Interflow’s new Sustainability Framework is everybody’s business, says Sustainability and Environment Manager Pam Johnson. It’s about leaving a better legacy for future generations.
As she and her colleagues have been communicating the new Sustainability Framework and plans across all levels within Interflow, Pam Johnson, Interflow’s Sustainability and Environment Manager, has become increasingly aware of the importance of bringing the Framework to life for individuals, their families and for the communities in which they live and work.
“While aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) provides important direction for Interflow, it is easy to feel that they are disconnected from our day-to-day decisions,” Pam said. “But practical examples bring them to life, for instance, we know if sediment or pollutants are discharged into a stormwater drain, that directly relates to SDG 14: Life Below Water, which focuses on protecting aquatic ecosystems from pollution.”
“It’s important to remember that our work is directly connected to real-world environmental impacts. In this same example, discharging pollutants into a waterway will contribute to degraded ecosystems, impacting our local communities, including our families, and reduce the access to clean, safe water. So yes, applying the SDG framework is all very relevant for governments and for industry, but it’s also very relevant for individuals and communities.”
When Pam joined Interflow, she recognised that some good foundations had already been established to drive meaningful and positive sustainability outcomes. What the organisation now required was structure, clarity and momentum.
That’s what the Sustainability Framework delivers, she says. It’s a live document that will be updated regularly to reflect changing regulations, stakeholder input and expectations, technological shifts and evolving best practice – and that creates a shared language and understanding across the business, it sets a clear course for the future.
Sustainability Framework: Why now?
Sometimes, Pam says, sustainability is mistakenly reduced to just environmental management, particularly in operational or project-based industries. Instead, Interflow’s latest Sustainability Framework deliberately connects environmental protection, social considerations, governance, ethical practices and economic sustainability together and brings Interflow’s purpose to life, that is ‘to improve the lives of the people we work with, the communities we serve and the environments we work in, for generations to come.’
Designed to serve numerous purposes – including for internal education, as a guide for prioritising action, and as a way of clearly articulating Interflow’s commitments to other stakeholders and external partners – the Framework lays the foundation for governance and accountability. It ensures action and follow-through, with each piece of the sustainability Framework having an owner, deliverables and timelines.
While the broad focus of the framework is on the UN SDGs that will help improve global outcomes such as Responsible Consumption and Production, Climate Action and Clean Water and Sanitation, Pam and her team are working to translate its pieces into personal, relatable outcomes for all members of the Interflow family.
Interflow’s key areas of sustainability focus
The new Sustainability Framework identifies three pillars:
- Environmental stewardship
- Social responsibility
- Governance
From the environmental angle, this means a commitment to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. Interflow is also committing to using 100 per cent renewable electricity by the end of 2026, and 100 per cent decarbonisation of light vehicles, by the end of 2031.
Less than 20 per cent of the company’s emissions come from operations, with over 80 per cent coming from Interflow’s supply chain. And so, the framework will also help to guide action and influence within that supply chain and with business partners. It will help Interflow embed sustainability and net zero considerations into its procurement processes and identify partners that are decarbonising their businesses and their own supply chains.
“There is going to be an increased focus on supplier prequalification and engagement,” Pam said. “We want to be working with suppliers that share our sustainability values. It’s not necessarily going to be one-size-fits-all, but for us to achieve our goals, we’re going to need to bring our suppliers along with us.”
In terms of social responsibility, there is a strong focus on health and wellbeing amongst Interflow people and our communities, as well as diversity and inclusion.
Current programs include Indigenous and reconciliation initiatives, such as Interflow’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), Indigenous procurement targets, partnerships with organisations like WaterAid, The Smith Family and the GO Foundation, and a relentless focus on safety. Momentum has long been building around equity, diversity and inclusion within Interflow, and will continue to be actively driven and measured, to ensure even greater success.
These types of priorities are being communicated out to Interflow’s teams, including through toolbox talks amongst field crews. Feedback has revealed positivity around the framework, a sense of pride in what the organisation is doing, and broad engagement.
“It’s no real surprise that people are supportive,” Pam said. “As I said, it’s about making our efforts relatable for our families and communities.”
From the governance side, the framework describes a robust structure that underpins everything, ensuring every agreed idea is translated into actions and outcomes.
The framework is driven by the Interflow leadership team, who are responsible for oversight and integration into the business’s strategy and decision-making processes. Pam then leads execution, working with regional managers, team leaders and business partners to ensure implementation at all levels.
Transparent reporting is a key focus, she says. That reporting will be aligned with Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards and moving forward, with the Global Reporting Initiative.
“We need to measure and document what we’re doing and what we’re achieving, so we can continually improve,” Pam said.
Join the journey
Most importantly, Pam says, the Sustainability Framework is an invitation. It asks all stakeholders to join the organisation on the sustainability journey.
“Sustainability isn’t the responsibility of one person or one team, it needs to be woven into the work of so many within the business, from site crews to executives and outside the business, including our suppliers and customers,” Pam said. “That’s why Interflow’s message is clear, that this is a journey we take together.”
And so, whether a part of the Interflow team, a customer looking to partner on greener infrastructure or more sustainable projects, or a supplier with a shared vision for a better way of doing business, there’s a role for everyone in delivering on these worthy ambitions.
“This Sustainability Framework is going to be my handbook,” Pam said. “It’s something I can go back to and hold myself, and the organisation, accountable to.
“And as the framework says, as a business and as partners, we can drive meaningful change, create shared value and improve lives for generations to come.”
