Environmental Sustainability
Interrelate acknowledges the importance of protecting the environment. We aim to minimise our environmental
footprint by working with staff and stakeholders, in compliance with legal and other requirements, to ensure
that we are sustainable now and into the future. Our Environmental Strategy sets the priorities of our work in
this area.
During 2015-16, there were four key programs that delivered on this Strategy:
1. LED light replacement program
As a result of the energy audits completed in early 2015, the three regional offices of Caringbah, Dubbo and
Taree had their lights replaced with LED lighting.
LED lights require very little electricity to power up and due to their extreme efficiency their design converts
approximately 90% of the electricity they consume into light (compared to 10-15% for a conventional light).
LED lights also have a significantly longer lifespan to that of traditional incandescent, halogen and fluorescent
lights.
This light replacement program has already made a significant difference to the working conditions for staff.
We will monitor the energy usage over the next 12 months to see the impact they have made in this area.
2. Waste Reduction
Interrelate has made a firm commitment to minimising our waste across all our centres. Seven centres across the
organisation participated in a national waste audit run by CitySwitch which involved staff volunteers reviewing
our waste for five days and compiling the results. Based on the information collected, CitySwitch provided an
action plan for each centre to improve our waste management. Work on these plans has commenced with
new colour coded bins already installed in several centres.
3. E-waste
As an organisation we are continually upgrading our IT hardware and have partnered with Computers for
Young and Old to ensure that our decommissioned equipment can be recycled or reused. Computers for
Young and Old have facilities in Sydney and use redundant e-waste to offer free computer equipment to
students, the elderly, disabled and disadvantaged from all walks of life. Interrelate has recycled more than
360 computers, monitors, screens and phones through Computers for Young and Old which is approximately
990kg of IT equipment.
4. Paper
Interrelate aims to become paperless over the next few years. Part of this commitment was the introduction of
the Paperless Penelope (client database) Project in all service delivery centres during 2015-16.
In addition, the replacement of our photocopier fleet with Fuji Xerox machines throughout the organisation
and our move to using 50% recycled paper has led to an increase in our environmental sustainability. The
new Fuji Xerox equipment features environmentally responsible deign and energy efficient enhancements,
including software and digital technologies that reduce paper wastage.
We have also committed to recycle all used paper. In 2015-16 at the Bella Vista office alone, over 2.5 tonnes of
confidential used paper was shredded, pulped and recycled through Advance Security Destruction.
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