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Steps 1 – 4: Policy  


Download the
Step 1 Checksheet.xls
Step 1 – Think        

Start thinking about sustainable development as it relates to your business. Define what it means for you and your business.

From earlier in this Toolkit we know that builders and building contractors are tasked with constructing buildings in ways that promote sustainable development. Or, put another way, they are responsible for ‘sustainable construction’. What does this mean? One definition is:

“The use of design and construction methods and materials that are
resource efficient and that will not compromise the health of the environment or the associated health of the building occupants, builders, the general public or future generations”. www.corusconstruction.com

If this definition strikes a chord with you, you could base your environmental policy around this. If it doesn't, draft one that better reflects your business’ goals and aspirati ons. It is highly likely that you will need to adjust your definition as you go through the process, as your ideas may change over time, more people will get involved and your understanding of the impacts your business has on the environment will improve. Change is OK – an environmental policy is a ‘living’ document; one that can be regularly revisited to ensure that it continues to meet your needs.

Click here to download your first tool, the Step 1 Checksheet.  This tool will get you thinking about the areas you may want to include in your environmental policy, depending on your size and location. 

Step 2 – Get everyone involved

Get senior management and staff onboard. Where possible, also enlist the help of suppliers, contractors and customers. The time and effort needed to be spent on this step obviously depends on the size of your business. ‘Senior management’ may be just you! For bigger businesses (50+ staff), this step may take a bit longer – but it is really important. Ideas include:

  • encourage feedback from all your staff about sustainability issues; find out what they think, where their own interests and values lie, their thoughts and ideas on what the business could accomplish. Provide a mechanism for feedback, e.g. staff suggestion box
  • empower staff to be key innovators in the process
  • illustrate the benefits and cost savings
  • learn from other builders or contractors who have an environmental policy
  • have toolbox talks for when issues are due to come up in the construction process (this can be formal or simply over morning tea)
  • provide incentives and recognition (staff rewards, enter business award competitions etc).

After you have staff efforts underway, remember that suppliers and contractors are also important to bring onboard. While they may not be directly employed by your business they are extensions of it. By involving your suppliers and contractors as you make decisions, you can gain their assistance and expertise, while also encouraging them to incorporate sustainability into their own businesses. Likewise, understanding your customers’ expectations can help better steer your business practices.

  

Benefits and cost savings

By adopting an environmental policy, your business can benefit and save money through:

  • industry awards: proactive sustainable businesses can earn awards that bolster company credibility and industry ranking
  • leadership opportunities: by integrating sustainability into your core business, you move to the forefront of building industry innovation
  • reduced energy use: this provides direct monetary savings to your bottom line
  • reduced waste: saves on waste bills as well as the purchase of new materials
  • reduced emissions: many businesses benefit through return on assets, sales and equity through reduced emissions
  • better staff conditions: retain quality staff and encourage employee innovation
  • gain market share: customers see value in doing business with progressive, quality companies.

Step 3 – Assess current status

Assess each site you are working on and your business operations (i.e. head office plus any satellite offices) – to show where improvements can be made.

For each site, identify:

  • the location of any activities which may impact on neighbours (especially noise or visual impacts or pollution)
  • the location of all emissions (to air and water)
  • the location of storage of hazardous materials (are you prepared for spills and fire?)
  • storage areas (supplies, waste, materials, vehicles)
  • waste from the building site
  • areas of special ‘environmental sensitivity’ (are you close to wetlands, lakes, rivers, forests, reserves etc?)
  • soil management and sediment control
  • delivery and removal processes of materials on-site (how are vehicles used?)
  • potential impacts to the health and safety of workers.

For your office(s), identify your:

  • energy and office supplies consumption
  • waste (paper, building waste, packaging etc)
  • water management
  • transport (vehicle use and fuel consumption)
  • employee benefit and reward schemes
  • community involvement
  • responsible procurement policy.

At this point, you are taking a look at your job site(s) and your office(s) with a fresh view, and trying to identify things you can do better. Take a notebook with you and make a list of things you think could be run more efficiently, or with less environmental impact. Chances are, you are already aware of these issues but have not set aside time to look into it. Here is your chance to better your business and lessen your negative impacts in one process. Step 3 ultimately decides the scope of your environmental policy. It determines what your main issues are and how they will be handled. Reviewing your current performance will help you identify significant impacts and what is most important to change.

  

Step 4 – Write

Now it is time to write your policy.  As a rough guide, your policy should state:

  • who your company is, what it does, where it operates and what it thinks its main impacts are
  • what your business is trying to achieve (your objectives)
  • the scope of the policy (what site and/or operations your policy will apply to)
  • how your business is going to achieve your objectives (this will form part of your environmental management system – see Steps 5 – 8 for more information on EMS).

In addition, make sure your environmental policy:

  • is relevant, realistic, achievable (yet challenging) for your business
  • has a commitment to the prevention of pollution and waste
  • meets legal requi rements (especially the Building Act 2004 and Resource Management Act 1991)
  • is communicated to all stakeholders: staff, clients, contractors, suppliers, community, investors
  • is written in a way that raises awareness, encourages participation and requires training for employees in environmental matters.

As with other areas of this programme, you have a template to help you along the way. Click here to download the Company Policy Template. You will find instructions and examples to take you through writing a policy. When you are done, delete the template and save the document to the 'Sustainable Foundations' folder you should now have on your computer. Print it off, have management sign it, and your policy is official!  Well done. It is now time to continue to the EMS section to put your policy into action.

  

Download Company
Policy Template