BALANCING the needs of neighbours with a growing freight task is a focus of the Port of Melbourne Sustainability Report, announced this week by chief executive Brendan Bourke.
Mr Bourke welcomed the report’s launch and reiterated a commitment to safety, environmental value, community wellbeing and economic productivity.
“As Australia’s largest container and general cargo port and one of the nation’s most critical infrastructure assets, Port of Melbourne understands the importance of supporting a sustainable approach that embeds good practice into our operations and long-term planning,” Mr Bourke said.
“We have a proud history of operating safely and responsibly and promoting environmental and social responsibility within the Port community. This remains the foundation of our social licence to operate.”
Mr Bourke said as a city-port they had to be “smart and responsible about our growth, especially as Melbourne’s population continues to rise”.
“This requires sensitivities around balancing the commercial activities required to operate the port with the needs of our community neighbours,” he said.
The Sustainability Report provides several examples of sustainability commitments and also outlines future areas of focus for improvement.
“Port of Melbourne looks forward to continuing this important conversation across our industry and stakeholder networks and driving meaningful action that supports and enhances social, environmental and economic opportunity and resilience over the long term,” Mr Bourke said.
According to Port of Melbourne, the Sustainability Report is guided by the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals framework, which calls for action on shared social, environmental, economic, and security challenges. The Sustainability Report can be viewed at: www.portofmelbourne.com
