To the casual observer, Otago's 2010 annual report document
looks like any other.
But the consultant who has helped the polytechnic embed
sustainability practices throughout its teaching programmes
and business operations says the document, released this
week, is a "totally new way" of reporting which he expects
will become a model for other educational institutions and
businesses.
Dr Barry Law, an environmental educator since the early
1990s, has co-written a sustainability textbook for the
Ministry of Education and now runs a consultancy business in
Christchurch. He has been helping the polytechnic develop its
policy for the past four years.
The polytechnic was now at a point where it could, through
its annual report, show "transparently and authentically" how
sustainability - minimising the use of the planet's resources
- permeated everything it did.
"The [2009] report was 57 pages, of which 30 to 40 of them
were the financials. So, while it was a good report in terms
of giving an overview of their financial situation, it didn't
in any way indicate their performance across the four
sustainability dimensions - environmental, social, political
and economic.
"Institutional reporting needs to account for more than just
economic reporting, rather [an organisation's] effects on the
environment, how they are working with their community, the
social impacts of what they are doing, and how they are
actually working beyond compliance.
"Sustainability isn't something you bolt on, it's not
something you do on a nice day and it's not something you do
on pages 8-9 of your annual report.
Sustainability is your annual report."
At 56 pages, the 2010 report is not much shorter than its
predecessors but is peppered throughout with examples of
various sustainability measures.
Otago Polytechnic was the first educational institution in
New Zealand to produce such an annual report, Dr Law said.
"While the report is a product, it is also an educational
tool. I would hope it would become an example for other
institutions and businesses. We have already had a lot of
interest." Only a small number had been printed but the
report was available online, he said.
- allison.rudd@odt.co.nz
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