Sustainability – is it such a big deal in the offshore industry?
By its very nature, offshore wind should have sustainability running through it like Blackpool in a stick of rock? You’d expect an industry so heavily focused on renewable energy to be a byword in sustainability, but is it?
We’ve written recently about the decommissioning of wind turbines and, some of the clever ways, redundant blades and masts are being repurposed as urban sculptures and even children’s playgrounds. We all know too about the global drive for electricity to be net zero by 2030, and, with recent petrol and diesel price hikes, that’s to be welcomed?
“Sustainable development is about meeting the needs of society while living within the planet’s ecological limits and without jeopardising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.”
Sustainability needs practical actions and transparent guidelines to make it more than a mission statement on the walls of an offshore HQ’s offices or the company website and social media feeds. It needs to be rooted in guidance and the offshore industry is lucky to have that in the form of: ISO 26000, which is we know advisory, not certifiable.
ISO 26000 launched in 2010
This standard was launched in 2010, following exhaustive research and negotiations between various stakeholders.
At HSEQ-360, we have, of course, adopted its tenets and used many of its guiding principles for training, like its initial functional recommendations:
“To generate a basic understanding of social responsibility based on ISO 26000, to motivate organisations to use ISO 26000, and to give examples of how ISO 26000 can be used.”
We cover the key topics too with our stakeholders like:
- The background of ISO2 26000
- The process of developing it
- Scope
- Definitions and terms
- An understanding of social responsibility
- The seven principles
- Communication
- The seven core subjects
- Integration
- 10.Voluntary initiatives
Along, of course, with the many strands that stem from each, along with organisational examples.
Useful guidance
The ISO usefully provides guidance for ISO 26000 but given that it is a global standard, working across different industries and contexts, we do take time to adapt and modify its advice to make it relevant and workable for our clients.
With the planet’s future being discussed so prominently at Glasgow’s COP 26 (is the number simply coincidental, we wonder), a key aspect of this standard is to reduce harmful environmental, social and economic impacts.
Yet it is actually more ambitious in scale than just that. It does factor in philanthropy, human rights and ethics, with specific principles and practical questions to ask of your organisation.
We obviously can’t cover all aspects of IS0 26000 in this 500 word article but it is something we specialise in as a company and expert training provider, covering the core aspects of Social Responsibility.
Like many guidelines too, it’s worth not seeing ISO 26000 in distinct isolation and we can help you with correlating its principles with ISO 14000 (Environmental Management), ISO 9000 (Family – Quality Management), ISO 45001, ISO 20400 and ISO 37001 (Anti-bribery management systems).
Contact HSEQ-360 today to find out more.
