Manufacturers guide to WELL

I was lucky enough to attend a WELL training course (full day event) at Lendlease in November 2017. It was hosted by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) and attended by industry professionals from a variety of sectors, including construction, engineering, architecture, interior design and product and chemical manufacturing.

Brief Intro to WELL

The WELL Building Standard focuses on the health and wellbeing of building occupants. It is organised into seven categories of wellness called Concepts: Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Fitness, Comfort and Mind. Each concept is comprised of multiple features, which are intended to address specific aspects of occupant health, comfort or knowledge.

For more info on WELL, please read my blog, “WELL, WELL, WELL, What’s all the fuss about”. Click here for more information.  

Interesting Titbits

At the WELL seminar, I learnt some very interesting information that can help us assist our clients to improve wellness within their workplaces, as well as bring general awareness to our own health and wellbeing.

Here are a few interesting stats:

• Our social environment plays a big part in our mental and physical wellbeing
• We spend 90% of our time inside and 100% of our time with man-made products
• Chronic disease is rapidly on the rise, accounting for 90% of all deaths in Australia.  The main chronic diseases causing death are heart disease, stroke and cancer
• Other chronic diseases  include lower back pain and depression
• Chronic diseases cause huge economic cost. Cardio vascular and mental health conditions are the dominant contributors to the global economic burden
• One in two Australians have chronic diseases
• Every $1.00 investment in health and wellbeing gives a $5.81 return on investment

Of course the business case to implement the WELL concepts is critical and although WELL is in its early stages (it started in 2014), the two expert presenters, Liz Miles and Jessica Cooper, took us through this process. They explained how WELL can help prevent chronic disease and assist with attraction, retention, productivity and absenteeism.

I also had the pleasure of attending another GBCA event at Mirvac’s SYDNEY HQ, which was the first Australian building to be certified under the WELL Building Standard and to achieve a GOLD rating. This workplace is spectacular, lush, beautiful and fabulous!

WHO wouldn’t want to work for an organisation that has created this type of environment AND cares about your health and wellbeing?

The WELL Building Standard aims to address the challenges around human health and wellbeing and sets a course that can help reduce not only chronic diseases but also reduce stress, fatigue, headaches and eye strain.

So how can product manufacturers help with meeting WELL requirements?

There are a number of features throughout the WELL Building Standard that relate to product manufacturers (furniture, flooring and other building materials).  The link below outlines how manufactures can assist the design team meet the WELL requirements. It’s a great resource that has been specifically written for product manufacturers.   

Make sure you read the section on Referencing the WELL Building Standard in product literature. This will help you with your marketing. Click here for more information

And if you have your product certified with GECA, AFRDI GreenTick or Global GreenTag, ask how your Ecolabelling Certification scheme is helping you meet these requirements.

I’ve also listed some key takeaways for product manufactures in SEPT's 17 Blog. Click here for more information.

Links to additional information and resources

WELL Website

Australian projects that are registered for WELL Building Certification

WELL: Healthier people through better buildings (video)

Sourceable article by Shelley Meagher: Green Infrastructure and the WELL Building Standard™

ERGONOMICS, GREENSTAR & WELL

Ergonomics is not new to commercial fitouts but it’s becoming increasingly important because both the Green Star – Interiors rating tool and the WELL Building Standard offer credits and features for ergonomics. So what are the requirements and how can you help design teams meet them?

What is ergonomics?

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, it’s “the scientific study of people and their working conditions, especially done in order to improve effectiveness”. 

In an article posted by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), called “A new world of working” (insert link to article), Adjunct Professor at the Centre for Ergonomics & Human Factors at La Trobe University, David Caple states:

Ergonomics – or the study of people's efficiency in their working environment – is a complex field that brings together the principles of engineering, psychology and medicine to explore and influence workplace wellbeing.

It’s an interesting article and I would suggest you read it if you’re curious about the state of play in commercial workplaces. The article picks up on agile working environments, the wellbeing of building occupants and what companies, particularly larger ones, are doing differently to ensure their staff have the best and safest work environments.

THE WELL BUILDING STANDARD and Ergonomics

I’ve posted a number of articles and blogs about the WELL Building Standard on the Sustainable Business Matters website – to recap:

WELL is a global rating tool, launched in 2014, that focuses exclusively on the health and wellbeing of building occupants. WELL is a performance based system for measuring and certifying buildings across seven categories, or concepts, of wellness.  These concepts include Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Fitness, Comfort and Mind.

BACKGROUND to the WELL Ergonomics credit

Overuse of the same muscles and ligaments while trying to adjust to static furniture or equipment over time can cause discomfort and strain the body, especially in occupational environments that require repetitive tasks. Under such conditions, the effects of even slight visual or physical discomfort are compounded, leading to decreased occupant comfort and focus.

