13 minute read
The Six ACT Government Procurement Values
The ACT Government is committed to leveraging its spending to meet community expectations as well as supporting the local economy and local jobs. Through its Charter of Procurement Values the ACT Government recognises that the pursuit of value for money goes beyond financial considerations and includes a range of ethical, environmental, economic and social factors. The Charter expresses the ACT Government’s expectations through six procurement values.
THESE SIX PROCUREMENT VALUES ARE:
1/ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Economic Participation
We value the economic contribution that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and businesses bring to our community. The ACT Government is committed to increasing the economic participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Enterprises and believes procurement can support economic participation and self-determination.
2/ Business Development and Innovation We recognise the value in growing the economy in the Canberra Region. The ACT Government is committed to building stronger communities by ensuring local businesses have equal opportunities to compete for government contracts arising from procurement.
3/ Diversity, Equality and Inclusion
We value diversity, equality and inclusion so that all Territory residents can contribute and participate equally. The ACT Government is committed to encouraging organisations to build capacity for people who face social barriers and barriers to equal opportunity in employment, such as people with disability, culturally and linguistically diverse people, children and young people, older Canberrans, women, veterans and LGBTIQ+ people. We support diversity, equality, and inclusion in procurement by procuring from suppliers who demonstrate inclusive practices. 4/ Environmental Responsibility We value environmental responsibility and seek to ensure our procurement has a positive impact on our physical environment and local and global ecosystems. The ACT Government is committed to reducing the draw on natural resources, consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in procurement.
5/ Fair and Safe Conditions for Workers We value fair and safe conditions for workers. The ACT Government is committed to ensuring that workers in businesses that have ACT Government contracts, have a fair and safe work environment. We support the awarding of contracts to businesses that do the right thing for their workers.
6/ Transparent and Ethical Engagement We value transparency and ethical engagement and expect suppliers to adhere to and implement their own ethical behaviour standards. Territory entities must not knowingly engage with suppliers that demonstrate business practices that are objectionable, dishonest, unethical or unsafe.
The 2022 GEOCON Menslink Stair Chase
MBA Members ABS Façade, IC Formwork and O’Neill & Brown Plumbing participated in the 2022 GEOCON Menslink Stair Chase with the event raising over $10,000 to help support young men in Canberra. 50 runners across eight teams challenged themselves to climb 27 stories of GEOCON’s High Society building in Belconnen.
Hugh Mackenzie (pictured) from O’Neill & Brown Plumbing took out the fastest time, completing the 27 flights in 2 minutes and 48 seconds.
Well done to everyone involved in this fantastic initiative.
The 2022 Vinnies CEO Sleep Out:
MBA Members Brace the Cold to Support the ACT Community
On 23 June 2022, Master Builders ACT CEO, Michael Hopkins, and a number of MBA Members camped out at the National Portrait Gallery overnight to raise money and awareness for those sleeping rough in our city. Collectively Master Builders ACT and MBA Members raised over $87,000.
Great work to the MBA Members and sponsors who joined the 2022 CEO Sleepout: > Snedden Hall & Gallop (11th year participating) > Suburban Land Agency (5th year participating) > Geocon Group (2nd year participating) > PBS Building (ACT) > Sunny Homes
The 2022 Push-up Challenge:
MBA Members Lend a Helping Hand to Lifeline ACT
Over 24 days in June 2022, the Master Builders ACT Team and MBA Members challenged themselves to complete 3,139 push-ups, squats or sit-ups. The teams raised over $8,400 and all money raised went to Lifeline ACT.
Thank you to the Master Builder members who participated: > ACT Steelworks > Canberra Contractors > FDC Construction & Fitout (ACT) > Vdara Construction > Lendlease Building ACT > Downer Group
We hope to see many MBA Members putting their muscles to work for the 2023 challenge next year.
Creating Concrete Change:
CE Construction Solutions and High Quality Concrete Partner to Deliver Industry Change
High Quality Concrete and CE Construction Solutions partnered to be the first concrete plant in Australia to deliver the CarbonCure Technologies system. The system takes recycled carbon from other industries and injects it into fresh concrete, which results in an overall lower carbon footprint through the manufacturing process.
Congratulations to High Quality Concrete and CE Construction Solutions for partnering to deliver profound, sustainable change in concrete manufacturing.
FROM LEFT: MARK DAWES (GENERAL MANAGER, HI-QUALITY CONCRETE), RACHAEL (CARBONCURE) AND DAMIAN ROSS (GENERAL MANAGER, CE CONSTRUCTION SOLUTIONS). PHOTO CREDIT: ADAM MCGRATH.
