Implement and Monitor Environmentally Sustainable Work Practices

Learner guide
Implement and monitor

environmentally sustainable
work practices
BSBSUS401
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Copyright 2016
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Contents
Overview ........................................................................................................ 3
Section 1: Investigate current practices in relation to resource usage ........... 3
Section 2: Set targets for improvement ........................................................ 35
Section 3: Implement performance improvement strategies ........................ 47
Section 4: Monitor performance ................................................................... 65
Glossary ....................................................................................................... 75
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BSBSUS401 Implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices
Overview
How environmentally friendly are the work practices within your organisation?
Do you have some ideas for sustainability initiatives you’d like to implement in your
department?
How do you go about monitoring and measuring work practices to ensure they are
environmentally sustainable?
While working in a sustainable way is everyone’s responsibility, it’s up to managers to

lead the way by implementing improvement strategies and setting up monitoring systems
and practices so that the organisation can minimise its environmental impact.
This unit will help you set up these systems, understand your compliance obligations and
encourage your staff to enthusiastically participate in environmentally sustainable work
practices.
Let’s look at what you will learn on completion of this unit.
Section 1: Investigate current practices in relation to resource usage

Section 2: Set targets for improvement
Section 3: Implement performance improvement strategies
Section 4: Monitor performance
Section 1:
1 Investigate current practices

in relation to resource usage
Let’s look at what you will learn on completion of this section.
• Identify environmental regulations applying to the enterprise.

• Analyse procedures for assessing compliance with environmental/sustainability
regulations.
• Collect information on environmental and resource efficiency systems and procedures,
and provide to the work group where appropriate.
• Collect, analyse and organise information from a range of sources to provide
information/advice and tools/resources for improvement opportunities.
• Measure and document current resource usage of members of the work group.
• Analyse and document current purchasing strategies.
• Analyse current work processes to access information and data to assist in identifying
areas for improvement.
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What is sustainability?
There is no one best definition of sustainability. Early definitions referred to how the
earth’s biological systems, such as forests, wetlands and oceans, can survive and remain
productive and healthy. The term is more broadly looked at now and includes the
interconnections between the economy, society and the environment and the equal
distribution of resources and opportunities.
Click on the tabs to learn more about sustainability.
Economic Environmental Social
Economic development Resource use, e.g., water Human and worker rights
Local industry participation Waste generation Paying appropriate wages
Jobs created Material sourcing Working conditions
Financial viability Atmospheric pollution Corporate governance
Public reporting Toxic material disposal Workforce diversity
(Source: Adapted from NSW Government Environment & Heritage.

www.environment.nsw.gov.au/sustainability Accessed 04/03/14)
Note
A business has a legal and ethical responsibility to act in a responsible way. The term
corporate social responsibility and corporate citizenship are often used to describe the
broad social, economic and environmental responsibilities a business has to the wider
environment.
What is meant by the term ‘environmental sustainability’?

While all three aspects of sustainability are considered throughout this unit, the focus is on
environmental sustainability and how we can implement and monitor sustainable work
practices.
Innovation in environmental sustainability is about meeting current needs while preserving

the environment. In frontline management, you need to examine day-to-day operations for
opportunities to improve the conservation of resources and the handling of waste. This
means not only considering the immediate impact of your department’s actions, but the
long-term impact its systems and processes have on the natural world.
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Why should business bother with sustainability?

While some may see the effort and expense in moving towards a more sustainable future
as prohibitive, many businesses are enthusiastically adopting sustainable practices
because it’s the right thing to do for the environment. There is no choice not to do it.
Click on the light bulbs to learn more about the case for sustainability.
• Research demonstrates that moving towards sustainability poses few or no risks to

business operations. Besides the initial outlay, there is likely to be no negative impact.
• Governments are increasing regulation around this area and it’s easier to adopt these
policies now than to try and catch up later.
• There are many incentive schemes available that businesses can take advantage of.
• There is a real likelihood of future savings from energy efficient practices implemented
now.
• Environmentally friendly practices can provide you with a competitive edge. Customer
expectations are changing. Many customers are attracted to businesses who act
responsibly. The same can be said for businesses keen to attract investors.
• In the long term, profits could increase because of a reduction in expenses and
increased competitiveness.
Before we look into strategies to monitor and implement environmentally sustainable

practices, let’s examine some key terms. Click to the next screen to learn more.
Key environmental terms

To understand what is causing changes to our Earth, it’s important to understand a few
environmental terms.
Click on the tabs to learn more about them.
Global warming
Global warming is when the temperature of the Earth’s air and oceans increases. Most of
the global warming is a result of human activity and our continued burning of fossil fuels
(such as coal, petroleum and natural gas) and deforestation (clearance of forests for
reasons such as agriculture, lumber (glossary), infrastructure, roads).
Greenhouse effect
The greenhouse effect is the rise in temperature that the Earth experiences as a result of
greenhouse gases trapping the sun’s energy.
The effect is much like a greenhouse used to grow plants, hence the name greenhouse
effect. Greenhouses are made with glass panels to let heat from the sun in and prevent it
from escaping. The result: a warm environment in which to grow plants in cold climates
and in winter. The effect is the same with a car parked in the sun. Heat travels through the
glass, warms up the car and cannot escape.
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Effect on Earth
Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere work in much the same way as glass panels on a
greenhouse. The sun beams energy through the atmosphere, passing through a blanket
of greenhouse gases. The Earth’s biosphere (air, land and water) absorbs the sun’s
energy and sends it back into the atmosphere. This radiated heat from the Earth is called
infrared rays. Although some of these rays make their way into outer space, much of them
are trapped in the atmosphere by greenhouse gases, which radiate heat. In the same way
a greenhouse or parked car heats up, so too does our Earth and lower atmosphere...only
we have no doors or windows to open!
Greenhouse gases
The greatest contributing gas responsible for the greenhouse effect is carbon dioxide
(C02). But the term ‘greenhouse gas’ actually relates to a number of different types of
gases, such as methane (released from grazing animals, agriculture and landfills) and
nitrous oxide (from refrigeration gases and fertilizers).
Each type of gas has different heat-trapping abilities, and so they are often compared,
based on their global warming potential (GWP).
Are all greenhouse gases bad?

The greenhouse effect is important for life to exist on Earth. If all of the sun’s energy
bounced off the Earth and back into space with no heat absorption or radiation from
greenhouse gases, we simply couldn’t survive.
We need the right amount of greenhouse gas to keep the Earth at the right temperature.
The problem with today’s environmental situation is that human activity has increased the
level of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, trapping more heat and warming the Earth.
It only takes an increase of a couple of degrees to have a devastating effect on our
environment.
What is a ‘carbon footprint’?

A carbon footprint is a measurement of how much greenhouse gas you’re responsible for
in your business or domestic lifestyle. Activities that contribute to your carbon footprint can
be both direct and indirect (glossary).
Click on the tabs to see which things increase the carbon footprint.
Direct
• Gas, oil, coal use
• Electricity use
• Car/motorbike use
• Public transport use
• Transport for holidays/flights
• Food choices (packaging/organic)
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Indirect
• House and furniture
• Clothes and jewellery
• Recreation, sport and leisure activities
• Cars (manufacturing)
• Food and drink
Tread lightly!
Just about everything you do, use or buy results in the emission of greenhouse gases.
Reducing your carbon footprint is all about making responsible choices to reduce the
amount of carbon you are responsible for.
Basically, the more you buy, what you buy, where you buy it from, and how much you use
all makes a difference to environmental sustainability. It’s important for a business not
only to examine its own activities, but the activities of those within its supply chain.
What’s resource efficiency all about?

Resource efficiency is all about doing more with less. It means streamlining processes to
limit the consumption of energy, water and materials, as well as reducing waste.
Click on the icon to read some examples.
 A plant nursery invests in water saving devices and composts food scraps from
several local cafés, reducing landfill.
 A paint manufacturer switches to more environmentally friendly chemicals and
improves their waste disposal processes.
 A commercial kitchen switches to using a sanitising agent for washing produce and
substantially reduces their water bill.
 A food manufacturer streamlines systems and processes so that less energy and
water are used, saving on bills and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Renewable vs non-renewable
You may have heard of the expression renewable resources vs non-renewable resources.
Click on the pictures to find out more about each.
Renewable
A renewable resource is a resource that can be replaced by natural processes more
quickly than (or at least comparable to) the rate it’s consumed by people. Solar energy,
hydroelectricity, recyclable metals and wind are just four examples of renewable energy.
Non-renewable
Fossil fuels, such as natural gas, petrol and coal, cannot be produced or generated
quickly enough to keep up with the human consumption rate. They are known as non-
renewable resources.
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So, resource efficiency is not just about your use of resources, it’s also about your choice
of resources.
Let’s now look at the legislation and regulations that business must comply with. Click to
the next screen to learn more.
Complying with environmental regulations

Your organisation must comply with or adhere to environmental regulations.
Click on the icon to find out more.
Do you know which regulations to refer to? If not, how can you be sure if you’re
compliant?
The fact is there are many laws and regulations you need to be aware of, and they vary
between states and countries. There is no simple handbook that covers every area you
need to be aware of.
As awareness and concern for the environment increases, standards and regulations are
revised and amended. You need to keep up to date with changes and understand how
they affect your job role.
Note
Managers should take responsibility for identifying legislative changes, updating staff and
amending establishment policies and procedures. It is your role to ensure you comply with
these policies and procedures at all times. Failing to do so could see you acting in breach
of the law.
What do you need to comply with?

Click on the dot points to find out the answer.
 International laws and regulations

 Federal laws and regulations
 State or territory laws, regulations
 Local government by-laws and regulations
 Industry Codes of Practice and best practice
 Industry accreditation schemes to which the establishment subscribes
 Organisational policies and procedures
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How do you keep track of laws and regulations?

This list is quite exhaustive and once you start to look at how many laws and regulations
are contained at local, state, federal and international level, you’ll understand why it’s
important to get organised. Keep a log or register of websites and contacts to refer to and
join one or more industry associations and eco-accreditation standards and schemes.
More on this later.
Note
All organisations play an important role in environmental practices; however, the
legislation and regulations that directly affect them differ depending on the activities they
undertake.
What is Australia's global involvement?

International environmental agreements are passed on to Australians through Australia’s
federal law.
To determine what these laws are, the government undertakes much research,
participates in global discussions and cooperative activities, and forms treaties and other
legally binding agreements.
Click on the tabs to learn about two key organisations Australia is involved in.
OECD
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
The OECD consists of members from thirty countries that meet to discuss issues of
environmental concern and how to improve the economic and social well-being of people
around the world. To find out more, visit www.oecd.org and click on the ‘green growth’ tab.
UNFCCC
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
The UNFCCC is an international treaty to limit the effects of climate change. In 1997 the
UNFCCC created the Kyoto Protocol, which legally binds developed countries to emission
reduction targets. Australia joined the first commitment, covering the 2008 to 2012 period,
and the second commitment period, covering from 2013 to 2020.
Find out more about the work undertaken by the Australian Government in international
climate change affairs by referring to the website www.environment.gov.au.
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Extend your learning

Visit the UNFCCC website www.unfccc.int/2860.php and read more about the Kyoto
Protocol. What mechanisms or measures does the Protocol suggest to help countries
meet their emissions targets?
Federal, state and territory environmental legislation

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) is the
Australian Government’s major piece of environmental legislation which focuses on the
protection of matters of national environmental significance, such as heritage protection
and biodiversity conservation. It is administered through the Department of the
Environment.
State and territory governments are responsible for matters of state and local significance
and often involve the issuing of environmental licenses and permits. For example, you
many need a licence or permit if your activity is likely to impact parks, heritage sites, air or
water
Click on the icon to learn more.
Click on the state or territory for links to the relevant department, legislation and
codes of practice.
ACT
• Environment Protection Act 1997
• Environment and Planning Directorate
• www.environment.act.gov.au
NSW
• Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997
• NSW Government Office of Environment and Heritage
• www.environment.nsw.gov.au
Northern Territory
• Environmental Assessment Act 2013
• Environmental Assessment Administrative Procedures 2013
• Northern Territory Government
Queensland
• Environmental Protection Act 1994
• Queensland Government Environment and Heritage Protection
• www.qld.gov.au
South Australia
• EPA South Australia
• www.epa.sa.gov.au
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Tasmania
• Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 (EMPCA)
• EPA Tasmania
• www.epa.tas.gov.au/epa
Victoria
• Environment Protection Act 1970
• EPA Victoria
• www.epa.vic.gov.au
Western Australia
• Department of Environment Regulation
• www.der.wa.gov.au
Click on the icon to learn about the Commonwealth Act.
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act)
Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and

Communities
www.environment.gov.au/epbc/index.html

Here are some more sites you might like to explore.
www.business.gov.au
The Australian Government’s principal business resource
This site contains state and territory environmental legislation and links to Acts and
relevant state departments.
www.greenpeace.org
Greenpeace Australia
A great site to visit to help further your understanding of environmental issues.
Complying with by-laws

Councils regulate local by-laws that individuals and businesses must comply with.
Sometimes they’re specific to an area and other times they’re regulated on behalf of the
state government.
Click on the icon to find out more.
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Each council is a little bit different, so it’s important that you contact your own to make
sure you’re aware of the requirements in your immediate area.
Some of the environmental issues they’re concerned with include rubbish removal,
illegally dumped rubbish, building planning and noise pollution.
For more information or to locate your local council, refer to the Australian Local
Government Association www.alga.asn.au and click on ‘Links’.
Complying with Codes of Practice

Most states and territories have environmental Codes of Practice particular to industries or
businesses. They are a set of rules or standards, designed in accordance with legislation
and regulations and are usually established through industry groups.
Codes of Practice help to provide consistency across an industry so that organisations are
referencing the same materials when maintaining their compliance with general
environmental duty.
Unlike laws, Codes are not mandatory. However, it makes it easier to defend a charge of
unlawfully causing environmental harm if the organisation can prove it was complying with
an authorised Code of Practice.

