7.2 Awareness
Closely linked with competence is awareness. This means that all those doing work under the organisation’s control are aware of what the policy is on sustainability, the organisation’s aims and ambitions, what is expected of them in terms of contribution and how they will need to include consideration the organisation’s sustainability goals in their duties, and to be aware of the consequences if they fail to act.
It is also required that those doing work under the organisation’s control actually know what their contribution could be to the event’s sustainability performance. If they don’t act as they were expected to, the implications of this must be fully communicated – for example with the waste team, if they don’t put the right bag of rubbish in the right skip their action could cause the entire load of recycling to be rejected, and this needs to be communicated to them to drill home the importance of their part in an effective waste management process.
A good way of ensuring awareness is through inclusion in employment or engagement contracts, through inductions (into the office or the site), through all communications methods and through performance reviews.
Example Explanation:
Interested parties to XYZ Organisation’s event sustainability management system are informed of the organisation’s Sustainability Management Policy document. Our interested parties also include staff, crew and contractors – those doing work under our control or direction. We keep a log of all staff reading the Sustainability Policy. This can be viewed here.
Participants whose work has direct impact on our event sustainability performance have inclusions in their contracts about compliance with requirements regarding sustainability and the expectation of their performance. For example the inclusion of wording about food service packaging and waste systems in caterer’s contracts and information sheets.
Staff and crew have a clause in their employment/engagement contracts regarding sustainability and the policy of our organisation. Additionally, those staff/crew/contractors who have a direct role to play in the sustainability performance of our event/s is provided (or is involved in developing) an action list of duties to perform. The consequences of not acting are also communicated. Performance is reviewed at staff debriefs.
Requirements of this Clause:
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- People doing work under the organisation’s control must be aware of the Sustainability Policy.
- Proof that they understand their expected participation in achieving the organisation’s sustainability goals, and the consequences of them not acting.
- Inclusion of mention of of the Sustainability Policy in employment and engagement contracts.
- Log to prove all relevant team members have read and understood the Sustainability Policy.
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