MS Walk, Run or Roll:
Master Builders ACT member, Pacific Formwork raised $7,054 for Multiple Sclerosis Limited by joining the ACT 2022 MS Walk, Run or Roll. This year there were 723 Entrants in Canberra who collectively raised $107,976 which goes towards supporting people living with MS. The Pacific Formwork team will also be completing the Oxfam Trailwalker in August, which involves completing a 50km walk in 24 hours or a 100km walk in 48 hours.
BUILDING HOPE
with Hands Across Canberra
Hands Across Canberra, the National Capital’s independent community foundation, started in 2010. We work with over 300 local community organisations. Our goal is to tackle the challenges in the community by raising funds for community service organisations which work with our most vulnerable individuals and families.
We are an enabler for innovative partnerships and collaboration, working with a range of Canberra businesses and private individuals to amplify the benefits that can be accessed by charities and community organisations. We believe encouraging Canberra businesses and community organisations to work together fosters a healthier and more viable society and can reinvigorate local support for community work.
An interesting fact that is not well understood is that about 85% of funds donated to charity by Canberrans actually leaves the Territory to fund National charities. That is why we provide an avenue for Canberrans to ‘give where we live’, building a culture of philanthropy in the Canberra community.
Since our establishment we have raised over $10m and contributed most of that to community organisations.
The ACT is generally perceived as a relatively well-off community. However, there are some concerning hidden realities about those with real need. A 2021 report (Vital Signs) commissioned by Hands Across Canberra and the Snow Foundation highlighted the following:
> Too many Canberrans are living in poverty, with 38% of people in poverty having paid employment
> Too many of these Canberrans are children
> Lack of affordable housing remains the most significant challenge confronting people on low incomes in the
Canberra community with growing numbers of older women at risk of homelessness or already homeless > Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are disproportionately represented in our jail and in out of home care
> Our LGBTQA+ community continue to experience disadvantage and high levels of psychological distress
> Too many others find life a constant struggle as much of their income is taken up with housing costs
The building and construction sector is a fundamentally important part of the ACT economy.
The MBA has been an active partner of Hands Across Canberra since its inception. The MBA is a great supporter of HAC fundraising events and through its industry partners we have seen substantial funds raised for great causes here in the ACT. MBA members have also been wonderful supporters when local charities have needed building and construction expertise. We have seen commercial kitchens being created to allow social enterprises to flourish in the suburbs, facilities being upgraded to assist children with learning difficulties and many other great examples of industry generosity.
Hands Across Canberra are also involved in the Strathnairn Charity House, with the project promising to provide a significant boost to a range of local community organisations in West Belconnen while providing a platform to promote the growing participation of women in the construction sector. Proceeds from the sale of the Charity House will be donated to Hands Across Canberra for distribution to four local charities.
The Strathnairn Charity House auction will be held in late 2022, for more information head to https://mba.org.au/about-mba/strathnairn-charity-house-2021/
Opportunities or Inconvenience?
Cord Civil and Calibre Group Seize the Opportunity to Protect an Endangered Species
With every new civil project, many opportunities emerge for Civil Members to improve Canberra’s landscape and contribute positively to the surrounding environment. MBA Members have proven time and time again that they are willing to go the extra mile and enact environmental protection plans that preserve integral parts of the existing landscape. The Canberra Brickworks Precinct Access Road & Dudley Street Upgrade delivered by Cord Civil and Calibre Group was no exception.
The teams identified early on in the project that the site was home to an existing endangered species of Golden Sun Moths (GSM) and their habitats. To safely, temporarily relocate this species, detailed planning was required by Cord Civil and Calibre Group in consultation with an environmental expert. Anthony Giannasca, Director at Cord Civil, saw it as a valuable opportunity to be actively involved in the protection of this endangered species saying, “Through the preliminary stages of the project, Cord Civil was given the unique opportunity to learn and be hands on with the translocation process of this threatened species. The whole project team came to understand the ecological significance of the species and developed a strong sense of responsibility to protect the surrounding habitat for not only the species but the local stakeholders and the wider Canberra community.”
Calibre Group Construction Manager, Tim Berriman, described the straightforward decision to protect the species saying, “There was a clear opportunity to protect the species by relocating them to nearby undisturbed areas, as well as by planting native grasses to restore areas where Golden Sun Moths may thrive.”
