Sustainable Footprint
Climate Change and Global Warming have become topics of increasing debate in recent times. Businesses are now initiating steps to act on their contribution to Green House Gas (GHG) emissions in an effort to reduce the effects of Climate Change and Global Warming and in doing so enacting sustainability. A common question confronting businesses wishing to engage in becoming more sustainable is: How will my business benefit from the process of conducting a environmental assessment of sustainability? The answer: A business will benefit in many ways by conducting an Environmental Assessment of sustainability including:
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Reduced operating costs
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Improved environmental Performance
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Targeted sustainable efficiency strategies
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Sustainable Marketing
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And importantly creating an informed and Motivated Workforce.
Sustainability has evolved into a central pillar in relation to social, economic and environmental activity of businesses on a global scale. Recently released legislative requirements such as the Australian Federal Government’s National Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting Framework (NGER) and documents such as the Garnaut Report, highlight the responsibility of individuals and businesses to measure and document the environmental cost of a business’s operation.
Over the past 10 years, the IPCC1 and its member scientists have communicated scientific evidence to the international community that the world is confronted with the risk of human-induced unsustainable global warming. The main driver behind global warming is the increasing levels of green house gas emissions into the earth’s atmosphere that have been primarily caused by human activity. In general, Green House Gases are primarily created in the process of burning fossil fuels to generate electricity and to power transport vehicles. Further to this, deforestation across the globe is also contributing to increased Green House Gas emissions at an alarming rate.
In response to data presented by the IPCC to world leaders, many governments; environmental groups; not for profit organisations and corporations have responded by increasing community and employee awareness of the actions needed to reduce carbon emissions and improve global sustainability. More individuals, households and corporations are seeking energy assessments to benchmark their current carbon footprint status and monitor their on-going energy usage, seeking ways to reduce energy consumption, save money and reduce their carbon footprint. Some common initiatives to reduce carbon emissions in households, small businesses, corporations, government departments and schools include: improving energy efficiency, reducing energy consumption and implementing waste minimisation initiatives.
Sustainable Assessments
In order for businesses to develop a clearer approach to sustainability, it is imperative to first document the social, economic and environmental impact of a business’s operation. The initial step is to conduct an environmental audit, reviewing specifically the environmental and economic costs of businesses energy, transport and water use. Holistic strategies can be developed from this baseline information obtained from the businesses operation. This includes the ability for organisations to make changes to business operation through low cost improvements, device retrofitting and installation advice. An additional benefit in conducting a environmental assessment of sustainability is to benefit from the ongoing revenue savings in terms of business services and operations such as electricity, gas, water and transport.
From the environmental assessment of sustainability a business can be empowered to market its sustainable credentials to its clients and incorporate its sustainability policy into tender applications and product offerings. As a key platform of the program, Sustainable Footprint offers to conduct an environmental assessment of sustainability businesses to demonstrate their commitment and proactive stance on climate change and environmental impact reduction. In performing an environmental assessment of sustainability, businesses will be demonstrating to internal and external stakeholders a level of leadership in developing an enterprise wide response to climate change and environmental impact reduction.
The Process
Sustainable Footprint allows organisations to gain an understanding of their overall energy, water and transport footprint. At the conclusion of the assessment, Sustainable Footprint provides a report which details the Carbon Footprint of the organisation. The report also provides recommendations and key actions that will assist to create GHG reductions. The environmental assessment of sustainability’s recommendations can be tailored to meet an organisation’s specific Key Performance Indicators of Sustainability (KPIs). This can assist businesses to achieve long term sustainable goals. Generally, businesses achieve savings in their utility expenditure following the implementation of key recommendations.
The Sustainable Assessment process consists of the following four components
1. Conduct an Audit of Sustainability .
2. Deliver the results of the Environmental Assessment of sustainability, highlighting recommended improvements to be made.
3. Develop and deliver the education program of sustainability.
4. Market the business’s proactive stance on climate change and environmental performance.
The environmental assessment of sustainability process is designed with minimal interruption to a business’s operation, whilst the fundamentals of the project are implemented by Sustainable Footprint and its alliance partners. In order to maximise the uptake of recommended sustainable measures, Sustainable Footprint and its alliance partners allow clients to implement key environmental impact strategies to maximise efficiencies, focusing on a return on investment as a result of conducting a Sustainable Assessment.
Sustainable Education Programs
Sustainable Footprint delivers Sustainable Education Programs to educate staff in the field of sustainability. Sustainable Education Programs provide detailed and useful information to empower staff to reduce their organisation’s energy, water and transport usage. Key Benefits of performing a Environmental Assessment of sustainability:
Reduced Operating Costs
Increased sustainable efficiencies often directly correlate to reducing a business's running costs and allowing it to operate more profitably.
Improved Environmental Performance
The Sustainable Footprint Assessment report provides businesses with data to improve their environmental performance.
Targeted Sustainable Efficiency Strategies
Sustainable Footprint can assist in identifying environmental initiatives which form the basis of a business’s Sustainable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
Sustainable Marketing
Sustainable Footprint can assist organisations to effectively promote their sustainable credentials to consumers.
Informed and Motivated Workforce
An improved, sustainable working environment can lead to improvements in productivity and workplace satisfaction.
 
Referral Advice
Sustainable Footprint has a network of Sustainable Alliance partners operating within the environmental sector. Backed by its alliance partners, Sustainable Footprint can assist in providing advice on installing:
Who is Sustainable Footprint?
Sustainable Footprint is an energy assessment provider delivering energy, water and transport assessments. We provide advice to assist organisations to create effective sustainable business outcomes. Sustainable Footprint guides organisations to develop a more sustainable footprint for their business operations. Sustainable Footprint can assist businesses in the following areas:
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Device and location specific energy, water and transport sustainable assessments.
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To develop key actions and reduction strategies linked to Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
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To deliver Sustainable Education Programs to staff in aspects of behavioural change in relation to sustainability.
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To provide advice in retrofitting energy and water saving devices to assist businesses to become more sustainable.
Sustainable Partners
Sustainable Footprint has a number of alliance partners operating across the sustainable sector including providers of energy efficient, electrical and lighting devices and Carbon offset providers.
The Green Invest Group of Companies
Sustainable Footprint is a part of the Green Invest group of companies which includes: Green Plumbers (installers of solar panels and water tanks) and Nextgen (Energy and Carbon Brokers). Green Invest is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX:GNV)
For more information on Sustainable Footprint please click here
For more information on how FM Innovations can help you monitor your sustainabilty objectives please click here
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