would argue against more young girls studying STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects. Statistics show employment in the sector is dominated by men at all levels, from education to boardrooms.
09 May 2016
Batty: family violence happens to your staff
Andrew Cornell | Managing Editor bluenotes
Businesses are beginning to recognise their important role in preventing family violence, former Australian of the year Rosie Batty says, as statistics demonstrate the incidence of victims among their staff.
27 Apr 2016
Funding a sustainable future – debt but not as we know it
Mara Bun | Company director, consultant & moderator, Tallebudgera Valley
Climate impacts are testing the liveability of our cities. But how will we fund urban resilience measures when governments are strapped for cash and individual businesses struggle to invest in solutions to broad risks?
22 Apr 2016
Five habits of a successful reverse mentorship
Anouk De Blieck | General Manager, Human Resources, ANZ
Since gaining prominence in the late 1990s thanks to ex-GE CEO Jack Welch, reverse mentoring has grown in popularity around the world. It has provided benefits for two generations of employees while allowing executive ranks a window into new and developing ideas and technologies.
19 Apr 2016
The real long-term cost of bribery
Guy Boyd | Head of Financial Crime, ANZ
It’s an all-too-common argument touted in defence of bribery and corruption: it’s almost impossible to conduct business successfully and efficiently in certain markets, without paying bribes. Or so they say.
11 Apr 2016
From Hanoi to Melbourne, eating to help the hungry
Tracee Hutchison | Writer, TV and radio broadcaster
Inspired by her volunteer work with a pioneering social enterprise in Vietnam, Rebecca Scott has become one of Australia’s most innovative and successful social entrepreneurs, building STREAT from an idea to provide hospitality training and employment for young people into a sustainable and profitable food service business.
21 Mar 2016
The digital future of food
Mara Bun | Company director, consultant & moderator, Tallebudgera Valley
Remember the days when newspapers and TV decided what was news and consumers responded accordingly? Just as the news value chain splintered into a world where people create and share media, the food industry also confronts a changing landscape.
08 Mar 2016
Building a future for women in property
Kate Langan | Group General Manager Property, ANZ
There is a large body of accepted evidence demonstrating companies with higher percentages of women in leadership perform better on a wide range of financial metrics, from return on equity to return on sales and invested capital.
25 Feb 2016
Stop telling me "Be patient, it will get better over time!"
Susie Babani | Former Chief Human Resources Officer at ANZ
Please stop telling me "Be patient, it will get better over time!"
17 Feb 2016
The four clean tech trends of 2016
Jane Olsen | Freelance journalist
The global population is forecast to soar to more than 9.7 billion people by 2050, creating huge demand for the world’s finite resources and increasing our reliance on alternative, sustainable 'clean technology' for the environment and future generations.
01 Feb 2016
Spiderman vs Elsa (and perspectives on gender)
Rhiannon Richardson & Mue Bentley Fisher | Chair of ANZ Banking on Women – Fiji & Communications Manager, ANZ Pacific
Ladies, have you ever wondered about the life lessons boys got from their childhood idols like Spiderman, which many of us missed out on growing up? Gents, how many of you still channel your inner superhero during challenging times at home or work?
01 Feb 2016
Motivating others to dream
Lorraine Armilla | BlueNotes contributing editor
Advancing financial inclusion is at the forefront of many developing countries' government agendas and is widely recognised as crucial to promoting healthy communities and supporting economic development.
24 Dec 2015
Women: the heartbeat of developing economies
Carolyn Ive | BlueNotes contributing editor
In the developed world women are struggling to be equally represented in the economy across senior executive roles, retirement savings or political influence. But in some parts of the developing world, the story is different.
11 Dec 2015
The big, big data of bees
Helen Clark | Freelance journalist & former Asian correspondent
We've had an internet of things for a decade and pretty soon we'll have a big data set of everything, too. Combine those with insects and you get a particularly ambitious and impressive Australian CSIRO-led global project essentially studying the big data of bees. Why? Because they continue to die in record numbers and we still don't know why.
08 Dec 2015
Is microfinance a hero or villain?
Tom Cropper | Freelance Social Enterprise Journalist
For its supporters, microfinance is the magic bullet helping alleviate poverty while generating profits at the same time. But a series of high-profile mishaps around the globe, the industry's reputation is on the line.