Visit your relevant state or territory Authority office website, such as WorkSafe or
WorkCover, and search for the term ‘compliance Codes’. Review the different Codes
available and read what is relevant to your industry.
Complying with work health and safety legislation

The work environment for all workers is protected under safe work regulations. Currently
all states, territories and the Commonwealth are responsible for making and enforcing
their own WHS (Work Health Safety) laws. While they are similar in their approach, there
are still some inconsistencies in their application and detail of the laws.
Safe Work Australia has the primary responsibility for developing national policy to
improve WHS. Over the last 20 years, National WHS Standards and Codes of Practice
have been developed in an effort to make WHS regulations more consistent. The Model
Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act forms the basis of WHS Acts being enacted across
Australia to harmonise WHS law.
Each state and territory is required to pass their own laws that mirror the Model WHS Act.
In most cases, new local state and territory legislations are called the Work Health and
Safety Act and Work Health and Safety Regulation.
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Note
Some states have not adopted the changes, and operate under their existing occupational
health and safety legislation. They are generally called the Occupational Health and Safety
Act.
How is WHS legislation relevant to environmental

sustainability?
WHS requirements could impact on the way you implement and monitor environmentally
sustainable work practices. WHS requirements include: identifying hazardous substances
and dangerous goods codes, safe operating procedures and SDS (Safety Data Sheets).
SDS provide information on chemicals, how they affect health and safety, correct storage
and handling, emergency procedures and disposal guidelines.
Click on the icon to learn how WHS legislation can impact on the way employees
work.
 PCBUs (glossary) have a duty of care to ensure, where reasonably practicable, the
health and safety of workers and others, so that they are not put at risk while
carrying out work in the business or undertaking.
 Workplaces and their representatives (managers and Health & Safety
Representatives or HSRs) must exercise due diligence to ensure compliance.
 Workers must exercise reasonable care that their acts or omissions do not
adversely affect the health and safety of persons at a workplace.
(Source: www.safework.com.au, accessed April 2015.)
Click to the next screen to learn about employment terms and conditions as they apply to
WHS and environmental sustainability.
Note
SDS replaces the term Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS).
How do your employment terms and conditions apply to WHS

and environmental sustainability?
Employees have terms and conditions of employment that will include relevant WHS,
environmental sustainability legislation and compliance obligations. For example,
employees have a duty of care to report unsafe practices, such as the incorrect disposal
of hazardous waste.
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Click on the dot points to learn about the different ways the terms and conditions
can be outlined.
 Code of conduct
 Employee handbook
 The induction process
 Training
 Policies
 Standard operating procedures (SOPs)
Click on the icon to learn more about rights and responsibilities in the workplace.
An employee should be made aware of both their and the employer’s rights and
responsibilities, particularly in regard to legal compliance around WHS. These
responsibilities vary depending on the workplace.
• How hazards and risks are managed.

• Duty of care: working safely, reporting hazards, injuries, illnesses and near misses.
• Daily tasks and work area responsibilities.
• Provision of PPE.
• Training and induction to ensure workers can adequately and safely carry out their
jobs.
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), which is about treating people fairly and not
making judgements based on characteristics irrelevant to the job. EEO includes anti-
discrimination, bullying and harassment legislation.
• Pay and conditions of employment under the relevant industrial award or enterprise
agreement (glossary). This includes rosters, working hours, breaks and leave
entitlements.
• The employer’s obligation to consult with employees about decisions that may affect
WHS.
To assist in compliance with laws and regulations, organisations adopt quality

management systems. We’ll look at this next.
What is quality management?

Quality management, sometimes referred to as Total Quality Management (TQM), is a
management philosophy driven by customer needs and expectations. Quality
management requires a systematic approach to work and provides the fundamental
structure required to achieve excellence in any area of business, not just environmental
practices.
Click on the outside bubbles to learn more about the principles of quality
management.
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Customer
feedback
Factual
Quality
decision-
assurance
making
Quality Quality
Empowerment
Management standards
Continuous
Benchmarking
improvement
Teamwork
Quality standards
Australian and international quality standards guide managers to establish, administer,
maintain and improve their competitiveness through quality systems. ISO 14001:2004
Environmental management systems is the specific standard that can assist your
business in implementing and monitoring environmentally sustainable practices. By
implementing ISO 14001 most organisations will meet all of their legal and regulatory
obligations.
Benchmarking
Benchmarking involves researching competitor processes (and even companies outside
your industry) to examine practices in use, with the aim of adapting, modifying and
applying the best of these practices to your own organisation.
It’s searching for and developing what’s considered best practice (glossary) in any
company, in any industry, anywhere in the world so you can use it within your
industry/company.
Quality assurance (QA)

Implement systematic analytical tools and techniques that allow for the control and
monitoring of quality service/products standards. These systems help business prevent
error and ‘assure’ or guarantee that its products and services are of a consistently high
standard.
Customer feedback
The customer is an integral part of the service delivery. What do customers want, need
and expect? Today, eco-friendly practices are the norm. Consistently research customer
needs and obtain feedback to make business improvements.
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Teamwork
No one person can meet customers’ needs and expectations within the organisation.
Each department and staff member must work together as a cohesive team, focused on
providing the best service experience.
Continuous improvement
Continually evaluate and seek ways to improve all aspects of the business product and
service delivery.
Empowerment
Staff at all levels of the organisation need to have the authority and ability to make
decisions about their own work processes and solve customer service problems.
Factual decision-making
Decisions concerning what to improve and how to improve are based upon qualitative and
quantitative data.
Standard operating procedures (SOPs)

Every business has standards and procedures to follow, which are documented in
manuals (electronic and paper) commonly referred to as SOPs. SOPs detail the operating
principles and practices that allow for quality control. They help manage performance and
achieve consistent results.
Click on the words to learn more.
Standard
The quality aspects or levels expected, e.g., speed, accuracy, response times, aesthetics
(how something should look).
Procedure
The step-by-step process in which something is done.
Click on the icon to learn about the benefits of having SOPs
Benefits of SOPs
• SOPs detail specifications for quality control.
• Well-designed SOPs can be explained visually with flowcharts and diagrams to help
employees to do their jobs.
• SOPs can help reduce and prevent errors, variations and waste.
• They streamline procedures and provide consistency in all aspects of your business,
including situations where the business operates across multiple locations.
• They assist in limiting liability regarding WHS practices and other areas where there
may be liability for a breach of quality product and service delivery.
• They provide the foundation for training content and design and make it easier to
assess employee performance.
You can have organisation-wide SOPs and department specific SOPs. Certain elements
of SOPs are written after undertaking a benchmarking process.
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Note
An organisation needs to prove that their QA systems and procedures comply with
relevant laws and regulations. Click to the next screen to learn more.
What is compliance within a QA system?

Compliance involves ensuring that your organisation meets all requirements of legislation,
regulations, Codes of Practice and that SOPs designed to achieve compliance are
complete and effective.
Compliance requirements can vary depending on the industry, type of business and the
size and structure of the organisation. For example, a publicly listed multinational
corporation will have greater compliance requirements than a sole trader.
Click on the icon for an overview of compliance requirements within a work area.
 All relevant environmental sustainability legislation, such as the Environmental

Protection or Biodiversity Conservation Act.
 Environmental protection regulations.
 Codes of Practice, including resource hazards and risks associated with a work
area, job descriptions, duties specifications and SOPs.
To assess compliance, most organisations will undertake compliance auditing. Click to the
next screen to learn more.
Compliance auditing
An audit involves reviewing and checking that the organisation’s systems, processes and
SOPs adhere to regulatory guidelines.
Click on the icon to learn about aims of a compliance audit.
 Review the work environment to see how policies, practices and SOPs comply with
relevant legislation.
 Determine how the organisation complies with relevant Codes of Practice.
 Identify areas of non-compliance or potential exposure to risk.
 Determine the effectiveness of monitoring and controls in place.
 Determine how effectively environmental information and requirements are
communicated to staff.
 Determine the effectiveness of the organisation’s environmental programs.
 Determine the effectiveness and adequacy of training, induction and support
programs aimed to achieve environmental goals.
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 Check the organisation has correct reporting, documentation and record-keeping

processes in place.
 Check emergency response procedures are in place.
Who conducts audits?

Internal audits
Audits can be conducted internally by HSRs, environmental officers and/or managers.
Some organisations may have special project work teams for environmental management
with Environmental Management Representatives (EMRs) responsible for regular reviews.
Large organisations generally have a QA department with auditors whose role it is to

establish and audit QA systems and procedures for all aspects of business operations.
External audits
Companies may have outside organisations to audit their environmental practices, such
as regulatory bodies, standard certification bodies and financiers.
Click to the next screen to learn about standard certification bodies.
What are standard certification schemes?

Certification, accreditation, standards, rating and labelling schemes exist in all industries
to identify and acknowledge businesses that have met specific standards or levels of
service. Green or eco-friendly schemes aim to cut through greenwash (glossary) and
assist consumers, builders and anyone involved in procurement to make environmentally
friendly choices.
Click on the icon to find out how a standard certification scheme works.
Think of certification as being like an exam. Once you can prove that you’re performing to
the required standard, an assessor gives your workplace a tick of approval and
permission to proudly display the industry accreditation logo throughout your
establishment.
To maintain its registration and continue using the certification or accreditation scheme
logo, an organisation must maintain compliance with the scheme’s minimum standards.
The use of identifying logos can play a major role in marketing and conveying a green
image to the public.
Green and eco-friendly certification and accreditation

schemes
There are many schemes out there and your organisation should choose ones that it
wants to be associated with and recognised for. There is no set number of accreditation
schemes a business should subscribe to.
Click on the icons for some examples across a range of industries.
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Eco-Friendly STAR Accreditation

Eco-Friendly STAR Accreditation gives accommodation providers special recognition for
their commitment to using environmentally sustainable work practices.
To use the logo, establishments must meet set criteria related to energy efficiency, waste
minimisation and water management.
Climate Action Australia Certification Program

The Climate Action Australia Program is a new arm of Ecotourism Australia.
When customers see this logo displayed, they can be sure that the establishment is doing
everything it can to reduce or eliminate the carbon footprint of their operation.
EarthCheck
EarthCheck accreditation is the largest environmental benchmarking certification and
management system used by the travel and tourism industry to validate environmentally
sustainable work practices and carbon emissions.
Green Table Accreditation

Green Table Australia is managed by Restaurant and Catering Australia (R&CA). The
program supports and recognises restaurants, cafés and catering businesses that use
environmentally sustainable work practices.
GreenPower Accreditation
GreenPower is a government accreditation program for the use of renewable energy.
Renewable energy comes from sources such as solar, wind power or mini hydro.
Businesses that purchase GreenPower can apply to use the GreenPower logo on their
marketing material. When customers see the logo, they can be assured that they’re doing
business with an organisation that is concerned about their environmental impact and
greenhouse gas emissions.
Each state and territory energy provider has its own accredited GreenPower product.
Refer to www.greenpower.gov.au for more information and links to your state/territory.
GreenBizCheck Certification
GreenBizCheck provides gold, silver or bronze certification to businesses that
demonstrate sustainable work practices in areas such as paper usage, recycling, water
and energy use, supply, storage and transportation.
Their certification program is available to office-based businesses, retail outlets, hotels,

clubs, IT, education, food and beverage and recruitment.
Green Globe Certification Standard

Green Globe is a sustainability certification program for the travel and tourism industry
and their supply chain partners.
Green Globe aligns with other certification programs around the world and provides
benchmarks and compliance guidelines for sustainable social, cultural and environmental
management.
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Conduct an Internet search for green and eco-friendly product certification, accreditation,
labelling, standards and rating schemes. Visit the websites for each of the schemes listed
here. What schemes do you think your business or industry should belong to and why?
What schemes do competitors belong to?
How do you analyse procedures for assessing compliance?

