The EPBC Act 1999 Promotes Environmental Protection And Biodiversity Conservation, Aligning With ISO 26000 - Corporate Social Responsibility.

The EPBC Act 1999

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act 1999)

The EPBC Act 1999:

The Environment Protection and biodiversity conservation act 1999 is regarded as the key piece of environmental legislation in Australia play that commenced 16^th July 2000.

• Environment protection and biodiversity conservation act 1999 (link is external)
• Environment Protection and biodiversity conservation regulations 2000 (external link). 

The EPBC act Was designed to enable the Australian government so that they could join with these states as well as territories to provide a truly country scheme of the environment and heritage protection as well as biodiversity conservation. The act focuses on the interest of the Australian government in protecting the various matters that are of environmental significance for the country, along with the States and territories having sets of responsibility for respective matters of local and state significance. 

• Heads of agreement on Commonwealth and state roles and responsibilities for the environment

The EPBC act is administered by the Australian government department of the environment. 

Objectives of the EPBC Act:

The objectives are to:

• Provide Resources to protect the environment, specially in regards to the matter of national environmental significance
• Conserve Australian biodiversity
• enhance the protection as well as management of significant natural as well as cultural places
• Provide an assessment and approvals process that is streamlined to the national environmental need
• Control the international movement of products made from wildlife, Wildlife specimens and movement of animals and plants
• Promote sustainable development play of the environment through means of conserving and using natural resources sustainably
• Identify the significant roles of indigenous people in the conservation as well as ecologically sustainable use of the biodiversity of Australia
• Promote the utilization of the knowledge of the indigenous peoples of biodiversity by involving them add incorporation with the owner of the knowledge 

ISO 26000:

2010 Guidance on social responsibility is regarded as an international standard of providing guidelines on social responsibility. Often it is known as CSR corporate social responsibility. It was released on the 1^st of November 2010 by the international organization for standardization. Its goal was to contribute to global sustainable development by encouraging organizations to promote through practices on social responsibility to enhance their impact on their workers, their communities and their natural environments. 

Organizations in the public, private and non-profit sectors irrespective of their size and whether operating in developing or play developed countries, play use ISO 26000. The entire core subjects of social responsibility are similar in some ways to all organizations. Do to the affect the core subjects do cover many issues companies will benefit the moment they identify the issues that are most significant and relevant for them by examining their considerations and respective dialogue with stakeholders are. 

ISO 26000 aims to:

• Assist organisations in addressing their social responsibilities while showing respect for the sociocultural, environmental and legal differences as well as economic development conditions
• Provide practical guidance on how to make social responsibility operational
• Assist through identification and engagements with stakeholders as well as enhancing the credibility of reports and the claims made about CSR
• Put emphasis on the results and improvement of the performance
• Boost the satisfaction and confidence in organizations among their stakeholders, including also customers
• Attain consistency with international treaties and conventions, existing ISO standards and existing documents
• Promote terminology that is common to the social responsibility field
• Widen awareness about social responsibility

Sub-Question a) 

Explain the appropriate process for developing a policy and procedure. 

This can be done in three stages:

Predevelopment

• Be proactive to identify issues
• Conduct analysis to identify owners, determine the path and assemble a team 

Development

• Draft language to agree on definitions and promote the use of the common format
• Get approvals
• Determine distribution by planning communication, putting things online and sending them to receivers 

Maintenance 

• Facilitate evaluation and review by planning maintenance, encouraging feedback, and achieving changes
• Planning measurement and changes by measuring the outcomes

Eight key steps for policy formulation:

• Step 1 includes the use of the policy template so that a new policy can be drafted
• Step 2 is about consulting with key stakeholders in regards to policy content
• Step 3 includes consultation with related areas which may have a process to develop the accompanying drafting procedure
• Step 4 incorporates the revision or development of the appropriate procedure
• Step 5 includes a review of the procedure, verifying it meets the policy requirements as well as any IT platforms to ensure policies and procedures are effectively aligned.
• Step 6 is about seeking approval
• Step 7 is to obtain policy and TRIM file numbers through TRIM as well as publish the policy and procedures on the governance of the university.
• Step 8 disseminates and implement policies and procedures through an appropriate communication strategy. 

Sub-Question b) 

Who are the types of people that should be consulted during policy development? 

• Management
• Customers
• Employees
• Suppliers
• Government
• Community groups
• Union
• Regulatory bodies 

Sub-Question c) 

What strategies can you implement for monitoring and reviewing policies? 

• Conduct regular review
• Observe how could the policy be implemented?
• Evaluate the input or outcome of those policies
• Measure the efficacy of the policies through the customer feedback and survey
• Discuss policies or procedures during the monthly team meetings
• Update any amendment to the policies as per regulatory and customer demands
• Compare current policies with the current business or industrial standards

Explain how you would approach each of the following barriers and challenges when implementing policies and procedures. 

Sub-Question a) 

Over the next quarter, they would like to see how the change in light bulbs impacts their usage and overall costs on the business. Explain how they could monitor costs and encourage staff usage over the next quarter. 

• Compare the electricity bills for the coming few months to see the difference in energy consumption
• Analyse the financial report to understand if this change was good as it helps gain some returns on investment (ROI)
• Develop an energy saving policy to be followed by employees and other stakeholders
• Conduct briefing and training meetings
• Reward and recognise employees who follow such policy
• Roll out an employee survey to realise the employees’ response to changes in policies and procedures to make further changes if necessary
• Lead by example 

Sub-Question b)

Before implementing a new energy-saving policy, the manager must identify the responsibilities of everyone involved. This will help keep people accountable. Outline the roles and responsibilities for management and employees involved in the policy. 

Sub-Question c) 

Over the next quarter, the small busing received their bill. Examine the usage against the same quarter in the previous year and calculate the total usage. 

Sub-Question d) 

The small business manager is proud of the strong results they have attained on their energy use and staff engagement after the last quarter and would like to share their achievements with the wider community. Identify some ways the small business could promote their sustainable practices. 

• Talk to the community & local services so that success can be shared with them, and they are encouraged to do the same
• Invite local media to showcase the milestones achieved
• Start a blog on the website of the company regarding its sustainable practices
• Promote sustainable practices through means of social media, posters, flyers, and stickers
• Incorporate sustainable practices into the broader context of business, for instance, giving discounts to clients who bring in their containers or cups, selling reusable ones at cheaper prices, requesting clients to brief on their personal experience to preserve the environment on the customer feedback board of the café, etc.