Objectives

Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) was commissioned by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) to verify its Environmental Performance Report 2006 (the EPR 2006), which covers EPD's environmental performance in 2005 as well as information on economic and social aspects. The objectives of HKPC's verification work are to:

  • Assess whether the scope of the EPR 2006 covers all significant issues in relation to EPD's environmental performance;

  • Assess whether the selected statements and data presented in the EPR 2006 are accurate;

  • Assess whether the data collection and information management systems used to prepare the EPR 2006 are reliable; and

  • Provide recommendations for future reports.

Approach

Our verification procedures comprised a review of the EPR 2006 and selection of a representative sample of statements and data for verification through a series of interviews with EPD's representatives. During the interviews, the documented supporting materials relating to the selected statements and data as well as EPD's environmental management practices and environmental initiatives were explained to and examined by our independent verifiers. It should be noted that we have not carried out any work on information with respect to EPD's future target(s) and those published on EPD's website to which references are made in the EPR 2006.

Results

We have concluded that:

  • The EPR 2006 is considered to be comprehensive, providing a good overview of EPD's environmental performance;

  • The selected statements and data examined during the verification process, with minor revisions to some specific statements for clarification purpose that were subsequently made to HKPC's satisfaction, all reflect an accurate account of EPD's environmental, social and economic performance;

  • The data collection and information management systems used are considered to be generally effective and reliable; and

  • EPD has addressed a considerable extent to last year verifier's recommendations to report on the key and significant achievements; invite more readers' comments on the EPR 2005 and most importantly move towards the content enhancement of sustainability reporting by including information on social and economic aspects with reference to the Global Reporting Initiative Sustainability Reporting Guidelines (GRI Guidelines).

Recommendations for Future Reports

EPD is encouraged to:

  • provide further information on its performance in relation to regional matters as far as practicable, and where relevant, emerging global environmental issues;

  • further enhance the readability through presenting achievement highlights and adopting further appropriate visual aids as far as practicable for presenting quantitative information; and

  • continue to move towards sustainability reporting and further enhance the social and economic aspects of future reports with reference to the GRI Guidelines.


Tseng Kam Lam
K L Tsang
Technology Services Manager
Environmental Management Division
Hong Kong Productivity Council
30 June 2006