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Publications
Our environmental, social and economic performance
Department of the Environment and Heritage, 2004
ISBN 0 642 55046 8
| Indicator | Description | Benchmark/s | Performance 2003-04 | Goal/s 2004-05 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EM1 | Environmental management conformance | Management System (EMS) certified to ISO14001 standard | EMS ISO14001 certification maintained | EMS remains certified to ISO14001 standard |
| EM2 | Environmental performance improvement process | EMS reviewed | Implement review recommendations | |
| EM3 | Integration of environment with other business systems | DEH Executive agreed to implement EMS review recommendations | Implement review recommendations | |
| EN3 Energy 1 | Direct energy use (tenant light and power) | Australian Government target:10 000 MJ per person per year | 5500 MJ per person per year | Achieve 4500 MJ per person per year by 2005-06 Upgrade metering arrangements to improve electricity consumption reporting |
| Direct energy use (transport) | Australian Government target: 28% of vehicles to score in top half of Green Vehicle Guide (GVG) scoring range | 17.86% of DEH vehicle fleet scored 10.5 or higher against GVG | Improve GVG score Increase staff take-up of environmentally responsible transport options, including information and communication technologies as alternatives to air travel |
|
| EN4 | Energy 2 | Indirect energy use | Zero indirect emissions from 100% green power | Continue greenpower purchase |
| EN17 Energy 3 |
Initiatives to use renewable energy sources and increase energy efficiency | Greenpower supplies tenant light and power | Energy Management Option system Continue greenpower purchase | |
| EN8 Greenhouse 1 |
Greenhouse gas emissions | 530 tonnes of CO2 (gross) 388 tonnes (net) after offsets 559 kg per person per year (gross) 409 kg per person per year (net) |
Renew Greenhouse Challenge agreement in 2005 | |
| Greenhouse 2 | Initiatives to decrease greenhouse gas emissions | Greenhouse Challenge membership Purchased greenpower Purchased Greenfleet offsets Recycled organic and other wastes |
Renew Greenhouse Challenge agreement, continue to use greenpower, and consider implementing BP's Global Choice programme Identify/assess options for offsetting air travel related emissions |
|
| EN5 Water 1 |
Total water use | Australian Government average for office buildings 46l per person per day (tenancy and base building combined) | Approximately 6605 Kl of water used (28 l per person per day) - tenancy only | Investigate separate water metering of DEH office space |
| EN22 Water 2 |
Total water reused | Greywater reused in John Gorton Building | ||
| Water 3 | Initiatives to decrease water consumption or increase water reuse | Jemflo Water Management system Water efficient appliances and leak reporting signage Upgrade of greywater system |
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| EN1 Materials 1 |
Total material use (other than water) | 14 300 reams of A4 paper purchased 15.08 reams per person per year. 30 sheets per person per day |
Conduct paper audit by end 2005 and an office machine review Finalise letterhead project Establish data collection system for outsourced printing |
|
| EN2 Materials 2 |
Initiatives aimed at using post-consumer recycled material and waste from industrial sources | Recycled paper used for A4 printing and photocopying | ||
| EN11 Waste 1 |
Total amount of solid waste by type and destination | 250 tonnes generated (263kg per person per day) 142 tonnes recycled including 22 tonnes of organic waste to a worm farm small business |
Waste audit of John Gorton Building Sound methodology for data on waste to landfill |
|
| Waste 3 | Initiatives and improvements (to minimise waste) | No individual waste bins - recycling bins centralised in kitchen/tea point areas Prominent waste signage Recycling of toner cartridges and fluorescent tubes |
Waste audit of John Gorton Building 100% recycling of fluorescent tubes and toner cartridges from all DEH sites |
|
| EN33 Suppliers 1 |
Initiatives to encourage improved environmental performance of suppliers | Development of draft Environmental Purchasing Guide and environmental performance of suppliers addressed in some tender criteria | Capture information on, and use DEH supply chain position to improve, suppliers' performance |
| Indicator | Description | Benchmark/s | Performance2003-04 | Goal/s 2004-05 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LA1 | Geographical breakdown of workforce by status, employment type, and employment contract | APS staffing proportions 2002-03:o non-ongoing 8.8%o executive level (EL1 and above) 22.1% | 74% of staff full-time ongoing; 14% non-ongoing, 37.9% at executive level and 78% located in the ACT | |
| LA2 | Employment net creation and average turnover | APS turnover rate for ongoing staff 7.4% (2002-03) | Increase of 30 staff in 2003-04All turnover 24.6% (2003-04) Ongoing staff turnover 10.7% (2002-03) Implement exit survey by June 2005 | Implement pilot development program for APS6 level employees who have potential.Start 'expert staff' identification process |
| LA4 | Policy and procedures involving information, consultation and negotiation with employees over changes in the reporting organisation's operations (e.g. restructuring) | DEH Consultative Committee and sub-committees to involve staff in organisational change | ||
| LA5 | Practices on recording and notification of occupational accidents and diseases | Records maintained of OH&S incidents and incidents reported to Comcare Australia | ||
| LA7 | Standard injury, lost day and absentee rates, and the number of work related fatalities (including contracted workers) | 35 compensation claims 2.44% of working hours lost over 100 days |
Investigate and implement more informative OH&S reporting systems | |
| LA12 | Employee benefits beyond those legally mandated | Range of leave entitlements and flexible working arrangements available. Family rooms at John Gorton Building | Review outcomes of July 2004 staff survey and identify areas that could be improved and appropriate strategies.Obtain accreditation with Australian Breastfeeding Association | |
| LA9 | Average hours of training per year per employee by category of employee | DEH awarded inaugural Australian Government Investors in People Gold Award | Investigate and implement systems to improve reporting on training/staff development Provide financial assistance for tertiary study Complete analysis of graduate retention |
|
