1. Government Policy

1.1	Are the environmental responsibilities of the Chief Executive and Executive Members of your agency reasonably clear?
1.2	Does your agency have a systematic and documented process by which it identifies and responds to the environmental policy of the government of the day including its laws, regulations, guidelines etc?
1.3	Are the responsibilities of the Chief Executive of your agency in regard to the environment adequately documented and agreed with the relevant Minister?

2. The Environmental Framework

2.1	Has your agency established procedures to monitor your commitments to environmental stewardship?
2.2	Has you agency developed a comprehensive framework of policies, practices, systems and relevant management information to support environmental management?
2.3	Are the environmental responsibilities of your agency clearly documented and up‑to‑date?
2.4	To what extent has environmental management been integrated into the overall business management processes of your agency?
2.5	How does your agency identify, allocate and review human, technical and financial resources to meet its environmental objectives and targets?
2.6	Has your agency adopted the principles of the Environmental Management System AS/NZS 14001?
2.7	Has your agency assessed the costs and benefits of certification under the standard? Has a business case been prepared in support of any decision?
2.8	Has certification been considered/sought/obtained?
2.9	Does your agency have collaborative relationships with other departments/agencies in relation to environmental management?
2.10	Does your agency have collaborative relationships with non-government stakeholders in the community and business sectors?
2.11	Has your agency assessed the financial cost of managing the environment?

3. Environmental Policy

3.1	Does your agency have a documented Environmental Policy?
3.2	Is the policy consistent with other corporate policies?
3.3	Has top management defined and committed to the policy?
3.4	Is (does) the policy:
3.5	appropriate to the nature and scale and environmental impacts of its activities, products or services commit to continuous improvement, prevention of pollution, Ecological Sustainable Development (ESD) comply with relevant environmental legislation and regulations and other environmental mandates provide a basis for objective and target setting by setting organisational goals which will drive discrete and measurable outcomes communicated to employees of all business units commit to transparency and openness in reporting your agency’s management of the environment available to, and accessible by, the public?
3.6	Are the policies of your agency reviewed periodically to ensure their continuing relevance in light of changing standards, technology, and emerging concerns?
3.7	What level of management is responsible for maintaining the currency of your corporate environmental policies?
3.8	Are the views of stakeholders taken into account in developing the policy?
3.9	By what methods are policies promulgated through out your agency and stakeholders? Do the methods make the best use of contemporary technology?

4. Planning

	Environmental Aspects
4.1	Has your agency established a systematic and documented process describing the methods to identify, monitor and evaluate environmental aspects of your agency’s activities, products or services?
4.2	Does the process: drive the development, application and operational aspects of environmental policy identify in an ongoing way all those aspects over which the agency has control, or over which it can be expected to have an influence include an environmental risk assessment to evaluate those aspects, which may have a significant impact on the environment in a positive and negative way? include the scale, frequency, severity and sensitivity of the environmental impacts ensure that aspects which have a significant impact are considered in setting environmental objectives determine the significance of those impacts using a recognized risk management approach establish environmental objectives and targets establish programs for achieving those objectives and targets monitor and measure those operations that can have a significant impact on the environment describe how environmental responsibilities and risks will be managed, documented and communicated to appropriate management and staff? provide for the audit and review of the process to confirm that planned arrangements are properly implemented and maintained?

4. Planning

	Legal and Other Requirements
4.3	Do your operations require compliance with environmental, health or safety regulations at either the national or state level.
4.4	Is there a process to: identify the legal and other regulatory requirements associated with environmental impacts of activities, products or services provide access to the legal and other regulatory requirements evaluate compliance with the legal and other regulatory requirements?
4.5	How does your agency keep track of (changes to) legal and other requirements?

	Objectives and Targets
4.6	Have environmental objectives been established for each relevant business function and level? Do the objectives consider: identified significant aspects legal and other requirements?
4.7	Have targets been set for environmental objectives?
4.8	Have objectives and targets been communicated to all relevant business functions, employees, contractors and suppliers?
4.9	Has your agency established Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to demonstrate progress against environmental objectives and targets?
4.10	Does your agency have the capability to identify and track KPIs and other data, necessary to achieve its environmental objectives and targets?
4.11	Are these targets or objectives linked to the organisation’s corporate or business plans to ensure accountability or follow up?
4.12	Are your agency’s objectives and targets reviewed and revised to ensure they: reflect your agency’s environmental policy reflect significant environmental impacts associated with your agency’s operations? support continual improvement in environmental performance and better practice.

