Divisional sustainability priorities
In addition to the group issues, each of the divisions manages a unique set of sustainability challenges and impacts which arise as a result of the nature of their operations. Examples of these challenges are set out in the table below, along with actions taken in each area during the 2011 financial year.
Sustainability focus areas by division
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DIVISION |
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SUSTAINABILITY
FOCUS AREA |
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ACTIONS TAKEN IN
THE 2011 FINANCIAL
YEAR
UNDER REVIEW |
|
OBJECTIVES FOR FY2012 |
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Contract Mining and Plant Rental |
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Safety is a priority for the contract mining sector and is incorporated into “the way we work”.
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No fatalities occurred at the division’s operations during the year under review. The lost time injury frequency rate reduced by 36% to 0.16 per million hours worked and the division has operated without fatal injury for a total of 663 days (more than two million shifts) and for a total of 122 days without any lost time or reportable injuries. |
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Our long-term safety objective is to reduce reportable injury rates to zero.
We aim to reduce injury rates by at least 10% each year to progress towards this goal. |
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Positive labour relations are integral to sustainable performance at the division’s operations. |
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Efforts are underway to entrench two-way communications platforms with employees and organised labour and increase the visibility of site management through monthly communications meetings involving union and workforce representatives, site management and divisional management. |
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Continue to improve communications and “visible management”. |
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Construction and Mining Equipment Distributorships |
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Potential oil spillages at mine sites and in workshops can damage the environment, lead to litigation and/or reputational impact. |
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Only one oil spill occurred during the period under review and was appropriately cleaned with bio-degradable substances. |
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Monitoring of all aspects of safety, health and environmental performance is undertaken to avoid the occurrence of any oil spillages. |
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Passenger and Commercial Vehicles |
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Carbon emissions and people development are critical sustainability issues for this division. |
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Carbon neutral status for Eqstra FlexiFleet was achieved and offset projects were undertaken within Eqstra Fleet Management. |
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We will continue with a carbon reduction focused strategy to not only attain carbon neutral status but to spread awareness throughout the division of the impact on the environment of our carbon footprint. |
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Industrial Equipment |
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Employee engagement on sustainability issues has led to the identification of three sustainability priorities for the division: energy, waste and water. |
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The division has taken steps to introduce a culture of “reduce, recycle and re-use” through the development of sustainability champions and “Green Teams” within the division. |
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Develop targets in the areas of energy, water and waste.
Adopt a structured and committed focus on sustainability issues within the division. |
Sustainability governance and compliance
At board level, key risks are dealt with by the risk committee. These include consideration of sustainability risks. The social and ethics committee of the board ensures that there are appropriate strategies, policies and processes in place to drive the group’s activities concerning social and economic development and good corporate citizenship.
Divisions report to their respective audit committees on sustainability issues, including any incidents or infringements during the year.
No significant environmental incidents were reported during the financial year. Eqstra is not aware of any material fines or sanctions for non-compliance with laws and regulations, including environmental, health or safety regulations
GRI compliance
Guidelines for sustainability reporting contained in the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework is used as a basis for reporting. Eqstra is still in the early stages of implementing a system for collating sustainability data.
The sections that follow provide additional information in the following areas, all of which represent significant sustainability focus areas for the group:
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Management of natural resources |
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Human resource management |
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Transformation and ethics |
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Social and community investment |
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