MBA402: Sustainability Report for Timber Wall Construction Project

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This report provides a comprehensive sustainability assessment of Timber Wall Construction, a residential development company, based on the GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) Standards. The report analyzes the company's performance across economic, environmental, and social dimensions. The economic section examines financial implications related to climate change, incidents of corruption, and legal actions concerning anti-competitive behavior. The environmental section assesses energy consumption, impacts on biodiversity, and non-compliance with environmental regulations. Finally, the social sustainability section covers employee-related disclosures, incidents of discrimination, and community engagement initiatives. The report highlights key disclosures and provides insights into the company's approach to sustainable practices and its commitment to long-term value creation. The report is structured to follow the GRI framework, including specific disclosures such as financial implications related to climate change (201-1), confirmed incidents of corruption (205:3), legal actions for anti-competitive behavior (206-1), energy consumption (302:1), impacts on biodiversity (304-2), non-compliance with environmental laws (307-1), new employee hires and turnover (401-1), incidents of discrimination (406-1), and community engagement (413-1).
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Running Head: GOVERNANCE, ETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITY
GOVERNANCE, ETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITY
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note
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1GOVERNANCE, ETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITY
Executive Summary
The report is about Sustainability Reporting Standards based on GRI Standard of the Timber
Wall Construction in Stanford District Council. The sustainability report highlights the key
disclosure of economic, environment and social impacts which highlights on the main areas of
the construction development. The disclosure below discusses about the impact of the
organization which has been created before, to the new aims and regulation of the policies of the
company. Timber framing is used in framing houses and decorative effects. The style of using
timber is being followed for many years and in many parts of the world. Timber Wall
Construction uses different types of foundation, beams, walls and roofing designs. A
combination of lightweight cladding and timber frame can deliver further advantage including
greater efficiency improved energy and reduced cost. Timber Well Construction is a residential
development company that shapes the apartments or complexes in the Stanwell Council district.
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2GOVERNANCE, ETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITY
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................4
Discussion........................................................................................................................................4
Background..................................................................................................................................4
Sustainability Assessment Report................................................................................................5
Economic Sustainability..............................................................................................................6
Disclosure 201-1: Financial implication and other risk and opportunity due to climate
change......................................................................................................................................6
Disclosure 205:3 Confirmed incidents of corruption and action taken...................................7
Disclosure 206-1: Legal actions for anti-competitive behavior, anti-trust, and monopoly
practices...................................................................................................................................8
Environmental Sustainability.......................................................................................................8
Disclosure 302:1- Energy consumption within the organization............................................9
Disclosure 304-2: Significant impacts of activities, products and services on biodiversity. . .9
Disclosure 307-1: Non- compliance with environmental laws and regulation......................10
Social Sustainability..................................................................................................................10
Disclosure 401-1: New employee hires and employee turnover...........................................10
Disclosure 406-1: Incidents of discrimination and corrective actions taken.........................11
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3GOVERNANCE, ETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITY
Disclosure 413-1: Operation with local community engagement, impact assessment and
development programs...........................................................................................................11
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................12
Reference.......................................................................................................................................13
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4GOVERNANCE, ETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITY
Introduction
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is an international independent standards where
organization established to provide guidelines to companies reporting sustainability (Fonseca,
McAlliste and Fitzpatrick 2014). The GRI Standards represent as globally best practiced for
reporting on the range of environmental, social and economic impacts. In this report the
sustainable assessment of timber wall construction is describing its economic, social and
environmental initiative and performance. This report has applied reporting principle of GRI to
identify the social, economic and environmental. The company’s mission and vision is constant
innovation where it provides sustainable solutions for goods and services. The mission of the
company defines the purpose and passionate commitment, to bring sustainable innovation into
each creation and quality of work (de, Llach and Marimon 2014).
Discussion
Name of the company: Timber Wall Construction
Background
The Timber Wall Construction was established in the year 1932. The innovative
approach is towards the value addition and achieving the competitive edge on hardwood and
flooring products. Wood construction is famous and common for the houses, throughout the
country. In regions where wood and timber material are easily available, the cheapest and the
best approach for construction is the wood construction for small house constructions (Daniel,
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5GOVERNANCE, ETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITY
Soebarto and Williamson 2015). This company basically follows six types of constructions for
building houses. The Australian Timber Wall Award is a competition in a national level and
inspire outstanding design in the environment. In 2000, the award distinguishes between the
achievement and heritage of innovation. The 19th Australian Timber Design Awards was
announced at The Star in Sydney on 16th October 2018. The awards won are - Perrett Simpson
Builder, Erilyan. Eaglemont House by Pleysier, Perkinis, Armstrong Regional Park by MDG
Landscape Architects. The traditional construction sort uses various wall covering like plant
based covering, to earthen material such as stone or mud to thatch construction (Xia et al.2014).
