Management of natural resources

The group recognises that it operates in a resource-constrained environment.

The most significant natural resource impacts from the group’s activities are in the areas of:

Reliable data relating to consumption of the above resources is unavailable as data collection systems are not yet in place. A strategy will be implemented during the 2012 financial year to address this gap. Carbon emissions data is gathered by some divisions but is not yet available at group level.

Other impacts relating to natural resource management such as land usage or air pollution are not material due to the nature of the group’s business.

Water is consumed by the divisions for domestic use (offices and gardens), as well as for washing down vehicles. The group has started to introduce initiatives targeting the reduction of water consumption (see the case study below). In Eqstra FlexiFleet, part of the Passenger and Commercial Vehicles division, filtered effluent water from truck or car wash bays is used to re-wash vehicles to reduce water consumption and make better use of municipal water supplies. Reliable data relating to consumption of the above resources is unavailable as data collection systems are not yet in place. A strategy will be implemented during the 2012 financial year to address this gap. Carbon emissions data is gathered by some divisions but is not yet available at group level.

Other impacts relating to natural resource management such as land usage or air pollution are not material due to the nature of the group’s business.

As part of an initiative to engage employees in the Industrial Equipment division on sustainability issues and to ensure better understanding of these issues, “Green Teams” have been set up in each business unit.

Case study

Creating change through "Green Teams" in the industrial equipment division

As part of an initiative to engage employees in the Industrial Equipment division on sustainability issues and to ensure better understanding of these issues, “Green Teams” have been set up in each business unit.

Employees in the Industrial Equipment division volunteered to become “green champions” i.e. leaders of environmental change in their business units, with a mandate to activate interest at ground level and form a “Green Team”. Although each team has its own identity, all work according to a framework provided by management, based on the key environmental goals which are to “reduce, re-use or recycle”.

As the programme progresses, key environmental challenges will be tackled on a project basis. The philosophy underpinning the programme is to provide value to the individual (ensuring ownership), value to the business and value to the community. The division believes that in this way projects will be reflective of the division’s objective of being a responsible partner in society.

Projects are identified through regular “Green Team” meetings.

One of the first events undertaken was national tree planting events in September and October 2010, as part of efforts to offset the division’s carbon footprint. The current focus is on efficient energy use, saving water and managing waste within the business. A national “Go Green” competition is underway to further increase employee awareness and promote the efficient use of resources that are often taken for granted.

In implementing the initiative, the division partnered with Eskom to conduct a walk through energy audit in November 2010 across four major centres. Their findings were publicised to assist in raising awareness about energy saving options that can be implemented. Similar engagement approaches are pursued with waste and water suppliers. An initial waste recycling project has been started at the division’s main offices, where the “Green Team” co-ordinates the collection of waste and on a small scale reduces the division’s waste footprint by moving less waste to landfill sites.

Programme co-ordinator Ferial Leech says that the programme has had significant benefits for the teams involved, enabling them to acquire new knowledge and skills and to work in an empowered manner.

One of the first events undertaken was national tree planting events in September and October 2010, as part of efforts to offset the division’s carbon footprint.

What have we done differently as a result of the campaign?

Water care

We have become increasingly aware of our responsibility towards this limited resource. Our Port Elizabeth branch operates in a water restricted area and is now fitted with recycled water storage facilities to support the washing of forklifts.

Rainwater storage tanks have also been fitted at the division’s national offices to reduce dependency on municipal water.

Energy saving

We have established an energy baseline usage report that will place the division in a position to set reduction targets for the next year and consider energy saving options.

Master switches are used at some of our major centres to ensure lights are switched off at night.

Energy reduction notices are used to create awareness of energy use.

Waste management

In KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, we have partnered with our waste management supplier to progress our waste separation programme. Relevant employees have received training in the benefits of waste separation at source.

Waste is monitored and reduced where possible. For example, shredded paper is now used as packing material for dispatching parts for other regions.