GRI Standards and Sustainability: Timberwell Constructions MBA402

This report provides a comprehensive sustainability assessment of Timberwell Constructions, a residential development company, using the GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) standards. It examines the company's performance across three key dimensions: economic, environmental, and social sustainability. The economic sustainability section covers financial implications of climate change, corruption incidents, and anti-competitive behavior. The environmental sustainability section discusses energy consumption, impacts on biodiversity, and compliance with environmental laws. The social sustainability section addresses new employee hires, employee turnover, and incidents of discrimination. Each section includes relevant GRI disclosures and specific examples from Timberwell Constructions' operations, offering a detailed analysis of the company's sustainability practices and areas for improvement. This assignment is available on Desklib, a platform offering a wide array of study tools for students.

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Adelaide Brisbane Melbourne Sydney Online
MBA402 Governance, Ethics, and Sustainability
Sustainability Assessment
Steven Christie
Harpreet Singh
129566
15/10/2018

1
Introduction
Sustainability report is the report which is published by the organizations in terms of economic,
environmental, and social impacts caused by the organization through its activities. This report
further represents the values and governance model of the organization, and also demonstrates
the link between the strategy of the organization and its commitment to the sustainable global
economy.
The GRI standards are deemed as the first global standards in terms of the sustainability
reporting. These standards mainly feature the modular, un-related structure, and also represent
the global best practice making the report in the range of economic, environmental, and social
impacts (GRI, 2018).
This report mainly addresses the GRI standards in context of given case study of the Timberwell
Constructions. This is the organization which is engaged in the residential development’s
projects, as it builds the apartments complex in the Stanwell council districts. Structure of this
report mainly includes the sections related to the Economic sustainability, Environmental
sustainability, and Social sustainability. All these sections mainly discuss the GRI disclosures.
Economic Sustainability
In terms of the GRI standards, the economic dimension of the sustainability mainly includes the
impact of the organization on the economic conditions of its stakeholders, and an economic
system at the local, national, and global levels. These standards in the series of economy (200)
further addresses the capital flow among different stakeholders of the organization, and also the
main economic impacts of the organization throughout the society.
Disclosure 201-2 -Financial implications and other risks and opportunities
due to climate change
This section of the report addresses the risk and opportunities related to the climate change,
which holds the potential to generate the substantive changes in the operations revenue and
expenditures (GRI, 2016). Following are the reporting outlines for the Timber well Constructions
in context of this GRI disclosure-
• Climate changed impose the risk related to the increased bushfires and also the risk
related to warming effects to the climate, on the operations of the Timberwell. This threat
of the climate change is the physical threat which directly affects the construction
operations of the Timberwell.
• These changes in the climate directly affect the construction project cycle, and these
changes directly affect the construction sector. Some indirect impacts such as site
programming delay, safety of workers, cost of material, and delivery (CDSB, 2012.

• New regulations are introduced in terms of managing these affects, and in terms of
implementing these standards and for complying with the, estimated cost for the Timber
Well is the $4 million.
• In terms of responding this climate risk, Stanwell council recommended to make
changes in the LEP in terms of rezoning the specific areas in the Stanwell District as the
bushfire prone (Enshassi and Rizq, 2014).
Disclosure 205-3 Confirmed incidents of corruption and actions taken
Economic sustainability
This disclosure mainly addresses the impacts of organization actions on the society,
environment, and communities (GRI, 2016). Following are the reporting outlines for the Timber
well Constructions in context of this GRI disclosure-
• There is one confirmed incident of the corruption, and this incident deals with the bribe
giving by the employees and other two business partners to the project officers of the
council in context of pushing the company’s development applications through the
council approval process.
• Only corruption incident in which five employees of the organization were terminated is
the similar incident described in above point, as in this bribe is given by the employees
to the project officers and because of this all these employees are suspended without
pay.
• In the similar incident, two business partners of the Timberwell construction are also
involved in the bribing of the council project officers for getting fast approval for
development applications of the company. In this context, Timber Well terminates its
partnership contracts with both the external business partners of the organization.
• Complaint is made by the former employee of the organization to the state corruption
commission in terms of bribing the project officers of the council, as this complaint is
made in the similar corruption incident stated above. As the outcome of this case, state
corruption commission charged all the five employees of the organization and also the
one of those external consultants.
Disclosure 206-1 Legal actions for anti-competitive behaviour, anti-trust, and
monopoly practices
This disclosure results in the legal actions which are initiated under the national and
international laws which are designed mainly for the purpose regulating the anti-competitive
behaviour, anti-trust, or monopoly practices (GRI, 2016). Following are the reporting outlines for
the Timber well Constructions in context of this GRI disclosure-
• Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) initiate the proceedings
against the Federal courts against the organization for alleged the anti-competitive
conduct which also involves the misuse of market power and exclusive dealings. ACC
further alleged that, group of the local builders were planning in terms of establishing the
competitive development company, and in response to this competitive threat Timber
Well executive told the suppliers that in case they involved in the new development

company then Timber well withdraw or reduced business with them. In other words,
ACCC alleged that conduct of the Tinder well prevents the new entrant in the market or
less the competition in the market.
• This case is listed and heard by the Federal Court in next four months, which means,
decision of the case is still pending.
Environmental Sustainability
In terms of the GRI standards, environmental sustainability dimensions consider the effects of
the organizations actions on the living and non-living natural systems of the country such as
land, Air, Water, and ecosystems. (Business.qld.gov.au, 2018)
Disclosure 302-1 Energy consumption within the organisation
This disclosure of the report considers the consumption of the energy within the organization by
assessing number of factors (GRI, 2016). Following are the reporting outlines for the Timber
well Constructions in context of this GRI disclosure-
• Total fuel consumption within the Timber Well from the sources of non-renewable energy
is the 1.0 Gigajoule, and one Gigajoule is equals to 109 Joules.
• Total fuel consumption within the Timber Well from the sources of non-renewable energy
is the 0.5 Gigajoule, and one Gigajoule is equals to 109 Joules.
• This section further states the Electricity consumption that is almost 2.0 Gigajoules.
• All these calculations related to the energy consumption are based on the calculation
tools which are defined by the Australian Department of Industry and Science.
• Timber well further implemented the program in terms of raising the fuel consumption in
terms of the renewable resources to at least 50% of its fuel consumption within the next
three years.
Disclosure 304-2 significant impacts of activities, products, and services on
biodiversity
This section of the report defines the impact of the organizations functions on the biodiversity
(GRI, 2016). Following are the reporting outlines for the Timber well Constructions in context of
this GRI disclosure-
A. Direct and indirect impacts on the biodiversity in context of the following actions-
• Department of the Environment and Energy received the complaint from the
former employee, that organization clear almost 0.45 hectares of critically
endangered ecological community coastal grasslands.
• There are number of direct and indirect impacts on the biodiversity of this action
of the Timber Well. As report published by the State planning scheme, this area
contains the Flora and Fauna attributes.
• Department further performed the environmental impact assessment, and this
assessment is performed on the Otford Park development site of the Timber
Well. On this site, department discovered that almost 60% of the site was

populated by the rare wallum sedge frog. This assessment estimated the
medium density in terms of the proposal of the residential development of the
site, as it is proposed that this site must be converted into the habitat and
rendered it inconsistent with the frog survival on the site.
Disclosure 307-1 Non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations
This section of the report defines the penalties faced by the Timber Well in terms of the breach
of the laws and regulations related to the environment (Tam, Tam, Zeng and Chan, 2006/ GRI,
2016). Following are the reporting outlines for the Timber well Constructions in context of this
GRI disclosure-
• In terms of the critically endangered ecological community coastal grasslands, Timber
Well was ordered to undertake the external review of its vegetation management plan.
Timber well extends its audit programs in terms of its contractors. However,
implementation of the plan which ensures rehabilitation of not less than $440000.
• Timber well further worked with the Stanwell council and the Stanwell groups in terms of
devising the strategy for managing the proposed development of the site and
conservation of the Wallum Sedge frog.
Social sustainability
This part of the report defines the impact of the organization actions on the society and local
community in which business operates. In other words, whether business actions of the
organization cause any harm to the society or local community of the nation.
Disclosure 401-1 new employee hires and employee turnover
A. Timber well hires almost 58 male staff members from the different areas related to the
construction trade and profession, Organization further employs the 12 new apprentices
in the reporting period because of the increased competition in the local market. All
these employees aged between the 30-50, but only one employee is above the age of
50.
B. As stated Timber Well hire almost 58 new male employees and 12 apprentices, because
almost 17 workers of the organization left. Some of these employees left for working on
their own business and some left for working in the rival organizations. Later, one more
employee Dennis McCabe resigned because of the workplace harassment (GRI, 2016).
Disclosure 406-1 Incidents of discrimination and corrective actions taken
• During the reporting period, there is only one incident of the discrimination, which is filed
by the Dennis McCabe in the Fair Work Commission (GRI, 2016). Dennis McCabe
stated that he resigned because of the Workplace harassment.
• Following are the status and incidents taken by the Timber Well in terms of the above
stated claim-

• In this Dennis McCabe filed the claim against the organization in context of the
Workplace harassment. He further stated that he is the only employee who is aged
above 50, and because of this he becomes the target of the age-related jokes and also
discriminated by his co-workers. This incident was reviewed by the organization, and in
this context, organization takes required actions.
• In this context, Fair Work Commission ordered the organization to pay $4400 as the
compensation and organization is also ordered make updating in their anti-discrimination
policy and also gives the anti-discrimination training to all the employees of the
organization. Timberwell complied with these orders and also incorporate these orders in
their remediation plan.
• All the remediation plans such as anti-discrimination training and updating of the policy is
properly implemented in the organization, and these plans are implemented after
evaluating the results internal management process so that necessary changes are
made in the internal management process.
Disclosure 413-1 Operations with local community engagement, impact
assessments, and development programs
• There are number of actions which are taken by the Timberwell in terms of engaging
with the local communities and also for performing assessments related to their impacts
(GRI, 2016).
• Timber well considered the expense in terms of engaging with the local community and
also performs the impact assessments. They further formulate the social development
programs in context of all the proposed developments of residential areas.
• These initiatives include the Environmental Impact Assessments, meetings of the local
residents, and also the programs related to the development of the local community and
this mainly needs for the affordable social housing (Tam, Vivian and Tsui, 2004).
Conclusion
After considering the facts of this paper, it is clear that Timber well represents all the economic,
environmental, and social impacts caused by the organization through its activities. This report
further represents the values and governance model of the organization, and also demonstrates
the link between the strategy of the organization and its commitment to the sustainable global
economy. Timberwell has to go through planned and sustainable growth phase, which includes
considering all the factors linked to the company. This is very important, for maintaining a long
term justifiable which benefits the community and environment rather than solely profiting the
entity.

Bibliography
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