CSO Magazine – July 2019

Community climate action through people and technology JULY 2019 www.csomagazine.com

A solid sustainability strategy

LEADING THE EV CHARGE

PRIORITISING SAFETY AND SUSTAINABILITY SVP Paul Wehnert and CEO Jeff Tuttle discuss the gas safety company’s increasing focus on emissions reduction

TOP 10

Greenest countries

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FOREWORD

W

elcome to the July issue

climate action goals. Cable manu-

of CSO Magazine! On the

facturing company HUBER+SUHNER’s

cover of this month’s issue, Heath

Managing Director for Southeast Asia,

Consultants reveals how the family

Nik Wason, exclusively discloses why

business is introducing new

the future of transport is electric.

technologies to improve its

Richard Burrett and Jim Totty of

sustainability operations.

Earth Capital discuss the impact of

“The industry is really going through

drone technology, whilst Natasha

a major transition with emission reduction – it grew up doing the surveys from a safety standpoint,

Mudhar, Global CEO of Sterling Group and The World We Want, unveils why social impact needs to be

assessing the potential hazards of

a company-wide initiative.

gas leaks in homes and buildings,”

CSO Magazine also looks at the top

remarks Jeff Tuttle, Chief Executive

10 environmentally friendly countries,

Officer of Heath Consultants.

according to the Enviro-nmental

Elsewhere in the issue, we have also

Performance Index, with Finland,

spoken to Landcom and SA Power

Luxembourg and Denmark all

Networks to discuss culture and sus-

featuring on the list.

tainability transformations across

Enjoy the issue!

the globe. Meanwhile, Swiss logistics

Sophie Chapman.

giant Panalpina, University of Toronto

Sophie.chapman@bizclikmedia.com

and the Town of Caledon reveal their plans to meet their ambitious

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

SOPHIE CHAPMAN MANAGING EDITOR

OLIVIA MINNOCK

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CONTENTS

12 26

34

HUBER+SUHNER: LEADING THE CHARGE FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE ADOPTION

sustainability on a massive scale

48 58

68 TOP 10 Green countries

82 Social impact: balancing profit and purpose

The biggest industry events w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

124 Panalpina

86 Landcom

104 SA Power Networks

114 Plymouth Rock Assurance

142 University of Toronto Mississauga

114 156 Plymouth Rock Town of Assurance Caledon

Your Safety...Our Commitment

12

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13

WRITTEN BY

SOPHIE CHAPMAN PRODUCED BY

ANDY TURNER

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H E AT H C O N S U LTA N T S

As the company focuses on digitally transforming its operations,Heath Consultants prioritizes sustainability across its functions

E

stablished 86 years ago, Heath Consultants is now run by the third generation of the Heath family. The business is the premier

leader in the natural gas leak detection industry, servicing utility companies “all the way from the 14

well head to the burner tip”, explains Paul Wehnert, Senior Vice President of the Sales and Marketing unit. “Primarily, we’re a leak detection, underground utility locating service, and products manufacturing firm,” adds Wehnert.

The company employs around 1,500 people across 44 states in the US, but has earned an international presence through the distribution of its products. A main aspect of the company’s operations is conducting leak surveys. “A leak survey primarily consists of a person walking around documenting on paper where they went and what they found. However, the industry is currently going through a transition from paper documentation to digital documentation,” remarks Jeff Tuttle, CEO of Heath Consultants. “The way in which we conduct these surveys is now all in J U LY 2 0 1 9

15

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H E AT H C O N S U LTA N T S

“ The industry is currently going through a transition from paper documentation to digital documentation” — Jeff Tuttle, CEO, Heath Consultants

transition – whether the person is walking or driving by vehicle, the instrument readings, position of the person and detections are all recorded.” Heath is also expanding its technological footprint with the launch of its DP-IR Trainer, software that uses augmented reality to train workers how to conduct leak surveys.

Beyond how the information is acquired and stored, the company is also expanding its analytics capabilities through a partnership with software development company Silicus. Heath is now able to evaluate

16

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CLICK TO WATCH : ‘HEATH 2018 WORLD GAS CONFERENCE PRODUCT SHOWCASE’ 17 the leak information, such as methane

technology that is connected to the

readings and pipe quality. “We can ask:

internet, such as data logging, GPS

‘Where are the risky sections of pipe?

and the cloud. “We still have portable

Where are they located?’ We can then

platforms, but connected portable

provide a thesis or data source to that,”

platforms. We have mobile platforms

continues Tuttle.

where we have vehicles that drive

The company has leveraged its core

around a city network, and we have

gas detection technology and con-

aerial platforms like drones and UAVs,”

nected it with a cloud analytics

says Tuttle. The CEO highlights the

package. This enables oil producers to

introduction of connected methane

then conduct Leak Detection and

sensors placed amongst city grids,

Repair (LDAR) work, which often takes

available on a 24/7 basis.

places in remote areas. The industry is

However, the role of analytics has

shifting from using portable technolo-

a much greater presence in the

gies that an individual would carry to

company’s overall business strategy. w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

Enabling Enterprises in the Cloud Silicus is a cloud transformation services company, focused on helping enterprises deploy sustainable cloud technologies- to support business innovation, enable technology modernization, scale technology-driven differentiation, and manage technology investments through their lifecycle.

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“ It’s also important from a digital transformation perspective to collect data on the performance of our technicians” — Ken Cowher, Vice President of Operations for the Service unit, Heath Consultants

“For us on the operations side, it’s also important from a digital transformation perspective to collect data on the performance of our technicians,” notes Ken Cowher, Vice President of Operations for Heath’s Service unit.

“It is important we have a standardized and automated way of doing that to ensure we get good quality data we can run predictive analytics on. This allows us to proactively manage our crews and make them as efficient as possible.”

Cowher explains that all service operations lie within a competitive bid industry, which in turn means that efficiency is key.

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Jeffrey Tuttle, CEO Jeffrey Tuttle has worked in various capacities within the utilities sector for over 30 years. Prior to joining Heath he served as General Manager for Greer Commission of Public Works where he directed the company’s day-to-day operations and long-term direction of all utility operations.

He has served on various association’s Board of Directors including Piedmont Municipal Power Agency (PMPA), American Public Gas Association (APGA), Blue Ridge Scouting Council, and Greer Relief.

From 2011 to 2012, he served as the Chairman of American Public Gas Association (APGA) and Texas Gas Association.

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H E AT H C O N S U LTA N T S

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The company uses Microsoft’s Azure cloud to host many of its systems, including RMLD-Remote Emissions Monitoring. Heath is piloting the sensor-based technology that enables it to monitor for leaks 24/7. The firm is almost ready to introduce its Leak Survey Analytic, also based in Azure, which harbors the data from thousands of surveys. “Every detail over time is captured and made available at a click so we can analyze the quality of the survey, the completeness of the survey and provide some of the risk factors that feed into some of these pipeline risk models,” Tuttle comments.

Heath has also partnered with Novara Geosolutions, the asset management products and services company.

“We’re working with them to develop a field application for our leak survey technicians to use. It will integrate with customer facility mapping and track breadcrumb indications of the leak surveyor and the path that they take over the pipeline. It will include indications that we find, abnormal operating conditions – anything that would be a reportable situation from the survey – and feed that information back to the customer whilst connecting with our w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

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billing system,” explains Tuttle.

1933

As well as addressing technology transformation within its operations,

Year founded

Heath Consultants is also becoming very aware of sustainability issues in its industry. “The industry is really going through a major transition with emission reduction – it grew up doing the surveys from a safety standpoint, assessing the potential hazards of gas

1,500

Approximate number of employees

leaks in homes and buildings. Heath grew up with the paramount mission to find the dangerous leaks, help utilities and mitigate them by repairing the pipe.

HQ

Houston, Texas

Now with the concerns over climate

23

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Ken Cowher, Vice President, Operations Ken Cowher joined Heath in 1992 as a Field Technician with a degree in Earth Sciences from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. Ken managed the Northeast Division for Heath for nearly twenty years and created a successful corporate culture that other regions in the company strive to imitate. After promotion in 2017 to Vice President of Process Improvement and Service Business Unit Support, Ken’s clear understanding of Heath’s values, corporate mission and excellent leadership skills made him the clear choice for another promotion to his current position.

Ken is responsible for all aspects of our field service division including safety, training & development,

quality assurance and field operations.

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H E AT H C O N S U LTA N T S

24

“ The industry is really going through a major transition with emission reduction” — Jeff Tuttle, CEO, Heath Consultants J U LY 2 0 1 9

change, methane is one of the gasses that is of most concern – this gas can leak from any point along the chain.

We’re trying to reduce that,” says Tuttle.

Working from the well pad up, the company goes through various processes in moving and producing the gas which emits the most greenhouse gases. “The well head, the well and the tank battery which the oil is stored in are all prone to emitting the

25

gasses that come along with the oil.

exploring a lot of that with vehicles and

There’s quite a bit of focus, activity and

UAVs, with autonomy providing safety

research on gas detection and we are

inspections of these safety grids within

participating in that emerging technol-

these smart cities,” says Paul.

ogy,” Tuttle says.

With Heath focusing on its digital transformation journey, the firm sees itself at the centre of a digital future.

“Our company’s operations will us more

Your Safety...Our Commitment

fix sensor technologies and more autonomous type activities. We’ll be w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

ENERGY MANAGEMENT

HUBER+SUHNER: 26

LEADING THE CHARGE FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE ADOPTION

We caught up with Nik Wason, Managing Director, Southeast Asia, for communications and manufacturing giant Huber+Suhner, to find out about why the future of transport is electric and how Asia could be leading the charge.

WRITTEN BY

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OLIVIA MINNOCK

27

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ENERGY MANAGEMENT

P

rimarily involved in fibre optic cable manufacturing, HUBER+SUHNER develops connectivity solutions for over 60 markets.

With the electric vehicle market set to explode due to both consumer demand and government policies discouraging traditional fuel vehicles, HUBER+SUHNER’s electric vehicle charging solutions are set to become a major part of the business. Now, having recently partnered with a major automobile manufacturer in Asia, the company is well placed to provide the infrastructure to get the region moving – quickly and sustainably.

28

Can you tell us about your past experience and how it has led to your current role?

I have been with HUBER+SUHNER since 2011 when I started as an Application Engineer for the Fibre Optics business unit in Sydney, Australia. In 2013, I transitioned internally from an engineering role to a Sales Manager role for the Australian communications market and thereafter acted as the Sales Director for Fibre Optics in the Australia and New Zealand region. I was then given the opportunity to take up a new challenge as the Managing Director for HUBER+SUHNER South East Asia, and I have been in this role since October 2018.

My journey with HUBER+SUHNER has been nothing less than exciting; I’ve learnt about new technologies and solutions, met new challenges, J U LY 2 0 1 9

“ My journey with HUBER+SUHNER has been nothing less than exciting” — Nik Wason, Managing Director, Southeast Asia, Huber+Suhner

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ENERGY MANAGEMENT

built some great professional relation-

the global economy. This is also

ships, and found exciting opportunities

because SEA is a highly populated part

along the way to improve my skills and

of the world. Businesses in SEA are

experience. I am really grateful for the

ready to catch up with the latest

organisation and also my past and

technology or are even ready to push

current colleagues who have been an

the envelope and stand out as trend–

important part of my career so far.

setters. The potential for business in this part of the world is inestimable,

How important is the Southeast Asia

with many countries within SEA

(SEA) market to HUBER+SUHNER’s

declaring their vision to become the

global reach?

market leader in technology.

We see SEA as an ambitious emerging

We are currently in a period of excit-

market and a valuable contributor to

ing chain reactions, where countries

30

“ We see SEA as an ambitious emerging market and a valuable contributor to the global economy” — Nik Wason, Managing Director, Southeast Asia, Huber+Suhner

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CLICK TO WATCH : ‘SOLUTIONS FOR SMART CONNECTED FACTORIES, ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE AND OIL&GAS APPLICATIONS’ 31 within the region are opening up their doors to new businesses using new technologies, and this will result in more opportunities for organisations such as ours to participate in this wave and hopefully grow our footprint within the region. The SEA region offers great potential for our group going forward.

