Manufacturing a better working environment

How to reduce our environmental impact as much as possible is something we've tackled for a while at Cook Medical Australia. As the managing director, I am aware of manufacturers' contributions to environmental issues today and I believe we should do what we can to address these issues. In my mind, there is no excuse for not bothering to engage in green activities where we can.

According to research from Carnegie Mellon University, about 36% of electrical energy is used in the workplace. Academics from Macquarie University have found that the environment impacts employment practices and relations. And research coming out of Harvard Business School has shown that sustainability programs improve employee engagement and motivation, as well as customer satisfaction.

Cook Medical Australia considers each of the areas where we have an impact on the environment. We've also spent some time finding ways we can get employees involved in reducing our footprint in the day-to-day operation of the company. And we've found it has actually had a positive impact on staff morale too.

Our sustainability initiatives are developed and fine-tuned with some inspiration gained by looking to the wider market for best practice.

Westpac was named the World's Most Sustainable Company in 2014. The Westpac Group Board oversees the social, ethical and environmental impact of the group's activities. They seek to provide regular internal communications and a 'champions network' to motivate employees to understand and take action on environmental issues. Overall, they've reduced their emissions by 47%.

In 2015, Westpac was hedged out for the same award by Biogen — a company that has some similarities to the kind of work we do at Cook Medical Australia.

As a manufacturer specialising in new therapies for patients with serious disorders, sustainability might not be an easy task. However, Biogen reduced carbon emissions by investing in sustainable technologies and programs that fund sustainable energy. 99% of its waste is recycled, composted or burned to create energy.

Overall, Biogen has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 70%. About 70% of its carbon emissions come from suppliers, so Biogen suppliers are encouraged to report on energy use and carbon emissions. Employees also volunteer at not-for-profit organisations like Clean Up Australia to continue their efforts outside the office.

When implementing our own sustainability initiatives at Cook, I wanted us to follow the example of companies like these that are leading best practice. I also saw getting employees at Cook involved as a priority.

I've always believed in making a workplace where employees feel valued and consulted. We created the Green Committee so this same philosophy could apply to our sustainability initiatives, which operate alongside regular work tasks.

Volunteers in our Green Committee are not only ambassadors for environmental issues, but also the eyes and ears on the ground for the organisation. They help inform solutions that will work for employees and take charge of initiatives that can be employee-led.

The Green Committee has achieved several sustainability goals, including: introducing a carpooling program; auditing the amount of plastic used in order to reduce it and improve efficiency; re-introducing recycling options; offering Green awards to increase environmental awareness across the organisation; and encouraging other Cook offices in the Asia-Pacific region to get involved in Earth Hour.

But we appreciate the need to lead by example at management levels. Our environmental strengths reached a new peak last year when we installed 99 solar panels, covering a total of 706 m² of roof space.

We chose a type of advanced solar panel technology called PERC (passivated emitter rear contact) because it best suited the weather conditions in Brisbane. For us, these panels have been a long-term investment in reducing our carbon footprint.

The 706 m² installation saves around 280 tonnes of carbon every month — equivalent to taking 59 cars off the road. The panels have meant we are now using 30% less power.

Managing meaningful environmental measures is not something that happens overnight. It has taken us a great deal of time and effort to ensure we address environmental concerns. It's an ongoing job and something that operates alongside our other day-to-day processes.

Our environmentally conscious attitude hinges on a commitment to the cause and good internal communication. Getting employees involved is a crucial element of a strong environmentally friendly workplace. Enthusiasm around sustainability initiatives in the office can increase employee morale. Employees who are interested in greener methods of productivity are able to take control of these initiatives. That's an efficient use of resources