Ergonomics falls under the Comfort section of the WELL Building Standard. The intent is to reduce physical strain and maximise ergonomic comfort and safety. Bottom of Form

Ergonomic requirements include:

• Visual ergonomics – i.e. height-adjustable computer screens
• Desk height flexibility – workstations that have the ability to alternate between sitting and standing positions
• Seat Flexibility – compliance with BIFMA guidelines
• Standing support workstations – amenities to help aid occupants who are required to stand for extended periods i.e. foot rests and anti-fatigue mats or cushions

For a full list of the ergonomic requirements, visit the WELL website.

Green Star RATING TOOLS and Ergonomics

The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has also incorporated an Ergonomics credit into the Green Star - Interiors rating tool and, like the WELL Building Standard, the Ergonomics credit recognises the provision of equipment and spaces that provide good user comfort and avoid stress or injury.  The design or selection of work settings, equipment and furniture must be shown to address the ergonomic needs of the user specific to that work setting.

The ergonomics of furniture and equipment must address, amongst other things, adjustability, size and comfort. Common equipment that must be addressed in the work settings includes telecommunication equipment, computers, keyboards, screens, cash registers, and medical or laboratory equipment. This credit does not address furniture and equipment provided for the use of visitors to the fitout.

NB: The Design and As Built Green Star rating tool includes ergonomics under their Innovation credit – 30E GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY/Green Star Interiors/Ergonomics.

KEY TAKEWAYS

If you want your products to have a competitive edge by being specified for Green Star or WELL projects, then ensure they have ergonomic benefits. 

·         Consider ergonomics in the design phase of furniture

·         Consider engaging a specialist ergonomist

·         Talk about your ergonomic benefits in your marketing communications

·         Introduce ergonomics into your office to ensure the wellbeing and comfort  of your  staff

(Visit the QLD Worksafe website - they have some great resources to assist you with understanding office ergonomics).

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

QLD WORKSAFE guides - Learning the art of office ergonomics

Sourceable article on agile working environments

List of qualified ergonomists – Human Factors & Ergonomics Society of Australia Inc.

Tips on how to shop ethically this Christmas

CHRISTMAS is a time for GIVING, time for family and friends, but the led up to Christmas can be stressful and tiring. 

The last thing most people focus on when purchasing their gifts is ‘where has it come from, is it environmentally preferable, WHO has manufactured it, was there any child or forced labour involved in the manufacturing of this product’.

No one wants to purchase gifts that exploit factory workers or damages the environment.

So I’ve written this blog to try and help you support organisations that make products that tackle poverty in developing nations by selling products that empower the people and communities who make them, e.g.  OXFAM & The Trading Circle.

I can also appreciate that you won’t find all your items on your Christmas list with these two organisations, so I’ve listed a number of NGO’s and Not-for-Profits that give you the tools and the knowledge to make informed ethical purchasing decisions.  Organisations like Baptist World Aid whose mission is to end the exploitation of factory workers.

OXFAM -

According to Oxfam, if just one in four Australians made one ethical Christmas purchase, we’d raise more than $2.2 billion for people living in poverty. That’s enough to provide clean water for every family in Zambia.

Here’s a couple of Oxfam suggestions:

·         Buy a beautiful gift from Oxfam Shop.

·         Send a life-changing card from Oxfam Unwrapped.

·         Buy a Christmas tree that saves lives.

·         Or discover which of your favourite brands are naughty … or nice.

The Oxfam website lists major retailers and gives them a PASS or FAIL, according to whether they are transparent with regards to their manufacturers and supply chain.  One quick snap shot of all the well-known retailers will give you an idea.  You can even sign a petition to let retailers who are NOT transparent, know you care.

https://www.oxfam.org.au/ethical-christmas/

THE TRADING CIRCLE – EMPOWING WOMEN TO TRADE OUT OF POVERTY

Founded in 1995, The Trading Circle is a not-for-profit organisation that creates economic and educational opportunities for women and girls to reach their full potential by selling products that are made by them.

Lucky for me, The Trading Circle is a 15 minute walk from my place, but they have a great shop online to help you with your gift selection, they even have a Christmas section with cards, decorations, jewellery, homewares and even chocolate!  The children’s toys and educational materials are exceptional and are always a HUGE hit when received by both children and parents.

http://www.thetradingcircle.com.au/christmas.html

HOW DO OUR RETAILERS fair ………….OR WHICH RETAILERS FAIR BETTER

There are Not-for Profits and NGO’s  that are dedicated to helping shoppers buy with greater awareness of the how the retailer are managing their suppliers , to try and eliminate poor working conditions and the exploitation of  factory workers.

There are a couple of really good websites and guides that can help you make more ethical thoughtful decisions. Check them out!