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Covering every angle in the digital age The Business Chief platforms offer insight on the trends influencing C and V-level executives, telling the stories that matter

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ENERGY MANAGEMENT

sustainability on a massive scale 34

We speak to Shannon Thomas Carroll, Director of Global Environmental Sustainability at AT&T, to see how the telco giant is harnessing sustainability across its massive operations‌ WRITTEN BY

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ANDRE W WOODS

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ENERGY MANAGEMENT

A

ligning the notion and practice of sustainability within the biggest companies on the planet is no small

undertaking and AT&T – founded by Alexander Graham Bell – is no exception. The world’s largest telecommunications company and ranked number nine on the Fortune 500, this

giant multinational conglomerate has just over 270,000 employees and posted a 2017 revenue of $190.5bn. This is a holding company whose operations spread out over numerous sectors and territories and to seek a sustainable road map at such a business 36

is as complex as it is integral.

Shannon Thomas Carroll is Director of Global Environmental Sustainability at AT&T and possesses a rich knowledge of both the company’s operations and its sustainable practices as he works to reduce the environmental impact of the telco’s operations. His key accomplishments include “being the internal driver for large scale renewable energy, zero-waste, and supply chain human rights audits”.

Carroll has been with the company for almost 20 years, having served in several different capacities across the 133-year-old conglomerate. “I’ve worked on a consumer side, the business side of the house and on the network side,” he explains. “So I’ve had lots of different J U LY 2 0 1 9

37

“ AT&T has an energy intensity goal, relative to its network, to be 60% more efficient” — Shannon Thomas Carroll, Director of Global Environmental Sustainability at AT&T

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ENERGY MANAGEMENT

roles. I spent a lot of time in project

mental sustainability while I was still

management, as well as with a couple

in supply chain and was lucky enough

different business units. I did project

to transition that into a full-time role

management and compliance for our

over on the corporate side. I took that

supply chain; that’s one of the things

supply chain focus and expanded it

that transitioned me into my current

to a corporate view. Now my responsi-

role. On the compliance side, you have

bilities are specific to environmental

things like environmental health and

sustainability within our operations.

safety and that was one of the transi-

So, anything that has an environmen-

tional topics that really got me interest-

tal impact within our four walls is, gen-

ed in this work. Then I just started

erally speaking, something I would

asking for more work around environ-

look at.�

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CLICK TO WATCH : ‘AT&T HELPS RESTORE COMMUNICATIONS AFTER HURRICANE MATTHEW’ 39 AT&T has had a long history of corporate social responsibility, even if it wasn’t always labelled as CSR. “We

also seeing how we can have the most sustainable business practices possible.”

One of the first things Carroll explored

have an extensive history of strong

when he stepped into his current role

energy management and corporate

was AT&T’s greenhouse gas footprint.

real estate management,” Carrol

Carroll monitored all the different

explains. “We looked at things like

aspects of scope 1, scope 2 and scope

waste water, and obviously there

3 through an inventory to gather the

are natural financial incentives to use

required information. “Once we had

those resources, but you also want to

that information, we had it verified by

look at being a good corporate citizen.

an independent third party,” he explains.

What are the positive environmental

“That was a great introduction to the

impacts of doing that? I see my role,

job because I got to touch all parts of

first and foremost, as looking into what’s

the business when undertaking a cor-

going to be best for the company, while

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ENERGY MANAGEMENT

40

there you then start looking at some of

important. You’re looking internally, but

the larger responsibilities, such as waste

you’re also looking externally. You’re

and how you dematerialise. What

trying to think strategically while you

projects have been done? What was

still have the practical responsibilities

successful? What wasn’t successful?

to get the job done.”

What maybe didn’t happen in terms of

As the scale of operations at AT&T

timing and can you pick up the ball again

is so vast, Carroll liaises with Chief Sust-

and start trying to work with what hasn’t

ainability Officer, Charlene Lake. They

been done? You have to be strategic in

operate at what Carroll describes as

your thinking. You’ve got to read the tea

the ‘inc. level’ or the corporate side of

leaves and see how the wind’s blowing

operations. “The advantage that gives

externally as well. There’s obviously an

us is we can go into all parts of the

importance to the business and what

business, essentially representing the

our stakeholders are asking of us is

company. What’s really important

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though is that we don’t just walk into

With support from AT&T’s corporate

the different business units and say,

level, Carroll and his team launched

‘This is what you’re gonna do!’ We have

10X Goals. AT&T’s renewable energy

to be good business partners, whether

investments are a part of this carbon

it’s internal or external. We’re very lucky

reduction goal, helping to enable

that sustainability really is at the core

carbon savings 10 times the footprint

of a lot of our work. So, as we go in to

of AT&T’s operations by 2025. “We

talk to our network folks or our corpo-

have somebody who works full-time

rate real-estate folks, or our supply

on that making sure the methodology

chain folks, they’re already doing a lot

is sound,” says Carroll. “We have some-

of this work. What we try to do is help

body who’s working on the numerator

frame that work and see what we can

part of that, making sure that our pro-

amplify; see what we can do better. We

ducts and services can deliver that.

just try to partner with them.”

You have me, I’m on more the denomi-

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41

ENERGY MANAGEMENT

nator side. I’m trying to shrink our own operational footprint so it makes it easier to achieve it. We’re very lucky. We are a large company, but we have the right amount of resources addressing sustainability here.”

One of the challenges Carrol cites as specific to large-scale renewable energy is that first time you put the practice into action. Thus, off-site research is essential in getting these methods right. “We’ve obviously been looking at renewable energy options 42

for years and years and years. We did have some onsite solar and we just knew, because of our scale, that if we’re going to have a significant impact we needed to look offsite at the largescale renewable energies. We look at what others are doing and then try to

FACTS

• AT&T’s renewable energy website, provides an overview of the deals the company announced this year and their impact: Click here for website • AT&T’s 10x website, which outlines the 10x goal and includes case studies of the company working with customers to reduce their environmental footprint: Click here for website • AT&T’s sustainability reporting website, which includes the information from the company’s annual CSR report: Click here for website • The Energy Management issue brief: Click here for website

figure out if that’s something that could potentially work for us. You do a lot of

go from a relatively small renewable

research and then bring that research

energy concern to one of the largest

and those findings home. We would

corporate buyers in the United States?

then start stakeholdering those. I’d say

A lot of education has to be done,

the biggest challenge is because you’ve

in getting people familiar with new

never done it before, you have to edu-

terminology. I’d say that’s the biggest

cate a lot of folks on what it is and how

challenge; the newness of it all.”

it works and how the mechanics of it

In reference to large scale renew-

work. What does it mean for AT&T to

able energy, AT&T is one of the top five

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ENERGY MANAGEMENT

corporate renewable energy buyers in

even if people don’t know it by name,

the US. “The fact that we were able to

they’re doing the work. These are folks

scale up so quickly is a credit to the

who do sustainability for a living. We

professionalism we have on our energy

already have folks who are trying to

management team. I would say the

save as much water as they can. They’re

thing I’m most proud of is just the scale

already trying to remove as many kilo-

’cause what you’re really looking for is

watts as they can from the business.

impact. We’re proud of the 820 mega-

They’re already trying to be as efficient

watts we’ve done so far. We’re the

as they can.”

evangelists. We’re going around talking

AT&T has an energy intensity goal,

about all the benefits. The interesting

relative to its network, to be 60% more

thing is when you go into the different

efficient. Carroll wants to push more

business units, my experience is that

data through the network using the same,

44

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or less energy. “We have a public goal around that. We have a public goal to

“A few years ago, we worked with EDF on our water footprint. We’re always looking at every aspect of our operations” — Shannon Thomas Carroll, Director of Global Environmental Sustainability at AT&T

reduce our fleet emissions by 30%.

We have lots of public goals that are already tagged at this work and within the business units.

They just have their heads down and are doing the really hard work to achieve this. When we come into departments and explain it’s really about the work that they’re already doing, the light bulbs go off and they become really good business partners. We’re constantly looking at the landscape in terms of the environment. A few years ago, we worked with EDF on our water footprint for example. We’re always looking at every aspect of our operations.”

Technology is driving sustainability and AT&T is largely a technology company thus possessing a read edge when it comes to finding solutions.

“I would say just about everything we do has a technology component,” Carroll explains. “For example, we’ve got a project called Icon. It’s basically our internal IoT solution, where we’ve put sensors on all types of internal equipment, including network equipment, w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

45

ENERGY MANAGEMENT

“ We’re proud of the 820 megawatts we’ve done so far. We’re the evangelists. We’re going around talking about all the benefits” — Shannon Thomas Carroll, Director of Global Environmental Sustainability at AT&T

46

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HVACS, water towers, everything you can think of. We then actively monitor that through our Icon dashboard and are able to look at predictive and preventative maintenance. Are things running as efficiently as they should? If they aren’t, how can we maximise their efficiency? There’s a lot of data out there, so the key is not just having accessibility to data, but being able to do something smart and good with it. We need to make good, smart decisions around that data.”

“I think it’s important when you’re a company our size that you’re comprehensive. You need to have a short-term plan, a mid-term plan and a longterm plan. You have to think strategically, you have to look far down the line.

You just can’t say you’re going to do this and that. You have to be transparent in the way that you do it. And you have actually have to do it.”

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47

TECHNOLOGY

48

DRONES AT THE CENTRE OF OUR SUSTAINABLE FUTURE Richard Burrett, Chief Sustainability Officer, and Jim Totty, Managing Director of Earth Capital, discusses the increasing impact drone technology is having on the UK WRITTEN BY

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RICHARD BURRE T T

AND

JIM TOT T Y

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TECHNOLOGY

D

rones offer many global industry sectors the opportunity to adopt more sustainable business models.

In the UK alone the drone economy could exceed ÂŁ42bn by 2030, according to research by PwC. There is the enormous potential of drone usage from a sustainability perspective, particularly in the areas of environmental monitoring, agriculture, inspection, and sustainable logistics.

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING 50

Drones enable us to reach environmentally critical places that would otherwise be much more difficult to access. One example is that of rainforests where thick or challenging undergrowth makes overland access difficult. In these conditions, drones can assist with aerial mapping of forestry for conservation purposes or identification of illegal logging in protected forestry regions.

The same potential exists in other remote areas both onshore and offshore. This monitoring has previously been done using satellites or even manned aircraft, but drones can get close up footage which facilitates precision mapping. Sensors and thermal imaging equipment can easily be fitted onto drones and then sent into a J U LY 2 0 1 9

“ DRONES CAN BE DEPLOYED TO COLLECT DATA SUCH AS WEATHER AND SOIL MOISTURE, ENABLING MORE EFFECTIVE LAND MANAGEMENT”

51

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TECHNOLOGY

CLICK TO WATCH : EARTH CAPITAL - THE SUSTAINABILITY REVOLUTION 52 variety of landscapes including forests, ocean waters or even glaciers.

Drones can be deployed to collect data such as weather and soil moisture, enabling more effective land management. They can give landowners a richer picture of their forests and fields and assist in optimising planting as well as monitoring future crop growth and health. According to the FAO, this

— Jim Totty, Managing Director at Earth Capital

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may be critical in a world which needs to increase food production by almost 50% by 2050 to

feed a population of nine billion when

to use. Drones can identify areas of

resources such as land and water are

land which are most impacted by

becoming more scarce.i Where such

summer droughts, helping farmers

regular monitoring is required, a

use precision irrigation to conserve

drone’s relative ease of deployment

precious water resources.

is a benefit and can facilitate a regular

Current agricultural techniques

sustainability assessment of how a

include blanket spraying of herbicide

landscape is changing. Drones make

and pesticide. However, we are

this kind of survey much more

seeing increasing numbers of

feasible than existing technology.

start-up technologies deploying ground-based drones, which can be

AGRICULTURE

used for sustainable micro-weeding

Drones offer innovative ways of

of high-value row crops. Drones are

managing resources and water, and

53

offer exciting opportunities to address key challenges in agriculture.

Flying drones are being used for sustainable management of arable crops, where they can take detailed photos and identify the optimal use of irrigation and fertiliser.

