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PART 6—APPENDICES
Appendix 5—Ecologically
Sustainable Development
and Environmental
performance
Section 516A of the Environment Protection and
Biodiversity Act 1999 sets out the principles
and framework for the office to report on
environmental matters. The office also have an
environmental-management policy to help the
office manage activities in an environmentally
sustainable manner. Our environmental impact is
mainly through office-based energy consumption,
paper resources and waste management.
Energy consumption
During the year the office maintained its energy
consumption and this is due primarily to the
office obtaining a new premise in Sydney. If the
second premise is excluded and calculations are
based on the same data as the previous year
then the result would have been a reduction of
one per cent. This was for both total megajoules
consumed and megajoules consumed per person.
Paper resources
The office manages electronic database and
information management systems to reduce
paper records and photocopier usage.
During the year we implemented the
Information and Records Management (IRM)
work program to better facilitate business
needs, compliance with legislation and the
Government Digital Transition Policy.
One of the project areas of the program
involves further steps to ensure we engage
in predominantly digital record keeping and
e-business practices to reduce paper files.
Our paper supplies are either manufactured
from at least 50 per cent recycled products or
carbon neutral. Other office materials such as
files, folders and unused stationery are recycled
within the office to reduce procurement activity
for stationery.
Waste management
We actively manage the waste we produce
through several mechanisms:
• recycling bins are provided in all offices
to encourage recycling of waste such as
paper and cardboard packaging
• toner cartridges are recycled
• kitchen waste such as plastic bottles
and cans are recycled via special bins
provided in breakout areas.
144 | COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN ANNUAL REPORT | 2015–16