BAPTIST WORLD AID -End worker exploitation!

Each year, Baptist World Aid publishes a series of industry reports through its Behind the Barcode project. The Ethical Fashion Report and the Electronics Industry Trends Report seek to help Australians shop ethically, and, by doing so, advocate with their wallets.

Between them, the two reports assess more than 400 brands operating in Australia and around the world. The reports grade those brands on the strength of the systems they have in place to protect workers in their supply chain from exploitation, forced labour and child labour.

Workers should be protected and not harmed. Workers deserve to work in dignified jobs, without being exploited. Workers deserve to work free from the tyranny of modern slavery. But in order for this to happen, we need to be consumers that care.

Your support means more companies will be held accountable for their actions to protect their workers. https://baptistworldaid.org.au/faith-in-action/behind-the-barcode/

SHOP ETHICAL – your consumer guide

The Shop Ethical! Guide draws into one place information on the environmental and social track record of the companies behind common brands. They rate the companies from A-F and assess them on areas of environmental and social impact, treatment of animals and accountable business practices.

You can download the app or you can buy the guide.  They have a search function and have a whole heap of listings for appliances, clothing, electronics, food, drink, household, personal care, pet, retail, toys, and even office supplies.

https://www.ethical.org.au/theguide/

GOOD ON YOU Fashion Without Harm- Trusted ethical ratings in the palm of your hand

Good On You ethical brand ratings give consumers the power to make choices that match their values – choices that reflects the consumers commitment bu doing better by people, the planet and animals.  They believe brands should be transparent. As a consumer, you have a right to know!

https://goodonyou.eco/how-we-rate/

Other sustainable, ethical ideas and or considerations for Christmas

·         Collectively give to a charity – it really makes the whole family feel good

·         Buy second hand – check out your local OP Shop and markets for second hand goods

·         Give an experience – a dinner out, plays, musicals, sporting events of museums or zoos for the kids

·         Make your own gift – try pickling veges, making relishes  or  how about spicing up some mixed nuts and popping them in a nice second hand jar you got from your local op shop

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous 2018 -

GREEN STAR - NICHE TO NORMAL

Did you know Australia is the 3rd leading country when it comes to Green ‘CERTFIED’ buildings, USA being No: 1 and Canada No: 2. Surprising hah!

There are currently 1,780 Green Star-rated projects

• 37% of office space is Green Star certified
• 5% of the workforce head to a green office each day
• 34,000 people live in Green Star-rated apartments
• 150,000 people are moving into Green Star communities
• 1.3 million people visit a Green Star-rated shopping centre each day
• 340 certified projects in the last 12 months

The below link is an interview with the CEO of the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA)  Romilly Madew, and Geraldine Doogue from the ABC’s Radio National Program -Saturday Extra.

In this discussion Romilly talks about Australia’s Green Building Industry, the concept of ‘niche to normal’ and how the GBCA is setting a roadmap to drive a carbon positive industry for buildings. As a quarter of our emissions come from buildings, the plan is to be net Zero by 2030 and existing buildings to be net zero by 2050.

Link to the ABC Radio National – Saturday Extra program

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/saturdayextra/green-building/9157122

Link to the GBCA’s Project Directory, which gives you key stats on Green Star registered and certified projects.

http://www.gbca.org.au/project-directory.asp

For more information about Green Star and how your products meet Green Star credits, please give me a call.

The sustainability explosion

We’ve seen a real upsurge in the need for product manufacturers to address sustainability issues.

New clients are coming to us asking for help with meeting their clients requirements around sustainability. This could be in the form of certification, Ecolabelling or ISO14001. But it could also relate to sustainability more broadly in terms of social responsibility.

Companies like telcos, insurance, big banks and the construction industry want to know what product manufacturers and retailers are doing to address environmental and social risks. They want to know what strategies they have in place, what certifications they hold, how they are caring for their staff and addressing environmental and social risks in their supply chains. It’s really building momentum.

Why is this happening?

The big end of town is stepping up their sustainability procurement practices

Large multinationals and large Australian-owned companies, like construction companies, are really putting time and energy into their sustainable procurement practices.  They are asking their suppliers what they are doing to address environmental and social compliance.

The industry is now moving towards the early majority

Rogers’s Innovation Adoption Curve shows the changing trend. That’s why we’ve seen more and more requests for our sustainability services.

Some government organisations have been in the innovators and early adopters category. City of Sydney is an example of this. But now we’re seeing greater momentum from other government departments and it has been rumoured that the NSW Government has undergone a ‘sustainability recruitment drive’.

A new swag of standards and certifications have come onto the market in the last 2 years

These standards are finally building momentum. Standards like ISO20400: 2017 Sustainable Procurement which provides guidance to organizations, independent of their activity or size, on integrating sustainability within procurement processes.  And the WELL Building Standard which focuses on the health and wellbeing of building occupants.

