Corporate social responsibility report 2003-04
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Date
2005
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Publisher
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation
Abstract
This report reflects our desire to share and communicate with our various stakeholders; whether they support the work we do or are opposed to it. There are a number of mechanisms through which we invite people to interact with us, and we welcome continuing discussion on a range of issues relevant to our operations. As many already know, ANSTO operates at the leading edge of nuclear medicine, helping thousands of Australians enjoy healthier lives every year. Australians have benefited from our work in assisting the aerospace, agriculture, manufacturing, mining, minerals, food and oil exploration sectors. Our work in developing techniques to investigate climate change, salinity and groundwater pollution has also added greatly to the understanding and advancement of environmental research in these areas. What is important to us is our insistence to deliver these medical, industrial and scientific benefits through safe and secure operational management. Indeed, the excellent safety record of our High Flux Australian Reactor (HIFAR) has been maintained over the 47 years of its operation and we are vigilant in our compliance with the license regulations required by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) for our facilities and radioactive sources. The challenge for us is to find ways to ensure we continue to deliver these services and responsibilities openly and transparently without compromising classifications, regulations or confidentialities. We are not claiming to be perfect but we desire the opportunity to illustrate, identify and explore those aspects of our work that we do well, along with those that require further improvement.
While many significant achievements occurred during 2003-04, one of the most noteworthy was our obtaining ISO 14001 certification - the world’s highest possible environmental performance standard. Nuclear science by its very nature means we must be extremely precise in our handling and production of radiopharmaceuticals and radioisotopes.
With ISO 14001, we now accept the responsibility to ensure that we take the same duty of care with our day-to-day use of everything from drinking water to the quantity of paper used and the energy we consume. What will become apparent as you read this report is that ISO 14001 instils a sense of duty and ownership among every employee to find ways to work smarter, more safely and securely and in ways that leave the smallest footprint possible on the environment. The year ahead presents a new set of challenges and activities, including preparing to say goodbye to the HIFAR, which has served the organisation so well over the past half-century, and to the commissioning of OPAL, the Open Pool Australian Light-water reactor. OPAL will be a state-of-the art nuclear facility that will give us even greater capabilities in developing nuclear medicines and other products. For now, though, we invite you to join us in our first attempt at a consolidated assessment of the core values, strategies and policies across every sphere of our activities, ranging from community and workplace relations to environmental, health and safety practices. We seek to share with you our successes and identify those areas of operation that require further review and refinement. Our objective in this journey is not only to interact with staff, customers and stakeholders, but with our neighbours, who figure greatly in our continued success.
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Keywords
ANSTO, Public information, Public health, Safety, Government policies, Nuclear facilities