Business Writing Of National Environment Agency (NEA)

Task/ Purpose

Explain the Business Writing of National Environment Agency (NEA).

Background

As per the facts and figures released by the National Environment Agency (NEA), it has been found that the total quantity of waste generated in Singapore has rose by 159,000 tons in the last year that is around 7.67 million tones[1]. However, it has been found that for the second year running, the total amount of food waste has been decreased slightly. According to the analysts of the NEA, the reason behind increase in the generation of total waste in Singapore is its growing population and affluence. It has also been found that the average quantity of waste generation by each individual has been increased by about 200 kg per year from the year 2000 to 2014[2]. Therefore, the aim of this research study is to decrease the total quantity of wastage production by implementing the process of recycling within the organization Bread talk group limited.

The organization Bread talk group limited was founded in the year 2000 and presently, it has 1000 outlets in total 17 locales[3]. Thus, by implementing various wastage reduction strategies like recycling of wastes, the particular company can reduce a certain percentage of total wastes of the country Singapore and therefore, adoption of this strategy can make the environment of the country better. 

The main objective of the proposal is to encourage and promote recycling at the work place. The proposal is to contain ideas that could be practiced in the work place so that wastage could be reduced. The proposal contains the issues and challenges regarding wastage management that the company is facing. This proposal not only identifies problem but also provides achievable solutions to those problems. It also provides details cost benefit analysis in order to establish the viability of the project.

The proposal provides that it is the responsibility of the employees to undertake the plans and strategies developed for recycling. The employees are the integral part of the company so if the plan of recycling at work place is to be made successful then employees should be actively involved[4].

It is planned to execute the strategies proposed between the years 2016 to 2018. These two years the proposed ideas will be implemented so that the viability of the strategies is evaluated.

The problem of food waste has become very grim in Singapore. In this light of the existing situation, the proposal serves a very important purpose of providing solution to the existing problem of food waste. This solution is provided by outlining plans and strategies that the company with the help of its employees can undertake[5].

Challenges (Problems)

Bread Talk limited being a food chain industry is directly contributing to the overall wastage produced in Singapore. In addition, this Bread Talk limited mainly generates around 8000 tonnes of wastage from its 700 retail outlets. Moreover, the management of Bread Talk limited mainly launches a new product each six months, which increases the overall wastage conducted by the company. Some researchers mainly stated that identification of effective wastage reducing strategies could help in decreasing the overall cost of the company[6]. On the other hand, other researcher mentioned that use of effective activity based costing and zero-based costing could help companies to reduce wastage and increase implementation of essential recourses[7].

However, the main challenge that is faced by Bread Talk limited when implementing wastage reducing strategies in their business process is financial liquidity. Being in the food industry the working capital of the company could be negatively affected if costly wastage reduction policies are being implemented. In addition, theses strategies could eventually hamper working capital and reduce productivity of Bread Talk limited. Furthermore, the reduced availability of liquidity is mainly the main challenge that is being faced by the company. Furthermore, Bread Talk limited could implement different wastage management strategies to reduce its cost, which in turn might help in sustaining the required profitability of the company.

Strategy 1:

Bread Talk Group Limited will promote re-use campaigning. In this context, the organization needs full support from the partners, customers and clients of the organization. The proposed idea about the awareness campaign will be initiated by running the event-based program where negative environmental impacts shall be displayed and promoted across the people at all levels within the organization. Generating awareness by recycling food and paper, plastic and aluminum cans would not only be beneficial for the Singaporean environment, but it ultimately creates an end product that completes the cycle of the sustainability.

(Source: Created by author)

Strategy 2

Effective packaging - Wastage can be reduced through effective packaging of goods. As such, the packaged material that is used for the packaging of the food products can be easily destroyed Reusable bags as well as the mailbags can be used for transporting food products to branch offices, shops as well as the warehouses. Consumers have to be motivated to dispose the goods made of plastic as well as aluminum cans in an effective manner or recycle the packaged material for various other uses. These measures shall help the business entity in reducing the wastage of the goods and promoting recycling of paper, plastic and aluminum cans. As such, this would reduce the operational cost and facilitate recycle of wastage products in the context of a business enterprise[8].

Solutions

Strategy 3

Operational constituents - The cleaners that are less toxic can be used for the manufacturing process. In executing, the daily business functionalities, durable towels, tablecloths, dishes as well as the cups and glasses shall be used which can be easily disposed off. As such, these materials should have to easily discarded or recycled, after these items are no longer usable. Food containers shall be non-aerosol to prevent any harmful damage to the environment. Thus, such food containers shall be easily recycled for other uses[9].