There are two more kinds of final construction- log construction and panel construction.
The construction of stud wall frames are constructed with plywood or gypsum are famous
worldwide and in many parts of Australia. The walls are built of vertical timber of rectangular
cross section which are covered with composite sheathing or with light plywood (Evison,
Kremer and Guiver 2018). The roofs are constructed of prefabricated trusses which are covered
correlated with the walls.
Sustainability Assessment Report
Sustainability can be defined as meeting the need of the present and the future aspect,
compromising the ability to meet the future needs. It is composed of three mainstays: economic,
environmental and social also known as profits, people and planet. Business sustainability is
defined as managing the three-way bottom line and a process where companies manage the
financial, environmental and social risk, opportunities and obligation. A sustainability
assessment report is a report which is published by an organization or a company analyzing the
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6GOVERNANCE, ETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITY
economic, social and environmental impacts caused by its daily activities. The report discusses
the governance model, organizational values and establishes the link between the strategies and
the commitments to sustainable worldwide economy. The report is expected to help the company
or the organization to understand, communicate and measure their social, environmental and
economic and governance performance and resolve in case of any sustainability issue. It also sets
goals and manages the change more effectively (Bryan et al.2016). This report intends to discuss
the sustainability of the company.
Economic Sustainability
Timber is a natural construction material that has been used from the ancient times and is
known for its flexibility and natural strength. The interest in construction of wood has not only
been a luxury good but is also considered as a long-lasting material (Maas, Schaltegger and
Crutzen 2016). There has been many houses which has been built on timber wood and is
considered suitable for the modern construction.
Disclosure 201-1: Financial implication and other risk and opportunity due to climate
change
The risk and opportunity posed by the timber wall construction is due to the climate
change which constitute to the operation, expenditure and revenue system. The risk can be of
two types: firstly due to the impact of more intense and frequent storms (Weinhofer and Busch
2013) and impact on the workers such as illness or disease or any health issue or a transfer in job.
The risk can be identified when there is impact of the environment on consumption of fossil fuel.
Many trees are cut down and the environment gets affected due to which it becomes a challenge
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7GOVERNANCE, ETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITY
for the living creatures to survive. Keeping that in mind the production of timber construction is
prepared. This sector faces a challenge of meeting the increasing demand of the people as well
looking after the environment and human health (Dietz et al.2016). The organization aims at
identifying the major sources and device of environmental impact from the timber products. The
climatic change does not affect the production procedure as needs and requirements of the timber
construction are identified.
Disclosure 205:3 Confirmed incidents of corruption and action taken.
The organization maintains a record of total number and confirmed nature of the
incidents of corruption. The employee of this company is dismissed by any chance due to
corruption. The illegal timber trade is strictly prohibited from the company’s side. The illegal
practice of forestry leads to loss of revenue for the country and becomes a part of corruption. If
complains are registered against an employee who has been involved in public corruption can
lead to termination. As it is known that corruption is bad for a business, the organization is
taking serious and effective measures towards anti-corruption (Graycar and Prenzler 2013 ). The
timber wall construction is implementing the policies for better work environment and strong
employee- customer relationship. This company has zero tolerance policy on corruption and
bribery. Previously in the organization there were five employee and two external business
partners were terminated from the organization because they had bribed the council project
officer for the purpose of company’s development. The action taken by the company was that all
the five members were terminated and the partnership contract was terminated of the external
adviser with corruption.
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8GOVERNANCE, ETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITY
Disclosure 206-1: Legal actions for anti-competitive behavior, anti-trust, and monopoly
practices.
This disclosure relates to the legal operations under international laws, designed to
eliminate anti- competitive, anti-trust behavior, or dominant practices. These including the
practice of monopoly (Fernandez-Feijoo, Romero and Ruiz 2014) can disturb many factors that
are the essential element to current market, such as, consumer pricing, choice, and more. When
an organization introduces legalization, there is an attempt at controlling and preventing
monopoly assuming that sustainable growth and economic efficiency would be promoted if
competition between two rival construction companies exist. The legal actions (Joseph et al
2016) which arise from the significant interruption of marketing activities caused by Timber
Wall Construction could subject the company to punishable measures as well.