The Australian Government is looking at adopting a Modern Slavery Act

This Act would call on organisations earning over $100 million dollars to report annually on what they are doing to address modern slavery. This would also apply to their supply chains.

The Modern Slavery Act would not just affect commercial businesses but other business entities like higher educational facilities. It is estimated that this will directly affect over 1000 companies.

What does this mean for product manufacturers?

Manufacturers need to understand their market and what their sustainability needs and expectations are 

When we meet with new clients, the first thing we want to know is:

• who their clients are

• what their market is

• what kind of projects they are going after

• what are their aspirations.

We have a good deal of experience with a number of different product manufacturers. These include manufacturers of furniture and building products, retailers and wholesalers. There is such a cross section of markets.  Government procurement requires different certifications than end users need. Larger construction companies have more sustainability requirements than second- tier construction.

Where are the opportunities for you in this?

1.  If you are doing good things in this area, you should:

• start talking about it

• make sure you are clearly displaying your credentials on your website, your email tags and in your marketing material

• include your certification logos on everything.

2. If you have no sustainability initiatives and strategies, you should:

• start planning

• Develop an action plan, set objectives (short and long term) to address market expectations

• Get up to speed with Ecolabelling & Green Star requirements and the new WELL Building standard

• make sure you don’t get left behind and miss out on specifications.

3. You should work out who your customers are.

Different sectors require different certifications and sustainability requirements. For example, NSW Government procurement for furniture requires ISO14001 certification for the larger projects. Universities, end-users, architects and designers require Ecolabelling certification to meet Green Star. And the top end of town want to know more about your whole sustainability strategy and credentials to include social responsibility and supply chain due diligence.

Listen to your customers. Find out what they want from you. Work out how you can help them be more sustainable.

What are the 5 key takeaways?

1. Understand your market

2. Know that the market is changing

3. Know where the opportunities are

4. Start planning

5. Get noticed

So we should see more in this area in the coming years.

Click here for more information. 

WELL, WELL, WELL - What’s all the fuss about?

Over the last 6 months, a number of our clients have been asked if their products meet the WELL Building Standard™. The new WELL Building Standard™ looks to be a real gamer changer. With companies such as Mirvac, Lendlease, Dexus, Grocon, Frasers and Macquarie Bank getting in on the action, WELL looks set to have some considerable influence on the Australian construction industry.

Globally, there are hundreds of WELL projects currently certified or under registration. Starting off predominately in the US and China, projects are now emerging in at least 30 countries.  In Australia, there are currently 36 projects; most focus on commercial buildings, although a pilot program is in place to expand this to other building types.

The WELL Building Standard™

WELL is a global rating tool, launched in 2014, that focuses exclusively on the health and wellbeing of building occupants.  WELL is a performance based system for measuring and certifying buildings across seven categories, or ‘concepts’, of wellness. These concepts include Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Fitness, Comfort and Mind.

WELL focuses on better health and wellness outcomes, leading to improvements in things like employee productivity, engagement and retention.  It’s about creating workplaces that look after the health and wellbeing of the people through initiatives that are evidence-based and scientifically researched.    

According to Lucy Pullin, Development Manager of Mirvac, “a WELL building is designed, constructed and maintained to improve the health, wellness, happiness and productivity of its users”.

WELL is organized into a number of typologies: Core & Shell, New & Existing Interiors and New & Existing Buildings.  For companies to keep their WELL certification, they need to be re-certified every three years.

We’ve listed the SEVEN CONCEPTS that make up the WELL Building standard™

AIR – concentrations of some pollution indicators can be 2-5 times higher indoors compared to outdoors so it’s important to have optimal indoor air quality. This can be achieved by addressing things like material selection, ventilation, filtration and moisture control.

WATER – improving water quality and accessibility to high-quality water promotes productivity; for example, being dehydrated by just 2% has been shown to impair cognitive performance.

NOURISHMENT – WELL certified workplaces encourage better eating habits by providing access to wholesome foods and by offering guidance on healthy food production, preparation and mindful eating.

LIGHT – lighting systems which optimise access to natural daylight and support the body’s circadian rhythms increase alertness, promote sleep and enhance job performance.

FITNESS - initiatives like interior and exterior fitness activities and activity-based working, encourage staff to keep moving and provide opportunities for them to integrate physical exercise into everyday life.

COMFORT – A noisy or distracting office, an atmosphere that is too hot or cold, or a work setting that is not ergonomic can impact productivity. By addressing these issues, organisations can create a more comfortable and productive workplace. 

MIND – organisations can help support individuals' cognitive and emotional health through design, technology and treatment strategies.  Approaches include wellness awareness, connection to nature, adaptable spaces and altruism. 

