Free Environmental Policy templates (Australia)

Businesses of every size are becoming more aware of their corporate social responsibility. Put simply, this is the idea of giving back to the wider community and the natural world. A big part of being socially responsible is acknowledging your company's impact on the environment. You can put this into words using an environmental policy.

What is an Environmental Policy?

The overlying purpose of an environmental policy is to highlight your company's compliance with state laws and regulations concerning the environment. The document sets out the policies and procedures that your company has in place to reduce the impact it has on the natural world. An environmental policy can cover anything from waste management practices and recycling to supporting the efforts of environmental charities.

When should I use an Environmental Policy?

Having an environmental policy is not required by law, but more and more businesses are choosing to put one in place for a number of reasons. An environmental policy:

• Publicly demonstrates a commitment to your corporation's social responsibility
• Improves corporate image with stakeholders and customers
• Ensures that you're acting within the law
• Informs employees about their responsibilities when it comes to the environment

What does an Environmental Policy include and not include?

What is included in an environmental policy?

Choosing what to include in an environmental policy differs across industries and businesses. Generally speaking, your policy should address the following:

• Open with a mission statement that talks about your business' operations and commitment to continually improving environmental efforts.
• Address the expectations you have from third parties, such as suppliers and contractors.
• Acknowledge the relevant environmental legislation that your business will comply with.
• Highlight how you will educate and train staff on environmental issues.
• Explain how your business will continue to monitor and review environmental performance.

It's also worth including a detailed section on how you intend to deal with the environmental issues that your company faces. This can include a section on:

• Waste management
• Transport and CO2 emissions
• Efficient energy use
• Sustainable sourcing
• Chemical usage

What is not included in an environmental policy?

There are a few no-nos when it comes to putting together your environmental policy:

• Don't make unrealistic promises or set unachievable goals
• Don't use vague language. Instead, be specific about your future goals
• Don't use non-committal language such as 'where possible'

How effective is an Environmental Policy?

An environmental policy is only as effective as you make it. To ensure your environmental policy is credible to the public, customers and stakeholders, you may want to establish an environmental management system alongside it. This will allow you to implement, manage and review your environmental policies regularly.

Do I need a lawyer for an Environmental Policy?

No, you don't have to hire a lawyer to help you write your environmental policy. However, onboarding the help of an environmental lawyer can be extremely beneficial. It'll help to speed up the whole process and make sure that you haven't missed out any crucial clauses in the policy.

Get access to customisable Environmental Policy templates online

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Lawpath		Customisable document templates	You can view samples for free and you can create your first document for free.	Online document eSignatures, lawyer marketplace, on-demand legal advice, business setup services	$288 per year for unlimited documents	300+	Customise and download up to 300 legal documents for business or personal matters. Plus register a company, business name or ABN.	Go to site More Info		loading Fetching your data...
LawDepot		Customisable document templates	Free one week trial available which gives access to hundreds of documents.	Free legal articles and resources	$59.88 per year for unlimited documents or one-off documents available for $9.50 - $49	150+	Customise and download legal documents in as little as five minutes. Plus, LawDepot offers peace of mind with two service guarantees.	Go to site More Info		loading Fetching your data...
Legal123		Customisable document templates	No	Custom legal services available, free law change updates via email, legal packages for various professions	Individual templates start from $59 + GST		Legal123 offers a range of individual templates or document packages for consultants, app developers, personal trainers and more.	Go to site More Info		loading Fetching your data...
LegalVision		Customisable document templates & professionally drafted documents	No	Legal advice phone consultations, contract reviewing and amendments, trade mark applications, business structure assistance.	From $49 + GST per week for access to 40+ legal templates	40+	Take advantage of unlimited legal advice consultations, free legal templates and fast turnaround times for legal projects with LegalVision membership.	Go to site More Info		loading Fetching your data...
Law Central		Customisable document templates	You can view samples and create your own document for free with the Silver membership.	Legal advice specialised on commercial and estate planning	Between $18 - $625 per document.	~100	Law Central offers a large number of legal templates for super, trusts, estate planning, employment and commercial uses.	Go to site More Info		loading Fetching your data...

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How do I write an Environmental Policy?

There's no right and wrong when it comes to putting together an environmental policy. As this is a policy that needs to be upheld by all corners of the business, as well as reflect the businesses' culture, all senior staff should be involved in writing it. Once you've agreed on what to include in your policy, you can use an environmental policy template to draft it up.

Remember, your policy should be made accessible to all staff and customers. To do this, use simple, understandable language throughout, and make a copy of the policy available on your website.

Where to get free legal documents and templates like an Environmental Policy

While we don't all have access to legal help, we all do have access to a series of online templates that can be downloaded for free or for a one-time payment. Here are a few places we'd recommend starting your search.

• Lawpath. Lawpath is an online legal resource for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Users can browse free samples on their website but must sign-up to access customisation options.
• Law Depot. Law Depot provides a broad array of free online documents to choose from. Fill them in online, before downloading the documents straight to your computer.
• LegalVision. LegalVision offers users unlimited use of free legal document templates for a monthly membership fee or one-time download fee.
• Wonder Legal. Browse more than 140 legal document templates with Wonder Legal, and then download your chosen template for a one-time fee.