University: Timberwell Constructions Sustainability Assessment Report

This report provides a comprehensive sustainability assessment of Timberwell Constructions, evaluating its economic, environmental, and social performance against the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards. The report examines key material topics, including financial implications due to climate change, incidents of corruption, and legal actions related to anti-competitive behavior. It assesses environmental sustainability by analyzing energy consumption, the impact of operations on biodiversity, and non-compliance with environmental regulations. Social sustainability is evaluated through an examination of employee turnover, incidents of discrimination, and the company's engagement with the local community. The analysis incorporates case studies and disclosures to provide a detailed overview of Timberwell's current situation and management approaches to address identified issues. The report concludes with a discussion of the management approach, aligning material topics with relevant disclosures, offering a holistic view of Timberwell's sustainability efforts.

Sustainability Assessment Report: Timberwell Constructions 1
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Sustainability Assessment Report: Timberwell Constructions
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Sustainability Assessment Report: Timberwell Constructions 2
Sustainability Assessment Report: Timberwell Constructions
Executive summary
This report assesses Timberwell`s economic, environmental, and social sustainability in
regards to the consolidated sustainability reporting standards of Global Reporting Initiative. It
discusses numerous material topics in regards to Timberwell construction and GRI Standards.
More so, it examines the current situation of Timberwell Constructions and the management
approach used by the company to solve these issues. Assessment of the impacts of the
company`s operations is carried out referring to the disclosures of energy consumption,
environmental regulations non- compliance and impact of the activities of the company on bio
diversity. Social sustainability is also assessed referring to the incidents of discrimination,
operations and attrition.
Introduction
Various companies in different parts of the world are usually required to present all the
issues they are experiencing in accordance to the GRI standards (Barkemeyer et al, 2015). This
form of assessment helps companies in examining the effects of its operations on the
environment, society and economy. This paper provides a sustainability assessment report for
Timberwell Construction. It discusses its economic sustainability by referring to multiple
disclosures such as legal actions undertaken by the company towards anti-competitive practices,
corruptions and financial imputations as well as opportunities and risks due to changes in
climate, (Doh et al, 2016).
A. Economic Sustainability

Sustainability Assessment Report: Timberwell Constructions 3
Economic sustainability of Timberwell Constructions is assessed referring numerous disclosures.
i) Disclosure 201-2 Financial implications and other risks and opportunities due to climate
change.
This disclosure examines the company`s need to report substantive variations in its
expenditures, revenue, and operations due to opportunities and risks brought about by climatic
changes. Additional traits relating to the magnitude of both direct and indirect impacts are
required to be reported by the company to facilitate compiling of the information (Fernandez-
Feijoo et al, 2014). When there is no system for computing financial implications and revenue
projections, there is need for the organization to report its plan and timeline. Currently, there are
attempts made by Timberwell in compliance with the amendments proposed as per its Local
Environment Plan (LEP). Referring to global warming and climatic changes, Stanwell Council is
looking forward to make new amendments of its LEP specifically to reallocate areas like
"bushfire". This amendment will start operating in one month and two weeks. Higher bushfire
safety standards such as use of fire resistant building materials and maintenance of long distance
between land boundaries and two structures are required to be met by Timberwell Constructions.
To fully operate in relation to the new standards as per the new regulation, Timberwell will have
to incur 4 million dollars. The case study analysis shows that the company was fined for
endangering of the ecological community coastal grassland by its operations. The attributes of
fauna and flora were destroyed by the construction made by the company on the cleared area.
Considering the above, disclosure need to be implemented especially about the criteria that can
be used by the organization to manage risks and opportunities such as use of carbon offsets,
improving energy efficiency, less carbon footprint enthusiasm use and fuel switching. With
Stanwell Council, the service costs of the firm on primary planning of the town to effectively