And who wouldn’t want to work in this type of environment…

But how can product manufactures help with creating a WELL environment?

Not all the WELL criteria requirements may be relevant to your business, it will depend on what you are manufacturing or selling, so we’ve listed a number of things to consider when you are working with a project team undergoing WELL certification. 

• VOC reduction
• toxic material reduction and safety
• non-reflective and sound reducing surfaces
• ergonomics
• acoustics
• active furnishings

Alignment with Green Star and WELL

So, how do the Green Star and WELL certifications work together? Construction companies and end users may want to go for both ratings so the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has partnered with the WELL Building Institute to promote health and wellbeing in the design, construction and operations of buildings, fitouts and communities in Australia. The two organisations are working together to align the two rating systems and the GBCA have produced a guide to assist project teams with this – the Green Star & WELL Building Standard™.

Product manufacturers will see similarities between the two rating tools, in terms of VOC reduction, ergonomics and reduction in toxic materials.

KEY TAKEWAYS

Here are key takeaways about the WELL Building Standard™ and some important considerations for product manufacturers and retailers:

• WELL is focused on the health, happiness and wellbeing of building occupants
• Synergy exists between Green Starand WELL certification
• When designing and selecting product materials, choose materials that are low in emissions (VOC and formaldehyde)
• Toxic material reduction is important so ensure that banned substances listed in the WELL standard are not found in your products or do not form part of the manufacturing proces
• Enhance material safety by minimizing the impact of hazardous building material ingredients on indoor air quality
• If you have an ecolabelled product (GECA, AFRDI GreenTick or Global GreenTag), ask your certification scheme if your product meets WELL requirements
• Consider products to assist the project team in meeting the comfort and ergonomics requirements

Links to additional information and resources

WELL Website

Australian projects that are registered for WELL Building Certification

WELL: Healthier people through better buildings (video)

Sourceable article by Shelley Meagher: Green Infrastructure and the WELL Building Standard™

CHANGES to GECA Furniture Standards – WHAT you need to know

Background

There is a growing demand for product manufacturers to have an overarching ethical approach to conducting their business, particularly in relation to social responsibility. Click here for more info. 

Big corporations and large construction companies want to ensure that their suppliers (i.e. product manufacturers and retailers) are addressing environmental issues, that they have workplace health and safety systems in place and that they have policies and procedures to address human and labour issues. They are also looking to see that these measures extend through the supply chain.  The revised GECA furniture standards address these issues.

If you would like to meet these market requirements, the new GECA standards will help you achieve this.  

So what are the changes and new inclusions to the revised standards? 

The two new standards are now more aligned and the wording has been simplified.  We’ve listed some of the key revisions that are important to GECA licensees below.  

Furniture, Fittings, Foam and Mattresses - Level A

(Standard No: FFFM v3.0 – 2017)

Summary of key changes

• Inclusion of mattresses under the scope of the certification 
• Hazardous and prohibited substances, additional substances added to the list of prohibited substances
• Formaldehyde emissions for level A -  EO
• Warranty periods from 5 to 7 years 
• Changes to the packaging requirements 
• Social and legal requirements:
  • Additional evidence to substantiate claims of legal compliance and workplace health and safety (Training records, inductions, risk assessments etc)
  • Update with the inclusion of ‘humanand labour rights’ compliance 

NB: NOT all the standard changes have been included in the above list.

Furniture and Fittings - Level B

(Standard NO FF v3.0 – 2017)

Summary of key changes

• • Changes to the requirements for ‘padding requirements’
• Changes to the ‘fabric’ and ‘packaging’ criteria requirements
• Hazardous materials, additional substances added to the list of prohibited substances
• Socialand legal requirements
  • Additional evidence to substantiate claims of legal compliance and workplace health and safety (Training records, inductions, risk assessments etc)
  • Update with the inclusion of ‘humanand labour rights’ – Supply chain due diligence

NB: NOT all the standard changes have been included in the above list.

We’ve put together a free guide to assist you with the human and labour rights requirements of the GECA standards.  

As promoted in the August newsletter, if you would like a free consultation, make sure you contact Libby on 0448 026 508 to be one of the first 5 callers – Offer expires 30 SEPT 17

If you want to know more about what clients are expecting from their suppliers then check out last month’s blog, Market trends and clients expectations.  

An Introduction to United Nations (UN) Global Compact

By becoming a signatory to the UN Global Compact, you are sending a strong message to your customers and stakeholders that you understand the importance of going beyond business as usual and that you value the fundamental responsibilities in the areas of human and labour rights, the environment and anti-corruption.

About the UN Global Compact

Launched in 2000, the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) was a call to companies around the world to align their strategies and operations with the ten universal principles in the areas of human and labour rights, environment and anti-corruption, and to take action in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With more than 9455 signatory companies, from 162 countries, the UNGC is the world’s largest voluntary corporate sustainability initiative.

The UNGC is a framework that is both a policy platform and a practical framework for companies that are committed to sustainability and responsible business practices.

For more information about the 10 guiding principles, click on the link below for a guide that explains the principles in greater detail.

Being a signatory gives you a competitive advantage

Over the last few years, a lot of our clients’ customers have started requesting more than just product ecolabelling certification (GECA, Global GreenTag and AFRDI GreenTick). 

We are seeing now that sustainability requirements for businesses are aligning with corporate social responsibility.  This is being driven by major construction companies and large corporations. There is mounting pressure on businesses to ensure that they address adverse human rights AND impacts linked to their supply chains, as well as environmental impacts. 

Corporations want to partner with sustainable and ethical businesses and are conducting supply chain due diligence to mitigate risk of human and labour rights abuses.  These corporations want to ensure that their suppliers (product manufacturers) are addressing environmental issues, that they have workplace health and safety systems in place and that they have policies and procedures to address human and labour issues.  

By becoming a signatory to the UN Global Compact you are giving your clients assurance that you are addressing the 10 UNGC guiding principles. There are a number of Australian companies that are signatories to the UN Global Compact, including Westpac, Com Bank, NAB, ANZ, Lendlease, GPT, GHD and Stocklands.

What’s involved in becoming a signatory

The first step involves your director signing a statement of commitment addressing the 10 principles and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The UN Global Compact has a huge amount of resources to assist you in taking action. These resources include a library with guides, assessment tools and webinars.  We suggest you start with the UNGC assessment tool, as this will give you an idea of how to start addressing the 10 guiding principles. You can plan the year ahead considering what is most important to your organisation and where the greatest risk of human and labour rights issues lie (i.e. potentially in your supply chain and with suppliers who manufacture inhigh risk countries). Part of this process will be conducting human rights due diligence to understand where there is the potential for adverse human rights impacts.

At the end of 12 months, your organisation is required to produce an annual Communication on Progress (CoP) report, which will be uploaded to the UNGC website. The CoP reports the work you have done to address the 10 principles in the previous 12 months.  The report needs to be submitted annually. 

The cost for becoming a signatory is minimal and the UN Global Compact has a HUGE amount of resources to assist you through this process.  

The UNGC is not an auditable standard – it is based on self-disclosure.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Being a signatory gives your customers assurance that you understand the importance of sustainable and ethical business practices.
• A commitment to addressing the 10 guiding principles is essential from the TOP DOWN
• Implementing the UNGC can be difficult and complex, time and resources will be required
• Planning is an essential element of implementing the 10 guiding principles
• UN Global Compact provides a HUGE amount of resources to assist with the implementation 
• Cost of becoming a signatory is minimal for small to medium sized companies

How we can help

There is a services page on the Sustainable Business Matters website dedicated to the UN Global Compact 

For more information on how we can help support you in becoming a signatory to the UN Global compact

Minimizing waste means minizing costs – heres how

We waste money, energy and resources by not paying proper attention to our waste and recycling.  It doesn’t make sense just to throw away items that cost money. From an environmental perspective, being considerate of our waste streams stops the generation of methane and carbon emissons. The embodied energy in these emissions can be quite considerable - think about the amount of energy required to manufacture aluminum. 

Landfill waste gets increasingly expensive. When I first started consulting in 2008,  waste wasapproximately $92.00 a tonne. 9 years on, it’s now around $300.00 a tonne.

This will only increase as governments keep raising the waste levy to encourage more recycling so it makes good business sense to look at how you manage your waste streams in a way which saves you money.

There are 5 really important steps to consider in reviewing your waste streams  

STEP 1 – PREVENTION AND AVOIDANCE

Don’t just rely on recycling. Where possible, prevent or dramatically reduce the amount of waste or recycling that is coming to your site.

If you receive a lot of excess cardboard packaging from your suppliers and you feel less would suffice, then speak with your supplier and suggest ways to prevent the amount of materials coming onsite. Even if the material can be recycled (i.e. soft plastics, cardboard, styrofoam), it is still a cost to your business so the less you have, the less handling of materials and the better the environental outcome. I’ve seen a crazy amount of packaging for small individual materials and components that wasn’t required.

We have clients that actually buy back their packaging from their clients and then reuse it. Their clients really appreciate this initiative so its a win-win for both companies and it builds customer loyality.  

If you design your own products and packaging, then look at packaging efficiencies. You may be able to reduce the amount of material used and chose recyclable alternatives (e.g. mushroom based packaging as a replacement for polystyrene). Make sure every item in your product packaging is recyclable and indicate this to the end user –recycling identification codes can help with this.

