Sustainability assessment is a practice that helps in decision making, especially to the policy makers for an organization to formulate decisions that encourages and support the sustainable development of society, environment, and economy. Initially, sustainability assessment was a complex process, but with the new advancements and the additions that have been made by the Global Reporting Initiatives department, this process has been simplified and the new additions that have been included set high standards of sustainability in many different areas. The main objective of conducting a sustainable assessment is to provide new perspectives to influence the decision making and for a better planning, with sustainable development as a priority. Timberwell is also in need for a sustainability assessment for its new location to make a better decision that is also fulfilling the standards of the Global Reporting Initiatives and also help in the organization with a sustainable development. It is even more important at this point in time as the organization is trying to clear and improve its image in front of the customers and the market.
Timberwell Constructions have a development site in Stanwell that will be considered as a bushfire prone area, according to the new amendments released by the council of the Local Environment Plan. There is a huge financial risk that the organization is facing due to this, as the organization will suffer a loss of $4 million due to this climate change. For saving this loss which the organization may suffer and also improve the reputation of the organization. The organization will comply with the amendments of LEP and will include it in their planning process so as to make sure that the area that will be rezoned is handled with all the major guidelines of sustainability and will ensure that these changes are implemented in the next four weeks. As, this risk will affect the organization’s profits, reputation and the land (Beelitz, 2015).
The Timberwell Construction also has been accused of corruption charges and a report has been registered with the state corruption commission against two business partners and five employees. This was a public scandal and the organization was accused of pushing a development application of the organization through an officer who was responsible for providing the approval (Gallego-Álvarez, Lozano and Rodríguez-Rosa, 2018). The officer was given a bribe to carry forward this process and the charges were confirmed by the state corruption commission and the council charged five employees and one partner with the corruption charges. The Timberwell construction wanted to display their strictness towards corruption and thus, the organization suspended all the five employees without salary, who was charged with corruption. Though, the council charged only one partner with corruption, but the organization terminated the contract of both the partners who were accused of corruption. This showcased that the organization’s tolerance towards illegal and unethical behavior which is very important for economic sustainability in an organization (Gherardi, Guthrie and Farneti, 2014).
The Global Reporting Initiative has a specified standard for anti-competitive behavior that also includes anti-trust and monopoly practice. The Timberwell organization have been accused of an anti-competitive behavior and a complaint has been registered by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The complaint has been made about threatening the suppliers and contractors who are associated with the organization and were also about to become a part of a new emerging organization (Haladu and Bt. Salim, 2016). The Timberwell threatened the suppliers that if they will conduct any business with the other organization, then Timberwell will give up all ties with those suppliers and contractors, by permanently terminating their contracts. Though, the judgment is still awaited and will be declared in four months by the Federal Court, this may affect the Timberwell immensely through the customer choices, different aspects that are important for an efficient market and the pricing too will be affected. All this will affect the market position of the organization and the punitive measures, according to the GRI standards and ultimately affecting the economic sustainability massively (Henke, 2008).
The Global Reporting Initiative standards also address the issues that are related to energy consumption and wastage in an organization. The energy consumption can be conducted through various methods like heating, electricity, fuel, cooling, steaming and many other different ways. The GRI standards urge to use more renewable energy (Horner and Wilmshurst, 2016). The Timberwell organization knows its responsibilities towards proper energy consumption and from the tool that was undertaken from the Australian Department of Industry and Science states that the consumption of fuel through non-renewable sources is 1.0 gigajoule, the consumption of fuel through renewable is 0.5 gigajoule and the total electricity consumption of the organization is 2.0 gigajoule. Through, this information the organization Timberwell can be stated as an organization that uses energy efficiently. Also, the Timberwell has implemented a plan for utilizing more renewable energy and the program executed will increase the usage of renewable energy by the organization up to 50%, in the total fuel consumption by the organization (Janik, 2016).
The Global Reporting Initiative standards also address the factors that relate to biodiversity. The organization conducted an environmental impact assessment that was performed in the development location, at the Otford Park site and through the result of the assessment this was concluded that the development site land is covered with rarely found wallum sedge frogs. The site was approximately 60% covered with these frogs (Mangion, 2011). According to the assessment, the development proposed for the site is of medium density and is residential. This development will convert the frog’s habitat that will be irreparable and will also impact the survival of the frog on the site. This will be a reduction of species that will affect the biodiversity (Mori Junior and Best, 2017).
The organization was also investigated by the Department of Environment and Energy, after a complaint was registered. The investigation was conducted by the department and the organization Timberwell was charged with $200,000 as the organization was responsible for clearing an area of 0.45 hectares that had many endangered flora and fauna. The organization went against the environmental laws that have been issued for all the organization to follow. Moreover, the organization was commanded to implement an external review of their plan of vegetation management. Also, the organization was ordered to execute a rehabilitation plan which should not have a budget less than $440,000. The non-compliance towards the laws and regulations of the environment can have major impacts on the organizations through the various expensive environmental liabilities. But if an organization has a record of compliance towards the rules and regulations of the environment, then it can be utilized for various benefits for the organization like gaining permits (Moring, 2008).
The Global Reporting Initiate standards also cover the social sustainability factors that are crucial for all the organization to follow and apply. This is important for taking important decisions in times of crisis. Every organization has a corporate social responsibility that has to be fulfilled, but it is also important for every organization to have an environment that encourages and support social sustainability. Social sustainability requires the engagement of both the people who are in an organization and people who are part of the organization, externally (Park, Yoo and Elangovan, 2016).
The Timberwell organization is in need of hiring new employees, as many of the previous employees have left to join the competitors and to start up their own business. The organization is in need of employing 58 male workers who have different skills related to construction, that is, trades and experts. The organization employed 58 workers, but amongst them, 17 of the employees left the organization (Puroila, 2018). The organization was in a state of emergency and thus they have to employ new apprentices, around 12 to deal with the high competition that is in the local market. The company wants to have a high retention rate of the employee in the organization, so it hiked the salary of the workers and also provided them with a compulsory rostered holiday for a day every month (Wagner and Seele, 2017).
Discrimination between employees should not be practiced in any organization, as it does not result in social sustainability. The Timberwell organization also has a complaint that has been registered with the Fair work commission claiming that there is a high level of discrimination that is practiced in the organization. The younger employee has been accused to make discrimination jokes on the older employees who are above the age of 50. The younger employees who make fun of the elderly employee are of the age 30-50. The younger employees, insult the older ones with jokes. The organization was found guilty and was asked to make a compensation of $4,400 to the older employee who was humiliated (Webb, 2008). The organization was also ordered to upgrade their policy of anti-discrimination and the employees should be given a compulsory training on anti-discrimination. The organization obeyed with the various demand that was stated by the Fair Work Commission.
The social sustainability can be achieved in an organization if the company works towards engaging with the local communities and making them a part of the organization. The Timberwell organization has gone to the various extent to engage more with the local communities. The organization has also conducted impact assessments and has also generated programs that help in social development which further helps in the residential development that is important for the organization. The organization is conducting all these social sustainability responsibilities through environmental impact assessments and through programs that have been especially formulated for the local communities by keeping their needs in priority and which should be affordable to them in reasonable prices. The Timberwell organization also conducts a local residential meeting for connecting with more people and knowing about their various needs and desires (Yusof, 2018).
Conclusion:
From this sustainability assessment report, this is formulated that the organization is in need for certain changes that are required for achieving higher standards of sustainability in the organization towards social, economic and environmental aspects. The organization has to indulge in fair play rather than getting scared from the emerging competition. The organization has a brand name to live up to and thus it should utilize its market power positively which does not hinder any standards that are mentioned in the Global Reporting Initiative. The organization has an environmental responsibility that required more care and attention to the flora and fauna on the various development sites, it should be incorporated in the residential development or should be managed more efficiently, especially the endangered species. The organization has to increase their involvement with the local community more as it connection with the local communities is very minimal. All these suggestions will help in attaining the high standards that have been set by the Global Reporting Initiatives.
References:
Beelitz, A. (2015). Legitimizing Negative Aspects in GRI-Oriented Sustainability Reporting: A Qualitative Analysis of Corporate Disclosure Strategies. Social and Environmental Accountability Journal, 35(1), pp.65-66.
Gallego-Álvarez, I., Lozano, M. and Rodríguez-Rosa, M. (2018). An analysis of the environmental information in international companies according to the new GRI standards. Journal of Cleaner Production, 182(5), pp.57-66.
Gherardi, L., Guthrie, J. and Farneti, F. (2014). Stand-alone Sustainability Reporting and the Use of GRI in Italian Vodafone: A Longitudinal Analysis. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 164(1), pp.11-25.
Haladu, A. and Bt. Salim, D. (2016). Nature and Trend of GRI Reporting by Listed Firms in the NSE. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 21(08), pp.07-18.
Henke, M. (2008). GRI funding mechanism approved. Natural Gas, 11(1), pp.28-31.
Horner, C. and Wilmshurst, T. (2016). Stakeholder Engagement And The GRI: Implications For Effective Risk Management. Corporate Ownership and Control, 13(3), pp.35-75.
Janik, B. (2016). Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and its implications on portfolio values in CEE countries – environmental aspect. Zeszyty Naukowe Uniwersytetu Szczeci?skiego Finanse Rynki Finansowe Ubezpieczenia, 4(1), pp.147-154.
Mangion, D. (2011). GRI Sustainability Reporting Guidelines for Public and Third Sector Organizations. Social and Environmental Accountability Journal, 31(2), pp.176-177.
Mori Junior, R. and Best, P. (2017). GRI G4 content index. Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, 8(5), pp.571-594.
Moring, F. (2008). Pipeline competition threatens GRI funding plan. Natural Gas, 9(9), pp.22-24.
Park, E., Yoo, Y. and Elangovan, M. (2016). The opposite role of two UBA–UBX containing proteins, p47 and SAKS1 in the degradation of a single ERAD substrate, α-TCR. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, 425(1-2), pp.37-45.
Puroila, J. (2018). Is Sustainability Performance Comparable? A Study of GRI Reports of Mining Organizations. Social and Environmental Accountability Journal, 1(1), pp.1-1.
Wagner, R. and Seele, P. (2017). Uncommitted Deliberation? Discussing Regulatory Gaps by Comparing GRI 3.1 to GRI 4.0 in a Political CSR Perspective. Journal of Business Ethics, 146(2), pp.333-351.
Webb, D. (2008). No perfect solution for GRI funding. Natural Gas, 9(1), pp.5-8.
Yusof, S. (2018). Social Environmental Disclosure Between Gri-Sustainability Reporting and IIRC – Integrated Reporting Among European Companies. International Business Research, 11(6), p.185.
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