Environment and Social Safeguards Policy

1. POLICY STATEMENT

Family Planning NSW is committed to responsible management of all our operations to achieve the least possible environmental and social impact. This policy provides a structured approach to assessing and managing environmental and social impacts. It requires early identification of environmental and social risks impacts during the project planning stage and the continued management of risks through the project lifecycle.

2. BACKGROUND / PURPOSE

Family Planning NSW recognises the imperative of developing strategies that integrate the conservation of nature and development of natural resources with human centred, rights based and sustainable development. We subscribe to a broad definition of ‘environment’ in which human beings are central.

Family Planning NSW recognises that environmental degradation, poverty, corruption, the abrogation of the rule of law, the inequitable distribution of wealth, waste and population growth are inextricably related and none can be successfully addressed in isolation. If current trends in consumption and population growth continue, technology may not be able to avert widespread environmental deterioration.

Family Planning NSW supports the call in Agenda 21 to focus on the ecologically sustainable production and use of food, energy and water, and the use of technologies that will reduce inputs of non-renewable resources. Our international projects are developed to support the achievement of all Sustainable Development Goals which include goal 11, sustainable cities and communities.

While most of our activities are low risk for significant impact on the environment, Family Planning NSW is still committed to ensuring that we continually assess and improve our practices to work towards minimal or no impact. Our overall objective is to

• reduce any adverse impact on the environment arising from the activities of our business by aiming to prevent environmental damage and minimise pollution.
• ensure that an environmental risk analysis is performed for all activities that may have an impact on the environment and that work methods are created which will minimise harm.

Our commitment extends to all our activities, wherever they take place, which has the potential to adversely affect the environment. We aim to prevent environmental damage, minimise pollution, energy and resource usage and ensure that the principles of sustainable development are operated throughout all Family Planning NSW operations.

3. SCOPE

Family Planning NSW International Programs

4. POLICY DETAILS

4.1. Safeguard Principles

Family Planning NSW has adopted the DFAT environmental and social impacts principles as guiding principles to ensure environmental and social risks are properly managed.

Principle 1: Do no harm

Family Planning NSW seeks to protect the rights, health, safety, and livelihoods of people including children, women, indigenous people and other vulnerable or disadvantage groups.

Principle 2: Identify, assess and manage environmental and social impacts

In the development and implementation of international development, Family Planning NSW:

• identifies any significant environmental aspects and impacts from activities and projects and, where we have direct control or can be expected to have an influence, implement environmental management strategies as part of project planning.
• avoid or where avoidance is not possible, minimise the use of energy, resources consumed and waste produced whilst undertaking our activities in a safe and professional manner.
• support the reuse and recycling of materials and ensure the legal disposal of all waste arising from the activities of the business.
• comply with, and wherever possible, exceed the environmental requirements of appropriate legislative bodies.

Principle 3: Engage effectively with stakeholders

Family Planning NSW ensures that all staff whose work may create a significant impact upon the environment are provided with adequate and appropriate information and training and are competent in environmental matters.

Principle 4: Work effectively with partners

Family Planning NSW complies with partner laws and policies and works with partners to manage safeguard risks in a way that maximises the use of country systems and avoids imposing duplicate or unnecessary safeguard assessment and management planning requirements.

4.2. Environmental Risk Assessment

Family Planning NSW follows the guide to assessing Environmental Risks (Figure 1) as described in the Environment Management Guide for Australia’s Aid Program 2012. Family Planning NSW international projects are categorised as low risk sector which is likely to cause minimal to no negative environmental or associated social impact. However, we continually assess and improve our practices to work towards minimal or no impact. Environmental and social impacts are identified early in the project planning stage and ongoing monitoring occurs during the project lifecycle.

5. ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTS

• Family Planning NSW Environmental Management Plan
• Environmental and Social Safeguards Policy, 2018 DFAT (http://dfat.gov.au/about-us/publications/Pages/environmental-social-safeguard-policy-for-the-aid-program.aspx)