Being sustainable is a team effort, so make sure you bring your team on the journey with you. We’ve popped some tips below to help you along the way.

The basics

Much like any project, you can’t do it all alone – you need the people around you to do their bit, too. Being transparent with your team is the key to ensuring they’re as amped about reducing waste on site as you are.

The first thing to do is make sure your team, including any subbies, know why you’re tackling your waste. That could be:

• To reduce your environmental impact
• Save money
• To meet client or council requirements

Once everyone understands why you’re making these changes, then it’s time for the rubber to hit the road and put it all into practice – including it in your paperwork, training, signage, tracking your results, and celebrating your wins.

Putting it into practice

BRANZ have created a helpful list of how you can put these principles into practice on your site, which we’ve summarised below.

Paperwork 

• Include waste reduction instructions or standards in your contracts, in your induction material and other communications with staff and subcontractors. 
• Make it a regular item on informal work meetings around the toolbox and project management meetings.
• Keep a current list of recycling operators in the site office for easy reference. List the specific recycling operators' details for the project in your Waste Management and Minimisation Plan.

Training

• Train your staff and subcontractors on the waste minimisation system during their induction and team meetings.
• Provide detailed drawings and instructions to staff to minimise mistakes, rework and temporary works.
• Develop an information sheet to explain the waste minimisation system or create a waste section in your regular induction information.

Signage

• Use clear signage around the site to explain the waste minimisation system. Some examples are:
  • using the hazard identification board
  • staff notice board
  • signage on bins and at the waste storage area (set maximum sizes to encourage reuse)
  • signs on site entrances

Tracking your results

• Put your waste minimisation results up on the site noticeboard and update it regularly so everyone can see how they’re doing.
• Create clear communication channels for constructive criticism and feedback – so the team know what to do if they have a problem, idea, or other suggestion about waste.

Celebrate your wins

• Have incentives, such as morning tea shouts if waste reduction is achieved on the project to encourage and congratulate staff for a job well done. Some sites use their scrap metal returns for team shouts – a great idea to directly connect the waste reduction action with its reward.

Extra for experts

If you need more tips for how to get your team on board with your sustainability journey, BRANZ has you covered. They’ve even helpfully sorted it by trade type to make it easier for you!