07 Dec 2015
'Joking' is no excuse for sexism
Catherine Fox | Journalist and author
Calling a couple of her team over to her desk in an open-plan office, a senior woman in a professional services firm briefs them on the next steps of a project. After the short meeting, a male colleague sitting nearby asks her to keep her voice down in future because she sounds just like his wife nagging him.
30 Nov 2015
The future of sustainable agriculture
Andrew Cornell | Managing Editor bluenotes
Food and water are two of the most basic essentials for human existence. Under pressure, we may well learn to live without the internet again but without food, water and acceptable air to breathe, we cease to exist.
27 Nov 2015
A vision for a stable financial future
Vosawale Tamani | Head of Corporate Sustainability & Financial Inclusion, ANZ
In 1979 Harvard MBA grads conducted a study which demonstrated the impact writing a goal down on paper can have on the likelihood of achieving said goal in the long-term.
26 Nov 2015
The challenge Australia and Vietnam share
Christina Tonkin | Managing Director Loans & Specialised Finance, ANZ
Australia and Vietnam may be very different economies in very different parts of the world but we share a challenge: water.
25 Nov 2015
Employing people with disability is good (for business)
Graeme Innes | Former Australian Disability Discrimination Commissioner and Chair of the Attitude Foundation
More than 18 per cent of Australians have a disability – one in five people. Yet despite decades of campaigning the level of employment for people with disabilities remains 30 per cent below that of people without. Meanwhile, data shows employing people with disability is not just the right thing to do, it makes good business sense.
10 Nov 2015
Sustainable food is big business
Tom Cropper | Freelance Social Enterprise Journalist
First some bad news: it's getting harder and harder for the world to get the stuff it needs. Food, water and natural resources will all be harder to access over the next few decades and, what's worse, almost everyone will be affected somewhere down the line. The answer? Sustainability.
16 Oct 2015
The digital way to give
Jane Martino | CEO, Shout for Good
Nothing is immune to the digital revolution and the way we donate is undergoing a substantial change. In the latest in BlueNotes' series on the passion and science of giving, Shout for Good CEO Jane Martino writes about philanthropy and the digital revolution.
29 Sep 2015
Dearth of women in leadership pipelines
Amanda Gome | Former head of digital and social media, ANZ
Launched in the United Kingdom in 2010 with the goal of achieving 30 per cent women on FTSE-100 boards by the end of 2015, the 30% Club migrated to Australia earlier this year with events in Sydney and Melbourne.
28 Sep 2015
It's too easy to ignore our gender issues
Tim Costello | Former CEO, World Vision Australia
Not long after I started at World Vision I visited a village in a remote part of northern Pakistan where we had undertaken a water project. I was accompanied by our then head of international programs, an Australian woman who for several years earlier had lived near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, Conny Lennenberg.
25 Sep 2015
Financial literacy a major challenge with credit card interest rates
Steve Worthington | Professor at Swinburne University
If nothing else, the Senate's Standing Committee on Economics Inquiry into the interest rates charged on Australian credit cards has made me even more aware of the low levels of financial literacy in Australia.
09 Sep 2015
The economy needs more women in construction
Laurice Temple | CEO, National Association of Women in Construction
It is no secret the Australian construction industry is very male-dominated. But what may not be fully understood by the general public is that we don't have any collective overt initiatives and goals in place to increase the participation of women.
07 Sep 2015
The true cost of Australia's rural health issues
Andrew Gilbert | Head of App & User Support, ANZ
Rural and regional Australians face particular challenges due to geographic isolation. Unfortunately, health is a major one.
04 Sep 2015
Building a Solomons savings culture
Geoffrey Buchanan | CEO Retail Asia, ANZ
In the Solomon Islands women have always played an instrumental role in their communities. In the small island nation of just over half a million people some 70 vernacular languages are spoken and a subsistence economy prevails.
13 Aug 2015
We need to finish what we've started on workplace equality
Alison Larsson | Former CRO Global Technology, Services and Operations, ANZ
I recall in my early days at ANZ I returned late one day from an interstate trip. My fellow travellers included a very senior management board executive, his wife and another female ANZ employee who, like me, was a working mother with young children.
05 Aug 2015
How acceptance at work can change lives
Karen Boudville | Editor, ANZ Your World
After a long personal journey, being finally accepted for her gender at work changed MariMar Lamit's life. A little less than a year ago, Lamit faced a tough life decision: to live a lie while working in a profession she loved or come out as a transgender woman and risk her job.