To monitor and assess how well your organisation meets its environmental and
sustainability obligations, you need to analyse the procedures used for assessing
compliance.
This will require analytical and problem-solving skills to investigate problems, devise
solutions and reflect on approaches taken.
Problem-solving uses a range of critical thinking skills. These can include observation,
interpretation, analysis and evaluation. Let’s look at some common problem-solving steps.
Click on the problem solving steps for more information.
Step 1 • Clearly define the problem you are trying to solve, for
Define the problem example an issue of non-compliance or risk exposure.
• Try to determine the root cause of the problem. Use tools
and strategies such as cause-and-effect diagrams to help.
• Prioritise. What needs to be solved first? What information
is more important?
• Consider short- and long-term impact of the problem.
Step 2 • Interpret information and data.
Generate alternatives • Brainstorm ideas for correcting the problem, if solutions are
not immediately obvious. More on this in Section 2.
• Research sources of assistance, both within your company
and externally.
Step 3 • Analyse options. What are the positives and negatives of
Evaluate and select each and how do they affect everyone involved?
alternatives • How will you decide upon the best option?
Step 4 • Put an action plan into place and communicate it clearly to
Implement solutions all concerned.
• Take responsibility to ensure the solution is carried out.
Step 5 • Monitor the implementation. Is the solution working, i.e.
Follow up and evaluate meeting the stated goals? Why/Why not?
results
To apply these problem-solving steps, you need hard data to analyse. Click to the next
screen to learn about sourcing and analysing information.
Why do you collect information?
2016 Edition 20
After conducting a compliance audit, you may have identified some areas of
environmental performance that need improving. To improve work practices and meet
compliance, you first need to collect, analyse and interpret information on the
organisation’s resource efficiency.
Further innovation skills will be required to develop the tools or techniques to improve your
environmental practices and set improvement targets. More on innovation skills later.
Click on the icon to learn about the benefits of researching your organisation’s
resource efficiency.
 It helps to reduce costs.

 It allows you to improve systems and processes to achieve efficiency gains.
 It improves your WHS management.
 It enhances relationships between your organisation and key stakeholders.
 It improves your reputation.
Where do you find information?

To provide information and advice for improvement opportunities, there are a number of
useful sources you can go to.
Click on the information icons to see some sources of information and advice.
 Organisational specifications
 Regulatory sources
 Relevant stakeholders (glossary)
 Resource usage statistics/reports
 Government departments. Go to the www.australia.gov.au website for links to state
and territory services and a range of environmental sites.
Click to the next screen to learn what’s involved in researching and gathering information
on environmental and resource efficiency.
What information should you collect?

The first step is to understand where your business impacts on the environment and
collect data to analyse your organisation’s current resource usage.
To help understand where your business operations impact on the environment, you can
use a ‘life-cycle mapping tool’. Life-cycle mapping can be used by any type of business to
understand the environmental impact of their operations from raw materials to end-of-life.
A life-cycle mapping exercise is best done in teams.
Click on the steps to learn more.
21 2016 Edition
Step 1
Map out all the activities that go on in your business, for example, cooking, receiving
goods, serving customers, etc.
Step 2
Working on one activity at a time from Step 1, break down all the processes that go into
that activity.
Step 3
Map out the potential environmental impact of each of these activities. This is often
presented on a spreadsheet or table.
Step 4
Develop strategies to minimise potential environmental impacts identified.

There are several free life-cycle mapping tools available online. Sustainability Victoria has
two available. Go to www.sustainability.vic.gov.au, click on the 'services and advice' tab
followed by 'business and investment'. Next select 'Energy and materials efficiency for
business'. Here you'll find useful tips and advice as well as links to 'resources and tools'
which includes energy efficiency and life cycle management.
Is life-cycle mapping a tool for all businesses?

Life-cycle mapping is a useful tool, but not every business will use this approach. Instead,
you can examine the systems and procedures specific to your industry practice in relation
to the following topics.
1. Benchmarking
2. Purchasing
3. Waste management
4. Energy consumption
5. Water consumption
6. Storage
Each of these will be examined over the following screens.

Go to www.sustainability.vic.gov.au and search the ‘services and advice’ tab for ‘life-cycle
management’. Download a copy of the life-cycle mapping tool for products and services.
Try applying Step 1 and Step 2 of the tool to a business you are familiar with.
2016 Edition 22
TOPIC 1: BENCHMARKING
As identified earlier, benchmarking involves comparing your organisation’s performance to
that of other organisations to identify best practice.
Benchmarking can help assess and compare resource efficiency in specific work areas
and how environmental performance outcomes are met or can be improved.
Before you can benchmark, you must determine performance indicators or KPIs
(glossary). These should cover the key areas of energy consumption, water consumption
and waste produced.
Click on the tabs to learn more about KPIs and external benchmarking.
KPIs
• KPIs are quantifiable metrics that reflect the performance of a business in achieving its
wider goals.
• They should align all levels of an organisation with clearly defined targets and
benchmarks.
• They should focus on ‘key’ measures, i.e. those most important to assessing
sustainability.
• Your KPIs may be guided by the framework or external benchmark system used, e.g.,
the ISO 14001:2004.
External benchmarks
Many benchmarks already exist in the area of sustainability, and organisations may
choose to use these. What your organisation uses will depend on the industry and size of
the business.
• ISO 14001:2004 Environmental management systems.

• Catalyst Australia. This is a not-for-profit policy network that works closely with
academics, trade unions, NGOs (glossary) to promote improved corporate social
responsibility. Catalyst Australia use rating scales and measured benchmarks and
policies set by government organisations, NGOs, regulatory agencies and industry
groups.
• GRI (Global Reporting Initiative). GRI is a global, voluntary reporting framework that
provides guidelines on sustainability reporting. It is widely adopted by publicly listed
companies who use it to outline their benchmarks and report on sustainability progress.
• Industry initiatives, accreditation and standards schemes, as identified earlier.
Examples include: Green Globe, EarthCheck, Green Power and Green Table.

Visit the Catalyst Australia website www.catalyst.org.au and search for ‘Building
sustainability’ and click through the reports available.
Visit the GRI website www.globalreporting.org and read about the sustainability reporting
framework and guidelines.
23 2016 Edition
TOPIC 2: PURCHASING
Sustainability in purchasing or procurement is about reducing adverse environmental,
social and economic impacts of purchased products and services throughout their life.
To encourage sustainability you would need to consider the impact of the following.
• Use of natural resources such as energy and water in the manufacture and disposal of
products
• Pollution produced
• Cost of operating and maintaining the product during its life time
• Loss of natural habits from the removal or alternation of natural resources
• Labour conditions in the manufacture, use, delivery and disposal of products and
services
Your business should examine its supply chain to check that the companies they
purchase from adopt environmentally sustainable work practices.
What are the aims of sustainable purchasing?

• To encourage innovation in design and implementation of products and services to
achieve more sustainable outcomes.
• To avoid unnecessary consumption. Question whether goods or services need to be
purchased.
• To minimise the environmental impact of goods and services over their life cycle.
• To ensure that suppliers use fair, ethical and sustainable practices.
Click to the next screen to learn how you can assess and document your current
purchasing strategies.
2016 Edition 24
How do you analyse and document current purchasing

strategies?
Click on each step to learn more.
1. Identify the
business need
2. Conduct a
6. Disposal of
risk
goods
assessment
3. Seek and
5. Ongoing
evaluate
management of
alternative
the contract
solutions
4. Award the
contract
(Source: Sustainable Procurement Guide. Department of the Environment,

Australian Government. www.environment.gov.au, 2015.)
Identify the business need

• What is the need? Can it be met by other means, e.g., reuse, recycle or hiring
products/services? Evaluate against the waste management hierarchy (covered in
Section 3).
Conduct a risk assessment

• What is the potential environmental and WHS impact of this product/service? Conduct
a life-cycle assessment. Look at the raw materials used, labour standards in extracting
raw materials, and the manufacturing process and transportation involved.
• How will the item be disposed of at the end of its life?
• Follow your organisation’s procedure for conducting a risk assessment.
Seek alternative solutions

• Are there alternative products/services available and what benefits or problems do they
pose?
• Are other options available, such as hiring or product swap and take-back schemes?
• Determine criteria for comparing and evaluating suppliers.
• Invite potential suppliers to respond to your concerns.
25 2016 Edition
Award the contract

• Request documentation that supports supplier’s claims of sustainability.
• Include KPIs and reporting areas to ensure environmental specifications are delivered.
Manage ongoing contract

• Monitor product/service usage and track and compare to invoices. Use and create
tools such as spreadsheets and software tracking systems to monitor usage and
environmental performance.
• Identify areas of continuous improvement.
Determine goods disposal

• Determine how the goods will be disposed of in the most environmentally friendly way.
Refer to the waste management hierarchy (Section 3).
• Products that end up as landfill are the least preferable.

Download a copy of the Sustainable Procurement Guide from www.environment.gov.au.
Read through the steps in more detail.
Waste in the workplace

Think about your workplace, training environment or home. What activities or practices do
you think generate waste?
You have 30 seconds to list the activities or practices in your workplace or home that
generate waste.
Click start to begin.
List the activities or practices in your workplace or home that generate waste.
How did you go? Compare your answers to these.
Unnecessary transportation
Over-buying products or services
Not using products or services in their ‘use-by’ time
Production errors, resulting in faulty goods or services, which then become waste
Failing to turn off equipment and appliances when not in use
2016 Edition 26
TOPIC 3: WASTE MANAGEMENT

Sustainable practices in waste management means looking beyond recycling. Anything
that doesn’t add value to a customer could be considered waste and this concept
underpins ‘Lean’ systems, which are part of the QA processes. Lean systems aim to
eliminate all forms of waste and improve efficiency.
Click on each word to learn how they might be considered waste.
Transportation Moving from one job to another or moving things between

processes.
Inventory Having excess stock such as raw materials, parts and stored
finished products.
Motion Excess human movement, such as walking, lifting, bending, etc.
Waiting For services and products and equipment sitting idle.
Over-production Having more products than required to meet demand.
Defects Faulty goods that don’t meet standard and therefore become
waste.
Over-processing Adding steps or features that don’t add value to the customer
Note
Main business activities need to be examined to make efficiencies and reduce waste.
How do you manage waste?

How much waste does your business produce? What types of waste is it? To answer
these questions, you need to undertake a waste audit. This involves quantifying the
amount of waste your department and organisation as a whole produces.
 Plan your audit. Define the scope and objective of the waste audit, including the
timeframe, locations to be audited and the people who will take part.
 Collect background information, including the number, types and location of bins
and who empties the bins.
 Collect the waste. Label bags showing waste location and date collected.
 Transport the waste to a designated sorting area. The sorting area should have
scales, a first aid kit, cleaning products and plastic coverings over tables.
 Sort the waste. Weigh each bag first, then sort into different materials. Count and
weigh materials recording the data.
27 2016 Edition
Note
Going through bins can be dirty and dangerous work. Remember to follow WHS
procedures and use PPE.
• Dispose of the waste. Clean tables, floors and equipment. Disinfect floors and
equipment. Shower and change clothes.
• Enter and analyse data. Record data onto spreadsheets and tally results.
Hot tip
If you don’t like the idea of your own employees auditing the waste, then engage the
services of a waste auditor. You can find waste auditors through a general Internet search
of ‘commercial waste auditors’ or ‘waste auditors’.
TOPIC 4: ENERGY CONSUMPTION

You can set up your own systems and processes to monitor energy consumption, or use
the services of a specialist auditing firm, which you can find by conducting a general
Internet search for ‘business energy audits’.
Click on the tabs to learn how you collect data on energy consumption.
Examine supplier bills

Look at cost data for energy consumption from your supplier bills. Data should be entered
onto your data collection plan (more on these soon) at the frequency that bills and other
records are received, e.g., monthly.
An energy usage baseline should be established, so your organisation or department can

estimate and measure energy savings.
The Australian government produces a comprehensive guideline on how to estimate,

measure, implement and monitor energy efficiency opportunities. The guide can be found
at www.eex.gov.au. Use the site's search facility to locate the 'Energy Savings
Measurement Guide'.
Monitor equipment usage

Keep a log of equipment usage. Monitor frequency of use, thermostat temperatures and
maintenance logs.
Consider purchasing electrical meters. You can purchase these for business or the home.
They’re a relatively inexpensive means of monitoring power usage. They’re as simple as
using a double adaptor. Plug it into the power point, and the appliance into the meter.
Record data on your collection plan to compare over a period of time.
2016 Edition 28
Measure usage under different conditions

The benefit of using electrical meters for individual appliances is that you can make small
changes and compare the results. For example, monitor computer usage while switched
on, in sleep mode, and while turned off at the power source.
You can monitor water and gas efficiency in a similar way. Implement change throughout
the establishment and compare results by analysing your gas and water usage meters.
Measure your carbon emissions

There are many online calculators designed to help you calculate and reduce your carbon
footprint. Simply type ‘carbon footprint calculator’ into your internet search engine browser
and gain access to the many online tools and software options available.
Analyse direct and indirect emissions

Look at direct and indirect emissions caused by the running of your establishment.
Direct emissions are those caused by your establishment and which you have control
over, for example, gases escaping from air conditioners and power used to run
refrigerators.
Indirect emissions are those you are responsible for but are not generated on the
premises in which they’re used, for example, fuel used by suppliers who deliver your
goods, and emissions that result from manufacturing the furniture you purchase.
TOPIC 5: WATER CONSUMPTION

One third of the world’s population is already faced with water supply and water quality
problems. This is resulting in malnourishment, disease, farming issues and degradation to
land. Water supply is reaching its end in many parts of the world, and while freshwater
runoff is expected to increase by 10% over the next thirty years, the population is
expected to increase by 45%.
(Source: www.savewater.com.au)
Click on the icon to learn how you can measure and track water use.
 Determine your water use (kilolitres per year). Refer to water meters and supplier
bills for this information.
 Determine how much water is used by each key business activity.
 Establish benchmarks for water use for each key business activity and compare
your usage to best practice.
Your local water authority and government sustainability department can provide tools,
benchmarks and best practice guidelines.
29 2016 Edition
It’s important to remember that anything you put down the drain ends up in the
environment. The more waste you put down the drain, the greater the impact on grease
traps and the environment as a whole. All waste must be treated before being released
into the environment. Businesses are charged a trade waste (glossary) fee based on the
type and quantity of pollutants they flush down the drain. Some commercial operations
dispose of substances or chemicals that could be harmful to the environment in their
waste water. This harmful waste must be treated before it is released back into the
environment. Councils charge businesses for this waste water treatment based on the
level of treatment required.
In a nutshell
Water management is not just about reducing water consumption. You need to assess
work processes to ensure that grease and contaminants don’t end up going down the
drain and polluting the environment.
TOPIC 6: STORAGE
Monitoring and evaluating your storage systems assists in WHS and helps to ensure your
work area complies with sustainable practices.
Click on the dot points to learn more.
 Check materials are stored correctly according to safety instructions.

 Ensure that SDS exist for all chemicals and that SDS are located where chemicals
are stored.
 Storage areas should be well ventilated.
 Ensure materials cannot leak and mix with rainwater and contaminate waterways.
 Check expiry dates and use on a first in, first out basis.
 Only store goods that you need.
 Dispose of unused chemicals and empty containers according to manufacturing
instructions.
 Clean up spills immediately according to MSD instructions.
 Keep chemical spills kits in an easily accessible location.
Gathering data summary

To recap, you have just looked at how an organisation and/or department can gather and
monitor data on environmentally sustainable practices in relation to benchmarking,
purchasing, waste management, energy and water consumption and storage.
2016 Edition 30
The data involves collecting and producing documents and reports such as:
• life-cycle mapping tables and flow charts

• purchasing records and receipts
• supplier bills for utilities, such as water, gas and electricity and waste bills
• smart meter recordings
• audit reports
Physical assessment
Examining documents, reports and records is often referred to as a ‘desktop assessment’.
It’s also useful to do a physical assessment of employees within your department. This
could involve counting items and observing them as they work. A physical assessment
can help identify waste and problems in following SOPs.
Click to the next screen to learn more about measuring and recording resource usage.
How do you collect and analyse data?

Numeracy skills are useful when collecting, analysing and documenting data.
Click on each step in the data collection and analysis process to learn more.
• Most organisations prefer to analyse data according to activities performed in the workplace,
rather than by departments.
1: Identify • List the common activities performed in your workplace.
activities
• Create a data collection plan.

• Include quantifiable measures.
2: Collect • Data to be collected over a two-year period and recorded monthly if possible.
data
• Look for patterns and consider seasonal aspects and how these affect usage.
• Compare resource consumption and waste generation to business activities.
3: Analyse • Use benchmarks where possible.
data
• Create baseline data. This is the data you will use to measure your improvements against.
• Data should be current, i.e., no more than two years old.
• Use the baseline data to review against your two-year period data. Determine if this
4: Establish represents a typical year. If it doesn't, then indicate why and estimate what a typical year
a baseline should look like.
• Estimate resource use and waste generated for each of these key activities.
• Mass and energy should balance. Use the key equations of:
5: Estimate - sum (individual activity resources/wastes) = total resource/wastes
resource use - sum (inputs) = sum (outputs).
and waste • This will identify unaccounted for water/energy use and opportunities for improvement.
generation
31 2016 Edition
Note
You can improve decision-making and planning by setting up clear systems for measuring,
tracking and monitoring resource usage rates. Here’s where a data collection plan can
assist. Click to the next screen to learn more.
What is a data collection plan?

It’s difficult to keep track of what you need to collect, how to collect it, who should be doing
it and when. A data collection plan will give data collection structure and clarity.
Click on the icon for an example of a data collection plan.
What Indicator How When Data Who Report to

recording
Water Litres Sub meters Monthly Spreadsheet Environment Annual
use to monitor officer sustainability
peaks. report
Supplier Quarterly
bills energy report
Energy Total use (Gj) Smart Monthly Smart meter Environment Annual
use Greenhouse metres data coordinator sustainability
gas emissions Supplier Spreadsheet report
(CO2e) bills of use Quarterly
energy report
Waste Waste per Waste audit Annual Waste audit Environment Annual
full-time report and coordinator sustainability
employee template report
Data collection resources such as plans, tools and templates can be found from your state
and territory Environmental Protection Authority and advisory service on sustainability.

For further information, refer to the following web sites.
Victoria
Sustainability Victoria www.sustainability.vic.gov.au
Queensland
EcoBiz Queensland at www.cciqecobiz.com.au
Western Australia
Sustainability WA at www.sustainabilitywa.com.au
New South Wales
Office of Environment & Heritage www.environment.nsw.gov.au
2016 Edition 32
Hot tip
Review data against baselines and against KPIs and benchmarks. Compile results and
present in reports, as required by your organisation. Investigate current work practices for
areas of innovation and improvement. More on this later.
How do you review current work practices?

Analyse current work activities, systems and SOPs and gather information on resource
use and waste-generation.
Click on the question marks and learn what you should be asking yourself when
undertaking a review.
? Where can resource use be reduced or streamlined?

? Can waste generation be reduced?
? What activities can be modified to improve resource use and reduce waste?
? Are the work processes safe?
? Potentially, are there any other environmental impacts that could result from these
work processes?
? After analysing data, you should have a good picture of the environmental
sustainability status of your organisation.
In later sections, you'll learn how to set targets, generate improvement strategies and
implement and monitor them.
End of section
You have reached the end of Section 1.
Click to the next section to continue.
33 2016 Edition
Section 2:
2 Set targets for improvement
• Seek input from stakeholders, key personnel and specialists.

• Access external sources of information and data as required.
• Evaluate alternative solutions to workplace environmental issues.
• Set efficiency targets.
What do you need to do before you can set targets for

improvement?
Click on the sustainability manager to find out.
Hi, I’m Gina, the Sustainability Manager at Ed2Green. Our company employs over 100
people and specialises in eco tours and travel experiences. We also run a range of
environmental education and outdoor leadership programs that provide exciting learning
opportunities to primary and secondary school students.
At times throughout the rest of this unit, I’ll pop in and chat to you about how we
implemented sustainability practices at Ed2Green.
Before you can look at setting improvement targets and making performance plans, you
will need to do two things.
1. Engage with stakeholders.

2. Conduct some external research.
Why is involving stakeholders important?

Gina is mentoring Shelley as part of the Ed2Green leadership programs.
Click on the play button and listen to Shelley’s question about stakeholders. Watch
out for the key points.
Hi Gina, thanks for taking my call. As part of my program I need to find out the importance
of involving stakeholders. I was hoping you could help out.
Hi Shelley. Environmental issues are frequently complex and can have a broad effect. It is
increasingly important for businesses to engage stakeholders in the environmental
decision-making process. Sometimes it’s actually a legal requirement: however, it makes
good business sense and demonstrates ethical and social responsibility. It also
demonstrates ‘transparency’: the creation of an open, honest company culture.
35 2016 Edition
Organisations generally categorise stakeholders according to their importance to the

business and manage them accordingly. Primary stakeholders are the ‘key players’: those
most affected by, or able to influence, your business or project. Secondary stakeholders
are not directly affected by your business or project, but can still have an interest in it.
That’s great Gina! Most informative. No doubt you'll hear from me again!
Happy to help Shelley. Please call if you need further information. Bye for now.
Who are stakeholders?

Click on the outside headings to learn more about the different kinds of
stakeholders.
competitors
environment employees
local
unions
community
social and
polical action Organisation suppliers
groups
government shareholders
media creditors
employer
associations
Customers
Often referred to as ‘external customers’, they are the ones who purchase your goods and
services. Anticipating and meeting customer needs and expectations is critical to
business. Think about how customer trends for socially and environmentally responsible
products have developed over the past ten years.
Employees
Employees are often known as ‘internal customers’. What do employees want? Fair pay,
good working conditions, regular work, career opportunities and a safe work environment.
2016 Edition 36
Unions
Unions are membership groups that represent the rights of employees, particularly job
security, safety and negotiations on pay, and terms and conditions of employment.
Suppliers
Suppliers provide goods and services used in the end product for the customer. Healthy
supplier relationships can be critical to business. Workplaces need to examine the product
life cycle throughout the whole supply chain for compliance to environmentally sustainable
practices.
Employer associations
Also known as trade associations, these represent the interests of business. They can be
a useful source of information and assistance to managers and can also lobby
government of behalf of the industry they represent.
Government
Government is responsible for taxes and legislation that affect an array of business
activities in sustainability.
Shareholders
In publicly listed companies (those listed on the stock exchange), shareholders are those
who own a share of stock. In principle, by owning stock, you own a portion of the
company. As such, you have special rights, such as the right to vote on board members,
receive dividends and certain financial information. Sustainability achievements are now
commonplace in annual shareholder reports.
Creditors
These are people or organisations your business owes money to. Commonly, these are
banks and financial institutions. Organisations engage regularly with creditors and provide
them with timely information on the organisation’s performance.
Competitors
Competitors are considered stakeholders too, as their actions can directly and indirectly
affect your business.
Media
Whether it is social media, newspapers or radio, media has the ability to influence your
business positively and negatively. It is important to engage positively with the media, as
you would any other stakeholder.
Local community
This could be schools, religious organisations, sporting clubs or the business in the local
street. Business can support the local community with sponsorship deals and by
considering their environmental impact in such matters as noise pollution and littering.
Social and political action groups

These groups can cause disturbance and lobby government and communities about their
cause. Groups can vary from business to business. Examples include: animal protection
societies, sustainable practices groups, charities and local grower associations.
37 2016 Edition
Environment
The general environment itself can also be considered a stakeholder. Businesses
practices must be environmentally responsible and sustainable.
How should you manage stakeholders?

Make stakeholders your allies and involve them as partners in key projects. Consider
creating a diverse stakeholder group to consult with.
 Identify who your primary or key stakeholders are.

 Who has a stake (positive or negative) in the problem or issue?
 Who is most affected by the problem or issue?
 Who is most concerned about the problem or issue?
 Who are the key people from each stakeholder group to communicate with?
 Invite at least one person from your primary stakeholders to be included in
environmental projects, monitoring and improvements.
 The stakeholder group should include experts from more than one discipline.
 Try to work out each stakeholder’s main concerns about a project or issue.
 Use effective communication and negotiation skills to come to a common ground.
 Use different communication strategies such as: newsletters, surveys, working
committees, advisory committees and one-on-one meetings to engage with
stakeholders.
 Identify what level of involvement and how you want to involve stakeholders.
Click here to see how Ed2Green engages with stakeholders.
Engaging with stakeholders

Ed2Green identified a market demand for a walking tour into a remote wilderness area of
Tasmania. To get approval and acceptance to conduct the tour, the company identified
key stakeholders it would need to engage with.
The environment team at Ed2Green identified the following key stakeholders as critical to
the project.
• Local council
• The EPA and the Department of Land and Water Conservation
• The Departments of Economic Development, Tourism and the Arts
• The Tasmanian Wilderness Society
• Green Globe certification standards organisation
• Tourism Tasmania (an industry group)
• Local media
• Existing and potential customers.
You need to consider how decisions will be made in consultation with stakeholders and
key people within your organisation.
2016 Edition 38
Decision-making and organisational structure

Who has decision-making authority? How will decisions be made? Clearly defined
decision-making power, structure and processes are essential to effective work
operations.
Within the organisation, decision-making power generally follows management levels

within the hierarchy or structure.
Click on the icon for an example of a basic organisational structure.
Owner/manager
Assistant
manager
Department Department Department

managers manager manager
Front-line Front-line Front-line

employees employees employees
Organisations can vary greatly in structure and the level of empowerment or decision-
making capacity that exists with front-line employees. Generally, you can find a copy of
the organisation’s structure in the employee handbook and company website.
If you are on the organisation’s environmental committee, then you need to identify where
decision-making authority exists within the committee and where the reporting lines go
outside the committee.
Communicating the process to stakeholders

Stakeholder groups can be ad hoc, or highly organised and structured. Clearly
communicate with stakeholder groups what the decision-making processes will be,
including how decisions will be made, who’s involved, and the approval process that
occurs outside of the stakeholder group. For example, do senior management approve
stakeholder decisions?
So what exactly are decision-making processes? Click to the next section to learn more.
39 2016 Edition
What are the different decision-making processes?

The following decision-making processes can be used.
Click on the tabs to learn more.
Voting
Voting is a quick way to reach a decision. It usually involves asking for a show of hands:
who is ‘for’ the idea, who is ‘against’ it. However, be aware of its flaws.
• It creates ‘winners’ and ‘losers’.

• It makes people have to publicly state a position, making it difficult to change their mind
later.
• The ‘losers’ may not feel committed to carrying out the ‘winning’ solution.
• You can overcome some of these problems by conducting a secret vote. This involves
people writing their preference on a piece of paper, popping it in a box, and someone
then collating the results in front of the group.
Consensus
This is most commonly known as a unanimous decision. This cannot be achieved through
voting.
So, how does it work?
• Everyone has an opportunity to express their ideas and opinions in an open,

comfortable forum.
• It involves a lot of discussion and so can be very time-consuming to achieve.
• It requires effective communication and leadership skills from the manager to facilitate
the discussion and keep it on track.
Consensus is important to achieve when solutions must be fully supported by the group.
Not everyone needs to agree 100%, but everyone must be able to say ‘I can see it needs
to be done, and so I will support it.’
Unilateral decisions
A unilateral decision is frequently referred to as an ‘executive decision’. It’s a decision
made by one person or side. Essentially, the manager decides on the solution and
announces it to the staff.
Sometimes this is necessary, for example, in situations that require immediate action, or
when a group cannot agree. Where possible, involve employees and stakeholders in the
decision-making processes, especially when the outcome affects them.
Hot tip
Be aware of factional decision-making. This occurs when strong factions within the team
push or bully others into the decision they want.
2016 Edition 40
Where can you access information to help make decisions?

Information and data could be obtained through primary and secondary research.
Click on the pictures to learn more.
Primary research
Research you create and undertake, such as a survey designed to obtain stakeholder
feedback.
Secondary research
Is research already conducted and collated by another entity or organisation, for example,
an environmental impact report conducted by a government department.
Click on the icon to see some data sources.
Data sources
• Online literature research
• Company websites
• Local library
• Local government
• Federal and state government departments, such as Australian Government
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. Go to
the www.australia.gov.au website for links to state and territory services and a range of
environmental sites.
• Industry groups
• Many useful organisations and websites were identified in Section 1. Return to these if
necessary.
Once you have analysed the current environmental status of your organisation, identified
problems and consulted with stakeholders, you can apply innovation skills to identify
opportunities for improvement and then evaluate alternative solutions to environmental
issues. Click to the next section to learn more.
What is innovation?
‘Innovation is consciously exploiting new ideas, or new uses for old ideas, to add social or
economic value.’
(Source: Innovation & Business Skills Australia. Department of Education,
Employment and Workplace Relations. Accessed April 2016.)
Business needs to foster and encourage innovation to contribute to growth and

competitiveness and find new and better ways of being sustainable. It’s a common myth
to think that people are either innovative or not, and that innovation is a skill that cannot
be taught. Leaders can model the way in how they approach work and value innovation.
Click on the icon to learn what attributes are required for innovation in the
workplace.
 They encourage teamwork and collaboration.
41 2016 Edition
 They build networks for knowledge sharing and collaboration both within the
organisation and externally, such as with stakeholders.
 They encourage questioning, problem-solving, critical thinking, lateral thinking and
evaluation.
 Communication is respectful and open. Employees are encouraged to question,
listen and keep an open mind.
 Leaders role-model the way, which helps to create a culture of innovation.
 Leaders are willing to try new things and take calculated risks.
 Continuous learning is valued and supported. The development of deep technical
knowledge and the sharing of knowledge is encouraged.
(Source: adapted from Developing Innovation. A Guide for trainers and assessor
to foster the innovation of leaders through professional practice. Innovation &
Business Skills Australia. Department of Education, Employment and
Workplace Relations, November 2009. Accessed April 2016.)
How can you encourage innovation?

One common technique workplaces use to encourage innovation is brainstorming.
Brainstorming is helpful to generate a range of ideas to a problem. It combines a relaxed

and informal approach to problem-solving, with creative thinking. Conventional group
approaches to generating ideas can be undermined by unhelpful behaviour, such as
belittling the ideas of others, early judgement and group think (glossary).
Click on the steps to learn more about brainstorming.
Step 1 Prepare the group.

• Conduct the session in a quiet, comfortable meeting room with a white
board or butcher’s paper to record the ideas.
• Allocate one person as the ‘scribe’ to write the ideas down.
• Overview the brainstorming process.
Step 2 Present the problem.
• Clearly define the problem. Preferably the team has been involved in this
process already (refer to Step 1).
• Allow some quiet time for people to reflect on the problem.
Step 3 Guide the process
• Advise the team that they have five minutes to make suggestions.
• No one is to critique the ideas during this stage.
• Help the scribe to write ideas down if they are coming too quickly.
Step 4 Evaluate
• After the timed session, go over each idea. Ask quieter members how
they could see these ideas working.
• Ask a lot of open questions.
• Don’t dismiss ideas as ‘crazy’. With some work, a bizarre suggestion
could turn out to be a great idea.
2016 Edition 42
Mind Maps®
A Mind Map® is a visual structure which can be used to generate and explore ideas,
classify ideas, solve problems, group information and see connections between ideas.
Mind Maps® can be done as a solitary exercise, but they are a great way for teams to
work together on a problem or idea. The Mind Map® concept is attributed to Tony Buzan
and you can find out more about them at his website www.tonybuzan.com. Mind Mapping
software is also available for organisations to use.
Click on the icon for tips to create a Mind Map®.
 Place the main problem or idea in the middle of the paper. Imagine this as the trunk
of a tree.
 The major subheadings are shown as main branches, with subheadings or ‘twigs’
coming from these.
 Use colour and pictures, where possible. Research demonstrates that this ‘excites’
the brain, engaging thought, helping memory and highlighting connections between
problems or ideas.

Tony Buzan’s website is www.tonybuzan.com. Watch the clip explaining why Mind Maps®
work. Have a go at making your own Mind Map® to investigate a problem or idea you may
have.
What should you consider when evaluating options?

Solutions will be constrained by factors such as stakeholder influence, resources
available, organisational policies and procedures, and the capabilities of your team.
Click on Gina and learn how she evaluates options.
‘Before selecting any solution to a problem, I like to think about certain questions and
discuss them with my team. Click on the question marks to find out what these are.’
? What are positives and negatives of each option?

? How well will this solution meet the objectives?
? How will it affect customers and staff?
? How will it affect the quality of our products and services?
? Who will it affect, within and outside the organisation?
? What resources will be needed?
? Are there any problems with the solution? Will the problems outweigh the benefits?
? Will staff readily accept the solution?
? Does it fit in with organisational policy?
43 2016 Edition
? Do we have the time required to carry this out?

? Is there a potential legal liability?
? What effect will the resolution have on the reputation of the business?
Sometimes, there may be more than one viable option and you will need to use one of the
decision-making processes identified earlier.
Is it a goal or target?
Goals can be both long-term and short-term and tend to focus on broader department and
organisational outcomes that require the input of many people to achieve. Targets sit
within goals and KPIs. They focus performance on the specific, short-term outcomes
along the road to meeting goals.
Goals and targets should be set for key activities as identified in Section 1.
Click on the tabs to learn about different goals and targets
Sustainability goals
Areas that organisations commonly identify for sustainability improvement include:
• increasing the use of alternative energy sources

• reducing greenhouse gas emissions
• reducing water consumption
• reducing landfill waste.
Organisational goals
• By 2020 we will double our use of renewable energy to 40% of our total energy
requirement.
• Stop all increases of energy consumed from fossil fuels by December, 2015.
• By 2017 we will be carbon neutral.
Environmental goals
• Goals should be motivational as well as aspirational. Each goal should make a
meaningful impact on the company’s environmental footprint.
• Goals involve stakeholder feedback and meet stakeholder expectations.
• Often the best ideas come from the people who work in the day-to-day operations of
the business. For goals to be embraced by front-line employees, they should be
involved in setting, monitoring and reviewing progress towards achieving them.
• Be careful that goals are not vague and soft, which could bring criticisms of
greenwashing.
• Goals and targets should be SMART. Click to the next section to learn more.
2016 Edition 44
Goals need to be SMART!

Exactly what do you want to achieve and by when? It’s important that what you set can be
measured. It’s useful to remember the term SMART to help you write your outcomes.
Click on the letters to learn more about SMART goals.
•SPECIFIC. Goals should be written in terms of outcomes. What exactly is to be

accomplished? Who is involved? Where will it be accomplished and under what
S conditions?
•MEASURABLE. What measures will be used to evalute the success of these

goals? Progress points can also be written into goals to help motivate staff.
M
•ACHIEVEABLE. Goals should be a challenge yet attainable within the given
resources and time frame. If staff perceive goals as unacheiveable, they can be
A overwhelmed and demotivated.
•RELEVANT. Do employees understand how they link in with the 'bigger' picture?
Goals should also be RECORDED. Writing goals down ensures they are
R properly thought through.
•TIME-BASED. By when? Timelines apply pressure, but again, they should be

achievable.
T
What are some common features of well designed goals?

It can be up to the leader and/or team to decide how goals are achieved, but well
designed goals share common features. They are written in terms of outcomes, and they
are measurable and quantifiable, challenging and clearly communicated.
End of section
45 2016 Edition
Section 3:
3 Implement performance
improvement strategies
• Source and use appropriate techniques and tools to assist in achieving efficiency
targets.
• Apply continuous improvement strategies to own work area of responsibility, including
ideas and possible solutions to communicate to the work group and management.
• Implement and integrate environmental and resource efficiency improvement plans for
own work group with other operational activities.
• Supervise and support team members to identify possible areas for improved practices
and resource efficiency in work area.
• Seek suggestions and ideas about environmental and resource efficiency management
from stakeholders and act upon where appropriate.
• Implement costing strategies to fully utilise environmental assets.
Techniques and tools to assist in achieving efficiency targets

A systematic approach to resource use can help achieve savings and targets. Many of
these were already identified in Section 1.
Click on the Gina to see what Ed2Green does.
 We examine invoices from suppliers, such as water and energy companies, and
track usage and cost.
 We examine other relevant data, such as fuel consumption and waste audit results.
 We use free online tools and calculators from our local EPA and online sites such as
www.environment.gov.au
 Our team knows what data to collect and when, because it’s on our data collection
plan.
 We analyse the data under different conditions, e.g., during peak- and off-peak
times.
 We invest in technology such as energy management software.
 We engaged in a life-cycle mapping exercise to understand where our business
activities impact on the environment and to identify areas for improvement.
Before we look at strategies for improvement, let’s define the term ‘continuous
improvement’.
47 2016 Edition
What is continuous improvement?

Continuous improvement, also known as Kaizen, is a key part of quality management. It
refers to the ongoing effort to improve products, services and processes that have an
impact on energy efficiency and environmental sustainability in the workplace.
The basic principle is ‘let’s keep examining everything we do and see how we can do it
better’.
It’s critical for business today to make little improvements to things they do to keep a
competitive edge. Continuous improvement is another approach organisations use in an
effort to be innovative.
Click on the icon to learn key questions a business should ask.
 How can we do this better?

 How can we do this easier?
 How can we do this faster?
 How can we do this cheaper?
 How else can we do this?
Improvements can be incremental over time, or a ‘breakthrough’ improvement where

changes happen at once.
How do you apply continuous improvement strategies?

‘Hi, it’s Gina again from Ed2Green. We recognise that applying continuous improvement
strategies requires an organisation-wide approach.
Click on the tablet to see what this involves.
 Creating a quality culture within the organisation.

 The organisation’s values, vision, mission and goals should include environmental
sustainability focus.
 Ensuring staff are aware of the organisation’s purpose/mission.
 Using hard data and statistical information to assess progress and make decisions
(refer to steps in data analysis from Section 2).
 Researching and reviewing your organisation’s strengths and weaknesses against
current industry and market trends in sustainability.
 Applying benchmarks. Using external benchmarks where appropriate.
 Applying problem-solving steps (refer to Section 1).
 Ensuring that staff have clearly defined roles.
 Creating work improvement committees such as WHS, environment groups and
innovation teams.
 Having KPI targets and measures of success.
 Monitoring staff performance using KPIs.
2016 Edition 48
 Providing regular, standardised training to improve performance or bridge any gaps

in performance.
 Setting new performance targets.
 Leading staff in continuous improvement.
People at the frontline of producing products and services often have the best ideas for
improvement. As a leader, it’s important to lead and support staff to identify areas for
improved practices and resource efficiency.
Let’s now look at performance improvement strategies that could be applied to the key
areas of purchasing, energy, water and waste, beginning with purchasing.
How can you improve purchasing strategies?

Click on the icon for strategies to improve purchasing.
 Try to avoid over-purchasing. Examine the organisation’s need for products and
order to just meet requirements, as oversupply frequently leads to waste.
 Question whether you need to purchase a replacement product. Can the existing
product be refurbished or reconditioned to extend its life?
 Use raw materials that cause less waste and are sustainably sourced.
 Set environmental standards and ask suppliers to adhere to these.
 Choose suppliers that benchmark their practices to ISO 14001 and who have
accreditation with eco-standards labels.
 Check that suppliers adhere to the standards and practices they say they do.
 Reject problem materials such as things that are damaged or broken as these will
become waste.
 Ask suppliers to accept empty packaging from their products.
 Utilise extended warranties, when available.
 Purchase products packed in recycled packaging or that are durable and reusable.
 Consider changing existing chemicals to more environmentally friendly chemicals
and ask suppliers to reduce their chemical use.
 Try to source from your local area to reduce transport-related costs, such as fuel,
vehicle maintenance and road congestion.
 Consider all end-of-life options such as reuse, repair, recycle and disposal options.
Click on the icon to learn how Ed2Green improved its purchasing strategies.
Ed2Green purchasing improvements

• We changed our cleaning contract to a company that is renowned for its
environmentally friendly practices.
• We only use suppliers who comply with the standards ISO 14001 and belong to an
environmental standards certification scheme, such as Green Globe.
• Any time we need to undertake major purchases, we apply the steps from the
Sustainable Procurement Guide available from www.environment.gov.au.
49 2016 Edition

There are several green goods databases that can be helpful to use when researching
suppliers. Visit these websites:
Good Environmental Choice Australia www.geca.org.au
Ecospecifier www.ecospecifier.com.au
Eco Buy www.ecobuy.org.au/ecofind
Read about them and what services they have to offer.
What is a waste management hierarchy?

The waste hierarchy is a national and internationally accepted guide for prioritising waste
management practices with the aim of choosing the best environmental outcome. The
hierarchy sets out the preferred order of waste from most preferred to least preferred.
Click on the recycle buttons to learn the benefits of prioritising waste.
 It sets out preferred waste management practices from most to least desirable.
 It eliminates excessive wastage.
 It helps avoid disposal of waste that you could reuse or recycle.
 It minimises environmental risks.
 It maximises chances to improve environmental performance.
How can the business improve its waste management?

Use the waste hierarchy as a guide to making improvements.
Click on the bins to learn more about the hierarchy stages of most preferred to least
preferred.
Refuse
Refusing waste means saying no to unnecessary waste such as plastic bags, chemical
cleaners and polystyrene cups.
Reduce
There are many ways you can reduce waste in the workplace.
• Buy products in bulk to minimise the amount of packaging used and disposed of.
• Use refillable containers or dispensers rather than individually packaged containers.
• Compost food scraps and donate leftover supplies to a charity to reduce food wastage.
• Wash products in still water, not running water.
• Install energy efficient appliances.
• Switch to fluorescent lighting.
• Switch off appliances, computers, televisions, heating, cooling and lighting when not in
use.
• Install flow restrictors or low-flow showerheads, toilets and taps.
• Consider installing solar panels and a rainwater tank.
2016 Edition 50
Reuse
Ever heard of the saying ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure?’ This is the concept
of reusing products. When you sell something on eBay, accept hand-me-down toys and
clothes, go to a garage sale, or donate goods to an opportunity shop, you’re reusing
resources and minimising waste.
Here are some ways different industries reuse products to minimise waste.
• Reusing scraps, e.g., chicken bones to make stock in a commercial kitchen, or scrap
metal that is turned into another product in a manufacturing company.
• Purchasing bulk containers for cleaning products.
• Reusing hangers in retail stores.
• Reusing containers from suppliers for storage of other products.
• Reusing plastic room keys in hotels.
Recycle
Most people are familiar with the recycling process because it’s a service provided to us
by our local councils. Recycling in the workplace is no different to recycling in the home.
• Separate used cardboard, glass, plastics and green waste from non-recyclable waste.
• Provide recycle baskets in guests’ rooms and foyers for used newspapers, plastic
bottles and other recyclable waste.
• Provide a separate bin for white paper disposal.
• Buy recycled products such as recycled paper for the office, recycled toner cartridges,
toilet paper and paper towels made from recycled paper.
• If you can, recycle water. It’s another great way to minimise waste.
Remember, any waste you don’t recycle goes straight to landfill, which is not good for the
environment.
Recover
Recovery takes waste and turns it into something that benefits the environment. Here are
some examples.
• Material recovery (recycling)

• Energy recovery (reusing fuel)
• Biological recovery (composting)
Recyclables are taken to a Material Recovery Facility (MRF or ‘murf’). There, they are
sorted, baled and transported to reprocessing or treatment factories.
Responsible disposal
Throwing waste away is the least preferred option, but sometimes you have no choice. If
you have to do it, at least do it responsibly. If you aren’t sure, check local council
regulations for specific waste disposal procedures relevant to your workplace.
Here are some general guidelines.
• Dispose of chemical and hazardous material safely and responsibly.

• Don’t throw batteries, toner cartridges, chemical containers, mobile phones,
computers, etc. in the general rubbish. They must be disposed of appropriately.
• Don’t pour hazardous chemicals or oils down the drain.
51 2016 Edition
Are you in 4th place?

Something worth considering
When someone mentions ‘smarter waste disposal’ or ‘minimisation of waste’, the majority
of people think about recycling. Why? Simply sorting trash into recyclable and non-
recyclable bins is not enough. Recycling is fourth on the waste management hierarchy.
The first is to avoid waste altogether.
How can the business improve its energy management?

Major energy savings can occur by switching off equipment, heating and lighting at certain
times. You can do this through procedures and by changing behaviour, or by installing
automated systems, such as light sensors.
Click on the icon to learn more about tools and techniques used to improve energy
management.
 Use energy management systems to turn off lights.

 Use energy efficient office equipment with power save functions.
 Replace incandescent globes with fluorescent tubes.
 Install skylights. Try to take advantage of natural lighting.
 Insulate rooms, fix gaps and areas where drafts enter buildings.
 Use self-closing doors.
 Hot water storage systems should be set to the minimum legal temperature of
60 °C.
 Sanitary fixtures can deliver water at a lower temperature (abide by legal
requirements in your state/territory).
 Control and limit hot water usage by installing thermostatic mixing valves, tempering
values or instantaneous heaters with special delivery temperature and flow control
valves.
 Investigate alternative energy sources, such as installing solar power panels.
 Consider purchasing power through a supplier that offers a mix of energy sources,
including renewable.
 Investigate if waste heat, such as heat from the back of refrigerators, can be used in
another process.
 Use blinds and window tinting to keep the heat from west-facing windows and
doors.
Click on Gina to learn how Ed2Green has conserved energy in their offices.
We’ve done a lot to improve energy management in our offices. We’ve installed cloud-
based software that allows us to monitor and manage our energy use. Heat sensors
monitor when employees are in their offices and return the room to the preferred
temperature. Sensors also turn lights off in rooms not used. We’ve switched to energy-
saving light globes and a reusable electronic key card system.
2016 Edition 52
How can the business improve its water consumption?

Did you know that a dripping tap can waste up to 31,000 litres in a year? That’s enough to
fill more than half of a domestic swimming pool!
Click on the taps to learn more about tools and techniques used to reduce
consumption.
 Install dual flush toilets. They can save up to eight litres per flush compared to single
flush toilets.
 Fix leaking taps and pipes.
 Use recycled water where possible.
 Look at procedures and practices in your department that use water. Investigate
strategies to reduce water consumption.
 Look at installing water-saving devices such as low-flow taps, sensor taps, aerators,
etc.
Click on Gina to see how Ed2Green has conserved energy.
We have a beautiful water feature in our reception area, which our guests really love. It
runs 24/7. However, after realising we were losing up to 20 litres a day due to
evaporation, we made a couple of changes. It now gets turned off for seven hours
overnight and we have also reduced the water fall flow. We also save water in other ways
too by installing aerators on the taps, installing two 10,000 litre water tanks for use in the
gardens and changing some of our work processes to use less water. This involved a bit
of retraining and a change of staff behaviour.
Note
These days most tap fittings and toilets come with a water efficiency rating. This makes it
easier to choose the best option for the environment.
How can the business improve its fuel consumption?

Not only will reducing fuel consumption help with costs, it means less greenhouse gas and
polluting emissions going into our atmosphere and less non-renewable fossil fuel will be
used.
Businesses that have fleet vehicles or offer driver or shuttle services for clients can enjoy
fuel savings by educating their drivers in fuel efficient driving techniques. The Royal
Automobile Club notes that this can reduce fuel consumption by 25 percent!
Click on the icon to learn how Ed2Green reduced fuel consumption.
53 2016 Edition
Ed2Green have a number of buses and fleet vehicles. Their sustainability team did a lot of
research and this is what they learned.
• Use smooth driving techniques. This means avoiding unnecessary fast acceleration
and sudden braking.
• Avoid unnecessary loads in the vehicle. Anything that adds weight will add to the fuel
consumption.
• Pack loads on roof racks and trailers to minimise wind drag.
• Regularly check tyre pressure is set according to the manufacturer’s standards and
ensure car is correctly serviced and maintained.
• Avoid using air conditioning and open windows when at low speed. Close windows
when travelling over 50 km/h as it will increase wind drag.
• Use cruise control on highways to help maintain a steadier cruising speed.
• Switch off the engine rather than letting it idle for long periods of time.
• Coordinate deliveries to help minimise the number of trips needed.
• Plan trips and use GPS technology to minimise distance needed to travel and take
advantage of road and traffic conditions.
When their business is ready to make new vehicle decisions, they needs to think carefully
about their motoring needs. Whether the choice in vehicle type is based on cost, comfort
or energy, efficiency is something every business should consider.
Hot tip
For more helpful hints on fuel economy, visit the website of your state or territory Royal
Automobile Club.
How can the office go green?

The Australian government produces publications and advice to help businesses reduce
energy and save money when buying and using office equipment. Access the website
www.environment.gov.au for more information.
Operating office equipment costs a lot more than the purchasing price. For example, a
photocopier that costs $4,000 to buy and is left on continuously for seven years producing
two million copies, may consume $1,500 of electricity, $24,000 of paper and $15,000 of
toner. Greenhouse gas emissions to manufacture and dispose of the paper used would
exceed 80 tonnes (more than a typical home would produce in the same seven-year
period).
(Source: Green Office Guide PDF. www.environment.gov.au, accessed April 2014.)
Click on the icon to learn how you can make better choices for your office.
 Train staff. Aim to change behaviours around printing, recycling and other
sustainable practices.
 Purchase equipment with the ENERGY STAR logo on it. This equipment has many
energy-saving features, such as the ability to power down or ‘sleep’ when not in use.
2016 Edition 54
 Purchase copiers that can effectively use refilled cartridges and print double-sided.
 Use recycled paper.
 Set printing features to a default setting of ‘double-sided’.
 Choose long-life printing drums and toner cartridges. They will generally cost less in
their overall life span than frequently replacing short-lived ones.
 Have recycle bins placed near the photocopier and printers.
 Consider purchasing LCD-type flat screens, as they are more energy efficient.
 Use energy management software to switch off equipment and lights when not in
use.
 Review processes to see where printing can be avoided all together. Use electronic
methods of storing information, such as cloud-based storage, USBs and the
Intranet.
Click on the icon to see how Ed2Green implemented green office practices.
After conducting an energy and waste audit in our office, we knew we had to make some
real changes. Only last year we purchased new computers with ENERGY STAR features,
but we found that these features had been disabled by the IT department because of
concerns the features would interfere with the network. Paper waste was unacceptably
high and 60% of employees were not printing double-sided. Astoundingly, some
employees were not printing double-sided because they didn’t know how!
We addressed these problems by developing a green action plan in conjunction with staff
and holding training sessions. We have made staff accountable for monitoring their own
usage, and we review progress towards our green targets in our monthly meetings.
How can a business offset its environmental impact?