Sustainability Assessment Report: Timberwell Constructions 4
control the work and application for development are $50000. Effective planning will enable
Timberwell to reduce these costs (Du Plessis, et al, 2018).
ii) Disclosure 205-3 Confirmed incidents of corruption and actions taken
Disclosure 205-3 requires the company to present the confirmed corruption incidents and
the strategies being used by the company to overcome them. In the stakeholders’ interests, it is
vital for the company to disclose such incidents as well as its response to such events. As per this
disclosure`s requirements, the reporting company is required to present the total number of the
incidents of corruption. Disclosure about any form of law suit against the company and dismissal
of employees is also required (Ruiz-Lozano & Nieto, 2018). Timberwell faced allegations of
bribing the officials of the council projects for its development application during the process of
approval. The results of the prosecution are still pending. This disclosure demands the
organization to reveal these allegations in the report. Additionally, disclosures on ending of the
contracts with the outside consultants need also to be made (Hoffman et al, 2014).
iii) Disclosure 206-1 Legal actions for anti-competitive behavior, anti-trust, and monopoly
practices
Disclosure 206-1 requires an organization to report legal procedures used for monopoly
behaviors and the ones against competition as well as anti-trust. Generally, it demands for
reporting of any legal procedures both against the organization for anti-competitive behavior and
antitrust. Organizations are demanded to disclose the aggregate number of legal actions and
outcomes including the decisions and judgements. Case Study analysis portrays that Australian
Competition and Consumer commission(ACCC) charged Timberwell Constructions with claims
of participating in activities of anti-competitive behavior and monopoly practice violations

Sustainability Assessment Report: Timberwell Constructions 5
(Vigneau et al, 2015). The company engaged in exclusive dealings and market power misuse for
deterring and preventing new firms from joining the market. The anti-competitive behaviors
expressed by the company called for filling of a case by ACCC in the Federal Court against the
Timberwell Construction. As per the GRI standards, this case should be revealed in the
sustainability report (Tricker & Tricker, 2015).
B) Environmental Sustainability
i) Disclosure 302-1 Energy consumption within the organization
This disclosure requires a company to present its aggregate energy consumption. Consumption
of Cool and steam as well as heating are also required to be disclosed by the company. With the
help of the suggested formula, the rate of total energy consumption should be computed (Wang
et al, 2015).
As revealed in the analysis of the case study, the company carried out several media releases
explaining how energy efficient it is. The company attached a report entailing the energy
consumption table, which shows the computation equipment used by the company as required by
the Australian department of science and industry. Following the analysis made in the case study,
it is portrayed that Timberwell greatly relies on consumption of non-renewable energy sources
through implementing an environmental program. It is therefore evident that the company obeys
the environmental regulations while performing its operations. Organizations are also required to
use generic conversion factors as well as local conversion factors, which are subjected to
numerous approaches and methodologies. It is also very clear that Timberwell Constructions is
operating in accordance with the regulations governing the environment in its media release
section. (Winkler, 2017).

Sustainability Assessment Report: Timberwell Constructions 6
ii) Disclosure 304-2 significant impacts of activities, products, and services on biodiversity
This disclosure demands the reporting organization to disclose the impact of its services and
products as well as operations on biodiversity. It requires the organization to disclose data about
habitat conversion, pollution, variations in the ecological process as well as the impacts of the
activities carried out by the company. Organizations are also required to present a clear
understanding and explanation of the strategy to be used to decrease the effects on biodiversity.
A background for presentation of structured and qualitative information will be provided to the
organizations to enable them compare the effects of their operation after some time (Bellatuono
et al, 2016).
As revealed in the case study, Timberwell`s activities especially the ones which included
clearing of the areas for construction have a considerable effect on flora and fauna. The company
received an order of carrying out a management plan external review of its vegetation.
Organizations are also demanded to implement a rehabilitation plan. The above are required to
be disclosed in the report as per the GRI standards (Costa & Menichini, 2013).
iii) Disclosure 307-1 Non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations
This disclosure demands the reporting organization to present information about any form of
failure to comply with the regulations governing the environment. Companies are required to
report considerable fines, and non-momentary sanctions that are charged against the company for
failure to comply with these regulations. It specifically demands the organization to disclose the
entire number of cases brought about through the mechanisms of dispute resolution, the
aggregate number of fines and sum of monetary sanctions. Companies are also demanded to
briefly make a statement in their sustainability report in events when no rules and regulation