23 Jul 2015
Investing with an impact
Martin Foo | Research Officer, Australian Centre for Financial Studies
In our series on philanthropy and the science of giving, BlueNotes presents prominent figures and representatives of organisations speaking about giving and its social impact.
26 Jun 2015
Food-truck philanthropy
Tracee Hutchison | Writer, TV and radio broadcaster
In our series on philanthropy and the science of giving, BlueNotes talks to prominent figures and representatives of organisations about how they give, how they started and how they monitor their social impact.
28 May 2015
Women: take more notice of your financial future
Jane Nash | Head of Corporate Sustainability and Financial Inclusion, ANZ
For the first time since the ANZ Survey of Adult Financial Literacy in Australia was launched a decade ago, this year's report included a specific section on women.
26 May 2015
Is green debt the answer to climate change?
Andrew Cornell | Managing Editor bluenotes
ANZ last week joined a growing list of financial institutions to offer a “green bond”.
08 May 2015
Breaking down NZ fences
Lindy Nelson | Executive Director, AWDT
From dairy to red meat, New Zealand agribusiness is undergoing a profound transformation. The expanding markets of Asia bring both new opportunities as well as challenges.
27 Apr 2015
PNG’s economic growth underpinned by SME’s
Mark Baker | CEO Papua New Guinea, ANZ
For all the headlines around Papua New Guinea's transformational LNG projects and large-scale agricultural exports, the reality is small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are critical to economic growth in the emerging nation.
23 Mar 2015
Breathing life into biotech
Shane White | Content Manager - Institutional, ANZ
In the latest in BlueNotes' series on the Passion and Science of Giving, The Verde Foundation director Jefferson Harcourt, also the founder of Grey Innovation, explains to BlueNotes senior production editor Shane White what Verde is about, what the group hopes to change and how the venture fits into the emerging entrepreneurial philanthropy realm.
17 Mar 2015
Financial inclusion: good for people, good for growth
Andrew Cornell | Managing Editor bluenotes
Financial inclusion makes extraordinary differences to individual lives, whether in developing countries where a bank account can be the line between a poverty trap and a thriving business or in a developed economy where a debt cycle can become a wealth plan.
03 Mar 2015
The missing link for women in leadership
Amanda Gome | Former head of digital and social media, ANZ
Visibility may be a missing link in promoting more women into senior leadership roles. In a surprise finding from a survey of Notable Women, a program undertaken by 55 senior female leaders at ANZ in Australia and New Zealand in 2014, increased visibility contributed to greater confidence in pushing for leadership roles.
02 Mar 2015
BlueNotes debate: women’s visibility is everyone’s responsibility
BlueNotes reporter |
BlueNotes Debates brings together important voices across the business, economic and social spectrum to thrash out crucial issues of the day. For International Women's Day, we tackled the issue of women's lack of workplace visibility. Who really is to blame?
27 Feb 2015
The long shadow
Jo Mikleus | Former Chief of Staff, ANZ
My daughter Grace stopped me in my tracks recently. “It’s good to see successful females,” she said, referring to Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
26 Feb 2015
Why inclusive employment is a strategic asset
Phil Chronican | Former CEO ANZ Australia
When communities flourish, so do banks. That’s a key reason why the financial services industry works hard on community engagement efforts. We do want to be good corporate citizens but it’s also in our best interests.
18 Feb 2015
The big returns on social investment
Jane Nash | Head of Corporate Sustainability and Financial Inclusion, ANZ
Social investment in Australia is expanding rapidly. Business increasingly accepts the tangible returns it can bring but also, there are benefits on offer that aren’t necessarily monetary.
10 Feb 2015
Banking the unbanked in the Solomon Islands
Geoffrey Buchanan | CEO Retail Asia, ANZ
The roll out of mobile banking in the Solomon Islands has brought banking services to more than 24,500 people - including 15,500 previously unbanked - reaching people in all nine provinces across the country.
09 Feb 2015
Four realities of workplace gender imbalance
Mike Smith | Former Chief Executive Officer, ANZ
Recently I had the privilege of speaking at an event organised by Financial Services Institute of Australia (FINSIA) to discuss ways to improve gender balance within financial services.
02 Feb 2015
How the world of giving is changing for good
Shane White | Content Manager - Institutional, ANZ
Large charitable contributions from notable Australians are raising the profile of philanthropy and starting new conversations about the concept of giving.
