My thoughts on sustainability

From policy to action

Sustainability commonly begins with policy statements that commit a company to identifying and addressing environmental, societal, operational, and economic concerns.

Objectives and actions commonly evolve from policy. Objectives describe what is intended to be accomplished. Actions describe the approaches to reach the objectives.

Maximize availability of, and access to, aggregate — by forward planning that protects important resources from sterilization; by mine planning that allows for extraction of as much aggregate as possible from an area; by using products for the most valuable application appropriate for the aggregate quality; and by facilitating use of recycled aggregate.

Minimize environmental impacts — by following best management practices; by providing for the conservation of natural surroundings by management of buffer areas that maintain or enhance vegetation; by allowing for reclamation as an integral part of the quarry/pit design process; and by allowing enough flexibility in reclamation design to incorporate advances in technology and changes in local needs.

Paired objectives and actions

Minimize societal impacts and maximize societal benefits — by forward planning that separates incompatible land uses; by creating community benefits for areas impacted by aggregate development; and by involving the local community in planning activities, monitoring, and outreach.

Reduce embodied energy and greenhouse gasses — by increasing blasting and production efficiency, and reducing fuel consumption.

Identify and resolve legitimate stakeholder concerns — by constructively contributing to a decision-making process that addresses not only the interests of the company, but a wide range of other citizens’ interests.

Indicators

Indicators measure progress toward reaching objectives and the effectiveness of actions taken. Examples of indicators include:

• Total land area in operation compared to amount of saleable products.
• Total number of reportable environmental incidents.
• Total land area reclaimed as a percentage of land area in operation.
• Energy consumption per ton of saleable product.
• Total number of events arranged for neighboring communities.

The SARM process can be refined through monitoring, regular evaluation, and reconsideration of requirements as events develop. The establishment of a joint monitoring process presents an opportunity to forge partnerships with communities and involve citizen groups.