In the UK, smart irrigation for arable crops is increasingly in demand, requiring new sources of data and diagnostic tools. To reduce water wastage, irrigation technologies require vital data from drones to diagnose when and how a crop needs irrigating and how much water

— Richard Burrett, Chief Sustainability Officer at Earth Capital

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TECHNOLOGY

“ DRONES ARE MORE EFFICIENT THAN OVERLAND VEHICLES IN COVERING DIFFICULT TERRAINS SUCH AS FORESTS, MOUNTAINS OR INDUSTRIAL SITES” 54

able to move up rows, use image

in this market in 10 to 20 years’ time.

recognition technology to recognise

In Australia, herding with helicopters

weeds, and apply targeted treatment

is already commonplace, and drones

to weeds directly, minimising the use

can expand this market globally, both

of harmful chemicals.

cheaply and sustainably. Going

Drones are also being developed

forward, drones will also be used for

for livestock farming, and are

individual animal management.

expected to have widespread use

Autonomous diagnostic systems

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55

under development could help

In many circumstances, drones are

farmers pick up early signs of raised

more efficient than overland vehicles

temperatures or illnesses in the herd.

in covering difficult terrains such as forests, mountains or industrial sites.

INSPECTION

Drones can fly over targeted areas at

There are clear sustainability and

speed and relay information back

cost benefits in using drones over

for immediate analysis and remote

other aerial options for inspection.

processing. There are potential w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

TECHNOLOGY

health and safety benefits too in using unmanned drones rather than people in challenging areas and climates. This can also apply to the inspection of infrastructure projects or equipment such as onshore and offshore wind turbines, reducing the need for potentially dangerous human inspection. One Scottish firm Cyberhawk inspected its first turbine by drone as long ago as 2010. It has subsequently inspected thousands across Europe. In March this 56

year, it was acquired by private equity investors.

SUSTAINABLE LOGISTICS Distribution businesses and services are also exploring the potential use of delivery drones to enhance sustainability. Drones can be more cost and energy-efficient than other solutions in both ‘last mile’ and long distance deliveries. Analysts have also determined that, in some cases, delivery drones could be more efficient than even a standard fleet of delivery trucks.ii This has both potential cost and resource saving.

The increasing development and J U LY 2 0 1 9

adoption of drone technology is also bringing down prices enhancing their cost-effectiveness further.

However, not all drone applications have met with universal support.

A Rio Tinto plan in Australia to allow a sub-contractor Sodexo to monitor employees on a remote mining site raised issues about employee consent. Privacy laws will be tested in their usage too.

Drones offer many commercial solutions as we transition to a more sustainable world. Key global sectors such as Industrials, agriculture and logistics will be transformed through their technology and services. Drones will be at the heart of sustainability in the coming decades.

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CSR

58

Social impact: balancing profit and purpose Natasha Mudhar, Global CEO of Sterling Group and The World We Want, discusses why CSR should be a company-wide initiative rather than just ticking a box WRITTEN BY

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NATASHA MUDHAR

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CSR

60

W

hile most corporates and

CSR is a means for companies to

businesses have imple-

bring benefit to themselves and employ-

mented a social impact

ees whilst also benefiting society. While

strategy, many are typically incongru-

businesses are becoming increasingly

ent with the company’s profitability

aware of the benefits of having such

and growth objectives, and are often

a strategy, they are still lacking in aware-

rendered obsolete. Effective social

ness as to how deep a social impact

impact strategies need to be ingrained

strategy needs to be embedded in

in the very fabric of a company’s

a company and why it needs to be

corporate DNA, and not just a tick in

embraced in this way.

the box. Companies are still failing to

A global study by the SEFORIS project

grasp how having an effective social

(the world’s largest study of social

impact strategy is key to long term

enterprises to date) has revealed how

growth and viability.

companies delivering inclusive growth

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61

by implementing a social impact strategy

purpose alongside each other. In order

are also seeing rapid growth in revenue.

for a company to truly thrive, it needs to

Effective social impact strategies are

be both profitable and purposeful

designed to improve a company’s overall

simultaneously. An organisation that is

mission, not just its brand identity. Not

both profit and purpose driven provides

to be confused with marketing or

mobility to its employees and resourc-

corporate philanthropy, social impact

es in a way that is incomparable. For

strategies provide a concrete plan that

a business to grow, purpose needs to

has quantifiable business outcomes

be embedded in its core. Companies

combined with a measurable and defin-

need to do well by doing good.

itive societal impact.

It is no longer enough to be just profit

In order to address this, companies must fully understand how their employ-

driven. What makes companies stand

ees can be one of their biggest assets

out is their ability to place profit and

to expand their social impact footprint. w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

CSR

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“ CSR is a means for companies to bring benefit to themselves and employees whilst also benefiting society” — Natasha Mudhar, CEO, Stirling Group and The World We Want

Exhibiting a strong social impact strategy not only enhances trust among the public and makes the company attractive to prospective employees but also results in a more engaged workforce, geared to generate not only revenue, but valuable channels for marketing and public relationships. The people of a business provide the most genuine representation of a company’s brand and value, organisations need to remember this when considering social impact.

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Employees are much more engaged

and are not measurable against an

and satisfied when given the opportu-

embedded, well-implemented social

nity to perform impactful work. This will

impact strategy, focusing on the day-

result in a stronger feeling of fulfilment

to-day contributions towards community

and purpose amongst employees and

engagement as opposed to the occa-

essentially enhance a positive impact

sional donation or charitable event.

in the workplace. Studies have shown

Scaling up social impact needs to be

how corporate social responsibility has

a multi-sector process. Effective cross-

been highlighted as one of the key most

sector collaboration will enable new

important drivers of employee engage-

techniques and approaches to be

ment, and engaged employees are

deployed to achieve better social

effective workers and drive results.

outcomes. The combination of public,

Weak outreach efforts to the community should no longer be acceptable

private and social sector collaboration can address complex social challenges

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Natasha Mudhar Natasha Mudhar is an international communicator and director working on some of the most socially relevant global campaigns. She is also Global CEO of Sterling Media, the multi-disciplinary, international business consultancy with a robust communications backbone, established in 1995. Representing SMEs, FTSE 100 companies including billion-dollar hedge funds, as well as disruptors, innovators and high-profile celebrities, Mudhar’s insight and global understanding in the realm of business, brand development, market growth and entry strategies has assisted major players in aligning their vision with their business strategies.

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CSR

“ Weak outreach efforts to the community should no longer be acceptable” — Natasha Mudhar, CEO, Stirling Group and The World We Want

64

by pulling resources from various players to ensure the improvement of effectiveness and efficiency of the services companies can offer to the public through joint efforts. Too often public, private and social sectors are segregated and siloed, with their resources fragmented, they need to work together towards common goals and enable mutually desired social outcomes.

Who does the responsibility lie with?

It is up to the company’s leadership to ensure that social impact is at the top J U LY 2 0 1 9

of the business agenda. They must ensure that an effective strategy is embedded into the company’s day-today workings, prioritising long-term value in a way that mutually benefits both employees and society at large.

CEOs must outline clear objectives and purpose of the company beyond financial touchpoints, defining their values. It is important that these guiding values permeate every decision-making process, from environmental footprint to social impact to investment decisions.

Businesses must consider social impact as a company wide initiative and not just a tick in the box. Otherwise, they risk losing the trust of the public which can be extremely damaging in the long term. In this age of heightened transparency and increased accountability, companies cannot afford to leave this issue unaddressed. The consequences in doing so can be profound.

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65

UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF H.H. SHEIKH KHALIFA BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

BE A PART OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL ENERGY CONGRESS ABU DHABI, 9-12 SEPTEMBER 2019

15,000 Attendees

7,000

Trade Visitors

4,000 Delegates

2,500 Exhibitors

600 Media

500 CEOs

250

Speakers

70

Ministers

THE GLOBAL LEADERSHIP FORUM THAT DEFINES THE STRATEGY FOR A COLLABORATIVE, SUSTAINABLE AND INNOVATIVE ENERGY FUTURE, THAT ENABLES SOCIETAL, COMMERCIAL AND COMMUNITY PROSPERITY.

REGISTER NOW

You

The 24th World Energy Congress Programme

T

he Congress programme has been developed to provide an environment to provoke the world’s energy leadership to re-evaluate their strategic planning.

Although we expect to welcome 4,000 delegates, the programme is designed with an audience in mind that consists of just four people – an energy minister, a producer CEO, a user CEO and a bellwether financier. The programme only consists of content that motivates and deserves the interest of these representatives of the industry’s top leadership. If you are a leader in the energy market, or want to share the information that influences these leaders’ decision making, you will attend the Congress programme.

Under the theme of “Energy for Prosperity”, the main four-day Congress programme has over 70 sessions that address the critical issues across all sectors and regions in the energy market.

It focuses on prosperity for nations, for corporations, for societies, the environment and individuals.

Content is driven by cold facts and case studies, and coloured by provocative opinion from experts from every side of the debate to ensure an inspiring, informative and

unique content experience.

With no agenda, political or preconceptions, the programme will deliver the information and interpretation that allows better decisions to be made. The programme looks at the energy market in the realistic context of economic uncertainty, political instability, material possibility and opportunity.

The reality is that tomorrow’s energy goals cannot be realized with the tools, technologies and trading environment that is in place today. These goals will require radical thinking that provides a secure, environmentally-sympathetic and prosperous transition. The programme focuses on how the entire global energy ecosystem may work together to ensure a regulatory, investment, technological and skills environment that delivers real change.

Running under the aegis of the main Congress programme are a series of side events, co-produced with hand-picked partners from thought, investment, innovation and business leadership. These side events allow delegates to dive deeper into topics of interest, and enter into detailed debate with top experts, market influencers and visionaries.

Host Sponsors

www.wec24.org

The programme has been curated to deliver an experience that requires the attendance of industry’s leadership. Do not expect to agree with everything you hear, but do expect to have to evaluate whether your existing values and beliefs are correct.

Side Events

Strategic Partnerships

Co-host Sponsors

T O P 10

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TOP 10 Green countries Business Chief takes a closer look at the top 10 most environmentally friendly countries, based from The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2018 findings WRITTEN BY

AMBER DONOVAN-STEVENS

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T O P 10

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10

Finland 78.64%

Though Finland ranks at the bottom of our top 10, it has the highest rank for environmental health in the 2018 Environmental Performance Index (EPI). There are countless sustainability initiatives that are taking place across the country to preserve Finland’s naturally luscious land. Some of these include the Keep the Archipelago Tidy Association; Green Key Finland, which has been awarded to over 70 environmentally aware companies within the tourism industry and ECEAT (European Centre for Ecological and Agricultural Tourism), which develops and promotes tourism that supports organic agriculture and sustainable land use.

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09

Ireland 78.77%

Ireland is currently halfway to mee-ting its set target of 16% of all of its energy needs by 2020, as outlined in the Renewable Energy Directive 2009. It also has a target of produ-cing 42.5% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020. According to Eirgrid, it already has 32%.

The Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment reported that to date, Ireland has a wind capacity of 2,851 MW. Ireland’s 2020 target was divided into sectors, with 12% of renewable energy attributing the heat sector. The Support Scheme for Renewable Heat was put in place to support commercial, industrial, agricultural, district heating, public sector and other non-domestic heat users, and excluding Non-Emissions Trading (non-ETS) sector. w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

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08

Austria 78.97%

In The Renewable Energy Directive 2009, Austria’s allocated target was 34% of the share of energy generated from renewable sources in gross final energy consumption. Output of renewable energy currently stands at 32.5%. According to Invest in Austria (ABA), Austria has 700 run-of-river power plants and 3,100 small-scale hydropower stations in operation, generating about 60% of Austria’s electricity needs. Austria also has considerable funding to encourage institutions to use green energy, as the Green Electricity Act 2012 doubled funding to US$55.7mn.

