Environmental Protection Department Environmental Performance Report 2005
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9  Verification Statement
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Objectives

Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) was commissioned by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) to verify its Environmental Performance Report 2005 (the "EPR 2005"), which covers EPD's environmental performance in 2004. The objectives of HKPC's verification work are to:
Hong Kong Productivity Council

• Assess whether the scope of the EPR 2005 covers all significant issues in relation to EPD's environmental performance;
• Assess whether the selected statements and data presented in the EPR 2005 are accurate;
• Assess whether the data collection and information management systems used to prepare the EPR 2005 are reliable; and
• Provide recommendations for future reports.

Approach

Our verification procedures comprised a review of the EPR 2005, and selection of a representative sample of statements and data for interviews with representatives from EPD. During the interviews, the documented supporting materials relating to the selected statements and data as well as EPD's management practices and environmental initiatives were explained to and examined by our independent verifiers.

Results

Completeness
The EPR 2005 is considered to be comprehensive and provides an overview of EPD's environmental performance with respect to its activities, environmental issues, commitments and achievements. The EPR 2005 puts forth a summary of EPD's 2004 targets and progress, and future targets for year-on-year comparison of performance.

Accuracy and Reliability
The selected statements and data are consistent with the materials examined by HKPC during the verification process and reflect an accurate account of EPD's environmental management practices and performance. EPD has made amendments to specific statements for clarification, to HKPC's satisfaction. The data collection and information management systems used are considered to be both effective and reliable.

Recommendations for Future Reports
EPD is commended for completing the EPR 2005 as one of the communication channels to inform the public of its environmental commitments and continual effort on improving its environmental performance. EPD is encouraged to consider the following recommendations in preparing future reports:

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To further enhance readers' interest through focusing on the key and significant achievements of the Department in the report;
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To further increase the provisions of its environmental achievements/targets and quantitative performance as far as practicable to facilitate the continual review of EPD's improvement progress from year to year;
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To further encourage stakeholders' feedback through different channels to achieve continued improvements on both reporting and environmental performance; and
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To move towards sustainability reporting by including information on social and economic aspects with reference to the leading reporting best practices, in particular the Global Reporting Initiative's (GRI) Sustainability Reporting Guidelines in future reports, while it is noted in the Foreword that EPD has taken note of the Guidelines in preparing the report.

 

K L Tsang Technology Services Manager Environmental Management Division Hong Kong Productivity Council
K L Tsang
Technology Services Manager
Environmental Management Division
Hong Kong Productivity Council
28th June 2005

 

   
   
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