Tim continued, “The project team welcomed the opportunity to contribute to the preservation of this species, and protect biodiversity more broadly, and to continue to lead the industry in environmental protection and conservation.”
Following the extensive plan submission and approval process and prior to any physical construction works being permitted to commence, there was the very delicate operation to relocate a localised population of endangered Golden Sun Moth (GSM) larvae from within the design footprint to adjacent native grassland areas. This process was undertaken with the supervision of experienced ecologists under the watchful eye of Dr Michael Mulvaney, an expert on the GSM life cycle.
QUICK FACTS
> Golden Sun Moths were officially declared an endangered species in the ACT in 1996 > The Environment, Planning and Sustainable
Development Directorate estimates that almost 60% of known Golden Sun Moth habitat in the
ACT is under conservation management > There are currently 78 known occupied Golden
Sun Moth habitats in the ACT
The construction industry has a crucial role to play in environmental protection, and the civil sector has a significant on the ground impact on the surrounding environment. Discussing the role of the civil sector, Anthony says, “The civil construction industry plays a crucial role in environmental protection through the initiation and adoption of more sustainable construction processes and practices, increasing mitigation and management measures to protect existing environments and by investing in new projects designed to enrich/offset the impacts of construction throughout the wider community.” Tim described the vital role of the civil sector in environmental protection saying, “The civil construction industry continues to play a vital part in the protection and conservation of the environment. Whether it be in protection of biodiversity, as was the case with Golden Sun Moths, reducing causes/impacts of climate change, the protection of our waterways or reducing waste, there are many areas where the civil construction industry can, and does, lead the way in environmental conservation and protection.”
This project was also a winner of the Project value $5 million to $10 million of the 2022 CCF Earth Awards. We look forward to seeing more outstanding projects at the 2023 CCF Earth Awards.
WHY CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR BUSINESS
BY MEMBER SERVICES DIRECTOR, ASHLEE BERRY
The ‘buzz phrase’ of corporate social responsibility was first coined over 50 years ago, but in simple terms, it really means being a good corporate citizen, taking responsibility and doing more than just reporting a profit each year. In 2010, an international standard (ISO 26000) was released to provide guidance to businesses interested in implementing CSR practices. The objective of this standard is to assess the genuine commitment of an organisation to sustainability, and its overall performance. Interestingly, this is one of the few standards that only provides guidance and is not a requirement; socially responsible initiatives can be very subjective and it can be time-consuming and cost prohibitive to implement. Technically, CSR is about triple-bottom-line reporting, but it doesn’t need to be technical.
In essence, it is about going above and beyond in your core business, whatever that may be, and contributing to and making a difference in your circle of influence. That does not mean that a small business with a relatively small turnover, ought to have the same initiatives on offer as a multi-national corporation. The key is that you have something.
Once you have decided that your business needs to increase the CSR on offer, you should consider the following:
> Any efforts must be genuine to ensure a real benefit to the business. This may include simple and small alternatives such as recycling coffee pods or cardboard boxes, through to more complex partnerships or initiatives. > Whilst cash may be king, making a cash donation is not necessarily right for some. Talk to the organisations that you intend to engage with and confirm what they actually need. > You need to believe in the cause you are committing to.
Don’t make token or piecemeal gestures, because your clients and the community will ultimately see through it. > How will you promote what you are doing? You may not be large enough to produce an Annual Report, so think about utilising your website or social media channels to ensure the world at large is aware of what you are doing. > Define your budget and your objectives. Do you intend to spend a larger budget, or nothing at all and rather rely on in-kind or other volunteer initiatives? Some easy ways that you can improve your CSR offerings:
> Speak with your team – you may find they have a significant number of people who have a real interest in improving the CSR on offer by your business and will soon become your champions – both internally and externally. > Start small. You don’t need to conquer or change the world immediately. Every little step in the right direction is a positive one. Take the small wins. > Look at what you are doing already and make sure that you are promoting the wins! The next challenge for all businesses, once they have conquered what corporate social responsibility means for them and how best to implement it in their business, is to focus on Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) principles. These principles take a business from assessing its impact on the world around it, to actually measuring these efforts. This is a slightly more complicated process.
CSR will become more important as governments place a greater emphasis on values (see page 11 for further information on the Procurement Values that have been adopted by the ACT Government), and as private clients seek more from the trades that they engage. This is becoming even more apparent as competition is fierce and businesses are striving to find a point of difference between themselves and their competitors.
