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Section 3
Preparing a Quality EPRMain Content
Section 3 Preparing a Quality EPR
What should I observe when preparing the EPR?
EPD's A Benchmark for Environmental Performance
Reports (hereby referred to as the EPR Benchmark) provides useful
guidance on what a well-prepared EPR should include and communicate. This
Section is especially designed for experienced reporters to address the
elements as set out in the EPR Benchmark and to improve the quality
of their EPRs. Adopting a consistent structure with the EPR Benchmark,
this Section presents you with practical considerations for addressing
each element raised by the EPR Benchmark. When reading this Section,
you are highly encouraged to refer back to the actual A Benchmark for
Environmental Performance Reports document for its original text and
interpretations. You can also use the Self-Scoring Template, a
spreadsheet developed based on the EPR Benchmark and available through
this Cyber Helpdesk, to evaluate your EPR.
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Click here to
A Benchmark for Environmental Performance Reports
to download its pdf version |
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Click here to download the
Self-Scoring Template
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I.
Communication
To address this element, you are essentially asking these questions:
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How effective is
the report? |
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Does the reported
information help the reader form a picture of the organization
and understand its environmental issues, intentions, initiatives
and performance? |
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Hint: Set the scene by including appropriate background
information
Consider: Nature, scope and scale of operations and activities
(key programme areas, budget ceiling, staff numbers, offices / facilities / projects / sites / equipment);
boundary of influence (policy areas, interaction with other parties including suppliers and contractors,
target audiences, service receivers, business partners, local communities; Mainland communities; overseas
communities); roles and responsibilities; structure; relevant policies (quality, environmental, social,
health and safety policies); etc.
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2. |
Basic Principles of Reporting |
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Hint: Explain your reporting approach and what matters in
your report
Consider: Inclusions and exclusions (topic-wise,
organizational-wise); intentions and purposes; target audience and their concerns; controversial issues;
treatment of information and data; etc.
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Hint: Adopt
a logical, easy-to-follow structure (i.e. with a logical "red
thread"* coherently linking all report sections)
Consider:
Using sections, headings and sub-headings effectively; ensuring linkages
between sections; including a clear table of contents; etc.
*see more in A Benchmark for Environmental Performance Reports
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Hint: Ensure that it is a pleasure to read the report
Consider: Avoiding jargon or technical terms; including
necessary definitions, references, and explanatory notes; stimulating interest with pictures, case
highlights, linkages to everyday life, summary charts, figures, data graphs and trends; etc.
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5. |
Accessibility and Quick Reading |
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Hint: Know who your audiences are, enable them to find your
report and quickly find the information they need in your report, as well as provide a channel for them to
effectively request for and receive additional information and send feedback. Include an executive summary
as needed.
Consider: Target audience distribution list; internet posting;
paper copies in libraries; distribution of electronic version through email; using tags/quick finders,
colour coding, symbols, dividers, report map in the report; executive summary, etc.
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II.
Relevance
To address this element, you are essentially asking these questions:
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Does the report
make sense? |
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Does it cover the
right issues for the right audience given the nature, scale
and scope of your Department/Bureau? |
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6. |
Stakeholders and Report Target Audience |
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Hint: Identify them and their concerns, and address their
concerns
Consider: Various community groups; service receivers and
providers; business partners, suppliers and contractors; staff members; unions and associations;
professional institutes and educational institutions; the private sector; other government departments
and bureaux; etc.
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Hint: Identify and prioritize the aspects that have the
potential to impact on the environment and support your judgement by relevant facts
Consider: List of or selected key/significant aspects; their
potential impacts or issues; direct and indirect impacts; life cycle illustrations; etc.
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III.
Commitment and Management
To address this element, you are essentially asking these questions:
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Do you feel confident that the top management and staff are committed to environmental performance
improvement? |
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Is environmental management adequate and effective? |
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Hint: State clearly the departmental/bureau vision and
strategy towards environmental performance improvement, or towards sustainable development. Note that
the vision and strategy has to cover the most pressing environmental challenges, directly relevant to
your operations, that need to be solved.