In addition to applying a range of sustainable practices, it is the goal of many
organisations to become carbon neutral. This is often achieved by purchasing carbon
offsets to counterbalance the level of greenhouse gases their business emits.
One carbon offset represents the reduction of one metric tonne of carbon dioxide or its
equivalent in other greenhouse gases. Reductions can be achieved by reducing or
removing greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere, for example, by avoiding
deforestation, changing the type of fuel used, or switching to renewable energy sources.
Click on the icon to learn more about carbon offsets.
Depending on the industry or organisation, carbon offsets can be used voluntarily or to

meet regulatory requirements.
The Australian Government introduced the National Carbon Offset Standard (NCOS) on 1
July 2010 to provide guidance on what is a genuine voluntary carbon emissions offset and
to set the minimum requirement for calculating and auditing your carbon footprint to
become carbon neutral.
The Australian Government also introduced the NCOS Carbon Neutral Program, which is
a voluntary scheme that certifies products, businesses or events against the NCOS. Once
certified, the business can use the NCOS Carbon Neutral Certified logo under licence for
promotional and marketing purposes.
55 2016 Edition

You can learn more by visiting www.climatechange.gov.au and clicking on the link,
‘climate change’.
Note
May companies offer carbon offsets as an upsell during the sales process so that
customers can mitigate the carbon footprint related to their purchase. This is common in
air travel, car rental, hotel accommodation and when purchasing consumer goods.
What should go into a resource efficiency plan?

Click on the tabs to find out.
Sustainability framework
Determine your vision and direction by organising your plan in terms of a sustainability
framework. There are several frameworks your business can use.
• Triple bottom line (TBL) reporting, often referred to as Profit, People, Planet. TBL is a
reporting process that promotes ‘full cost accounting’, i.e. business should consider not
just the financial cost, but the social and environmental costs and impact of their
business.
• Global Reporting Initiative: refer back to Section 1.
• The Natural Step Framework: a scientific model that organisations can use to help
make practical decisions toward sustainability. It was established in 1989 by scientist
Karl-Henrik Robèrt. Natural Step organisations can be found in 11 countries around the
world. Visit www.naturalstep.org for more information.
• CERES: a non-profit organisation advocating sustainability leadership. CERES works
with business, investment and advocacy groups to promote the benefits of
sustainability and help companies apply strategies to improve sustainability
performance. Visit www.ceres.org for more information.

Visit the websites and perform an Internet search for each of the frameworks mentioned.
Make a summary or draw a diagram of each framework. Compare them. What do they
have in common? Which framework do you prefer, or think would work well for your
organisation? Explain why.
2016 Edition 56
Rationale
Link the sustainability plan to your organisation’s strategic plan. The plan must be part of
the overall values, vision and goals of the company and supported from the top down.
Make a business case for sustainability. Why is sustainability important to the future
success of the business? This can be helped by completing a SWOT (strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis. This helps all employees see the value
of sustainability.
Vision
Where would you like to be? What does sustainability look like to your organisation?
Dream big and imagine the future for your department and/or organisation.
Review current activities

• Assess current practices to identify waste and opportunities for improvement. Conduct
audits (refer to Section 1). Use tools and resources available to collect data.
• Engage with key stakeholders to seek their ideas and opinions.
• Use data collection plans to monitor and review (refer to Section 1).
Create and implement an action plan

The review of your current activities will have identified opportunities for improvement.
These will become target areas for your improvement plan.
• Use environmental and resource sustainability initiatives, such as ISO 14001:2004 and
green office programs.
• Use tools and techniques to achieve targets, such as environmental management
systems and eco-friendly resources and equipment.
• Consider how you will engage with stakeholders (refer to Section 2).
• Set SMART targets.
• Ensure the plan is effectively conveyed to staff and provide the necessary training and
resources to successfully implement it.
• Set up monitoring systems and processes (refer to Section 4).
Sample sustainability action plan

There is no set layout for a sustainability action plan, however it will generally include what
is to be actioned, by whom, when and how this will be measured and reported.
Click in the icon to see a sample of Ed2Green’s sustainability plan.
57 2016 Edition
Sustainability plan
Action item Action implementation Annual cost savings
Waste savings $
Completion date
Water savings $
Payback period
Energy savings
Total savings $
Responsibility
Project cost $
$ per year
Start date
per year
per year
*Activity
(years)
Action
Cleaning Install water Engineer Jan Mar 14,300 (1,200) 4,200 2,000 5,000 2.9
of public recycling unit 20XX 20XX
areas
Energy Install IT manager Mar Jun 15,900 4,800 4,800 3.3
use energy 20XX 20XX
management
software
Waste Recycle Environment Jan Jun 21,000 2,300 1,600 4,700 8,600 2.4
initiative team 20XX 20XX
action plan
*Activity = task, process, service or equipment where efficiency action is being taken.
Sustainability sub-plans
A sustainability plan may also refer to detailed sub-plans such as the recycle initiative
action plan. This breaks down the specific actions required, using the waste hierarchy as
a framework.
The plan may also represent the annual savings as resource savings.
Action item Resource savings

Greenhouse gas
Energy (GJ per
Water (kL per
Liquid waste
Solid waste
(tC02-e per
(tonnes per
(tonnes per
reductions
*Activity
Action
year)
year)
year)
year)
year)
Cleaning of Install water recycling unit 75 75
public areas
Energy use Install energy 6,000
management software
Waste Recycle initiative action 3,500 1,500
plan
You will notice that Ed2Green’s plan included a ‘payback’ period. This is the period of time
it takes for the cost of a sustainability initiative to be covered by the savings it generates.
Click to the next screen to learn how the payback period was calculated.
2016 Edition 58
How do you calculate the costs/savings of improvement

strategies?
Many organisations use a simple payback calculation which demonstrates transparency. It
can be applied consistently across all improvement strategies.
Click on the tabs to learn more.
Simple payback model

The payback model is calculated using this formula.
Payback period (years) = Initial investment ($)
Net annual savings ($ per year)
Calculating investment costs

When calculating investment costs, remember to include the following.
• Full cost of capital assets including the installation costs

• Ongoing maintenance and repair costs
• Costs of making alternations to site or existing capital assets
• Training and consultancy costs specific to the project or use of the asset.
Calculating savings
When calculating savings, think about environmental assets such as: land, water areas
and ecosystems, subsoil and air. Remember to include the following.
• Energy savings/costs and consider carbon impacts

• Water savings/costs, including disposal costs, such as trade waste
• ‘Hidden’ costs, such as: raw materials wasted, process and labour time wasted,
maintenance, legal costs and public image
• Operating grants or subsidies that may apply
Click on the icon for more information about grants and subsidies.
Government initiatives have been implemented to reward and acknowledge business

sustainability efforts, for example, environmental competitions, challenges and awards to
recognise schools that make simple changes, such as using recycled water for toilets.
Individuals are rewarded with financial incentives when they make changes such as
installing solar panels for electricity generation.
Payback calculation in action

Ed2Green replaced their disposable paper towel dispensers in the public and staff toilets
with the eco-friendly fast hand dryers.
Click on the icon to see how they calculated their payback.
59 2016 Edition
Initial investment $
Purchase of 12 air dryers and installation costs 16,800
Repairs costs (walls patched and painted) 2,560
Total costs 19,360
Net savings ($ per annum)
Cost savings of paper towel no longer used 4,000
Cost savings for disposal of paper towel 600
Reduced bathroom cleaning costs 800
Less increased electricity costs (1,100)
Total net savings 4,300
Payback period (19,360 / 4,300) = 4.5 years (rounded down)

So Ed2Green will start making a positive return on its investment in hand dryers after four
and a half years.
What does a department action plan look like?

A sustainability action plan for a department may not go to the level of including cost and
resource savings, as its primary purpose is to provide purpose and direction to employees
to achieve sustainability improvements.
A department action plan will use information and data collected during the auditing and
data collection phase, as outlined in Section 1. Opportunities for improvement would have
been identified and they can be represented in a simple table.
Click on the folders to see the different templates.
Action plan template-part A
Process or product Assessment Opportunity

Solid waste
Liquid waste
Energy
Chemical use
Water use
Storage
2016 Edition 60
Action plan template-part B

The opportunities could be evaluated and prioritised by your team and then transferred to
a simple action plan.
No. Action Responsibility Time frame

1
2
3
4
Inspiring change
Putting the sustainability plans into action requires commitment from all employees. It may
require a significant change to attitudes and the way people have been used to working.
It’s up to managers to provide inspirational leadership and show a passion for positive
change towards sustainability.
All too often when instigating major change, things start out well but then fall flat, and
people return to doing things how they’ve always done them. It can be helpful to look at a
framework to guide the change process. John P. Kotter is a leading academic in the field
of organisational change. He developed a change model that is widely used in business
today.
Click on the icon to see Kotter’s 8-Step Process for Leading Change applied to
building sustainability in an organisation.
61 2016 Edition
• Inspire people to change and help them to see a reason for change. What's in it for them?
• Give compelling reasons to adopt sustainable practices that connect with common human
Create a values.
sense of • Start honest discussion and get people talking.
urgency
• Create an environment team to help steer the process.

• The team should have people who demonstrate a passion and commitment towards
Build a sustainability.
guiding team
• Create a clear, inspiring vision and mission. This helps provide guidance and focus.
• Publicise this vision widely.
Vision
• Communicate with key stakeholders.

• Talk often about the organisation's sustainability vision. Review it in meetings, on the
website, in social media, emails and in person.
Communicate
• Openly and honestly address any concerns or problems raised.
• Remove obstacles to change, such as unclear processes and procedures, or a lack of

training and resources.
Empower • Involve employees in the change processes, including setting sustainability goals and
action targets and collecting, monitoring and reviewing data.
• People may not see evidence of progress towards long-term goals, so create short-term
targets and monitor and review process towards these.
Create short- • Celebrate these short-term gains. Provide rewards and incentives for achieving goals.
term wins Particularly acknowledge the efforts of the environment team.
• Regularly review and communicate progress. Remind staff of the vision and talk about
sustainability in meetings, in social media, on your website, etc.
• People need to be reminded of the vision and purpose regularly, or the enthusiasm for
Don't give up change will drop off.
• Ensure that sustainability actions are entrenched in every part of the systems and
procedures of daily work operations.
Make change • Regularly review plans, make improvements and provide the training and support required
stick to acheive goals.
(Source: Kotter’s 8-Step Process for Leading Change.

www.kotterinternational.com Accessed April 2016.)

Visit the website Kotter International and click on the ‘principles’ tab to find the ‘8-Step
Process for Leading Change. Read through each of these steps in more detail. Why do
you think people often resist change? What can you do to help people feel passionate
about sustainability gains in your organisation? How can you make sure people don’t
return to the old way of doing things?
2016 Edition 62
End of section
63 2016 Edition
4
Section 4:
Monitor performance
• Use and/or develop evaluation and monitoring, tools and technology.

• Document and communicate outcomes to report on efficiency targets to key personnel
and stakeholders.
• Evaluate strategies and improvement plans.
• Set new efficiency targets, and investigate and apply new tools and strategies.
• Promote successful strategies and reward participants where possible.
What is monitoring?
Click on the play button and listen to Shelley’s question about monitoring. Watch out
for the key points.
Hi Gina. I’ve been working through a sustainability project. In the project I’ve identified
areas for improvement and how to put plans into place, but I’m not sure how to track my
targets and goals. How would I do this?
Hi Shelley! Good question.
This is where the crucial management function of ‘monitoring’ comes in.
Monitoring involves:
• Comparing actual performance against planned performance

• Identifying and, when necessary, documenting differences between actual and planned
performance
• Correcting differences and applying strategies to get performance back on track.
Does that help Shelley?
Gina, that helps a lot. Thanks!
My pleasure Shelley. All the best.
What does monitoring actually involve?