Environmental Sustainability
To support the environment, few strategies has been adopted by the organization. The
sustainability report focus on the key performance areas, it also has specific goals which are
related to the environment sustainability directly or indirectly. The aim of 2016 sustainability
report of Timber Wall Construction is to make significant progress in the areas where the
business is concerned, to lay foundation for revised and new strategies, to input new design and
increase the access of transportation. The target of the report is reduction of waste which was
0.68 tones last year and is significantly looking forward to deduce it to 0.18 tones.
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9GOVERNANCE, ETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITY
Disclosure 302:1- Energy consumption within the organization
The organization utilizes energy in various forms like heating, cooling, fuel, electricity or
stream for the purpose of cutting the wood log and sheeting. The organization has come up with
this new technique of hydro, wind and solar for of renewable source of energy so that the
electricity is used at its maximum level. The utilization of electricity is done effectively and the
source of renewable source of energy (Bahadori Zendehboudi and Zahedi 2013) is essential for
combating the environmental and climatic change. The consumption of energy in downstream
and upstream activities of the organization is connected to its operation. The disclosure in this
sustainability report highlights that the organization need is not only from the electricity, but also
include fuel for boilers, heaters, turbines, generators and vehicle for the transportation of woods
warehouse to the stores.
Disclosure 304-2: Significant impacts of activities, products and services on biodiversity
The above disclosure assesses the organization’s biodiversity report of the environment
indicating to meet the Global Report Initiative. The guideline given by the company describe the
impact of the activity, which plays a significant role. The current damage to the biodiversity
becomes an attribute to the production procedure and utilization of the goods related to the
environment which becomes necessary for human. The impact of the activities performed by the
organization on the grassland or highland forest, affects the biodiversity (Hausmann et al.2016)
through exploitation of natural resources. The aim is to recover the losses which has affected the
natural resources and other environmental problems. The rules and regulation required by the
business is to reduce the environmental footprint which is important. Timber Wall Construction
has come up with new business technique to conserve the biodiversity, spreading awareness not
only to persuade the public but also conserve the biodiversity on commercial basis.
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Disclosure 307-1: Non- compliance with environmental laws and regulation.
For environmental laws to work it should not only be well formulated and designed but
should enforce effectively and efficiently. The strategies must be developed as to how the task
should intervene in the policies and affairs of regulating the organization. According to the case
study, Dennis had complained to the Department of the Environment and Energy that Timber
wall was fined with $200,000 for cleaning 0.45 hectares of disapprovingly ecological community
costal grassland.
Social Sustainability
The sustainability report on the social aspect can be defined as managing and specifying
the negative and positive impacts of the organization, system, processes and activities on the
social life from the last decades. The approach is to deliver extensive commodity welfare to
various parts of Australia. The current financial situation of the economy are influencing on the
economic growth and standardization of the people in the economy.
Disclosure 401-1: New employee hires and employee turnover.
The above disclosure in Global Reporting Initiative addresses the topic of employment in
the organization. It is the approach of the organization to look after the employment and job
creation that is to look after the hiring, recruitment, related practices and retention (Hanif
Khalid, and Khan 2013). The company had employed 58 male staff from different areas of
construction related to profession and trade. Currently Timber Wall has employed 12 new
apprentices because 17 employees have left just to establish their own business. The organization
has increased the pay rate and had added a monthly rostered day off to try to hold its existing
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11GOVERNANCE, ETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITY
staff. Acquisition of the actual talent is one of the key requirement as head hunting the
experienced workers and employing the candidates who has knowledge and ambition to work in
interior decoration.
Disclosure 406-1: Incidents of discrimination and corrective actions taken.
From the above disclosure, “incident” can refer as complain or legal action registered
with the reporting company through an official process. According to the report, any
discrimination can occur on the ground of religion, race, sex, national extraction, social origin,
color and political opinion. The discrimination can also arise based on the issue of HIV, AIDS,
disability, age, genetic predisposition, lifestyle and sexual orientation. The basic expectation of
the organization is the presence and implementation of policies. Previously five timber wall
employee and two business partners were terminated because they tried to enhance the
company’s development through seeking approval of the council and bribed the council officers.
As a result all the involved employees had been suspended and barred from payment by the
Timber Wall and the two of the business partners terminated its partnership (Islam, Haque and
Roberts 2017)
Disclosure 413-1: Operation with local community engagement, impact assessment and
development programs.
