Trenchless Australasia sat down with Interflow to discuss the company’s new sustainability framework, and how it is leaving a better legacy for future generations.
Interflow Sustainability and Environment Manager Pam Johnson and her colleagues have been communicating the new sustainability framework and plans across all levels within the company. Johnson 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,” she 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. Applying the SDG framework is all very relevant for governments and for industry, but it’s also very relevant for individuals and communities.”
When Johnson joined Interflow, she recognised that some good foundations had already been established to drive meaningful and positive sustainability outcomes.
What the organisation required was structure, clarity and momentum.
That’s what the sustainability framework delivers. It’s a live document that will be updated regularly to reflect changing regulations, stakeholder input and expectations, technological shifts and evolving best practice. This creates a shared language and understanding across the business, and sets a clear course for the future.
Johnson said sustainability is sometimes 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.
While the broad focus of the framework is on the UN SDGs that will help improve global outcomes such as responsible consumption and production and climate action, Johnson 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
The framework identifies three main pillars: environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and 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. The framework will also help to guide action within that supply chain and with business partners.
“There is going to be an increased focus on supplier prequalification and engagement,” Johnson 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 among Interflow people and its communities, as well as diversity and inclusion.
Current programs include Indigenous and reconciliation initiatives, such as Interflow’s Reconciliation Action Plan, 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.
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. Johnson then leads execution, working with regional managers, team leaders and business partners to ensure implementation at all levels.
Transparent reporting is a key focus of this, 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,” Johnson said.
The new 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, it needs to be woven into the work of so many within the business and outside of it,” Johnson said.
“That’s why Interflow’s message is clear: this is a journey we take together.
“This sustainability framework is going to be my handbook – it’s something I can go back to and hold myself, and the organisation, accountable to.
“And as the framework says: as a business we can drive meaningful change, create shared value and improve lives for generations to come.”
For more information, visit interflow.com.au
This article was featured in the August edition of Trenchless Australasia.
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