Sustainability
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DJSI Benchmark Report 2011Wesfarmers places a high priority on its sustainability and community responsibilities. The diversity and depth of our business operations - ranging across retail, insurance, industrial, energy and mining – reach into many Australian and New Zealand communities. This means we have a major responsibility in getting all of our sustainability efforts right. Each year, Wesfarmers produces a sustainability report that measures its progress in managing sustainability and community issues across all its divisions and provides the basis on which the company will expand and improve its sustainability efforts into the future. These principles include:
For more information on sustainability at Wesfarmers please email info@wesfarmers.com.au. Sustainability ReportingAs part of our efforts to enact these principles Wesfarmers Limited produces several public reports in addition to our statutory annual and financial reports. Below is a list of statutory or voluntary reports which Wesfarmers produces each year. Previous years reports can be found in the Reports section of this website. In addition Wesfarmers also produces an annual Sustainability Report which communicates our company’s philosophy and commitment to sustainability, with the objective being to provide information to interested stakeholders about the economic, environmental and social impact of Wesfarmers and the businesses we operate. The report is released in October or November each year. Additional Documents Referred to in our Sustainability ReportThe 2011Wesfarmers Sustainability Report is now avaliableunder the Reports section of our website. Below are the additional documentswhich relate to the 2011 Wesfarmers Sustainability Report.
Below are the additional documentswhich relate to the 2010 Wesfarmers Sustainability Report.
Public Reporting Energy Efficiency Opportunities (EEO)The EEO programme (conducted under the Energy Efficiency Opportunities Act 2006)is overseen by the Federal Government' Department of Resources Energy and Tourism (RET) and exists to provide a framework for Australia's largest energy users to systematically assess their energy use, develop opportunities to become more efficient in their use of energy and report on this assessment and implementation program publicly through the Department. The programme requires the engagement and commitment of Boards and senior management in its processes and reporting. Wesfarmers has an Assessment and Reporting Schedule approved by RET and has submitted government and public reports on its progress with the EEO program in December 2008,2009 and 2010 as required. The Public reports are available on the RET website (www.ret.gov.au ) and Wesfarmers' public reports are also available on the Wesfarmers website. The 2011 reports have been submitted to the RET and the public report will be available in early 2012.  National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting system (NGER Act reporting)The NGER systemwas created by the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 (as amended) and is designed to accurately aggregate and report the energy use and greenhouse emissions from Australia. All of Wesfarmers businesses, where we have operational control, are included in its reports under the NGER Act. Wesfarmers has submitted reports under the NGER Act in 2009, 2010 and 2011. The variations in emissions and energy use figures reported under the NGER Act in comparison to our Sustainability Report is explained in our Sustainability Report. If a carbon emissions trading system is introduced into Australia the NGERs Act will form the legal basis for reporting emissions and determining the need to purchase emission permits.  London Benchmarking Group (LBG)The London Benchmark Group (LBG) operates an assessment and verification process for organisations wishing to define their community contributions according to standard definitions and policies that are developed collaboratively by the LBG and its members. Wesfarmers Limited joined the LBG network in 2009, and our contributions form part of the LBG reports for Australia and New Zealand. Information on Wesfarmers community contributions can be found in our Sustainability Report. Memberships and accreditationsIn addition Wesfarmers is a member of several industry associations or accreditation bodies that seek to promote and advocate policy positions for business and industry in Australia. Below is a list of organisations which Wesfarmers is a member of. In addition, our operating businesses have memberships with other organisations relevant to their business sector. Information on those memberships can be found on the business’ website or a list of our memberships can be found on page 25 of the 2010 Sustainability Report.  Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)The Project represents a large number of institutional investors, purchasing organisations and government bodies and exists to encourage companies and public sector agencies to measure, manage and reduce carbon emissions. The CDP provides each participant with a detailed annual questionnaire to be completed and returned for review and assessment, which in turn allows the CDP to develop databases on carbon emissions, and the risks, mitigation strategies and commercial opportunities participants are dealing with in addressing the challenges created through reducing carbon emissions. In 2010 CDP also introduced a CDP Water Survey that Wesfarmers responded to in addition to the CDP Carbon survey. We have submitted our 2011 reports to the Carbon Disclosure Project and CDP Water.  