| LA16 | Existence of programme/s to support the continued employability of employees and manage career endings | Rehabilitation unitPerformance and Development Scheme | ||
| LA10 | Description of equal opportunity policies or programmes, as well as monitoring systems to ensure compliance | Workplace Contact Officer Network | Implement Disability Action Plan by December 2004 Methodology for collecting diversity statistics | |
| LA11 | Composition of senior management and corporate governance bodies, including male/female ratio and other indicators of diversity as culturally appropriate | 17% of the Executive Roundtable (DEH's peak decision making body) members are female | ||
| HR4 | Description of global policy and procedures/programmes preventing all forms of discrimination in operations, including monitoring systems and results of monitoring | Workplace Contact Officer Network Development of Disability Action Plan |
Finalise implementation of Disability Action Plan Establish methodology to collect statistics on employee diversity (by end 2005) |
|
| HR12 | Description of policies, guidelines and procedures to address the needs of Indigenous people. This includes Indigenous people in the workforce and communities where the organisation operates or intends to operate | Indigenous Career Development and Recruitment Strategy | Establish an Indigenous Committee to report directly to DEH Roundtable | |
| No GRI indicator | Policies to encourage the voluntary participation of staff in local community activities | Develop/implement system on staff voluntary activities where DEH provides paid leave |
| Indicator | Description | Benchmark/s | Performance 2003-04 | Goal/s 2004-05 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EC3 | Cost of all goods, materials and services purchased | $41.2 million expended | ||
| EC4 | Percentage of contracts that were paid in accordance with agreed terms, excluding agreed penalty arrangements | Australian Government target:90% of invoices paid within 30 days | 90.09% of invoices paid within 30 days | Increase proportion of invoices paid within 30 days to over 91% |
| EC11 | Supplier breakdown by organisation and country | Australian Government target: 10% of Canberra-Sydney air sector business to be with smaller airlines | 23.1% of Canberra-Sydney air sector travel with smaller airlines | Continue to exceed the Australian Government goal to use smaller airlines on the Canberra-Sydney air sector |
| EC5 | Total payroll benefits (including wages, pension, other benefits and redundancy payments) | $90.6 million expended | ||
| No GRI indicator | Initiatives to include environmental criteria in the procurement of goods and services | Monitoring system to ensure good environmental purchasing practice |
The Department of the Environment and Heritage (DEH) is the Australian Government's major environmental agency, and is responsible for achieving Government's environment objectives, domestically and internationally.
We aspire to a natural and cultural environment, valued, enhanced and protected in harmony with the nation's social and economic goals and we aim to deliver national leadership on environmental issues through excellence in the programs we run and the policy advice we provide.
This policy covers the office-based operations of the Department of the Environment and Heritage in Canberra, A.C.T. DEH has made a strong commitment to environmental best practice and the prevention of pollution in office management and general operations. Through a process of continual improvement we aim to lead the Commonwealth public sector in efficient and effective environmental office practices, providing a role model for others to follow.
Through a philosophy of 'rethink, reduce, reuse, repair, recycle' we will:
All managers are accountable for environmental performance in their area of responsibility.
David Borthwick
Secretary
September 2004
An increasing number of organisations in Australia and overseas are engaged in corporate sustainability reporting. This type of reporting meets a growing demand for information about the environmental, social and economic performance of organisations. It also provides benefits to the reporting organisation. Relations with stakeholders are improved, public credibility is enhanced, and the reporting process can drive operational improvements. In addition potential investors can better assess the organisation's environmental, social and economic credentials.
DEH encourages government agencies and industry to adopt sustainability reporting and provides assistance to reporters. It helps to make the business case for sustainability reporting, develops and publishes reporting guides and provides access to other resources and reporting frameworks which can improve the quality and comparability of reports.
Resources that DEH makes available to reporters include:
DEH works with an international body, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) that aims to enhance the quality, rigour and utility of sustainability reporting. In 2002 the GRI published Sustainability Reporting Guidelines an internationally recognised resource for reporters. The guide and information about the GRI can be found at www.globalreporting.org. The GRI's public sector guide can be found at http://www.globalreporting.org/guidelines/sectors/public.asp
| Abbreviation | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| J | Joule | Unit of energy |
| KJ | Kilojoule | 1000 (1 thousand) joules |
| MJ | Megajoule | 1 000 000 (1 million) joules |
| GJ | Gigajoule | 1000 000 000 000 (1 billion) joules |
| W | Watt | Unit of energy use (equivalent to 1 joule per second) |
| kW | Kilowatt | 1000 (1 thousand) watts |
| kWh | Kilowatt hour | Electricity consumption that uses 3.6 MJ of energy in one hour |
| kg | Kilogram | A metric unit of weight |
| t | Tonne | 1000 (1 thousand) kilograms |
| L | litre | A metric unit of volume (equivalent to 1000 cubic centimetres) |
| Kl | Kilolitre | 1000 (1 thousand) litres |
| Ml | Megalitre | 1 000 000 (1 million) litres. Equivalent to 1 cubic metre |
| km | kilometre | A metric unit of distance |
| km/h | kilometres per hour | Velocity |
| m3 | cubic metre | A metric unit of volume (equivalent to 1 megalitre) |
| ha | hectare | A metric unit of area |
| CO2 | Carbon Dioxide | The most common greenhouse gas produced by human activity |
| tCO2e | Tonnes of Carbon Dioxide equivalent | Standard measure for normalising the varying global warming impacts of different greenhouse gases |
| Ream | 500 paper sheets | A standard measure for quantifying standard photocopying and/or printing paper. 1 ream is 500 sheets of A4, A5, A3 or any other standard sized paper |