STEP 2 – LOOK IN THE BIN & CONDUCT A WASTE AUDIT

Look through your garbage bins, both inside your manufacturing facility and the factory compound, to check whether there is anything that may be recycled or returned to the supplier or product manufacturer. Review the contents of the general waste bins on different days of the week – do this 3-5 times to ensure you capture everything.

Consider all items that have the potential to be recycled: soft plastics, hard plastics, plastic strapping, metals, cardboard/paper, styrofoam, timber etc. We’ve listed a number of websites that can help in finding local recycling facilities, e.g. business recycling.  And don’t forget about the co-mingle bin for all the kitchen and office items.

Also consider the one-offs; it may be that you’ve had 100 individual chairs returned to your factory or warehouse and you need to find recycling options.  Conduct a cost benefit analysison the cost of these items going to landfill compared to disassembly (labour cost) and the cost of recycling the individual components. Perhaps some components can be reused. 

Ask your suppliers questions; can they take back their packaging and reuse it? Explore other options; can other companies reuse your waste – perhaps styrofoam packaging could be used for packaging by another company? Think outside the square.

Government Initiatives

Check out state government initiates.  You may find there is funding that can assist your business in reducing waste to landfill and also funding for equipment that can help you recycle more efficiently (i.e. cardboard compactors). The NSW EPA has been running the Bin Trim program for a number of years. It’s a business recycling program aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises (1-199 employees). 

http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/managewaste/bin-trim.htm PHONE: 1300 361 967

Resources for recycling

Below is a list of government and non-government websites that can assist you with items that can be recycled. The business recycling website tool is great. I’ve used this numerous times, with great success.

http://businessrecycling.com.au/

http://recyclingnearyou.com.au/ewastescheme/

http://paintback.com.au/

http://www.batteryrecycling.org.au/recycling/handheld-batteries

STEP 3 – MAKE IT EASY

Set up recycling stations in each section of the factory, warehouse and admin area. Make sure there are labels on all bins – better still, colour code them – so, a recycling station may have one bin for paper and cardboard, another for soft plastics and another for aluminium.

The business recycling website provides POSTERS for all types of waste, e.g. paper/cardboard, co-mingle etc.  http://businessrecycling.com.au/research/signage.cfm

Make sure the factory compound recycling and waste bins are collected frequently. This is where there is the potential for contamination to occur.  If the cardboard and paper bin is full, staff will likelydispose of these items to the general waste bin.

STEP 4 – EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

This is the MOST important step in the process.  I work with a number of clients and their employee engagement makes or breaks how well the recycling works.

Get staff on board. Make sure they know you want to make this easy for them and that this is important to your company. Be there to support them – if you haven’t provided them with enough bins, ask them to let you know. And welcome new ideas and feedback.

Also offer staff incentives.  In step 5, we suggest setting objectives and measuring the waste going to landfill each month. For example, document monthly figures and set a target for reduction – make it reasonable, say, 5-15% depending on what you are currently recycling.

Plan a BBQ with the staff if the target is met as a way of saying thank you for their comitment and for achieving this result.

Also, make sure the cleaning staff are aware of your recycling program so as to avoid recycables ending up in the general waste bin.

STEP 5 – MONITOR, MEASURE & SET TARGETS

Once you have set up your recycling bins or stations, make sure they are monitored regularly by the factory manager, production manager or a waste champion, who can assist staff if there are any issues with contaminated recycling.  If staff know their bins are going to be monitiored, they are more likely not to create contamination, i.e. general waste in recycling bins and vice versa.

Check the factory compound general waste bin too. This is often the place where we find recycled items. This could be associated with factory staff, contractors or delivery guys just using your bin for their rubbish - keep an eye on it.

If you want to measure your waste and set targets, review the previous year’s wasteinvoices and document tonnage for the year.  You then have a baseline from which to set targets for the year ahead.  For our clients, we set up a monthly monitoring register, which documents tonnage per month so they can monitor this against production/sales figures. 

KEY TAKEWAYS

• AVOID AND REDUCE – find opportunities to avoid waste or to reduce the amount of packaging you receive from your suppliers. Consider whether another company can use your excess waste or recycling or whether you can reuse it.
• CONDUCT A BIN AUDIT – look at all the items that are being thrown into the general waste bin and see if there are recycling streams or whether these items can be reused. 
• GOVERNMENT INCENTIVES – check state government initiatives to see if you can get support or funding for recycling or reuse of materials.
• MAKE IT EASY – get your staff on board. Make it easy for them to recycle by providing plenty of CLEARLY labelled bins and recycling receptacles. Provide lots of training and give staff incentives. 
• MONITOR AND MEASURE IT – have someone monitor the individual bins to ensure staff are using the bins correctly. Secondly, monitor how many tonnes are going to landfill each month and set a target to reduce it.  Celebrate successes and reward staff for helping the company reach the target.