Consider: Goals, policies, mission statements, visions,
management approach and strategies; etc.
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Hint: Show management commitment to and involvement in the
environmental management and reporting processes. In particular, management commitment in relation to
the adoption and implementation of principles, values and policies is useful.
Consider: Including a message by one or more top/directorate
management personnel; notes on management's approach and views regarding specific issues; excerpts of
management level interviews; pictures of management personnel in action in committee meetings, green
events, tree-planting activities, consultation; etc.
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10. |
Responsibilities and Organizational Structure |
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Hint: Identify the responsibilities and accountabilities of
staff for all reporting issues
Consider: Internal responsibilities and structure (Green
Manager, Executives, Committee and working level); interface with the private sector, other government
departments and bureaux; etc.
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Hint: Describe the contents, progress and results of
improvement actions/programmes that were undertaken in the current and previous reporting years
Consider: Improvement plans/programmes; specific environmental
initiatives; target plans; objectives and targets; presentation of improvement actions in a clear,
easy-to-read table format; etc.
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12. |
Management System and Integration into Business Processes |
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Hint: Describe key procedures and management tools and how
environmental considerations are incorporated into decision- making and daily operations
Consider: EMS; audit; target plans; management review;
committee meeting; environmental review; environmental consideration checklist; etc.
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13. |
Supply Chain and Value Chain |
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Hint: Describe co-operation with customers and how
relationships with clients, suppliers and contractors are strengthened. For example, how they are
managed, assessed and engaged in dialogue with you, what environmental expectations/specifications
clients require of you and those that you require of your suppliers and contractors
Consider: Supplier/contractor assessment; communication and
correspondence; training; contract requirements and specifications; etc.
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IV.
Performance
To address this element, you are essentially asking these questions:
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Does the report
clearly show and assess performance levels in relevant areas? |
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Will the reader
have a clear understanding of the reporting organization's performance
in each relevant area? |
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14. |
Metrics and Indicators |
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Hint: Report relevant environmental data and indicators
where possible and demonstrates logic in the choice of indicators
Consider: Absolute indicators; normalized indicators;
environmental condition performance indicators; management performance indicators; operational
performance indicators; etc.
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Hint: Report historical trends and provide year-on-year
comparison where possible to identify long term trends and predict potential future directions
Consider: Short-term and long-term trends (e.g. 3-year trends;
5-year trends; etc.); Sectoral trends
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Hint: State your targets for improvement, including
specific actions, applicable timelines and quantified performance levels to be attained
Consider: Specific actions under the broader scope of an
objective; short-term targets; long-term targets; department-wide targets; divisional targets; etc.
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17. |
Interpretation and Benchmarks |
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Hint: Assess and explain specific levels of performance and
progress, and compare performance with similar local and/or overseas organizations where possible
Consider: Assessment scale (good/pass/bad); data from external
sources for benchmarking; against overall performance and specific indicators; etc.
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V.
Credibility
To address this element, you are essentially
asking these questions:
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Can the reported
information be trusted? |
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Is the report convincing? |
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Is the report's
coverage balanced, content fair and unbiased? |
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Hint: Cover a balanced spectrum of relevant and significant
issues, including controversial ones
Consider: A balanced selection of decision-making, operational
and housekeeping issues; a full coverage of the most significant issues and sufficient coverage of other
issues of relevance to your operations or of a controversial nature (both positive and negative); etc.
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19. |
Engagement with Stakeholders |
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Hint: Demonstrate communication with stakeholders and
consideration of their concerns
Consider: Describing the stakeholder consultation process
used (e.g. survey, written communications, focused group meetings, stakeholder workshops, community
advisory panels, web discussion/feedback process); stakeholders identified in the process; stakeholder
concerns openly and separately discussed; feedback on a previous report and how it has been addressed;
etc.
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Hint: Include a verification statement in the report
Consider: Independent verification; third party opinion; etc.
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Click below for related FAQ(s) from the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): |
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Click below for related tip(s) from the 10 Tips for Successful EPRs: |
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Click here to Useful Resource Documents, Reference
Materials and Links for more information |
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