It’s helpful to look at the monitoring process as a series of steps.
Click on each of the steps to learn more.
65 2016 Edition
Step 1
Establish what needs monitoring
What is monitored will be directed by your action plans. Key business activities can be
monitored for areas such as:
• amount of total waste produced, including materials recycled plus waste sent to landfill
• how paper use per staff member has declined
• how overall use of paper has declined
• how electricity and water use has declined.
Also measure success in terms of the people involved in the program. For example:
• how many staff were involved in the program and how committed were they over the
period of time
• suggestions or ideas provided by staff
• complaints or feedback provided by staff.
Step 2
Establish specific monitoring methods
• Look at the data collection methods identified in Section 1. Many of these will be the
monitoring methods you’ll use.
• Develop a system for monitoring operational progress on a daily, weekly or monthly
basis. Use flow charts, supplier invoices, Excel spreadsheets, progress reports,
checklists, energy management software, or whatever is appropriate to your
department.
• Set targets for KPIs and involve staff in tracking and measuring progress towards these
targets.
Step 3
Compare what is happening to what should be happening and reduce variations
Where possible, apply quantitative measuring tools and present data in an easy-to-
understand way, such as in graphs or charts.
Improve SOPs and ensure staff are fully trained in the new work procedures.
If you notice unfavourable comparisons, investigate. For example, if water use has gone
up instead of down, is it due to leaking taps, faulty equipment, etc.
Step 4
Evaluate strategies and improvement plans
• Evaluate the success of your strategies regularly.
• Review and update your activities according to your findings.
• Look at investing in sustainability equipment and technology.
• Take into account relevant constraints, such as time, budgets, equipment, and staff
awareness.
• Examine potential problems and pitfalls and work to overcome these.
• When necessary, seek approval from relevant management to make improvements.
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66
Step 5
Provide feedback
• Provide feedback to relevant staff, including your team and management.
• Formally and informally acknowledge staff involvement in achieving goals and targets.
Note
Seek the ideas and opinions of staff throughout and involve them in the monitoring and
evaluation processes. Not only does this make your job easier, but it shows staff you value
them and their contribution.
Monitoring methods, tools and technology

Formal monitoring methods that involve collecting quantitative data are most useful in
helping monitor, review and evaluate performance.
Do you remember the different monitoring methods? Let’s recap.
• Information used to measure KPI target achievement, such as supplier invoices for
water and energy consumption, surveys and checklists
• Energy management tracking and reporting software and equipment
• Waste audits
• Checklists
Ensure that the methods used are clearly defined and displayed for relevant employees to
see, for example, data collection and monitoring sheets and KPI target trackers.
Click on the icon for a sample data collection and monitoring sheet.
What Indicator How When Data Who Report to

recording
Water Litres Sub meters Monthly Spreadsheet Environment Annual
use to monitor officer sustainability
peaks. report
Supplier Quarterly
bills energy report
Energy Total use Smart Monthly Smart meter Environment Annual
use (Gj) metres data coordinator sustainability
Greenhouse Supplier Spreadsheet report
gas bills of use Quarterly
emissions energy report
(CO2e)
Paper Photocopies Photocopier Weekly KPI tracker Team leader Annual
data usage spreadsheet sustainability
report report
Waste Waste Waste audit Quarterly KPI tracker Environment Quarterly
generated spreadsheet coordinator waste report
per FTE*
*FTE = Full-time employee
67 2016 Edition
Monitoring methods require measures to assess progress. Assessing progress requires

comparing data from one time period to the next. However, it also requires setting targets
that give employees something to strive towards. This is where targets for KPIs are
commonly used.
Click on the icon for a sample of a KPI tracker spreadsheet used by Ed2Green.
Ed2Green uses emoticons on the tracker as their employees responded well to them.
KPI KPI target How will Progress Progress this How will the
you last year/ year/month outcomes be
monitor month reported to key
the KPI? stakeholders
Water 1,100 ltrs Water 1,320 ltrs per 1,209 Annual
consumption per FTE metres FTE per ltrs per sustainability report
(per FTE) per
working
Utility bills working
month
FTE per
week

month.
Paper usage <300 Photocopier 500 copies 380 Annual
(per FTE*) copies per
month
data usage
report
per FTE copies
per FTE
 sustainability report
Landfill 20% Waste audit 60 tonnes 40 Annual

(per FTE) decrease
compared
tonnes
 sustainability report
to 20XX.
Greenhouse 100% Utility bills (data not 100% Annual
gas
emissions
offset
(8,000 MT
2
Energy
manageme
available) (8,000
MT  sustainability report
Quarterly energy
CO e) nt software CO2e) report
*FTE = full-time employee
Hot tip
Remember, data collection resources and monitoring tools, calculators and templates can
be found via your state and territory Environmental Protection Authority and advisory
service on sustainability.
Note
Include informal monitoring. Regularly mix with staff and chat to customers and key
stakeholders. What do people think about the sustainability initiatives? Are employees
trying to achieve them? Are there barriers you can address?
2016 Edition
68
How do you measure success in environmental initiatives?

Progress towards achieving KPI targets are indicators of success. However, you can also
look at how well initiatives have been adopted by employees within your department and
across the organisation.
Click on the evaluation scales to learn more.
 Measure progress of the development of formal documents, such as policies, SOPs,

agreements, etc.
 Keep agendas and minutes from meetings held with employees and other key
stakeholder groups.
 Use visual media such as video and photographs to record progress and
demonstrate achievements.
 Gain feedback from management through meetings, surveys and reports on the
cost effectiveness and engagement levels of programs.
 Meet regularly with the environmental team to review and discuss progress and talk
about ways to make improvements.
 Undertake a staff attitude and behaviours survey at the beginning of sustainability
initiatives and then take another survey at a later period to compare.
Note
Understanding employee attitudes and behaviours is paramount to addressing potential
barriers to sustainable practices. This is where some qualitative (glossary) research can
be beneficial. Gathering data through an attitude survey can help pinpoint areas to
address. Share results with staff and display in graphs or tables.
Click on the icon to see a result sample from a staff attitude survey taken at
Ed2Green.
69 2016 Edition
Ed2Green: Employee feedback data showing barriers to behaving sustainably at

work
30
25
20
15
% Last year
% This year
10
0
Lack of Requires too No facilities to I'm too busy Lack of
encouragement much effort recycle information on
how to improve
Summary of results
• 65% would like to see more simplified, user-friendly systems in place.

• 38% would like to see more commitment from management towards sustainability.
• 55% would like more visual signs and reminders.
• 39% would like more positive feedback on their progress towards sustainability targets.
• 55% would like rewards for achieving sustainability targets.
• 45% would like more training on how they can achieve sustainability targets.
Note
Creating survey tools is an area you may need to seek additional help with. Free online
survey software is available from websites like SurveyMonkey.
Spread the word!

Feedback is essential for improvement and future planning needs. Report the findings
from the monitoring efforts to employees, management and key stakeholders, according
to your organisation’s policy and guidelines.
As noted in KPI trackers and sustainability plans, clearly indicate what reports the data
collected is required for. Some industries and companies that are publicly listed may have
compulsory reporting guidelines to follow. Companies that use frameworks such as the
GRI and external standards and accreditation bodies will also have set reporting
guidelines to follow.
2016 Edition
70
Click on the icon to see the formal reporting and review process at Ed2Green.
 Progress of strategy implementation to be reviewed at monthly environment team

meetings.
 Environment team to generate a quarterly environment progress report for
management.
 Strategy to be reviewed annually. Progress and key achievements to be reported to
key stakeholders through the annual sustainability report.
 Strategy and targets to be reviewed and updated every year.
Communicate positively with staff

Use brightly coloured posters and attention-grabbing headlines to show progress towards
initiatives.
Send emails, update your website, run a blog, or use other social media to convey
interesting facts and details on sustainability success.
Click on the icon to see an example of how the sustainability team at Ed2Green
communicates its progress to staff.
Road Map to Sustainability

Click on the road signs to learn more.
Start 20XX: Water usage: 59 ltrs per FTE per day. Today: 49 ltrs per FTE.
Start 20XX: Paper usage 300 copies per FTE per month. Today: 200 copies per FTE.
Road block: I don’t know how to double-side!
Go slow: Old printers.
Green light: Recycling printer cartridges.
Road block: Installation of energy management software delayed by 3 months.
Energy usage: Today: 20% of energy from renewable sources. On track to achieve
22.5% reduction in GHG emissions by 20XX.
How do you reward successful strategies?

Communicating results helps keep staff motivated. However, it’s also important to
acknowledge individual and team efforts and reward successful progress.
 Provide tickets or reimburse public transport costs for staff to catch public transport
instead of driving or getting a taxi to meetings or conferences.
 Use savings made from sustainability initiatives to fund staff celebrations, such as
an end-of-year ball, party, picnic or barbeque.
71 2016 Edition
 Celebrate and reward staff continuous improvement initiatives with points towards a
reward system. Points can be used to purchase gifts or vouchers of their choice on
sites such as Wishlist.com or RedBalloon.com.
 Reward teams achievements with small gifts such as movie tickets or chocolates.
 Make an arrangement with a local café, so that if employees bring their own coffee
cup, they get a discount on their beverage.
 Hand out company certificates and letters of acknowledgement.
 Arrange for employees to have lunch or light refreshments included at the next
meeting.
 Never underestimate the value of saying ‘thank you’.
How do you promote successful strategies?

Promote and celebrate your sustainability initiatives in innovative and interesting ways.
Get involved with stakeholders and your green standards or accreditation schemes to
share ideas on how to promote success and spread the word to a wider audience.
Click on the icon to learn how Ed2Green celebrates and promotes its sustainability
success.
July is our ‘celebrate sustainability month’. We work closely with the local council to hold
an open-day where we welcome local schools and the general public to come in and see
first-hand some of our initiatives. We hold a free barbeque, give away reusable coffee
cups with our logo on them, take students on wildlife walks and provide several
educational forums.
We hold annual ‘employee sustainability awards’ where we hand out several ‘Green
Champion’ and ‘Green Team’ awards. We make the event lots of fun by providing food,
drink, entertainment and prizes.
In the environment team, we make a point of celebrating each KPI target we achieve, on a
quarterly basis. We do this by updating our Intranet page and social media sites, sending
out certificates of acknowledgement to relevant departments or people, and updating our
road map to sustainability and KPI posters.
End of section
Click to the next screen to read the unit summary.
2016 Edition
72
Summary
It makes good business sense to be environmentally sustainable. In decades to come you
want your business to be successful and prosperous, and to provide products and
services that customers want, while being socially and environmentally responsible.
Every business can do its bit to make a difference to the environment. It’s up to managers
to lead the way by working with their team to initiate, implement and monitor sustainable
work practices.
The environment will thank you for it!
73 2016 Edition
GLOSSARY
Glossary
Word Meaning
Award Wages, terms and conditions for an occupation or industry.
Best practice Best practice is what you achieve after a benchmarking process. It’s the
standard for organisations to aim for, or to adhere to.
Direct Activities you have direct control over.
Enterprise A contract of terms and conditions of employment negotiated between
agreement the employer and employees and their representatives (unions), if
requested.
Greenwash Modelled on the word ‘whitewash’, to greenwash is to mislead
consumers regarding the organisation’s environmental practices, or the
environmental benefits of a product or service.
Group think Individuals within the group suppress their opinions to fit in with what
the leader thinks, or the majority thinks.
Indirect Carbon emissions that result from manufacturing and producing the
activities, luxuries and products you consume).
KPI Key Performance Indicators are specific measures or outcomes to be
achieved.
Lumber Trees that have been converted into marketable timber.
NGO Non-government organisations that are also not-for-profit.
PCBU Persons conducting a business or undertaking. Replaces the term
‘employer’ in WHS legislation.
Qualitative Deals with subjective information that can be observed and studied but
not measured, like feelings, attitudes, taste, colour and smell
Quantitative Deals with objective information that can be measured using numerical
systems.
Stakeholder An organisation, person or entity that has an interest or concern in your
company. This can include, but is not limited to, employees, customers,
suppliers, the local community, unions and shareholders.
Trade waste Trade waste is any liquid and any substances contained in it that is
produced by a business and disposed of in the sewer.
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Learner guide

Implement and monitor

Version number 2.0

Section 1: Investigate current practices in relation to resource usage ........... 3

Section 2: Set targets for improvement ........................................................ 35

Section 3: Implement performance improvement strategies ........................ 47

Section 4: Monitor performance ................................................................... 65

Please note the following condition:

© 2016 Didasko Digital. All Rights Reserved.

While working in a sustainable way is everyone’s responsibility, it’s up to managers to

Let’s look at what you will learn on completion of this unit.

Section 1: Investigate current practices in relation to resource usage

1 Investigate current practices

• Identify environmental regulations applying to the enterprise.

Click on the tabs to learn more about sustainability.

Economic Environmental Social

Local industry participation Waste generation Paying appropriate wages

Jobs created Material sourcing Working conditions

Financial viability Atmospheric pollution Corporate governance

Public reporting Toxic material disposal Workforce diversity

(Source: Adapted from NSW Government Environment & Heritage.

What is meant by the term ‘environmental sustainability’?

Innovation in environmental sustainability is about meeting current needs while preserving

Why should business bother with sustainability?

• Research demonstrates that moving towards sustainability poses few or no risks to

Before we look into strategies to monitor and implement environmentally sustainable

Key environmental terms

Click on the tabs to learn more about them.

Are all greenhouse gases bad?

What is a ‘carbon footprint’?

What’s resource efficiency all about?

Click on the icon to read some examples.

Click on the pictures to find out more about each.

Complying with environmental regulations

Click on the icon to find out more.

What do you need to comply with?

 International laws and regulations

How do you keep track of laws and regulations?

What is Australia's global involvement?

Extend your learning

Federal, state and territory environmental legislation

Click on the icon to learn more.

Click on the icon to learn about the Commonwealth Act.

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act)

Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and

Extend your learning

Complying with by-laws

Click on the icon to find out more.

Complying with Codes of Practice

Click on the icon to learn more.

Extend your learning

Complying with work health and safety legislation

Click on the icon to learn more.

How is WHS legislation relevant to environmental

How do your employment terms and conditions apply to WHS

• How hazards and risks are managed.

To assist in compliance with laws and regulations, organisations adopt quality

What is quality management?

Quality assurance (QA)

Standard operating procedures (SOPs)

Click on the words to learn more.

Click on the icon to learn about the benefits of having SOPs

What is compliance within a QA system?