Sustainability trends driving business for product manufacturers

We have identified two key issues that are influencing sustainability right now - calling out implications for product manufacturers in particular. The first is greater client expectation around human and labour rights and the extension of this through manufacturers’ supply chains. The second trend is focused on the health and wellbeing of building occupants and the health impacts of products.

1. Market trends and clients expectations - Sustainable Supply Chain

Over the last few years, a lot of our clients’ customers have started requesting more than just product ecolabelling certification such as GECA, Global GreenTag and AFRDI GreenTick.

We are seeing now that sustainability requirements for businesses are aligning with Corporate Social Responsibility.  This is being driven by the major construction companies and large corporations. There is mounting pressure on businesses to ensure that they address adverse human rights AND impacts linked to their supply chains, as well as environmental impacts.

Corporations want to partner with sustainable businesses and are conducting supply chain due diligence to mitigate risk of human and labour rights abuses.  Most of the larger corporations publish annual sustainability reports, which look at sustainable supply chain outcomes. They have an obligation to their stakeholders and shareholders to report on matters such as environmental performance and human and labour rights due diligence, within their own production processes and their supply chain.

These corporations want to ensure that their suppliers (i.e. product manufacturers) are addressing environmental issues, that they have workplace health and safety systems in place and that they have policies and procedures to address human and labour issues. 

A summary of how to meet market expectations:

• Ensure internal workplace health and safety policies, procedures, risk assessmentsand training is in place
• Have internal human and labour rights policies to address  anti-discrimination, workplace harassment and bullying, fair pay, forced or compulsory labour, freedom of association and mechanisms for staff to raise grievances
• Have systems in place to address environmental impacts
• And for the above requirements to be extended to YOUR suppliers (environmental and human rights compliance)

Product certification schemes recognized by the Green Building Council of Australia’s (GBCA’s) have also adopted supply chain due diligence as part of their certification requirements.

When you think about furniture procurement, it is likely that some if not all components that make up a chair, workstation or table are being sourced from overseas, potentially from developing nations where there is a greater risk of human and labour rights issues and poor environmental compliance. Though, human rights issues are not confined to developing nations, they too can occur in countries like Australia.

Procurement managers, construction companies and end users understand this and want to see product manufacturers addressing these issues.

For further reading and understanding of the current state of sustainable supply chains in Australia, then click on the below link for a report conducted by the UN Global Compact and EY - The State of Sustainable Supply Chains, Building Responsible and Resilient Supply Chains.

2. Market trends & clients’ expectations – health impacts of products

Green Buildings have always had a focus on occupant health, though with the introduction of the WELL Building Standard this will give a greater focus on not only occupant health but the wellbeing of the occupants and how this can positively impact productivity. 

The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) is partnering with the International WELL Building Institute™(IWBI™) and has agreed to work collaboratively to promote health and wellbeing in the design, construction and operations of buildings, fit outs and communities in Australia.

 “Increasingly, leaders in Australia’s property and construction industry are looking to pursue more than one rating to demonstrate transparency, accountability and sustainability,” says the GBCA’s Head of Market Transformation, Jorge Chapa.

The WELL Building Standard ™ (WELL) is the first building standard to focus exclusively on the health and wellness of the people in buildings.  WELL is a performance-based system for measuring and certifying features of the built environment that impact health and wellbeing, through air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind. 

So, how will this affect product manufacturers?

The table below lists the WELL requirements that relate to product manufacturers. It also lists the corresponding Green Star requirement, which may be familiar to a number of you.

A summary of key takeaways to assist you in meeting market expectations

Consider all life cycle aspects of your product, including:

1. Material selection - Product Emissions

Volatile Organic compounds (VOC)

If your company manufactures or assembles furniture or materials that contain plastics, timbers, foams, fabrics, powder coated materials and uses adhesives, then have the product tested for VOCs. 

Formaldehyde

If the product contains engineered wood products (laminated board), composite veneer or plywood then ensure your product is EO board and ensure you have certificates to verify this.

2. Material selection - Elimination of hazardous and prohibited substances

Be able to ensure that your product contains no hazardous or prohibited substances and be sure you can verify this.

3. Design Phase - Ergonomics

Ensure your furniture item or equipment is designed with ergonomic features that safeguard against repetitive stress injuries, maximise comfort and allow for adjustable work settings.

Further Guidance

For more information on the partnership between the Green Building Council of Australia and WELL certification, click on the below links:

• Green Star & Well
• Green Star & Well Approaching Buildings and Fitouts

Or, if you would like to download and explore the Well Building Standard in greater detail, click on the link here.