ResourceSmart Government program

ResourceSmart Government Strategy development training

ResourceSmart has a program with direction and support tailored for state government agencies. The program and its associated tools will help them:

• incorporate environmental management into their strategic and operational management processes
• customise a continual improvement framework and identify and address environmental impacts
• become leaders in government sustainability
• meet the Victorian Government environmental policies and targets.

The ResourceSmart Government Program for Change was developed by Sustainability Victoria and the Department of Sustainability and Environment to provide training on the development of a ResourceSmart Strategy by state government agencies.

ResourceSmart Government Program Requirements

Agencies that signed up to the ResourceSmart government training program are required to:

• Submit an initial environmental strategy to Sustainability Victoria 6 months after they complete (or were scheduled to complete) the ResourceSmart training workshops,
• Submit a two year environmental strategy one year after completing the ResourceSmart training workshops and an environmental strategy every two years from that time forward.
• Publically report on their energy, water, waste impacts, as well as any other significant environmental impact their agency is responsible for, at the end of the second full financial year following their completion of the ResourceSmart training workshops.

Five stages for continual improvement

The Program for Change process includes five stages:

1. gain commitment, develop the policy and establish your environment team
2. establish environmental baselines and map your impacts
3. set targets, priorities and actions to reduce environmental impacts
4. implement the strategy and communicate with others
5. monitor and report on progress and celebrate your successes.

Tools for change

Tools for government agencies are available to download on this page. They include:

• relevant background information
• how to guides
• useful templates and examples.

5StarSustainability for Government

Sustainability Victoria's 5StarSustainability tool helps state government departments and agencies navigate their own sustainability pathway.

5StarSustainability for Government is an interactive sustainability tool which provides a snapshot of the organisation's current environmental performance, and sets them on the way to sustainability leadership.

5StarSustainability also helps agencies meet state government environmental policies and targets. Departments and agencies can even progress to certification and be recognised for their achievements.

5StarSustainability for Government does not cover tertiary education, healthcare or local govenment. Separate 5StarSustainability for Tertiary Education and 5StarSustainability for Local Government are being developed. There already exists an accreditation scheme for the healthcare sector through the Australian Council for Healthcare Standards.

Register or log in to 5StarSustainability via the link at the bottom of the page.