4. Planning

	Environmental Management Program
4.13	Have programs been developed to achieve objectives and targets established for each relevant business function and level?
4.14	Do these programs respond to your agency’s environmental policy and the risk assessment?
4.15	Do these programs support or contribute to the NSW Government’s overall environmental outcomes or programs?
4.16	Do the programs nominate: personnel with specific responsibilities resource needs strategies and timeframes objectives and targets at each relevant business function and level?
4.17	Are the programs monitored to track progress against objectives and targets?
4.18	Is someone responsible for tracking progress towards achieving objectives and targets?
4.19	Does the program include an environmental review for new activities?
4.20	Has the program been amended to reflect changes for new activities?
4.21	Does your agency monitor and revise its environmental management programs?

5. Implementation and Operation

	Structure and Responsibility
5.1	Is there an Executive Committee or Board to oversee the environmental monitoring and reporting of your agency's activities?
5.2	Has top management defined the roles, responsibilities and authorities of personnel for environmental management in the context of the agency’s Environmental Management System (EMS)?
5.3	Do the roles, responsibilities and authorities extend to establishing, implementing, maintaining and reporting on the EMS?
5.4	Have the roles been documented and communicated to relevant people responsible for environmental management?
5.5	Are the relevant people aware of the roles assigned to them?
5.6	Has management provided adequate resources to implement and control its EMS?
5.7	To what extent does your agency integrate an awareness of Ecological Sustainable Development (ESD) into its culture?
5.8	To what extent does your agency integrate the principle of ESD in decision making process through the appraisal and evaluation of policies, programs, plans and projects?
5.9	Are there written guidelines on how to conduct operations in a manner that is responsible in accordance with the principles of ESD?
5.10	Has your organisation taken measures to gain assurances that systems of internal control for managing the environment: are appropriate to your agency’s corporate plan or business charter? provide timely and useful management information? include an effective internal audit function?

5. Implementation and Operation

	Training, Awareness and Competence
5.11	Has your agency conducted a Training Needs Analysis (TNA) for environmental management including Ecological Sustainable Development issues?
5.12	Is there adequate expertise in your agency to deal with the ESD issues?
5.13	Does your agency have a systematic and documented process to ensure that personnel who carry out tasks that have a significant impact on the environment are adequately trained and experienced?
5.14	Does your agency assess the adequacy of resources and training of staff with designated responsibilities for environmental management and/or protection?
5.15	Are employees’ responsibilities for environmental management identified in their accountabilities (e.g. position descriptions, annual performance goals)?
5.16	Are employees encouraged to take the initiative, submit suggestions for improvement, and to suggest actions or policies to reduce your agency’s environmental impact?
5.17	Does the agency sponsor scientific or policy research devoted to environmental technology, management, and performance issues or other relevant research areas at educational or research institutions?
5.18	Does the agency participate in external activities designed to share the results of such scientific and policy research?

	Document Control
5.19	Has your agency established and maintained procedures for controlling all key documents?
5.20	Are the procedures adequate so that the documents: can be located and at relevant locations essential to the effective functioning of the EMS are periodically reviewed are revised as necessary and approved for adequacy by those authorized to approve alterations to documentation?
5.21	Are obsolete documents promptly removed from all points of issue?
5.22	Are obsolete documents retained for legal and other reasons and suitably identified?

5. Implementation and Operation

	Communication
5.23	Does your agency have a process to communicate with key stakeholders in regard to significant environmental aspects?
5.24	How do you identify, monitor, evaluate and understand the needs and expectations of stakeholders?
5.25	Does your agency have a process to: record and maintain communications between key employees (in your agency) responsible for environmental management receive, record and respond to communications from interested parties about environmental impacts associated with your agency’s operations?
5.26	Does your agency proactively seek the advice and counsel of independent community groups (e.g., through newsletters, regular meetings, open forums, or community oversight committees) regarding possible risks posed by the operations of your agency?
5.27	Are the processes maintained?
5.28	Have you established documented procedures to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of its communication strategy/plan/methods?
5.29	Has your agency established, and does it maintain, information to: describe the core elements of the EMS and their interaction provide direction on where to obtain more information on specific parts of the EMS
5.30	Does the information describe how the elements interact with each other?
5.31	Does the documentation contain: the environmental policy, objectives and targets describe the means of achieving objectives and targets document the key roles , responsibilities and procedures follow-up or actions or response?

5. Implementation and Operation

	Operation Control
5.32	Has your agency identified operations and activities that are associated with significant environmental aspects of your agency’s operations?
5.33	Are these operations and activities carried out under controlled conditions and in accordance with operating criteria to ensure compliance with environmental policy and the achievement of objectives and targets?
5.34	Does your agency have a formal written policy regarding materials/resource conservation, reduction, re-use and recycling?
5.35	Have you established specific targets for material/resource conservation programs?
5.36	Does your agency have specific conservation strategies for: energy water or waste avoidance, or other emerging issues or activities?
5.37	Have you established specific targets for each conservation strategy?
5.38	Does your agency monitor and document trends in energy consumption by source?
5.39	Does your agency have a program to maximise the use of environmentally safer and more sustainable energy sources?
5.40	Does your agency, routinely or in specific circumstances, track chemical use through materials accounting or some other method as distinct from, or in addition to, tracking environmental releases?
5.41	Has your agency procedures to identify the potential for, and response to, environmental incidents, accidents and emergency situations?
5.42	Does your agency have procedures to report on environmental incidents, accidents and emergency situations and in terms of implementing corrective actions?
5.43	Are the procedures communicated to suppliers?
5.44	Has your agency addressed issues of habitat protection and stewardship (such as watershed management, wilderness protection, biodiversity, etc.) in areas affected by your operations?

5. Implementation and Operation

	Hazardous Waste
5.45	Does your agency generate hazardous waste?
5.46	Does your agency monitor and document usage, volumes and disposal of any hazardous waste generated?
5.47	Does your agency have (a) specific program(s) to minimise hazardous waste?
5.48	Does the agency investigate the environmental performance of its hazardous waste disposal by vendors?
5.49	Does your agency monitor and document sites involved in remediation of contaminated soil or water, and their associated costs?
5.50	Has your agency identified your non-hazardous waste streams?
5.51	Does your agency monitor and document trends in non-hazardous waste management (e.g. production, disposal, recycling, reuse)
5.52	Are there programs in place at your agency to minimise non-hazardous waste streams?
5.53	Has your agency phased out the use and emission of ozone depleting chemicals targeted by the Montreal Protocol?
5.54	Do you monitor and document oil spills, chemical spills, and other accidental releases (e.g. effluent spills?) to all media (land, water, air).

	Green Procurement
5.55	Does your agency have a policy to incorporate ESD criteria in the selection of: suppliers/(sub) contractors/service providers goods and services?
5.56	Does your agency have a green transport plan and does it cover: transport initiatives, and your motor vehicle fleet ?
5.57	Does your agency monitor and document trends in fuel consumption by the agency’s transport fleet?
5.58	Are there guidelines specifying how (sub)contractors, suppliers, service providers and consultants hired by your agency must perform with respect to environmental stewardship?
5.59	Are there documented environmental monitoring systems including inspections or audits of suppliers/ (sub) contractors/ service providers sites/operations?

5. Implementation and Operation

Community Involvement

5.60

Does your agency seek to protect vulnerable or at-risk groups in communities directly affected by your operations?

(Environmental justice refers to actions in support of populations most negatively affected by environmental factors, as they tend largely to be those populations most vulnerable due to economic, political, racial or other factors.)

5.61

Does your agency communicate with stakeholders so as to encourage increased participation and understanding in environmental decision making by your agency?

6. Checking and Corrective Action

	Monitoring and Measurement
6.1	Does your agency have procedures to regularly monitor and measure the significant operations and activities that can have a significant impact on the environment?
6.2	Does your agency have systematic and documented procedures to evaluate compliance with relevant environmental legislation and regulations?
6.3	Are periodic audits carried out using established programs and procedures?
6.4	Does your agency have data collection and information management systems adequate to support ESD reporting needs?
6.5	How is the performance of your agency regularly monitored in relation to the principles of ESD and best practice?
6.6	Do you have a policy/guidelines that sets standards for the quality of Environmental Impact Statements and supporting research? Do you compare and publicly report predictions made in Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) with actual outcomes?
6.7	Does your agency have auditing programs for workplace health, safety and environmental auditing?
6.8	Does your agency monitor and document trends in consumption of natural resources?
6.9	Are your agency’s environmental audit programs reviewed by an independent organisation?
6.10	Does your agency seek independent verification of data collection and information management systems?
6.11	Are your audit results available to the public?

6. Checking and Corrective Action

	Measurement
6.12	Does your agency have the (non) financial management systems, practices and information to measure the cost and quality of environmental protection services and the use of resources entrusted to the agency?
6.13	To what extent does your agency use internal environmental cost information to support internal decision-making?
6.14	Is this done through a managerial cost accounting system or other financial management system that routinely compiles, analyses, and reports on environmental costs?
6.15	Which environmental costs are so identified (e.g., management costs, resource use, waste disposal, permitting, monitoring, training, auditing, insurance)? At what level are costs aggregated (e.g., product, process, facility, division, corporate)?
6.16	For what purpose is this cost information compiled?

	Non-conformance and Corrective and Preventative Action
6.17	Do documented emergency/contingency plans exist for rectifying significant environmental mishaps?
6.18	Does your agency have procedures to establish and maintain responsibility and authority for handling investigations of non-conformance and taking corrective and preventative action?
6.19	Has the cost of rectifying specific environmental mishaps/repercussions been estimated in order to prioritise your risk assessment?

	Records
6.20	Does your agency have procedures for the identification, maintenance and disposition of environmental records?

7. Management Review

7.1	Does the Executive Committee or Board regularly receive key information, such as performance information, major initiatives or investigations of issues affecting the environment?
7.2	Does your agency have a process to demonstrate how recommendations and feedback from the EMS review have been implemented and contribute to improvement in environmental performance
7.3	Does your agency review on a regular basis: the extent to which objectives and targets have been met the results of audits undertaken any changed circumstances and take into account continuous improvement?
7.4	Are the results of the reviews: documented reported to, and considered by, the Board and or Chief Executive.
7.5	What action is taken on the results of the reviews?
7.6	Does your agency review on a regular basis its EMSs (or management arrangements where are EMS has not been developed) to ensure: its continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness systems conform to planned arrangements systems have been fully implemented systems are properly maintained the views of interested parties and stakeholders are taken into account?
7.7	Is accountability for ESD performance, environmental compliance and operational decision making principally handled in a centralized, mixed or decentralized fashion?

8. Reporting

8.1	Does your agency report externally on its environmental performance using a recognised framework such as the Global Reporting Initiative?
8.2	Does your agency report internally on its environmental performance?
8.3	Does your agency ensure that reporting processes link environmental risks, policy and strategies, objectives, and operations?
8.4	Does the report identify / include: the name of your agency a profile of your agency and its major sites whether the report refers to the whole of your agency or otherwise a statement as to what, if anything, has been omitted from the report significant operations (products and services) of your agency, size, geographic scope, markets and customers served the environmental policy including a recognition that your agency has environmental impacts and a commitment to improve performance a description of the management systems designed to implement, and report on, the environmental policy the roles and responsibilities between the Board, environment committee, environmental manager, environmental team and employees a commitment from your Chief Executive that endorses the environmental policy a commitment to set targets and to report progress against targets a statement that your agency plans to reduce environmental impacts in the future a statement that your agency plans to consult and involve interested parties a commitment to measure and report publicly on key aspects of environmental performance an overview of the key environmental impacts faced by your agency KPIs that are regularly used for internal assessment and operational purposes as well as for external ESD performance information? what structures, skills and resources have been put in place to assist employees implement and report on environmental policy non-compliances with licences or consents? prosecutions for breaches of environmental law, the amount of any fine in relation to each offence, why and how the offence occurred, action taken to ensure the offence does not re-occur significant changes in the size, structure, or nature of your organization since the last reporting period contact points for feedback on how the report can be improved the date of the report and the reporting period and the date of the last report?

8. Reporting

8.1	Does your agency report to regulators?
8.2	Does your agency contribute to Commonwealth, and/or State of the Environment (SoE) Reports?
8.3	Does your agency normalise environmental information (e.g., chemical releases, energy usage, greenhouse gas emissions) by an activity or unit within your agency (e.g., per unit of output, per unit of input, per labour hour, per employee)?
8.4	Does your agency produce an annual Environment Report?
8.5	Does this report address the issues of ESD?
8.6	Is the report externally verified or validated?
8.7	Does your agency report to the Parliament and/or the public on the fulfilment of its environmental responsibilities?

	Terms Used in this Questionnaire


Accounting for Sustainable Development	An information tracking framework that (1) integrates internal (private) and external (societal) costs and benefits, and (2) supports evaluations of the short- and long-term consequences of activities and projects from environmental, social and economic perspectives. (Source: Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development)

‘Better Practice’	A reference to ‘better practice’ is, in the main, influenced by the guidance provided by Standards Australia.

	In some cases better practice is guided by overseas organisations, for example, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (United Kingdom).

	In other cases ‘better practice’ is based on what steps a prudent manager of the environment would undertake or alternatively what a progressive organisation might seek to undertake.

Continual Improvement	Process of enhancing the environmental management system to achieve improvements in overall environmental performance in line with the organisation’s environmental policy [AS/NZS ISO 14001 definition 3.1]

Ecological Sustainable Development	ESD is using, conserving and enhancing the communities resources so that the ecological processes on which life depends, are maintained, and the total quality of life now and in the future, can be increased.

The Environment	Surroundings in which an organisation operates including air, water, land, natural resources, flora, fauna, humans and their interrelation.

Environmental Aspects	An element of an organisation’s activities, products or services that can interact with the environment. Note: A significant environmental impact is an environmental aspect that has or can have a significant environmental impact. [AS/NZS ISO 14001 definition 3.3].

Environmental Policy	A statement by the organisation of its intentions and principles in relation to its overall environmental performance, which provides a framework for action and for the setting of its environmental objectives and targets.

	AS/NZS ISO14001: 1996 defines an Environmental Policy as a declaration: … by the organisation of its intentions and principles in relation to its overall environmental performance which provides a framework for action and for the setting of its environmental objectives and targets …

	An Environmental Policy is designed to ensure that an organisation has the capacity to comply with its permitted environmental performance levels, which depend on the organisation's size, vision, services, products, customer demands, and other market influences.

Environmental Impact	Any change to the environment, whether adverse or beneficial, wholly or partially resulting from an organisation’s activities, products or services. [AS/NZS ISO 14001 definition 3.4]

Environmental Management System	That part of the overall management system that includes organisational structure, planning activities, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes and resources for developing, implementing, achieving reviewing and maintaining the environmental policy.

	That part of the overall management system that includes the organisational structure planning activities, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes and resources for developing implementing, achieving, reviewing and maintaining the environmental policy. *Source*: AS/NZS ISO 14001:1996.

Environmental Performance	Results of an organisation’s management of its environmental aspects.

Environmental Performance Indicators	Provide a means to measure how well an organisation has performed in meeting its environmental objectives or achieving outcomes. EPIs are not an exact measure of achievement but rather an indication of agency performance

Environmental Stewardship	Environmental stewardship refers to the concept that society should recognise the impacts of its activities on environmental conditions and should adopt practices that eliminate or reduce negative environmental impacts. Every aspect of an organisation's operations, including strategic planning, procurement, waste reduction, waste management, water and energy usage, responses to existing environmental problems, and land management, must be conducted in such a way as to limit or eliminate adverse impacts on the environment.

Environmental Targets	Refers to detailed performance requirements, quantified where practicable, applicable to the organisation or parts thereof, that arise from the environmental objectives and that needs to be set and met in order to achieve those objectives.



Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)	GRI was established in late 1997 with the mission of developing globally applicable guidelines for reporting on the economic, environmental, and social performance of organisations.

International Organization for Standardization (ISO)	The ISO is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies that prepares international standards. International Standard ISO 14031 "Environmental Performance Evaluation" supports ISO 14001 and 14004. It is a draft international standard giving guidance on the design and use of environmental performance evaluation within an organisation (Source: ISO 14031).

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)	KPIs are those indicators which give a comprehensive, high level overview of a program’s performance. They are particularly aimed at external users of performance information.
Categories	The broad areas, or groupings, of economic, environmental, or social issues of concern to stakeholders (for example, air, energy); commonly known as ‘triple bottom line’ reporting.

Aspects	Information related to a specific category (for example, greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumed by source)

Indicators	Specific measures of individual aspects to track and demonstrate performance (for example, energy kw/h).

Verification	The quality, usefulness, and credibility of reporting can be enhanced by verification and validation. Independent verification, for example: provides an additional level of assurance in regard to the reliability and completeness of the ER enhances the quality, usefulness, and credibility of information used within the agency and the underlying management systems and processes.

Validation	independent validation of systems and procedures for measuring, recording, and reporting performance data internal auditing of systems and procedures for measuring, recording and reporting performance data independent evaluations and commentaries by external experts regarding an organisation’s economic, environmental, and social performance and/or management processes.




Process	A process is a series of systematic and documented steps in a function or activity. When seeking improvement to a function or seeking to evidence a process the following steps are important:

A Plan	select the issue to receive attention (often based on priorities) design a clear statement of purpose define the process seek advice about expectations from the process; prioritise expectations, set performance measures, identify barriers to good performance measure current performance identify opportunities for improvement and develop solutions.

Do	test the process steps where practicable seek the involvement of those affected by the change during the testing phase
Check	verify improved performance confirm costs and benefits of the revised process

Act	standardise the improvement install the improvement leverage the improvement into other areas of the organisation.

	The process should be: documented and approved by senior management communicated to relevant staff, and Accountability for implementation and review should be established, performance should be monitored and reported with appropriate adjustment to the process where appropriate.

	Contents

	Policy
1.	Government Policy	1
2.	The Environmental Framework	1
3.	The Environmental Policy	2

	Management Issues
4.	Planning	3
5.	Implementation and Operation	6
6.	Checking and Corrective Action	12
7.	Management Review	14
8.	Reporting	15

	Terms Used in this Questionnaire	17

About the Questionnaire