To support the public appearance Timber Wall Construction has delivered a series of
media released with an intention to demonstrate that the organization is a respectable member of
the corporate world. The first broadcasting release was explained the assessment of how the
impact of the environmenton the organization’s Otford Park construction site that 60 per cent of
the site was populated by wallum sedge frog. The second media release explained that Timber
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12GOVERNANCE, ETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITY
Wall Construction is an competent company. The third release clarified that the organization puts
in considerable effort in formulating social development programs, engage regional communities
and calculate impact assessments for all future residential development. Timber wall has
established a site in Stanwell district which is in a location that had been rezoned as being
bushfire-prone.
Conclusion
The report can be concluded as the Sustainability Reporting Standard (GRI Standards) of
Timber Wall Construction is growing in the economy and is developing in new areas. The
organization is working carefully with Stanwell council to observe with the proposed council
amendment to its Local Environment Plan (LEP). The department of Energy and Environment
has recognized the areas under State Planning Scheme as comprising important fauna and flora
attributes. Hence the organization is emerging in the development of the residential areas that
builds apartments in the Stanford Council District. Timber wall construction can provide air
stiffness benefits and insulation in coming years. The use of softwood can be used for future
projects for construction in modern multi- storied building.
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Reference
Bahadori, A., Zendehboudi, S. and Zahedi, G., 2013. A review of geothermal energy resources in
Australia: current status and prospects. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 21(0),
pp.29-34.
Bryan, B.A., Nolan, M., McKellar, L., Connor, J.D., Newth, D., Harwood, T., King, D., Navarro,
J., Cai, Y., Gao, L. and Grundy, M., 2016. Land-use and sustainability under intersecting global
change and domestic policy scenarios: Trajectories for Australia to 2050. Global environmental
change, 38, pp.130-152.
Daniel, L., Soebarto, V. and Williamson, T., 2015. House energy rating schemes and low energy
dwellings: The impact of occupant behaviours in Australia. Energy and Buildings, 88, pp.34-44.
del Mar AlonsoAlmeida, M., Llach, J. and Marimon, F., 2014. A closer look at the ‘Global
Reporting Initiative’sustainability reporting as a tool to implement environmental and social
policies: A worldwide sector analysis. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental
Management, 21(6), pp.318-335.
Dietz, S., Bowen, A., Dixon, C. and Gradwell, P., 2016. ‘Climate value at risk’of global financial
assets. Nature Climate Change, 6(7), p.676.
Evison, D.C., Kremer, P.D. and Guiver, J., 2018. Mass timber construction in Australia and New
Zealand—status, and economic and environmental influences on adoption. Wood and Fiber
Science, pp.128-138.
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14GOVERNANCE, ETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITY
Fernandez-Feijoo, B., Romero, S. and Ruiz, S., 2014. Effect of stakeholders’ pressure on
transparency of sustainability reports within the GRI framework. Journal of business
ethics, 122(1), pp.53-63.
Fonseca, A., McAllister, M.L. and Fitzpatrick, P., 2014. Sustainability reporting among mining
corporations: a constructive critique of the GRI approach. Journal of cleaner production, 84,
pp.70-83.
Graycar, A. and Prenzler, T., 2013. Understanding and preventing corruption. Springer.
Hanif, A., Khalid, W. and Khan, T.N., 2013. Relating Maslow's hierarchy of needs with
employee turnover and retention: Case study of local telco. International Journal of Human
Resource Studies, 3(2), p.51.
Hausmann, A., Slotow, R.O.B., Burns, J.K. and Di Minin, E., 2016. The ecosystem service of
sense of place: benefits for human well-being and biodiversity conservation. Environmental
conservation, 43(2), pp.117-127.
Islam, M.A., Haque, S. and Roberts, R., 2017. Human rights performance disclosure by
companies with operations in high risk countries: evidence from the Australian minerals
sector. Australian Accounting Review, 27(1), pp.34-51.
Joseph, C., Gunawan, J., Sawani, Y., Rahmat, M., Noyem, J.A. and Darus, F., 2016. A
comparative study of anti-corruption practice disclosure among Malaysian and Indonesian
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) best practice companies. Journal of cleaner
production, 112, pp.2896-2906.
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Maas, K., Schaltegger, S. and Crutzen, N., 2016. Integrating corporate sustainability assessment,
management accounting, control, and reporting. Journal of Cleaner Production, 136, pp.237-
248.
Weinhofer, G. and Busch, T., 2013. Corporate strategies for managing climate risks. Business
Strategy and the Environment, 22(2), pp.121-144.
Xia, B., O'Neill, T., Zuo, J., Skitmore, M. and Chen, Q., 2014. Perceived obstacles to multi-
storey timber-frame construction: an Australian study. Architectural science review, 57(3),
pp.169-176.
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