12 Dec 2014
Money matters in Fiji
Olivia Hodges & Jennifer Farmer | BlueNotes contributing editor & BlueNotes production editor
Access to financial services for Pacific Islanders can be disproportionately challenging when compared to other regions due to the geographically dispersed populations in many Pacific Island countries.
01 Dec 2014
Philanthropy isn’t just for the wealthy
Nicole Franklin | BlueNotes contributing editor
In the fourth of our series on the Passion and Science of Giving, Jacki Zehner explains how she chooses which organisations to support and how giving in any form can have an impact.
19 Nov 2014
Finding a job is hard enough – for a refugee the challenge is multiplied
Jo Tabit | Senior Manager Workforce Solutions, Brotherhood of St Laurence
Refugee and humanitarian arrivals to Australia in recent years are likely to have experienced greater instability and disruption in their lives before migrating compared with earlier arrivals.
18 Nov 2014
From juices to a micro-empire, a Fijian success story
Olivia Hodges & Jennifer Farmer | BlueNotes contributing editor & BlueNotes production editor
Miriama Tawalovo began selling fruit juices by the Nabokalou Creek in Suva. She is now the proud owner of three micro-finance businesses in Fiji and an avid entrepreneur.
21 Oct 2014
Five lessons in innovation from GAYTMs
Carolyn Bendall | Head of Marketing Australia, ANZ
To celebrate its sponsorship of Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in February this year, ANZ commissioned artists to transform 10 ATMs into fabulous GAYTMs.
26 Aug 2014
BlueNotes Debate: Where are all the women in the Aus media?
Jennifer Farmer & Nicole Franklin | BlueNotes production editor & BlueNotes contributing editor
BlueNotes Debates will bring together important voices across the business, economics and social spectrum to thrash out where the issues lie. They’ll be important but colourful affairs – and Monday’s first stoush was a case in point with Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick, company director and gender activist Carol Schwartz, the Australian Financial Review’s Mike Smith (with the event opened by his namesake from ANZ) and BlueNotes associate editor Amanda Gome.
21 Aug 2014
Business women are missing in action
Amanda Gome | Former head of digital and social media, ANZ
"If I hadn't made that first step to have some visibility, I'm not sure that I would have ever become Australia's Sex Discrimination Commissioner." - Elizabeth Broderick
20 Aug 2014
Financial literacy a critical tool for regulators
Peter Kell | Deputy Chairman, Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
Echoing the sentiments of 'teach a person to fish and you feed them for a lifetime', becoming financially literate can make a world of difference for people in our modern world.
19 Aug 2014
The passion and science of giving
Andrew Cornell | Managing Editor bluenotes
The philanthropic universe is tilting. There are no longer clear lines between business, charities, not-for-profits and those who give. Those groups receiving funds realise they are in a competitive market, they must be able to demonstrate the difference they make.
23 Jul 2014
Financial education to future proof young adults
Jennifer Farmer | bluenotes production editor
Financial literacy is increasingly being acknowledged as an integral part of ongoing financial stability.
24 Jun 2014
A workforce accessible to all is not just right, it’s good business
Jennifer Farmer | bluenotes production editor
Hamish Mackenzie is responsible for ensuring more than 30 websites across ANZ, including internet banking and other mobile applications, as well as all internal software, are accessibility compliant.
20 Jun 2014
Asian insiders the key to a regional workforce
Mike Smith | Former Chief Executive Officer, ANZ
In the days after the earthquake and tsunami struck Japan in 2011, the situation on the ground was tumultuous, a nuclear meltdown was possible, communications were fractured.
20 Jun 2014
Refugee programs deliver economic as well as humanitarian dividends
Tony Nicholson | Executive Director, Brotherhood of St Laurence
Despite the intense focus on productivity and developing a smarter workforce, many companies in Australia are actively undermining their efforts to attract the best skills.
19 Jun 2014
Seven ways to derail diversity – and how to avoid them
Jacqueline Gillespie | Senior Client Partner at Korn/Ferry International
There is now, generally, greater focus on creating business cultures that are more accepting and inclusive of diversity.
21 May 2014
To kiss or not to kiss
Leo D'Angelo Fisher | Freelance journalist
Who would blame a businesswoman or female dignitary for counting to 10 before entering a crowded room? Or even 100. Any woman walking into a gathering of peers and associates, or worse, a roomful of strangers, knows what to expect. For on the other side of that door will be a gaggle of men programmed to pucker up the instant a member of the opposite sex enters their midst.