PORTS Australia has released a new guide that provides Australian ports with a systematic and robust approach to sustainability as they prepare their strategies or evolve the work they’ve already done.

The guide, developed the Ports Australia Sustainability Working Group with assistance from Sprott Planning and Environment, presents a four-stage methodology that is evidence-based and has been applied at numerous ports and workshopped at conferences.

Chief executive of Ports Australia, Mike Gallacher, said Australia’s ports were economic foundations facilitating over 98% of our physical trade.

“But they are also community members and environmental partners,” Mr Gallacher said.

“Ports exist in communities and they are part of those communities. They also operate in some of our most beautiful and important natural environments,” he said.

“We recognised that sustainability, just like the ports sector, is unique. There is no one size that fits all, which is why this guide had to be made adaptable to suit any port wanting to future-proof their business.”

Chair of the Sustainability Working Group, Simona Trimarchi, said the guide provides a very practical “how-to” on sustainability.

“It gets into the detail of how to start looking at sustainability for your business, how to define sustainability, and then how to develop a logical and structured plan on how to advance it over time,” Ms Trimarchi said.

“It also includes the ethos of sustainability principles, how to make actions practical and results tangible, as well as looking at the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and how to factor what they mean into your specific port business.”

The guide can be downloaded from the Ports Australia website.

Ports Australia has also released a video announcement featuring Ports Australia members and international partners.