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Introduction  

Getting started

Before beginning this programme, we need to define how the word ‘environment’ is used in the context of sustainability. There is the unfortunate misconception on the part of some people that this word references hippies, brown rice, granola, green and all things Mother Gaia Earth. This is not the case. The word is used here to specifically discuss natural resource-related matters (i.e. timber usage, waste output, energy consumption etc).

In a broader sense, it relates to your business operations in the larger context of society (that is, the ‘business environment’). This programme focuses on creating balance between financial and environmental areas. One of our case study companies, Generation Developments Ltd, has already come to understand this. William Carter, the Operations Manager, has this to say:

“Sustainability isn't just a ‘nice’ thing to do. It ensures the ongoing viability of your business providing significant benefits. It should be looked at as a pragmatic business decision rather than just a movement towards being ‘green’. The three key aspects of sustainability as we see it are financial, social and environmental. Each is vital and must be balanced for a truly sustainable business”.

  

Methods

To help your company run a more sustainable and profitable business, there are three interrelated methods you can use:

  1. An environmental policy
  2. An Environmental Management System (EMS)
  3. A reporting framework

An environmental policy is a document detailing your business commitment to environmental management: in other words, what you are going to do and how you are going to do it. But it’s not just about protecting the environment. It also demonstrates to your customers that you are being proactive in embracing sustainable development, running a good business, and are concerned about environmental impacts and providing benefits to the community where you work.

An EMS is a set of processes put in place in your business with the aim of improving performance. It implements the environmental policy and works to achieve your social, environmental and, of course, economic goals.

An EMS is an ongoing process; one that can be revisited and refined to continually build on your success as a business. Businesses in many industries have found that as they implement this process, they also find ways of saving and even making money.

A reporting framework is a method for evaluating and reporting on your progress against a set of targets. Once you have become more competitive and flexible, you will want to let others know what you achieved. This framework gives you cold, hard proof – the evidence of a job well done. Potential customers will be attracted by your responsible business practices, industry will gain from your leadership, government will stay off your case and the media will want to tell your story.

It is not absolutely necessary to have all three methods in place to be a sustainable business, especially not straight away. You can have an environmental policy without an EMS and vice versa (although it helps to have both). You can decide to report on your progress or not, but the positive publicity and enhanced reputation can be worth it. You can be sustainable with none of these tools, but it will not be easy to demonstrate it to your customers.

No matter what your goals are – to improve, innovate, or lead the industry – this Easy Guide offers something for you.

A step-by-step process

This Toolkit takes you through the 12 steps required to implement each of these three methods:

  • Steps 1 – 4
    show you how to prepare an environmental policy
  • Steps 5 – 8
    show you how to implement an EMS
  • Steps 9 – 12
    show you how to prepare a sustainability report.
  

Considerations – scope and measurement

Understanding your company’s impacts is vital to deciding what actions should be taken. As you progress through this Easy Guide, there will be many ways to investigate, measure and monitor your operations. Taking accurate measurements and having good data provides your company with evidence of progress and improvement. Often what people think is happening and what is reality are two different scenarios. This does not always mean a negative outcome either. Having solid numbers can help you make better decisions, compare options and record progress over time. 

 

“Hmm ... this looks like extra work for me … ”

But it isn’t. Not a big fan of maths? Neither are we. That’s why the spreadsheets included with this Toolkit come with programmed functions. All you need to do is input the data and you will quickly find averages, amounts and totals. Not only that, you can then easily create graphs and charts for the reporting process. It’s easier than you thought it would be.

    

What sorts of things do you measure and how do you decide on them?  Size of the company often determines the scope of assessment. To start out, companies identify the things that matter most and where the biggest and improvements can be made quickly and cheaply. Large companies with more staff and resources can perform in-depth reviews. For smaller organisations with fewer employees, a corresponding effort makes sense. Regardless of size, examining impacts can have major results in areas such as fuel efficiency, environmental implications and cost reduction. The next section will help you get going in making these decisions.