ActewAGL a green workplace

ActewAGL's commitment to the environment begins with our staff and our work environment. We believe that it is important for the organisation to have clear, visible and workable environmental management systems that are part of our daily operations.

This commitment can be seen in every aspect of our working lives — from our working environment and our transport fleet through to the company's most important resource, our people.

Our built environment

ActewAGL House at 40 Bunda Street in Civic is one of Canberra's most environmentally-sustainable buildings. With a capacity of over 400 employees, our building uses smart eco-friendly technologies to reduce our energy consumption and our carbon footprint. Learn more...

Our artwork

In addition, the stunning interactive art installation in the foyer of ActewAGL House — The Journey — uses low energy LED lighting and is powered through Greenchoice, ActewAGL's renewable energy program.

Our vehicles

ActewAGL actively supports the use of green energy for vehicles.

ActewAGL has a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) refuelling depot in the ACT and Sydney and is seeking to further develop the infrastructure and increase the CNG vehicle customer base in the ACT. In our own fleet, 14 of our vehicles are CNG fuelled.

ActewAGL is also supporting Better Place's deployment of Canberra-wide electric vehicle infrastructure. Keep an eye out for ActewAGL's electric car around town.

Our people — ActewAGL's Be Green program

In 2008 ActewAGL implemented an annual environmental awareness campaign for staff called Be Green.

The Be Green campaign educates employees about simple and effective ways that they can reduce their environmental footprint at work and at home.

The campaign focuses on three main areas of resource consumption — water, electricity and paper.

By providing employees with regular campaign updates and results, as well as environmental tips and information, an environmentally-conscious culture has been established within the organisation.

A Green Team has been established and consists of employees from all over the organisation. The team helps to ensure that key environmental messages reach colleagues within each of their work areas.

Key campaign actions

In addition to the activities outlined above, we also:

• Conduct seasonal electricity, water and paper usage audits within the organisation
• Distribute environmental messages to staff through emails, articles in staff newsletters and the ActewAGL intranet site
• Display environmental point-of-use reminders around the workplace, such as magnets on dishwashers and posters in utility rooms
• Conduct audits on the number of computers left on overnight across the organisation
• Promote environmental dates and initiatives to staff, such as Clean up Australia Day and World Environment Day

Achievements

Since the Be Green campaign launched in 2008, ActewAGL staff have achieved some great results, including:

• Registration of support for the campaign by more than 50% of staff as of July 2010
• A reduction in the number of unapproved computers left on overnight from around 500 in May 2008 to an average of 100 as of January 2011.