Sustainability Assessment Report: Timberwell Constructions 7
governing the environment are identified. In case of failure by organizations to adhere to these
regulations, judicial and administrative sanctions are needed to be incorporated. Organizational
activities reveal that there is no confirmation of the company`s operations to certain parameters.
Usually failure to comply with these regulations brings about cleaning up of expensive
environmental liabilities (Hsu et al, 2013).
C) Social Sustainability
i) Disclosure 401-1 New employee hires and employee turnover
This disclosure is about disclosing data about newly recruited employees and employee
turnover. It requires organizations to disclose information about the age, gender and religion of
the newly hired workers. Additionally, organizations are required to compute the newly hired
employee rate and the accounts of employee turnover (Amini & Bienstock, 2012).
As per the case study, it is clearly depicted that Timberwell is experiencing higher
employee turnover rates brought about by the dissatisfaction and prevailing uncertainty among
employees. This is evident with the 17 employees who left the company. GRI standards of
reporting require organizations to disclose information about the recruitment implementation
process. This is required because of the considerable impact created by higher rates of attrition
on productivity. Timberwell is therefore required to properly disclose the hiring and selection
process of its employees (Barkemeyer et al, 2015).
ii) Disclosure 406-1 incidents of discrimination and corrective actions taken
This disclosure demands the organization to present information about discrimination
incidents in the company and the actions that should be undertaken. According to the GRI

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reporting standards, complete disclosure about discrimination incidents, status of the incidents,
remediation plans and reviewed accidents as well as the actions taken should be revealed.
According to the case study, Timberwell Construction has cases entailing employee
discrimination. One of the workers in the company was not treated equally like his fellow
employees and he turned out to be a humiliation target in the organization. Following the
harassment the employee was experiencing, he filed workplace harassment. The company was
requested to keep its policies on discrimination up to date by the Fair Work Commission
(Barkemeyer et al, 2015).
iii) Disclosure 413-1 Operations with local community engagement, impact assessments and
development programs
This disclosure demands the reporting organization to disclose information about its
engagement with the local community and development programs. Reports about environment,
prevailing monitoring and social impact are required to be made by the company. Organizations
are required to make considerations of actions taken for protecting the rights of vulnerable
groups. Organizations are required to use numerous tools for assessing human and social rights
and for community engagement. To appropriately discover the traits of the community,
companies such as Timberwell should use various sets of approaches (Doh et al, 2016).
Description of Management Approach
Material Topic Description Management Approach
Disclosure 201-2 Financial
implications and other risks
This form of sustainability
seeks to dismiss the myth that
sustainable construction
approach such as construction

Sustainability Assessment Report: Timberwell Constructions 9
and opportunities due to
climate change
sustainable construction
cannot be profitable. It
introduces the methods and
materials that can be used by
an organization to maximize
environmental, social and
economic performance of the
buildings. Under economic
sustainability, a company is
bound to confront issues such
as use of recyclable and
renewable resources, resource
consumption minimization
and resource reuse
maximization (Global
Reporting Initiative, 2016).
of a development site that is
located in a rezoned area.
Disclosure 302-1
Consumption of energy
within the organization
This disclosure requires the
reporting organization to
disclose information on
aggregate fuel consumption
within the organization,
(Global Reporting Initiative,
2016).
Disclosure of all information
about energy consumption

Sustainability Assessment Report: Timberwell Constructions 10
Disclosure 401-1 New
employee hires and turnover
This disclosure requires the
reporting organization to
disclose information on the
total number and new
employee hires` rates as well
as employee turnover by
gender, age and religion (Hsu
et al, 2013).
Disclosure of information on
the aggregate number of
workers in the organization.
Conclusion
Timberwell`s performance has been declined in terms of employee turnover and
generated profits. This is mainly because of the failure of the organization to comply with the
standards of sustainability reporting as required by GRI. After analyzing the case study, it is very
clear that Timberwell Constructions participated in anti-competitive practices and corruption
practices. In relation to the GRI principles, all the impacts created by the operations of the
company are required to be properly disclosed. Considering the prevailing situation Timberwell
should implement strict adherence to complying with the requirements of different forms of
sustainability and standards. Timberwell Construction is looking forward at presenting a more
positive report entailing all the standards as required by GRI for the next reporting period

Sustainability Assessment Report: Timberwell Constructions 11
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