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07

Luxembourg 79.12%

Luxembourg’s renewable energy comes from hydropower, wind, biomass and solar power. The National Renewable Energy Action Plan reports that Luxembourg has the second smallest projection for increase in renewable energy with just 12% by 2020. Luxembourg supports the production of electricity by offering three types of remuneration. Feed-in tariffs are available to inhabitants, and can be organised with a network manager. Civil or cooperative companies. Market premiums can only be entered into with a network manager if the production capacity is at least 500 kW. Calls for tender which are limited to photovoltaic installations with a power output of at least 500 kW and at most 5 MW. w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

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06

United Kingdom 79.89%

The United Kingdom ranks in sixth place, with almost one third of power coming from renewable energy. The 2009 EU Renewable Directive established a target of 15% reduction of energy consumption for the UK by 2020. According to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, renewable energy accounts for 30% of the total electricity in the UK, with the largest contributing power being wind energy (13.8), overtaking coal, oil and other power by 6.5%.

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05

Sweden 80.51%

Sweden has one of the largest energy consumptions per capita, but Swedish carbon emissions are incredibly low compared to other countries. This is because 80% of electricity production in Sweden comes from nuclear and hydroelectric power. Sweden’s voluminous supply of biomass and moving water contributes to its high supply of renewable energy. Sweden has long surpassed the government’s 2020 goal of 50% renewable energy, as it achieved this back in 2012.

Today, more than half of the energy in Sweden comes from renewable sources. The country aims to have 100% renewable electricity production by 2040.

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04

Malta

80.90%

Malta ranks well in the top green countries because it does not have domestic resources of fossil fuels and gas distribution. In the Renewable Energy Directive 2009, the EU set Malta’s target of renewable energy at 10% by 2020. Malta is on track to meet the 2020 goal, and has a number of open schemes open to help combat this such as the Feed-in Tariff scheme, Photovoltaic Grant scheme, Solar Water Heater scheme, and the Heat Pump Water Heater scheme.

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03

Denmark 81.60%

The government has shared its plans to become 100% reliable on renewable energy sources by 2050. Currently 39% of electricity is from renewable energy. Denmark’s flat land makes it particularly viable for wind power. Its long coastline also presents potential for wave energy to become a part of the country’s 2050 goal. According to Risø-DTU, the National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy, to achieve this ambitious plan, annual energy consumption needs to decrease by 1-3% annually.

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T O P 10

02

France 83.95%

In 2016, France unveiled a 1km solar panel road in Tourouvre-au-Perche, which produced enough power to light the streets of the village. In the same year the country

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was the first to ban supermarkets from destroying unsold edible food. Food just outside of its sell-by date must now be donated to charities or used for animal feed. In October 2018, the French energy group Engie received permission to build two offshore wind projects off of Noirmoutier and Île d’Yeu islands. The project should double France’s wind power by 2023. Major projects include citywise speed limits of 30km across non major roads by 2020, and removing diesel cars from the roads by 2024, and petrol cars by 2030.

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T O P 10

01

Switzerland 87.42%

Switzerland scored the highest of all the countries in the Environmental Performance Index. In 2017 Switzerland was one of the top five fastest countries to adapt the UN’s Sustainable Devel-

80

opment Goals. In 2017 Capturing Carbon opened and the plant directly removes Carbon Dioxide from the air and delivered to a greenhouse containing some 250,000 plants. This will help Switzerland to achieve its UN objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20–30% by 2020. Zurich was named the most sustainable city by the Arcadis Sustainable Cities Index. This was largely credited to the city’s plan to become more sustainable by becoming a 2000-watt society by 2050.

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EVENTS & A S S O C I AT I O N S

The biggest industry events and conferences EDITED BY ANDREW WOODS from around the world

02–03 SEPTEMBER

Sustainable Foods Summit Asia-Pacific [ BALI, INDONESIA ]

27–29 AUGUST

82

Intersolar South America 2019

The APAC edition of the Sustainable Foods Summit is now in its third iteration, this year with a focus on ethical

[ SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL ]

sourcing and supply chain transparency.

With 11,500+ visitors, 1,500+ conference

The event includes conference ses-

attendees and 180 exhibitors, Intersolar

sions on ingredients, packaging and

has become the most important platform

more. With sister events taking place in

for manufacturers, suppliers, distributors,

Europe, Latin America and North Amer-

service providers, investors and partners

ica, the organisers, Ecovia Intelligence,

of the solar industry. Intersolar South

promise that the Bali event will be car-

America takes place at the Expo Center

bon neutral, with any impact measured

Norte in São Paulo, Brazil in August has

and offset. Globally, the summit has

a focus on the areas of photovoltaics,

been going since 2009, and Ecovia

PV production technologies, energy

also provides research publications on

storage and solar thermal technologies.

topics like cosmetics, textiles and sustainable packaging.

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16–17 OCTOBER

Offshore Wind Executive Summit

Ethical Corporation’s Sustainability Reporting and Communications Summit 2019

[ HOUSTON, TX, USA ]

[ AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS ]

Bringing together decision makers from

Join over 300 global CEOs, investors

wind and offshore oil and gas, both from

and heads of business for this two-day

the US and Europe, the Offshore Wind

event to learn how businesses can pro-

Executive Summit looks at technology

mote greater transparency and shape

innovation, design, foundations, vessels,

the future of sustainability reporting

cabling and workforce skills. The sum-

and communications. Speakers at this

mit provides the forum to establish new

year’s event include Frances Way, Chief

business relationships. Discussion

Strategy Office at CDP, Rasmus Skov,

points include project development,

Head of Group Sustainability at Orsted,

important policy issues and supply

as well as Fiona Wild, Vice President,

chain management.

Climate Change and Sustainability at

09–10 SEPTEMBER

BHP Billiton.

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83

EVENTS & A S S O C I AT I O N S

17–20 OCTOBER

IEEVChina [ BEIJING, CHINA ]

IEEVChina, or the International New Energy and Intelligent Connected Vehicles Exhibition, dubs itself as the 84

“largest professional event in Asia”. It will include exhibitors covering topics

12–14 NOVEMBER

such as intelligent transportation, inter-

BSR Conference 2019

net and communications, AI and new

[ SAN JOSE, CA, USA ]

energy. The event will operate across

This year marks the 27th annual BSR

five indoor exhibition halls, 10 feature

conference, one of the most prestigious

exhibition areas and one outdoor test

sustainability events in the business

driving experience area. Concurrent

calendar. The theme for this year’s event

forums will also take place across

is ‘The New Climate for Business’. BSR

China. This year’s event is hosted by

speakers will include global leaders

the China Council for the Promotion

spanning business, sustainability and

of International Trade Machinery Sub-

civil society. Last year’s event, saw

Council, the China Electrotechnical

speakers including Kate Brandt, Google

Society, Autoknow Magazine, Global

Sustainability Officer at Google and

Auto Group and China Automotive

Marie-Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainabil-

Engineering Research Institute Co Ltd.

ity Officer and Head of International Institutional Affairs at Kering.

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04–05 FEBRUARY

edie Sustainability POWERGEN International Leaders Forum 2020 [ LONDON, UK ] exhibition & summit 19–21 NOVEMBER

[ NEW ORLEANS, US ]

The edie Sustainability Leaders Forum

With over 14,000 people attending last

is set to host over 300 sustainability

years’ event, POWERGEN International

leaders from CEOs and sustainability

is a must-see summit for generators,

directors to policymakers and NGOs.

utilities and solution-providers

The forum includes global names like

engaged in power generation.

Unilever, Coca Cola, P&G, NG, AXA and

“The exhibit hall provides an interactive

more. The event is organised by edie, a

experience personalized to connect

sustainable business media organisa-

attendees with the latest technology

tion which provides research and

and innovations in the conventional

reports for sustainability professionals.

and renewable markets from around

It also organises industry awards which

the world,” reads the event’s website.

recognises those who are “redefining

“The summit and knowledge hubs

what it means to be a sustainable, ethi-

deliver transformative content includ-

cal and responsible business”. The

ing disruption from conventional and

awards include categories such as con-

emerging, clean and sustained energy

sultancy of the year, carbon reduction,

sources, niche technologies and the

energy efficiency, rising sustainability

fluctuation of economics and policy.

star and sustainable supply chains.

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•

86

Landcom leads the way on sustainability Written by

William Smith Produced by

Ryan Hall

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LANDCOM

Lauren Kajewski, Director of Sustainability & Learning at Landcom, discusses the company’s sustainability pillars and the benefits the organisation and its communities have reaped

88

A

cross the world, organisations are waking up to the necessity of implementing comprehensive sustainability

strategies and the wide-ranging benefits that ensue. Landcom, a land and property development organisation of the government of New South Wales, Australia, can trace its sustainability journey to its first sustainability strategy developed in 2002. Its growing prominence as a sustainability leader is now underpinned by its Sustainable Places Strategy launched in 2017. Lauren Kajewski, Director of Sustainability & Learning, has been with the company for three years. In that time, Kajewski has been pivotal in driving Landcom’s sustainability efforts, implementing a strategy that emphasises transparency, clear targeting and community engagement, among other factors.

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CLICK TO WATCH : ‘2018 HEALTHY AND INCLUSIVE PLACES SURVEY RESULTS’

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LANDCOM

“ I’m proud of how our organisation was able to rally and move really swiftly” — Lauren Kajewski, Director of Sustainability & Learning, Landcom

ience. Healthy & Inclusive Places has the objective of delivering communities founded on equity, affordability and inclusion. The Productive Places pillar has the goal of enabling more than 30,000 jobs by 2036, while Accountable & Collaborative Places reflects Landcom’s commitment to governance and collaboration, both within its own organisation and across the wider supply chain.

It is clear from its goals that Landcom has an inclusive definition of

90

sustainability, one that extends beyond its organisational practices to the communities in which it operates.

All targets are detailed in admirable depth online in the company’s sustainability reports, with specific

Targets

markers of yearly progress. “Get

Landcom’s Sustainable Places Strat-

people on the journey with you so

egy is centred around four pillars,

that they can be involved and share

each with associated targets to

in the benefits,” says Kajewski. “We

measure performance. The first, Cli-

embrace that internally, and use our

mate Resilient Places, is based

IAP2 aligned Join-In Framework to

around delivering low carbon com-

engage our community members so

munities that balance ecological

they can be part of positive change.”

outcomes, reduce climate related stresses and build community resil-

J U LY 2 0 1 9

Landcom’s sustainability strategy is not founded in a vacuum; it is in-

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘WELCOME DINNER PROJECT AT THORNTON’ 91 formed by extensive research and

credible success,” says Kajewski.

consultation, interacting with the

“We haven’t yet realised that with

broader spectrum of sustainability.

the SDGs. They represent a call to

For instance, the strategy aligns

business, organisations and civil so-

with international frameworks in-

ciety to contribute in any way we

cluding the United Nations’ Paris

can. That’s why we founded our

Agreement, with a commitment to

Sustainable Places Strategy on the

carbon neutral communities by 2028,

SDGs and are reporting against

and the Sustainable Development

them. We aim to be transparent in

Goals (SDGs). Consequently, as well

what we think we are contributing

as reporting on its own goals, the

and how we can make an impact.”

company publishes its contribution

The willingness of Landcom to

to the SDGs, highlighting the specif-

lead by example sent it to fourth

ic ways in which the two overlap.

place worldwide in the 2018 Global

“The millennium goals were an in-

Real Estate Sustainability Bench-

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LANDCOM

92

mark (GRESB) Developer Assessment,

ever, our CFO talks about the business

up from seventh in 2017. Kajewski

value created by sustainability.”

sees healthy competition as a booster for the progress of sustainability,

Community

saying: “GRESB has been our first

Landcom’s Pillars and their targets are

foray into using sustainability com-

all intensely interrelated, as Kajewski

petitively, and it has really resounded

explains. “Our Climate Resilient

within the organisation. Staff are

Places pillar focuses on mitigating

looking at sustainability differently.

the impacts of climate change at all

That made it a real advantage for our

of our communities. This includes

team. Sustainability is often thought

collaborating with the people living

of as an extra over and a cost to an

there. When we implement resil-

organisation,” says Kajewski. “How-

ience and adaptation plans they are

J U LY 2 0 1 9

very people-focused, which con-

approach to sustainability. When

nects into Healthy & Inclusive Places.

she was hired, Kajewski brought

Here we have a strong focus on live-

her experience of sustainability in

ability. Interestingly, residents tell

the private sector to Landcom.

us the most important urban design

“Landcom has a strong legacy in

elements to them are access to

sustainability, but we weren’t think-

green open space and canopy cover,

ing of it as a competitive advantage

which loops us back to how we miti-

to our business, which is exactly

gate the effects of climate change,

how the private sector uses it,” says

such as reducing urban heat island

Kajewski. “The call for a refocus on

– part of Climate Resilient Places.”

sustainability originally came from

This sense of things building

our Board who wanted us to have

from, and feeding into, one another

‘a world class sustainability strategy’.

is evident throughout Landcom’s

It became my job to deliver that.”