Forest Footprint Disclosure Project (FFD)The Forest Footprint Disclosure Project (FFD) is an initiative supported by the United Kingdom Government and several investor or funds management groups. It is modelled on the Carbon Disclosure Project and requests participating companies to disclose how their operations impact on forests world wide and the strategies being employed to manage those impacts responsibly. Wesfarmers responded to the FFD in 2010 and the FFD 2010 Annual survey report was released on 27 January 2011 (the 2011 FFD report will be released in February 2012).  Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI)Wesfarmers Limited is one of 20 Australian companies included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) for the DJSI World Index in 2011 (as at September 2011) –Wesfarmers is also included in the DJSI Asia-Pacific Index. The DJSI was launched in 1999 as the first global index to track the financial and sustainability performance of leading companies. Our DJSI assessment for 2010/11 is summarised on page 13 of our 2011Sustainability Report.Below is a link to the2010/11 DJSI Benchmark report for Wesfarmers. Click here for more information on the DJSI.  Australian Packaging Covenant (APC)The APC is a voluntary initiative by the governments of Australia and private businesses to reduce the effects of packaging on the environment through improved packaging design and use, more efficient packaging production, encouraging re-use and recycling of the packaging that is created and reducing any impacts from the disposal of used packaging. The APC has replaced (in mid 2010) the National Packaging Covenant (NPC) which was a similar Government/business voluntary arrangement which had reached the end of its agreement period.The governance arrangements for the APC are very similar to those that existed for the NPC. Wesfarmers signed the APC Covenant in September 2010 on behalf of all its participating businesses (Coles Group, Target, Bunnings, Kmart, Officeworks and Industrial and Safety) and has submitted its first Action Plan under the APC in March 2011. Annual progress reports against this Action Plan are required (as they were for the NPC) and they are available on the APC website after the Covenant Council has accepted them. In May 2011 the APC advised Wesfarmers that our first Action Plan for 2010 to 2014 was acceptable and it is now on the APC website. Our final Annual Report under the NPC was submitted on 1 November 2010 and is available on the APC website. Click here for more information on the APC.  Business Council of Australia (BCA)The BCA is one of the major business organisations in Australia and is very active in advancing ideas and participating in policy processes to advance the cause of strong and sustainable economic growth, employment , business reform, global engagement and other relevant issues within Australia. Wesfarmers is a long standing and active member of the BCA.  Energy Users Association of Australia (EUAA)The Association exists to represent the views of energy users in Australia within policy and regulatory frameworks and forums, and energy markets, and strives to achieve an Australian energy supply system that is competitive, effectively regulated and environmentally sustainable. Wesfarmers operates many businesses that are large users of energy and (through the former Coles Group businesses) has been associated with EUAA for many years.  Australian Institute of Management (AIM)The institute is a not-for-profit entity which exists to promote the advancement of education and learning in the field of management and leadership for commerce, industry and government. Wesfarmers supports the objectives of AIM through its corporate membership, participation in various training programmes and many Wesfarmers staff are personal members of the Institute.  Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA)The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) was founded in 2002 (Wesfarmers joined in 2010 and the Coles Group had previously been a member) and has the dual objectives of integrating green and sustainable building initiatives into the mainstream design, construction and operation of buildings; and, promoting sustainability through green building programs, technologies, design practices and operations. The GBCA operates the Green Star environmental rating system for buildings in Australia, and has a strong education and training program in sustainable building practice. Wesfarmers is one of Australia’s largest building owners and/or tenants and has a real interest , particularly for our retail businesses, in continually improving the design, equipment and operations of the more than 4,000 buildings we use daily in our businesses, both in Australia and New Zealand. Membership of the GBCA and access to the information bases, standards and education will assist us in those endeavours.  Sustainable Energy Association (SEA)SEA is the peak business body, larely based in Western Australia for the sustainable energy industry and other interested parties. It seeks to promote the development and adoption of sustainable energy technologies and services through contributions to public policy and the attraction of a broad group of businesses. Wesfarmers operates several businesses in the energy field as well as being a significant energy user in its own right.  Chamber of Commerce and Industry Western Australia (CCIWA)CCIWA is a leading Australian business organisation, representing small, medium and large businesses in Western Australia, with strong links to the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Wesfarmers is a long standing member of CCIWA on behalf of our operating businesses and CCIWA supports our businesses through public policy advocacy, apprentice training, staff training and development and employee relations advice amongst its wider range of services.
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