The supports will be provided from the manpower at all organizational level of Bread Talk Group Limited. The waste reduction initiatives taken by the management will be started from the next month of August 15^th 2016 to 2018. All such recommended implementation steps shall be practiced throughout the manufacturing process and will sustain over the year. The estimated costs for such waste reduction programs will be $1057500. Initially, the promotional costs will be higher for generating awareness across all departmental parts of the organization. However, it will reduce with time [10].

Cost break down of the individual activities

Total cost of implementation of the project - $ 10,575,000Benefit – The Company is not entitled to claim any benefit for the initiatives of recycling as this is to be considered as a CSR activity.

The main recommendation and strategies of the company includes doing campaigning, which will help the company to create awareness and build an organic planning for wastage reduction as well as recycling of wastage materials. The company also needs to include use of packaging materials such recycling of the bags. Some of the different types of packing materials includes sugar bag, forest wood and palm leaf. The various types of the containers used for the delivery of the food items should further cleaned on regular basis to ensure the that the they can be used for a longer duration of time and reduction of waste at the same time.

Bai, Renbi, and Mardina Sutanto. "The practice and challenges of solid waste management in Singapore." Waste management 22.5 (2002): 557-567.

Breadtalk.com. (2016). BreadTalk Group - Home. [online] Available at: https://www.breadtalk.com/ [Accessed 31 Jul. 2016].

Dekker, Rommert, et al., eds. Reverse logistics: quantitative models for closed-loop supply chains. Springer Science & Business Media, 2013.

Glasziou, Paul, et al. "Reducing waste from incomplete or unusable reports of biomedical research." The Lancet 383.9913 (2014): 267-276.

Guerrero, Lilliana Abarca, Ger Maas, and William Hogland. "Solid waste management challenges for cities in developing countries." Waste management 33.1 (2013): 220-232.

Nea.gov.sg. (2016). National Environment Agency. [online] Available at: https://www.nea.gov.sg [Accessed 31 Jul. 2016].

Orji, Ifeyinwa, and Sun Wei. "A detailed calculation model for costing of green manufacturing." Industrial Management & Data Systems 116.1 (2016): 65-86.

Sec.org.sg. (2016). Singapore Environment Council - Home. [online] Available at: https://www.sec.org.sg [Accessed 31 Jul. 2016].

Seik, Foo Tuan. "Recycling of domestic waste: early experiences in Singapore." Habitat International 21.3 (1997): 277-289.

Victor B. de Souza, Ruy, and Luiz Cesar R. Carpinetti. "A FMEA-based approach to prioritize waste reduction in lean implementation." International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management 31.4 (2014): 346-366.

[1] Nea.gov.sg. (2016). National Environment Agency. [online] Available at: https://www.nea.gov.sg [Accessed 31 Jul. 2016].

[2] Sec.org.sg. (2016). Singapore Environment Council - Home. [online] Available at: https://www.sec.org.sg [Accessed 31 Jul. 2016].

[3] Breadtalk.com. (2016). BreadTalk Group - Home. [online] Available at: https://www.breadtalk.com/ [Accessed 31 Jul. 2016].

[4] Seik, Foo Tuan. "Recycling of domestic waste: early experiences in Singapore." Habitat International 21.3 (1997): 277-289.

[5] Bai, Renbi, and Mardina Sutanto. "The practice and challenges of solid waste management in Singapore." Waste management 22.5 (2002): 557-567.

[6] Guerrero, Lilliana Abarca, Ger Maas, and William Hogland. "Solid waste management challenges for cities in developing countries." Waste management 33.1 (2013): 220-232.

[7] Dekker, Rommert, et al., eds. Reverse logistics: quantitative models for closed-loop supply chains. Springer Science & Business Media, 2013.

[8] Victor B. de Souza, Ruy, and Luiz Cesar R. Carpinetti. "A FMEA-based approach to prioritize waste reduction in lean implementation." International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management 31.4 (2014): 346-366.

[9] Williams, Paul T. Waste treatment and disposal. John Wiley & Sons, 2013.

[10] Orji, Ifeyinwa, and Sun Wei. "A detailed calculation model for costing of green manufacturing." Industrial Management & Data Systems 116.1 (2016): 65-86.