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Lauren Kajewski Lauren Kajewski is a successful corporate sustainability professional, with the ability to lead complex environmental and social sustainability projects to effect positive change.

Kajewski is the Director of Sustainability & Learning at Landcom — delivering sustainable and affordable communities for the people of NSW. In this role, Lauren is responsible for all facets of sustainability strategy, management, delivery and innovation for Landcom’s portfolio of projects.

Kajewski has a Masters of Sustainability & Environmental Management at Harvard University, has recently achieved her Professional Graduate Certificate in Corporate Sustainability & Innovation from Harvard University. w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

93

LANDCOM

“ My mum needs to understand what we do and what we achieved in a year.

If she can’t, I’ve got a problem” — Lauren Kajewski, Director of Sustainability & Learning, Landcom 94

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WE’RE NOT JUST SEEING THE BIG PICTURE. TOGETHER, WE’RE BUILDING IT TOO

Landcom’s pioneering vision hasn’t just unlocked lasting value from NSW’s assets. It’s creating resilient, liveable communities that are truly sustainable – socially, economically and environmentally – where the people of NSW can build their futures. And we’re proud to have helped Landcom turn that vision into a market-leading model that can benefit the State and its people for generations to come.

Get in touch for more information

So too does the drive to extend Landcom’s commitments reach into

1976

Year founded

their work with other developers and construction companies.

Kajewski details how Landcom has partnered with Clayton Utz, a leading Australian law firm, to develop a rigorous approach of filtering sustainability into their contracts and asset divestment. “Even when we divest an asset we still require a developer to achieve sustainability outcomes. Clayton Utz helped us to

AU$775mn Sales revenue (2018)

2028

Commitment to enabling carbon neutral projects

set very clear goals up front, and

is always a great experience due to

then use a range of mechanisms to

the combination of their vision and

ensure these ambitions are achieved.

their readiness to challenge busi-

They have helped us position this

ness-as-usual practices in order to

strategically within the market – again

return deeper value from their pro-

we use sustainability as a competi-

jects – a mindset which is reflected

tive advantage. There aren’t prolific

throughout the organisation, from

mandatory requirements, but clear-

the Board through to the project

ly articulated outcomes we want

teams. This commitment to innovat-

achieved. This flexibility is essential,

ing beyond the norm and building

and fosters market innovation.”

a new and better standard is some-

Eugene Tan, Special Counsel at

thing which Landcom and Clayton

Clayton Utz, further details the rela-

Utz share a passion for. Together –

tionship with Landcom and the work

with the clarity of Landcom’s vision

they do together to advance the

and without the constraints of prec-

cause of sustainability. “Working with

edent – we have created a new

[Lauren and] the team at Landcom

contracting framework in which the

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97

value of sustainability is an inherent

contributing towards, and drawing

commercial factor in all of Land-

from, the ever-growing body of sus-

com’s dealings; providing a more

tainability knowledge. “As a State

comprehensive basis for evaluating

Owned Corporation, part of our role

the overall value returned to the

is to lead by example. The sustain-

State, driving competition within the

ability world is small and those of us

private sector to deliver higher qual-

in it are highly collaborative. We’re

ity urban environments and creating

very happy to share knowledge and

places which are focussed on the

pull together to make a difference.”

people of NSW. We are proud to be part of Landcom’s ground-breaking sustainability journey and its transformation of NSW.” In the end, Kajewski sees the sustainability work of Landcom as

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Reporting “The lens I always end up using is that my mum needs to understand what we do and what we achieved in a year,” says Kajewski. “If she can’t,

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘SKILLS EXCHANGE 2018’ 99 I’ve got a problem.” Consequently,

we are doing – and in a digital age

Landcom has worked with Sydney

that means having an excellent

design agency Walterwakefield to

online presence,” says Kajewski.

move away from huge, dense yearly

“At our core, we communicate

reports. The goal is to make Land-

complex information, simply,” says

com’s sustainability performance

Jaimy Walter, Managing Partner and

results accessible, tangible and eas-

Creative Director at Walterwakefield.

ily digestible. “That’s what

We work with our clients to under-

Walterwakefield have helped us

stand their business strategy

achieve. Our website is now our

implicitly, then employ our visual

one source of truth, is highly interac-

arsenal to deliver these key messag-

tive and preferences infographics

es as effectively as possible. Be

and visual communications over

that through applying logic, clever

text heavy reports. Ultimately we

use of data, or enhancing the mes-

want people to engage with what

sage through the use of pictures,

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LANDCOM

“ Our CFO talks about the business value created by sustainability” — Lauren Kajewski, Director of Sustainability & Learning, Landcom infographics or video creation.

Whatever most effectively communicates the concept and creates impact.” This transparent publica100

tion of data is cited by Kajewski as important in inspiring others to help contribute towards sustainability within the industry and civil society at large.

Of course, it is undoubtedly the case that you can only report on what you know, and Landcom’s data collection efforts are crucial to gathering knowledge on progress towards its goals. “We have a very comprehensive sustainability platform that soaks up data, often in real time,” says Kajewski. “Then, that is synthesised into clear dashboards so we can get a nice clean picture of where things are at.”

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Landcom’s data collection efforts are continuously expanding along with the scope of their targets, and consequently Kajewski notes that care must be taken to avoid becoming swamped by irrelevant items.

Through cleverly targeted collection, Landcom can give their communities the information that they care about, with Kajewski giving the example of results from their Healthy & Inclusive Places Survey, that measures satisfaction with quality of life – the results of which are then shared back to participants.

What does the future hold for Landcom? In Australia’s current property market, Kajewski sees the opportunity to leverage Landcom’s strong sustainability focus. “We’ve recently launched sustainability home rebates in the market,” says Kajewski. “If a homeowner designs and delivers their home to a prescribed standard, which we have set to just shy of a carbon neutral home, then we’ll pay you back what you have invested, up to $15,000.” Such schemes allow the company to achieve sustainability outcomes in

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LANDCOM

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“ The SDGs are a call to business, organisations and civil society to contribute in any way you can” — Lauren Kajewski, Director of Sustainability & Learning, Landcom

J U LY 2 0 1 9

circumstances it previously wouldn’t have been able to influence.

Innovations such as these have helped to put Landcom back on the sustainability map, a development that Kajewski credits to efforts across the company. “We’ve managed to drive our current

CO MPAN Y FACT S

• Fourth place worldwide in the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark Developer Assessment • Committing to being carbon neutral and water positive, with zero waste and net positive ecological outcomes by 2028 103

strategy fast. That’s been due to

become a serious consideration at

some really strong collaboration

every level. “I’m proud of how our

between project teams and my

organisation was able to rally and

team, and also having support from

move really swiftly,” says Kajewski.

our CEO, Executives and the Board.” “That feels like quite an Confidence in the role of sustainability, in both a business and social sense, has filtered through the company to

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SA POWER NETWORKS’ JOURNEY TO A DIGITAL UTILITY WRITTEN BY

JOHN O’HANLON PRODUCED BY

ANDY TURNER

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SA POWER NETWORKS

SA Power Networks provides energy to South Australia. Over five years, the transformation of its award-winning IT team, led

by Chris Ford, has demonstrated the power of innovation

W

ith 1.75mn people dispersed over an area of nearly a million square kilometres, the job of distributing electricity to all South

Australia’s inhabitants is no small one. While the vast majority live in Adelaide, supplies need to reach 106

people in upcountry communities like Port Augusta, Nullarbor or Oodnadatta (which lies more than 1,000km from the capital). The job of supplying and maintaining the power infrastructure across this sprawling state, about the size of Germany and France combined, falls to SA Power Networks (SAPN), which employs more than 2,000 people, including an IT team of around 250.

Before Chris Ford was appointed CIO, the IT organisation had yet to live up to its full potential or be recognised as a vital part of the wider business – a familiar story. CEO Rob Stobbe recognised that IT could no longer be seen as a backroom function if the company were to meet the strategic goals of the Future Operating Model it was developing. In 2014, he brought in someone with more than 25 years’ of senior leadership experience, both within J U LY 2 0 1 9

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SA POWER NETWORKS

“ A key pillar of our success as a leadership team has been our willingness to listen” — Chris Ford, General Manager Technology and Innovation, SA Power Networks

and beyond IT, in large regulated enterprises. Previously, the IT leadership had reported indirectly to the senior leadership but Ford was brought straight into the executive team to help drive forward and digitise the business strategy. Five years on, his role has been redefined and broadened to that of General Manager of Innovation and Technology.

It’s refreshing to talk to Ford about his journey so far and his vision for the future. Not afraid of risk, experimentation or even vulnerability, his mind is as

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CLICK TO WATCH : ‘SA POWER NETWORKS – APPRENTICE RECRUITMENT’ 109 much on the people and their engage-

TECHNOLOGY SERVING BUSINESS GOALS

ment as on the nuts and bolts of IT.

Nevertheless, the technology did need

“Technology has changed, of course,

fixing, so the IT leadership team was

but I think the changes in management

radically restructured in 2014 and their

and leadership techniques and ways of

style of working changed. A compre-

working are just as important. Though

hensive review of the way the organisa-

I lead the technology function my real

tion handled its day-to-day processes

focus and strength is in people leader-

took the existing data storage and

ship, the development of capability and

enterprise functions onto the cloud. In

team building.” The evolution of a future

2016, it transitioned its legacy SAP ERP

business strategy, he believes, should

and BW platforms to SAP HANA, giving

go hand in hand with personal evolution

the workforce a database and reporting

and development: change is the engine

system relying on live data and making

of growth, and he has set ‘always evol-

regulatory compliance more depend-

ving’ as one of the IT team’s mantras.

able in a major migration exercise in w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

Microsoft: a trusted digital transformation partner Throughout SA Power Networks’ (SAPN) significant transformation of its IT team and its transition from legacy platforms, software giant Microsoft has been a key partner every step of the way. Rather than a typical vendor-buyer relationship, Microsoft has worked collaboratively to ensure SA Power Networks maximises the value of investment in its solutions.

Collaboration empowered by Office 365 SAPN has adopted Office 365, utilising Teams to improve collaboration across the business with great success – the business helped SA Power implement its Future Operating Model in order to achieve operational excellence. SA employees have transformed the way they work through digital, utilised data to improve customer experience, gained smart insights into how the business can be run more efficiently, and improved communication and collaboration though open platforms.

An important use case of Office365 has been promoting onsite safety. Teams is an easy to use, mobile friendly platform that improves communication between field workers to reduce the number of incidents. Questions can be asked in real-time, even through photos, to gain answers quickly.

Other Office365 tools, SharePoint and Flow, have helped SAPN move from a paper-based to digital system, improving efficiency throughout the company’s procurement process.

Without the need to scan paper documents, and with all information at the fingertips of staff, the business has reduced the procurement timeline from months to weeks.

“We were early adopters of Office 365 and Microsoft have worked very collaboratively with us to ensure we maximise the value of the investment. We have really promoted the use of ‘Teams’ to improve col-

laboration across the organisation and it has been embraced by every group that has tried it.”

– Chris Ford, General Manager Innovation and Technology, SA Power Networks More than a software vendor As a trusted partner, Microsoft brings software engineering, research and development, solutions architecture and support, which would not come from buying an off-the-shelf solution. As such, Microsoft has helped SAPN to innovate through its technologies, formulating the best ways to navigate a complex digital transformation as a true enabler.

With SAPN having come on leaps and bounds implementing a modern workplace, Microsoft is also helping SAPN introduce SAP’s S4/HANA solution on Azure. This next-gen enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution is a truly mission critical application for SAPN. In addition, the partners are collaborating on a Virtual Power Plant project, which is funded by the South Australia government and aims to help South Australia ‘transition to a sustainable energy future’.

Lastly, Microsoft has been instrumental in moving SAPN’s data to the cloud, with all the time and cost efficiency that goes with it. Moving to Microsoft’s cloud-based solutions has also improved collaboration with external partners through secure sharing.

Explore how AI transforms industries and the society:

Learn More

partnership with DXC Oxygen.

operations, My Workday massively sim-

Previously teams going out to restore

plified payroll, while across the business

storm outages, for example, used paper

the roll-out of MS Office 365 provided

maps to locate sites but now they use

employees with tools such as SharePoint

the SAP Work Manager app running on

and Team sites to bring the organisa-

SAP Mobile to access all the informa-

tion together.

tion they need for the job. This alone is saving 2,400 working hours a year.

Earlier this year, SAPN was proclaimed

Ford believes that one of the keys to success is forging strong partnerships with key suppliers. The relationship

Australia’s Digital Utility of the Year for

with Microsoft has been a great example

Energy. Its Digital Strategy, unveiled in

of this, culminating in a study tour to

2018, was a big part of that thanks to

Microsoft’s head office in Redmond

its record of cloud migration and the auto-

last year. Ford says: “we were early

mation of many manual processes. Just

adopters of Office 365 and Microsoft

as Work Manager streamlined field

have worked very collaboratively with

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Chris Ford Chris Ford is an internationally experienced Chief Information Officer with a proven track record of delivery in large private, government and regulated organisations. He is responsible for driving the digital transformation of SA Power Networks.

Ford’s management responsibilities include all aspects of Information Technology, from supporting the day-to-day operations of the business through to delivery of the long-term business strategies enabled by the implementation of innovative, cost-effective and reliable information technology.

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SA POWER NETWORKS

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“ It is about giving people permission to take ownership of a problem, then go and fix it” — Chris Ford, General Manager Technology and Innovation, SA Power Networks

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In this world of complexity, where technology drives constant change, it’s more important than ever to work with the right people. At the right time. In the right ways.

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us to ensure we maximise the value of the investment. We have really promoted the use of ‘Teams’ to improve collaboration across the organisation and it has been embraced by every group that has tried it.”

Leadership strategy benefited too, with the Corporate Portfolio Management Office (CPMO) being given a MS Power BI dashboard that has enabled management to create and share reports and images and insource a lot of contract work. It increased the team’s ability to develop projects and cut the time and effort involved in producing reports.

115

That project helped the CPMO win the award of PMO of the year at the PMI Australia awards in 2018. The Digital

ogy to identify the images on CAD

Strategy, set to be fully in place by

drawings and then machine learning

2025, aims to create a seamless cust-

algorithms to correct and improve them

omer experience through automation

before transferring them to a digital

and equipping the workforce with

drawing. More than 6,000 Quicksilver

digital tools based on robust core

files were converted to intelligent

IT platforms.

AutoCAD drawing files using a machine

The most successful demonstration

learning algorithm while 60,000 files

of the new work culture arose from the

were transferred into Autodesk Vault,

challenge Ford gave to his young deve-

says Ford. “The MLA project was

lopers and engineers to convert thou-

a great success – it saved thousands of

sands of old CAD drawings from different

labour hours and improved the quality

sources onto one new platform. The

and accuracy of our drawings.” The

team used facial recognition technol-

project won two awards – the 2018 w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

SA POWER NETWORKS

Digital Utility Award for ‘Best Use of Technology’ and ICT Project of the Year at the 2018 SA Australian Institute of Project Management.

THE ART OF THE UNEXPECTED The literature of leadership has tended to concentrate on getting the most out of people in much the same way as you’d maintain a machine. Ford doesn’t tick that way, though he does encourage his leadership team to engage with writers like Brené Brown and Aaron Dignan who challenge received thinking.

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He likes to embrace VUCA (volatility, complexity, uncertainty and ambiguity), seeing these seemingly negative or threatening concepts as occasions for growth. “I think the whole style of leadership is currently changing. These people are talking about vulnerability, even as a leader, and being open to your team so they see you as someone with integrity. A key pillar of our success as a leadership team has been our willingness to listen to and work with people across the organisation to improve the way we work.”

One of the first changes Ford made was to join his team in an open office.

IT people are by nature introspective, J U LY 2 0 1 9

he admits – they relish the solitary joy of coding. To encourage intermingling he created a large kitchen area and banned eating at one’s desk. Not only does the team have to eat together, but they are asked to sit with someone they don’t know. “We have created a real buzz in that kitchen as people step out of their comfort zone and share their experiences of both work and life.”

No doubt the kitchen is an incubator of ideas brought before a monthly gettogether called Shark Tank where IT team members can have 15 minutes to present an idea, using no more than four slides. The idea is to share a story of success and challenges overcome, and get feedback from colleagues.

Belying the title, it’s a supportive rather than a critical space, where anyone has the opportunity to gain confidence and show how a simple solution often produces a beneficial result. “It is about giving people permission to take ownership of a problem, then go and fix it,” says Ford.

SAPN has many long-serving staff. For those who had been doing things the same way for many years it must have been a shock when they were asked to embrace Agile working – to challenge w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

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SA POWER NETWORKS

118

without inhibition, and to be challenged

especially for Agile projects. When we

in return. “We started on a journey of

started rolling out Agile, there was

training the IT function first about what

scepticism but then people started to

Agile meant and how it could add value

notice these stand-up meetings and

to the organisation. Slowly over time,

seeing they looked like fun. It’s a viral

we started to engage the wider organisa-

change. If you create pockets of

tion each time a business project needed

energy and enthusiasm people build

a sponsor. So we started to extend our

upon that energy and want to be part

Agile transformation into other parts

of this new revolution.”

of the business as we got better at it.

We have a lot of stand-up meetings, J U LY 2 0 1 9

No wonder then that employee engagement scores went up from

“Our objective is to reduce organisational costs so that customer bills are kept as low as they can be” — Chris Ford, General Manager Technology and Innovation, SA Power Networks

119

below 70% in 2015 to 91% in 2017 –

ing to come into the office in the morning

helped by the abandonment of hierarchy

and feel their energy and enthusiasm.”

in favour of self-motivated teamwork.

Much more important than the awards

WALKING THE WALK

Ford has received are the accolades

The IT building just across the road

he gets from long-service employees

from SAPN headquarters in Adelaide is

who tell him that the simple ability to

an environment Ford is proud of because

get problems solved make these the

it nurtures initiative within the group.

most exciting times they have known. “I

In a traditional organisation, change is

am so proud of the teams,” he enthuses.

often resisted. “I wanted to show the

“I love my work anyway but it’s very warm-

team what a different way of working w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

SA POWER NETWORKS

“ I am so proud of the teams. It’s very warming to come into the office in the morning and feel their energy and enthusiasm” — Chris Ford, General Manager Technology and Innovation, SA Power Networks

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might look like. I believe that together we’ve brought about a cultural transformation because people have found the confidence to try something different; to experiment and to not be afraid of failure and to be confident to challenge one another and be challenged in return.”

The boss sharing an open office is not unheard of perhaps, but five years ago it was a breath of fresh air for SA Power Networks, as was the invitation to people to do their own thing. The staff introduced spontaneous lunchtime slots where team members can run a session on something of interest to them. For example, one person with an interest in meditation started a regular 20-minute meditation and mindfulness slot, while others might focus on aspects of professional development.

“People are becoming teachers as well as students,” he says.

Around the edge of the office there’s an open track to make it easy for people to move around, and meet and collaborate with others. The track inspired one of the team’s more engaging efforts – a collaboration to produce a robot that could navigate the walking track. “The Rise of the Robots was fun and at the same time brought out so many brilliant w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

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SA POWER NETWORKS

ideas. One outcome I hadn’t anticipated was how it brought into play the diversity of the team.” With some 40 different countries of origin represented, there’s no lack of different ways of approaching problems, he adds.

All that is good fun – but it’s fun that benefits the business. Inclusion is at the heart of Ford’s approach. “In developing the digital strategy we took a codesign and co-create approach, getting people across the organisation to work with us and share their vision of the business’s future so we could work out 122

how digital technology could support them in achieving those goals. It is as much about business future as about technology. After all, our objective is to reduce organisational costs so that customer bills are kept as low as they can be.”

With a positive approach to ethnic diversity, Ford is also passionate about giving equal opportunity to women, as well as girls who are considering a future career in the utility sector. Members of his leadership team speak in local schools about succeeding as a woman in the industry and encourage girls to take up STEM subjects. As well as mentoring women within the organisaJ U LY 2 0 1 9

1946

Year founded

2,000

Approximate number of employees

123

tion, he is himself ‘reverse-mentored’ by one of his young female field workers, a process which he describes as inspirational. All this has led to a transformation his entire team can be proud of, he concludes. “Being named Digital Utility of the year for Energy in 2019 is the culmination of five years of hard work: it really gives us feeling that we’re getting it right.”

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PANALPINA SUSTAINABLE LOGISTICS TO MEET CUSTOMER DEMAND 124

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WRITTEN BY

SOPHIE CHAPMAN PRODUCED BY

NATHAN HOLMES

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PA N A L P I N A

PANALPINA’S GLOBAL HEAD OF QUALITY, HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT, LINDSAY ZINGG, REVEALS HOW THE COMPANY IS LISTENING TO CUSTOMER DEMAND AND IMPLEMENTING A SUSTAINABILITY TRANSFORMATION JOURNEY

T 126

he Panalpina Group is one of the world’s leading providers of supply chain solutions.

It focuses on four core products – Air Freight,

Ocean Freight, Logistics and Manufacturing, Energy and Project Solutions – and operates globally with 500 offices across 70 markets and clientele spanning 12 different industries. For Panalpina, sustainability is a top priority.

“I think sustainability is absolutely the way the world’s going. 14 years ago, these issues were never talked about and now it’s becoming a differentiator and a key aspect of business operations,” says Lindsay Zingg, the firm’s Global Head of Quality, Health, Safety and Environment. “We’re finding companies won’t work with us unless we are climate friendly and are willing to help them achieve their climate goals. It’s not just the right thing to do, it’s a core part of how we must do business.”

Over the past decade, Panalpina has fully embraced sustainability and, more importantly, J U LY 2 0 1 9

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PA N A L P I N A

“ W E HAVE BECOME ONE OF THE TOP COMPANIES FOR SUSTAINABILITY – IT’S REALLY BEEN A MASSIVE TRANSFORMATION” — Lindsay Zingg, Global Head of Quality, Health, Safety and Environment, Panalpina

the changes its customers, employees and shareholders expect.

“Honestly, we have now become one of the top companies for sustainability – it’s really been a massive transformation. Everyone from our management team in Basel to employees in the warehouses around the world have had to change their mindset and approach. It’s been really motivating to see,” Zingg says. “Sustainability is really important in our industry.” When it comes to ensuring the company is running its operations sustainably,

128

Zingg attributes this to “defining clear goals, having a clear organisation with sustainability managers and allocating the necessary resources in terms of people, time and tools”.

Demands from customers, employee interests and regulation are the three key drivers of the recent shift in the logistics industry regarding sustainability. “We’re seeing that the retail and automotive industries – our big consumer-facing customers – are highlighting the importance of sustainability. Some of our customers want to be carbon neutral by 2020. For that to happen we must make sure that we, J U LY 2 0 1 9

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘PANALPINA – GLOBAL PLASTIC CAMPAIGN’

as their logistics provider, are reducing our own CO2 emissions.”

In response, the firm has deployed

Taking this even further, in 2015 Panalpina committed to a sciencebased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions

biodiesel trucks in Singapore to serve

reduction targets and was one of the

its customer L’Oréal. Last year, the

first businesses in the logistics industry

company launched an agreement with

to have them approved by the Science

CMA CGM to reduce carbon emissions

Based Target initiative. As part of this,

caused by ocean freight. The goal

the company has pledged to lower its

focuses on the use of liquified natural

Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 20%

gas (LNG) powered vehicles that

by 2025 against a 2013 baseline. Scope

will emit 25% less CO2 emissions,

3 emissions from business travel will

99% less sulfur emissions, 99% less

be reduced by 25% from 2017 levels.

fine particles and 85% less nitrogen oxides emissions.

As another part of its effort to minimise its environmental impact, w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

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PA N A L P I N A

Panalpina (Philippines) supporting underprivileged children

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Panalpina has incorporated recycling

waste is segregated and sold to recy-

into its sustainability transformation

cling companies as possible to reduce

strategy, ensuring it recycles as many

the amount of waste going into landfill.

waste materials as possible, as well as

Between 2013 and 2018, Panalpina

sourcing new materials from recycled

used 38% less paper in its operations,

products. The company aims to use as

as well as 28% less water despite its

many recycled products in its day-to-

employee figure remaining constant.

day operations as possible – including

The company’s sustainability opera-

using 100% recycled plastic from

tions span across biodiesel trucks,

Dubai for its polo shirts. The business

LED lighting, tree planting, recycling,

has also partnered with the Canadian

water conservation, the introduction

firm Shred-it to sustainably dispose of

of electric vehicles and less air travel.

its wastepaper. The business ensures

The scope of Panalpina’s dedication to

as much of its cardboard and plastic

helping the environment and meeting

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customer demand. As an employer of 14,500 people, the company has worked hard to encourage its staff to support the strategy, ensuring that every level of the business is producing as little environmental impact as possible.

But for Panalpina, sustainability is not just GHG emissions and environmental issues. It also includes the health and safety of employees,

“ W E ARE LOOKING FOR POSITIVE ACTIONS THAT BENEFIT NOT ONLY THE COMPANY BUT ALSO THE COMMUNITIES WHERE WE OPERATE” — Lindsay Zingg, Global Head of Quality, Health, Safety and Environment, Panalpina

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Lindsay Zingg Lindsay Zingg, a chemist by training, has been Panalpina’s Global Head of Quality, Health, Safety and Sustainability for 14 years. With over 20 years’ experience in the field of sustainability, she spent her early years in the oil and gas industry before transitioning to the logistics world. In her role at Panalpina, she has led the effort to attain global certification according to ISO 14001, 9001 and OHSAS 18001, and is the driving force behind Panalpina’s GHG reduction programs, its record setting health and safety programs, achieving an “-A” score from CDP and its sustainability reporting efforts. Most importantly she is the mother to two young children, for whom she is committed to leave a healthier, more sustainable world. w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

PA N A L P I N A

“ E VERYONE FROM OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM IN BASEL TO EMPLOYEES IN THE WAREHOUSES AROUND THE WORLD HAVE HAD TO CHANGE THEIR MINDSET AND APPROACH. IT’S BEEN REALLY MOTIVATING TO SEE” — Lindsay Zingg, Global Head of Quality, Health, Safety and Environment, Panalpina

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Shanghai Port

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Efficient.

Pragmatic.

Innovative.

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The SulyticsTool is made by CSR experts for non-experts and its intuitive interface allows for quick onboarding with minimal training requirements. With the SulyticsTool, we make complying with all the leading accounting and reporting standards easy – be it CDP, GRI, DJSI, GRESB, or the EU non-financial reporting directive.

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providing high quality services, con-

standards for quality and environmen-

ducting business in an ethical manner,

tal management. Most important of all,

innovation and thought leadership

customers are recognising Panalpina’s

– and, ultimately, helping customers

outstanding sustainability programs in

achieve their sustainability goals. It has

their RFQ processes.

made great progress in all of these

Panalpina partners with external

areas. In 2018, the Panalpina team set

agencies to help them achieve their

a new record for health and safety

goals. Two Swiss-based firms, Sus-

performance, the company’s best year

tainserv in Zurich and Sulytics in Basel,

yet. Its ethics and compliance programs

are essential partners who provide

are considered best-in-class, and the

advice and tools to guide Panalpina’s

company is globally certified according

sustainability efforts. Panalpina has

to ISO9001 and ISO14001, the leading

deployed a tool from Sulytics, which w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

PA N A L P I N A

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Panalpina (Cambodia), working on improvements at schools

Panalpina (Kenya), supporting school children in Kenya Packing for a relief flight for Unicef

137 it uses to collect data from all of its

rate sustainability not only by its cus-

offices. The web-based platform has

tomers but by several external groups.

been developed with state-of-the art

For example, CDP (formerly known as

sustainability accounting capabilities,

the Carbon Disclosure Project), the

enables the company to transparently

premier platform for corporate GHG

assess its sustainability data and

reporting, gave the company a grade of

efficiently report to senior management

“-A� in 2018 for its response to climate

teams and external stakeholders.

change issues. The business is one

In addition, Sustainserv has provided

of only 12 companies in Switzerland to

strategic guidance, including materiality

be ranked so highly by the organisation,

assessments and support for sustaina-

with the average ranking for firms in the

bility reporting for Panalpina for almost

logistics industry at a C-level. Panalpina

10 years.

has also received a Gold rating from

With this support, Panalpina has been recognised as a leader in corpo-

EcoVadis for its corporate social responsibility, placing within its top 3% w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

PA N A L P I N A

138

Panalpina (Taiwan), collecting and shipping shoes to Africa

J U LY 2 0 1 9

performers overall and in the top 1% of its industry.

Panalpina engages all of its employees in these activities. In 2014, the firm launched Sustainable Action Week to encourage members of its staff to join forces and focus on the sustainability mission of the company. Since its start, nearly 1,500 initiatives have taken place globally, benefiting those most in need and improving the sustainability of Panalpina workplaces and the communities where it operates. In 2018, more than 10 customers and 25 charities took part in over 400 activities in all of Panalpina’s offices. Charities sup-

Panalpina (Taiwan), shoes for life inititave to support Africa

ported this past year include the Basel Area Cancer Foundation and many local charities across Asia. Panalpina’s teams took part in activities including removing plastic waste from beaches, cleaning children’s schools, working with disadvantaged children, helping feed the disadvantaged members of the community and working with a home for the elderly. The company also organises relief flights for UNICEF on an annual basis, targeting different nations in Africa each year and supplying relief goods to countries that w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

139

PA N A L P I N A

140

“ I THINK THE WHOLE SUSTAINABILITY TOPIC IN FIVE YEARS WILL BE ON A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LEVEL AGAIN” — Lindsay Zingg, Global Head of Quality, Health, Safety and Environment, Panalpina

J U LY 2 0 1 9

require humanitarian assistance.

Over the past 14 years, Panalpina has seen a huge transformation in becoming a global leader for sustainability.

“We are looking for positive actions that benefit not only the company but also the communities where we operate,” comments Zingg. Panalpina has also found that using the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework has been helpful to struc-

500

Number of offices worldwide

1935

Year founded

14,500

Approximate number of employees

ture its efforts.. The company selected

different level again,” she adds.

six SDGs from the 17 that are most im-

As it becomes increasingly important

portant to its operations. “I structured

for big businesses and their consumers

the whole department around those

to look at the environmental impact of

goals and we measure per each goal

every stage of the supply chain, Lindsay

how many initiatives we do for them.

and her team will continue to ensure

It’s really been the umbrella that we

Panalpina remains at the forefront of

needed to bring this all together in one

the sustainability scene.

place,” says Zingg. “At the same time, I think the whole sustainability topic in five years will be on a completely w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

141

LOGO HERE

142

WRITTEN BY

SEAN GALEA-PACE PRODUCED BY

CRAIG KILLINGBACK

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UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MISSISSAUGA

AHMED AZHARI, DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES, SUSTAINABILITY & GROUNDS AT UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MISSISSAUGA, DISCUSSES HOW HIS ORGANIZATION IS DEVELOPING TOWARD A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

P

roviding one of the largest further education facilities in Canada, the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) holds the

reputation of a leading organization in the country.

The university is accelerating its prestige with significant growth over the past few years through 144

the development of new facilities, and is home to over 25 buildings with more on the horizon. With sustainability recognized as a top priority at UTM, from both an environmental perspective and as a boost to its reputation as a sustainable organization, the university has formed key plans to meet the challenge head-on.

Tasked with enabling the university to achieve a more sustainable future, Ahmed Azhari, Director of Utilities, Sustainability & Grounds at UTM, believes student engagement is key to realizing this important ambition. “Staff and student engagement is incredibly important because sustainability isn’t just one person’s job,” he affirms. “It’s our job collectively as the UTM community to ensure everything we do reduces the impact on the environment and help mitigate climate change.

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UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MISSISSAUGA

“ STAFF AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE SUSTAINABILITY ISN’T JUST ONE PERSON’S JOB” 146

— Ahmed Azhari, Director of Utilities, Sustainability & Grounds at UTM

J U LY 2 0 1 9

We’ve conducted lots of student engagement activities to educate both students and faculty members, ensuring they are aware as to how they can use the buildings in a more efficient manner.”

The university has installed energy dashboards into a number of the key buildings on campus to equip students and staff members with the knowledge to understand how much energy the building is using on a real-time basis.

To accelerate this project, the university has established a ‘Grow Smart, Grow Green’ strategy which focuses on key topic areas such as green

buildings, natural areas, transportation,

“We’re trying to create an educational

water management, energy manage-

campaign in the community to

ment, waste and recycling. “As part

encourage our students and staff

of this scheme, we’ve introduced a ban

to recycle things properly,” remarks

on bottled water,” explains Azhari.

Azhari. “It’s a big engagement project

“Bottled water isn’t available to buy

that will help standardize all the waste

anywhere on campus and we’ve

bins we have on campus, as well as

replaced the single-use plastic with

producing new recycling schemes and

water fountains that allow those on

educating the faculty and community

campus to refill their bottles instead of

on how to dispose of waste properly.”

purchasing new ones. This is key to our sustainability strategy moving forward.”

Operating with a clear goal in mind,

With many buildings across campus recognized with a silver standard minimum in Leadership in Energy and

the university is engaging with students

Environmental Design (LEED), the

to develop waste and recycling plans.

university’s buildings – which are made

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘SUSTAINABLEUOFT’

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UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MISSISSAUGA

148 from recycled and regional materials – include features such as green cleaning programs, low-flow fixtures, energy efficient mechanical and electrical systems, low-emitting materials and green roofs. “The construction policy that we have in place is that any new buildings must meet our requirements of being a minimum of LEED silver,” says Azhari.

“However, we can’t stop there; we’re always looking to achieve more.” UTM’s HMALC (Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre), instructional building, Deerfield Hall and innovation complex all meet this requirement, as well as the J U LY 2 0 1 9

“ IT’S OUR JOB COLLECTIVELY AS THE UTM COMMUNITY TO ENSURE EVERYTHING WE DO REDUCES THE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND HELP MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE” — Ahmed Azhari, Director of Utilities, Sustainability & Grounds at UTM

minimum target of the upcoming

campus,” notes Azhari. “It’s targeted

North Building. In addition, the Health

to be a minimum LEED silver that will

Sciences Complex and David building

incorporate two major renewable

third floor renovation have both

energy systems; geothermal system

achieved LEED gold status, while the

for building heating and cooling as well

new science building is also anticipat-

as a solar photovoltaic system to offset

ed to achieve this goal. “I have heavily

some of the building electrical require-

participated in the design of the New

ments. We will ensure that it utilizes other

Science building at UTM, which is set

sustainability measures that qualify it to

to house of the majority of the wet and

be certified above the minimum target

dry lab research that takes place on

under the LEED program.”

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Ahmed Azhari Ahmed Azhari has a diverse range of primary skills such as Sustainable Design, Facilities Management and Energy Management. Professionally, Ahmed manages the design of progressive disciplinary building systems; oversees the installation, operation and monitoring for the safe, comfortable, and environmentally friendly operations of modern buildings.

He has delivered designs that play a significant role on the sustainability and energy demand of buildings while utilizing renewable energy, sustainability, low carbon technologies, LEED strategies, and energy management techniques. Ahmed is currently registered with Professional Engineers Ontario as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.), with Canada Green Building Council as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP), and with Association of Energy Engineers as Certified Energy Manager (CEM).

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UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MISSISSAUGA

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151

— Ahmed Azhari, Director of Utilities, Sustainability & Grounds at UTM w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

collaborative partner for a sustainable future.

EXP has the right blend of expertise and experience to understand, innovate, partner, and deliver.

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153 The university formed a key partnership with EXP, through a competitive public procurement process, to help with the design retrofit for two projects on campus; the Recreational Athletics and Wellness Centre (RAWC) and the Kaneff Centre. “EXP designed the system and helped us put the tender out for public pricing. They currently help us on the construction administration and the project management to help successfully deliver,” he says.

“The RAWC is an athletics building, it has a swimming pool and a sauna, with significant heating demand

“ MY VISION FROM A SUSTAINABILITY PERSPECTIVE IS TO DESIGN AND ENABLE ALL FUTURE BUILDINGS TO BECOME CARBON NEUTRAL” — Ahmed Azhari, Director of Utilities, Sustainability & Grounds at UTM w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MISSISSAUGA

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requirements. We realized a solar hot water system would be an ideal installation in a building like this to help offset some of the building heating demand and fulfil our commitments to utilizing renewable energy sources in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

Looking to the future, Azhari has a clear vision of how UTM can continue the promising start it has made. “We haven’t finished – we’re always looking to grow. We’ve signed up for the University Climate Change Coalition Challenge (UC3 Challenge), which aims to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 37% by 2030, against a 1990 baseline. My vision from a sustainability perspective is to design and enable all future buildings to become Carbon Neutral in order to help remediate our environmental impact and help mitigate climate change.”

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How technology and people have inspired sustainability and climate action in Ontario WRITTEN BY

MARCUS LAWRENCE PRODUCED BY

CRAIG KILLINGBACK

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TOWN OF CALEDON

Katelyn McFadyen, Manager of Energy and Environment for the Town of Caledon, discusses the push for sustainability through the use of technology and empowering the people behind climate action

C

aledon, located in southern Ontario and an hour’s drive from Toronto, is a shining example of the positive impact that can

be generated through sustainability initiatives at 158

the municipal level. Katelyn McFadyen, Manager of Energy and Environment at the Town of Caledon, and Cristina Guido, the Energy and Environment Specialist in McFadyen’s team, are enthusiastic and passionate about the impactful initiatives being enacted across the municipality. “I think it’s safe to say that, no matter the size of the municipality, you’re still able to be creative when addressing climate change,” says McFadyen. “The Energy and Environment division is responsible for providing corporate and community stakeholders with guidance and tools for addressing climate change, energy management and sustainable operations practices,” says McFadyen. “We do a lot of research and facilitation to build corporate and community capacity, so that projects that address climate change can be implemented collaboratively and effectively.”

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“ Energy consumption in buildings is our number one contributor to corporate GHG emissions” — Katelyn McFadyen, Manager of Energy and Environment w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

TOWN OF CALEDON

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“ We were recognized by the Mayor’s Megawatt Challenge for a 10% reduction in energy usage in our Town Hall” — Cristina Guido, Energy and Environment Specialist

The overarching aims of the Town’s corporate environmental initiatives can be boiled down to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and maximizing the efficiency of buildings and transport networks. “Energy consumption in buildings is our number one contributor to corporate GHG emissions,” says McFadyen. Guido is currently working on updating the Town’s corporate five-year energy management plan, which is set to be released in 2019. “It’s a requirement of the provincial government, but we took this as an opportunity to go beyond provincial regulations and expand this to broader corporate GHG emissions,” says Guido. “We’re assessing strategies to enhance operations and maintenance, and get our buildings to be as efficient as possible.” Through a collaborative partnership with the Town’s Corporate Energy Team, a group made up of the Town’s building operations specialists, Caledon is working to minimize emissions stemming from its buildings. This is being done through enhanced operational efficiency and conservation-focused retrofits. “We’re very

Recieving the award from Mayor Allan Thompson J U LY 2 0 1 9

fortunate to have the level of engage-

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘CAPTURE CALEDON’ 161 ment from our Building Operations

a software developed by Natural

Team that we do,” says McFadyen.

Resources Canada, a department of

“They’re an incredible group of people

the Canadian Government. It stream-

who’ve totally embraced our corporate

lines the Town’s building benchmarking

strategy and are actively engaged in

initiative as well as visualizing progress

– and excited about – efforts to

on Caledon’s goals. “RETScreen

leverage opportunities and retrofits to

allows us to normalize for variables that

reduce energy consumption.”

drive energy consumption which staff

At the outset of her time with the

cannot control, such as weather. This

Town of Caledon, Guido was pivotal in

allows us to isolate factors such as

the development of the Town’s building

heating degree days, cooling degree

benchmarking initiative that McFady-

days, and the number of days arena ice

en’s team has since used as a powerful

is operational in facilities. For some

indicator of building efficiency. The

facilities, we also look at recreation

project is driven by RETScreen Expert,

building booking hours and how this w w w.c so ma ga z i n e. com

TOWN OF CALEDON

162

J U LY 2 0 1 9

influences their energy performance,”

Another major area of focus is

says Guido. “We also use RETScreen

transport, with McFadyen’s team

to monitor progress towards our

working not only to reduce the GHG

reduction targets. For example, our

impact of Caledon’s fleet but also to lay

current corporate energy management

the groundwork for future vehicular

plan has a target of a 9% reduction in

solutions. “One of our main focuses

building energy consumption, and we

with Town-owned vehicles will be

use the software to monitor how close

developing a corporate green fleet

we are to reaching that target,”

strategy and doing some modelling to

explains Guido. Caledon is well on its

see what types of lower-emission fuels

way to meeting its current goals, and

are less harmful to the environment,”

McFadyen enthuses that doing so is

says Guido. Progress has already been

just the beginning.

made in this area, with McFadyen 163

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Katelyn McFadyen Katelyn McFadyen is Manager of the Energy and Environment Division at the Town of Caledon. Having completed her Master’s degree in Environmental Sustainability at the University of Edinburgh, McFadyen has worked at the Town for almost six years as a key driver of the Town’s environmental portfolio successes. In her previous role as Energy and Environment Officer, McFadyen launched the Corporate Energy Team and established the Town’s Corporate Energy Revolving Fund, a self-sustaining fund that financially enables energy retrofits in Town facilities. McFadyen is currently updating the Town’s community climate change mitigation and adaptation action plan, driving the implementation of the Peel Climate Change Strategy, and leading the Energy and Environment Division.

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TOWN OF CALEDON

$100mn+ 1974 Annual budget for 2019

164

J U LY 2 0 1 9

Year founded

350+

Approximate number of employees

165

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The Savings by Design program helps builders improve energy and environmental performance in new construction projects.

When a building model exceeds the Ontario Building Code’s energy performance requirements by 15% (combined gas and electrical savings), it becomes eligible for incentive funding.

Savings

by Design Program

The Town of Caledon Southfields Community Centre Conceptual Rendering

TOWN FACILITY ADOPTS ENERGY EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES EXPLORING ALTERNATIVE OPPORTUNITIES TO SAVE ENERGY The Savings by Design program offers many options to help customers build resiliency into their projects, lowering long-term operational and ongoing energy costs. A Visioning Session helps define project requirements and sustainability priorities by exploring site, regulatory, and market conditions. Issues are then identified and prioritized in the Integrated Design Process Session (IDP).

At the full-day IDP workshop, a team of design experts in sustainable building, lighting, HVAC, storm water management, and planning explore possible design improvements to the building. The team works with the SBD experts to explore alternative opportunities to save energy and meet the goals of the program.

Real-time modelling allows the team to explore energy savings measures with immediate feedback on the energy impacts. After the workshop, SBC delivers a final energy model based on the ECMs selected as well as a report summarizing the discussions of the day.

The Town of Caledon has a Corporate Green Building Standard that requires LEED Silver certification for all new facilities over 10,000 square feet. When planning its new recreation facility at Kennedy Road and Dougall Avenue, the Town of Caledon turned to Enbridge Gas and Savings by Design.

“The Savings by Design program presented a strong alignment with our Council-approved building standard,” says Katelyn McFadyen, Manager, Energy and Environment, Finance and Infrastructure Services.

“It provided an integrated learning opportunity between Town staff and the project consulting team. All the parties came together to share information about facility construction best practices and energy efficient technologies.”

The 65,000 square foot Southfields Community Centre contains a pool, fitness area, library, OPP station, youth and seniors space, and a community hub containing a Montessori School, Parent Child Centre and other community partners. A groundbreaking ceremony took place in the fall of 2017.

A significant outcome of the Savings by Design program, according to the Town of Caledon, was the integrated learning opportunity about construction best practices, technologies and approaches available to reduce energy consumption, plus methods to improve the management of stormwater.

The SBD program also had a direct impact on projects beyond Southfields Community Centre. “We invited staff outside of the project to expand their knowledge capacity and understand the justification for the construction of high performing facilities.”

INTEGRATED DESIGN WORKSHOP Sponsored by Enbridge and facilitated by Sustainable Buildings Canada (SBC), Savings by Design provides incentive funding for projects to engage in an integrated design workshop process with real-time energy modelling.

Enbridge offered the Town of Caledon free access to a team of multidisciplinary experts to explore high performance building energy targets as well as other environmental objectives including wellness, low impact design, water management, and more.

“Although some of the stormwater management technologies and approaches presented during the SBD workshop were not integrated into the Southfields Community Centre, these practices were integrated into other facility construction projects in Caledon,” adds McFadyen.

For more information, visit savingsbydesign.ca

“ We were recognized by the Mayor’s Megawatt Challenge for a 10% reduction in energy usage in our Town Hall” — Cristina Guido, Energy and Environment Specialist

noting that the Town has developed a strong foundation for future electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure. “For a municipality of 70,000, we’re really proud that we have 13 publicly available EV charging stations, and six plug-in hybrid vehicles in our fleet,” she adds, noting that these successes are of particular importance to Caledon with its geographically large landscape.

Through the Peel Climate Change Partnership, which involves the municipal governments of the Region of Peel, Town of Caledon, Cities of Mississauga and Brampton, Credit

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Cristina Guido Cristina Guido is the Energy and Environment Specialist with the Town of Caledon. Guido has her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and Master’s degree in Environmental Studies from York University in Toronto, and has recently received the Business Energy Professional certification from the Association of Energy Engineers. Guido has been with the Town since 2015, beginning in the role of a student and progressing to her current full-time role. She is driven by her passion for climate change mitigation and is inspired to make a change in the community that she grew up in.

Guido continues to lead the Town’s corporate energy and environmental initiatives.

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TOWN OF CALEDON

Valley Conservation Authority, and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, Caledon is helping to develop a new regional strategy to accelerate the adoption of low-emission and zero-emission vehicles by residents and businesses in Peel Region. Further actions earmarked for improvement in this area include a ramp-up of vehicle maintenance to maximize efficiency, as well as optimizing fleet route selection. “We’ve installed a GPS-based system into every vehicle in our fleet which could, for example, optimize 168

routes for snow removal in the winter,” says McFadyen.

Automation-based technologies are also playing a part in the Town’s sustainability drive, such as the deployment of smart thermostats through many of its buildings and an algorithmic tool that collates utility bill data in the back end of Caledon’s energy management software. The benefits of such upgrades are far reaching: by being able to remotely control a building’s internal climate, McFadyen notes that operations teams no longer have to travel between locations to make adjustments, thereby reducing transport-based emissions. The algorithmic solution J U LY 2 0 1 9

mitigates the risk of additional costs or disruptions accruing through mishandled or misinterpreted data, provides alert reports with consumption anomalies and enhances administrative elements of processing utility bills.

The efficacy of these endeavors has been reflected in the awards that McFadyen’s team has received.

“We were recognized by the Mayor’s Megawatt Challenge for a 10% reduction in energy usage in our Town Hall, and received similar recognitions for two of our recreation complexes,” says Guido, highlighting a handful of the many awards received from local associations and climate action drivers – but for the team, the satisfaction lies in the results themselves. “Something we really value is that once you implement a project you can see its results,” says Guido. “We can see these retrofits and then, on the data side, we can measure and see that they are saving energy and reducing emissions. It’s amazing to see the impact of our work and to know that we are making a difference.”

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