Transcription:

Introduction

Welcome to ESG Input Training with VLU. This course is designed to give you a deeper understanding of how to input data into the ESG Steward for Water, Waste, and Biodiversity.

By the end of the course, you should be able to:
– Enter data for the Water Module in the ESG Steward
– Enter data for the Waste Module in the ESG Steward
– Enter data for the Biodiversity Module in the ESG Steward
Please Take a moment to review the agenda. If you are looking for a specific topic, feel free to jump to the corresponding timestamp.

Water Inputs

In this video we will discuss how to access the Water module in the ESG Steward, and how to enter data for with water withdrawn, and water discharged.

Water falls into 3 basic categories:
• Withdrawn – which is water taken out of something
• Discharged – which is water put back into something (surface, groundwater, etc..)
• And Consumed which is Withdrawn minus Discharged

Water withdrawn and water discharged is important to ESG reporting because it will subtract water withdrawn from water discharged to calculate the water consumed.

Here’s an example of the flow: Let’s take an irrigation system. The water coming INTO the irrigation system is withdrawn from the municipal water supply and discharged as groundwater. The amounts withdrawn in this example, are equal, which means no water was consumed verses a water cool, where almost all the water is consumed.

Before we get started, please note that if ESG has not been purchased for your company, the ESG windows described in this training will be unavailable.

To get started, open a lease record, in this training, we will select ESG from the main menu, then select a Record ID to open it.

Once the record is open you will see there is a new tab option called ESG, located here. