Sustainability in Risk Management

by Greencap 08/03/2023

Services, Social & Environmental Services, Sponsored Content

This is a sponsored article from SustainabilityTracker.com member Greencap.

Risk Management encompasses many industries, including property, healthcare, mining, construction and more. It is the practice of ensuring that processes are undertaken safely and with minimum effect on the environment around us, such as asbestos assessment and removal, noise reduction, contaminated land assessment, and air quality levels measurement. 

Sustainable practices in Risk Management are vast and constantly improving. These include reducing overall waste and using recycled and reused materials in the assessment and disposal process, repurposing damaged or outdated materials to be used in other industries, and working closely with other businesses and charities to give away still-working and intact items to be used by individuals or the community. 

Reconstructing areas to be friendlier to walking, cycling and commuting via public transport is also a sustainable way of conducting business – like the Bayside Rail Project. Future planning of sites – such as Victoria’s Level Crossing Removals, is integral for a society that relies less on motor vehicles. 

Rewilding and rehabilitating areas after they’ve been mined or excavated is also crucial to restoring environments to their former glory, and is a recommendation under the government’s ‘Leading Practice Sustainable Development Program for the Mining Industry’

Consequences for not considering the environment when undertaking construction, mining and other heavy industry can be dire, such as harmful chemicals running into rivers and lakes and impacting wildlife. These consequences can have a domino effect and have unintended and unforeseen impacts on future generations of animals and humans alike. 

Places affected by natural disasters, such as fires, floods and earthquakes, also need rehabilitation (e.g., Toombul Shopping Centre). Individuals, community groups and charities often help with clean-up, which can be supported by ensuring they have proper PPE and know what to look out for in case of ongoing hazards (such as mould). 

Planting more trees is crucial in any environmental rehabilitation, as it stabilises the land, cleans the air and helps create a buffer zone on coastlines from storms and floods. 

As we learn more about the importance of active environmental rehabilitation, processes are also improving, and we can utilise the latest exciting technology in environmental assistance, such as the advance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI-powered predictive analytics can detect soil type, topography, mineral composition, and the presence of vulnerable species and ecosystems.

Rehabilitation and rebuilding business and domestic sites needs to consider the same area flooding again – as we have seen in many areas in Queensland (QLD) and New South Wales recently. Housing and buildings have recently updated building codes (QLD) ensuring construction takes a risk averse mentality and rebuilds according to flood patterns in the specific area. 

Recent extensive damage done by floods across Australia and New Zealand will need detailed environmental considerations when undertaking rebuilding and rewilding projects. Sustainable, strong designs with future disasters in mind, alongside training for individuals, businesses and communities in how to keep themselves and their families safe will be integral to ensure potential destruction is mitigated, and we learn from the mistakes of the past. 

Ultimately, businesses across industries are envisioning a more environmentally friendly future that enables human movement and prosperity with a lower impact on the earth. This, plus using long-lasting and sustainable materials and rehabilitating old sites, means the cycle of improvement can help us continue to find solutions in sustainable methods of managing risk. For more information, visit the Greencap website, part of WSP

Further Reading:

Greencap Flood Response 

Greencap Eco News

United Nations (UN) Climate Change – Sustainable Resettlement & Reconstruction in Flood-Prone Peri-Urban Areas 

Australian Government | Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment & Water | Environmental Risk Assessment: An Australian Perspective 

WSP Australia | Bayside rail project gets a big tick for sustainability

WSP Australia | University of Newcastle Q Building – a thriving future ready educational community

WSP Australia | U-City named South Australia’s first carbon neutral building 

WSP Australia | NSW Bushfire Clean-Up Program 

WSP | Southern Program Alliance

This is an article from a SustainabilityTracker.com Member. The views and opinions we express here don’t necessarily reflect our organisation.

by Greencap

This a sponsored post published on behalf of Greencap.