SDG progress report

This goal is highly relevant to Transurban as it covers road safety and employee health. We are in a strong position to enhance road safety – not only in our area of operations but also in sharing our knowledge nationally and internationally, including with developing countries. In addition, we have opportunities to enhance employee health through our wellbeing program.

SDG target 3.4: “By 2030, reduce by one-third pre-mature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and wellbeing”

• Continued to develop our network of mental health first aiders across Australia. We now have 78 employees with the skills to recognise signs of mental health problems and provide support to employees in times of need.
• Trained more than 400 employees on the NorthConnex project, through Mates in Construction to raise awareness of mental health issues and combat the high suicide rates prevalent in the construction industry.
• Continued to make progress with our Wellbeing Program which aims to keep our employees safe and healthy at home as well as work. The Program provides resources and support across four focus areas: Mind (e.g. building mental health resilience), Body (e.g. programs covering exercise, nutrition and healthcare), Connected (e.g. offering paid volunteer leave for community causes) and Recognition (e.g. our employee awards program)

SDG target 3.6:  “By 2020, halve global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents”

• Implemented Road Safety Action Plans in each region and completed 56/65 strategic road safety actions.
• Established the Transurban Road Safety Centre in partnership with Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) with a focus on reducing injuries suffered on roads nationally and conducting research into older drivers and motorcyclists (two road user groups that suffer a disproportionate number of injuries and fatalities).
• Awarded two road-safety related innovation grants – one is focussing on investigating improvements to wire rope barriers to enhance motorcyclist safety while the other is exploring smart LED sensor lights embedded into road surfaces to detect and communicate vehicle speed and road safety signals to road users.
• Supported or led ten important road safety awareness events and initiatives in Australia and the USA including Global and Australian Road Safety Weeks. Queensland Road Safety Week, ‘phones down’ campaigns in the USA and the release of the 2016 Child Safety Handbook.

This goal is relevant to our Diversity Objectives and intent to provide equal opportunities in leadership. With the current disproportionate male representation in our industry sector, we have a clear opportunity to make a tangible impact by promoting and sharing the lessons and results of our efforts.

SDG Target 5.5: “Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic, and public life”

• Continued our efforts to enhance gender equality as a key part of our commitment to diversity and inclusion across the business.
• Recognised by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency as an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality and by Equileap as one of the top 20 organisations globally for gender equality and one of six companies reporting no significant gender pay gap.
• Continued our Females Excelling in Engineering and Technology program in Australia with 49 female students participating in FY17.

SDG Target 5.c: “Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels”

• Extended our Australian 16 week fully paid parental leave scheme to our USA employees (minimum legal requirement is to provide 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave).
• Maintained and enhanced flexible work practices that permit working from home, flexible leave and working hours, days and part-time work arrangements. All of these elements help to attract and retain women at Transurban.

With a focus on energy efficiency, this goal aligns with business priorities to deliver and operate efficient assets over the long term. This goal also seeks to encourage investment and uptake of renewable energy. Transurban has a significant opportunity to make meaningful and important changes to how we operate. We can reduce energy consumption over time and increase our proportional use of renewable energy.

SDG Target 7.2: “By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix”

• Installed 23.4 kW of renewable energy in FY17 across Australian assets taking the total installed capacity to 140 kW. 

SDG Target 7.3: “By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency”

• Progressed energy efficiency plans under our ‘10-in-10’ energy efficiency target for Australian road assets identifying the major energy efficiency measures to be implemented over the next ten years.
• Achieved a 5 ½ star NABERS energy rating for the Melbourne Head Office with a 10% reduction in energy use despite a 12% increase in occupants.

This goal aligns with Transurban’s core business and is about developing and operating quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure that supports economic development and human wellbeing. This goal also aims to enhance resource-use efficiency, increase adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies. Transurban is well placed to make a strong contribution to society and the transportation sector in these areas.

SDG Target 9.5: “Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending”

• Awarded three $100,000 innovation grants – two focussed on road safety and the third involves trialling a new sensor material that will be integrated into road pavement and capable of reporting on traffic density, weight, volume and road surface condition
• Completed two grants previously awarded - noise cancellation and transformation and new a new material for road safety barriers

This goal relates strongly to Transurban’s core business and covers opportunities such as safe and sustainable transport, improved road safety, enhancing public transport, and provision of transport solutions for disadvantaged members of communities. The goal also covers air quality and protection of cultural and natural heritage, which are relevant to the construction and management of roads and tunnels.

Transurban and our network partners have the ability to deliver better safety outcomes on our roads. Our work in preparing for the arrival of connected and automated vehicles and other transport technologies will also contribute to meeting this goal. Through business-as-usual we work to ensure heritage and air quality are protected and there are additional opportunities to pursue in waste management.

SDG Target 11.2: “By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons”

• Transurban’s core business is to provide access to road transport infrastructure. In FY17, we continued to strive to optimise and expand our road networks to enhance the effectiveness of cities where we operate
• Refer to SDG 3 for key FY17 road safety achievements

SDG Target 11.6: “By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality, municipal and other waste management”

• Ensured design of new road assets – for example West Gate Tunnel Project – have grades that minimise engine labouring and hence air emissions
• Achieved an overall waste to landfill diversion rate of 97%

This goal is relevant as large quantities of materials are consumed in road construction and maintenance. Transurban applies sustainability principles across the lifecycle of assets and in our business generally and reports annually on our sustainability performance. By championing and using more sustainable materials, we can reduce our impacts and encourage our sector to do likewise.

SDG Target 12.2: “By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources”

• Trialled the use of EME2 asphalt on our Gateway Upgrade North project which allows for a reduction in pavements of up to 20%
• Committed to examining and challenging the way we plan, design, construct and operate assets to reduce their whole-of-life impact while maintaining or improving their economic performance.  This includes reducing the amount of materials used and favouring lower environmental impact materials

SDG Target 12.5: “By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse”

• Achieved significant waste reduction on major projects in FY17 with an overall waste to landfill diversion rate of 97%
• Piloted the use of recycled materials such as recycled crushed glass
• Established a Pavements Community of Practice (COP). One of the COP’s objectives is to reduce virgin material use and maximise the durability of pavements.

SDG Target 12.6: “Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle”

• Delivered a significant range of sustainability initiatives in accordance with our three pillar sustainability strategy and sustainability commitments. The strategy and commitments address the SDGs identified in this progress report
• Prepared this FY17 Sustainability Report outlining Transurban’s sustainability performance and continued efforts towards becoming a more sustainable organisation

This goal relates strongly to Transurban’s operations and planning for future assets through climate change risk assessment. We are currently taking action in these areas across our networks and are also in a position to influence others through these efforts. Additional opportunities for us include increasing renewable energy procurement and working with governments, industry and others to accelerate uptake of electric vehicles.

SDG Target 13.1: “Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries”

• Established a commitment requiring existing assets to regularly review climate change risks and new assets to identify and respond to these risks in the design phase
• Established a target to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions (scope 1 and 2) by 52% by 2030

SDG Target 13.3: “Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning”

• Established contractual requirements and supported contractors in developing and implementing climate change risk assessments for major projects
• Transurban seeks to design and operate our road networks to maintain ‘free-flow’ traffic conditions wherever possible (limiting stop-start movements) thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We also aim to limit road grades to avoid unnecessary engine labouring with associated increased fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions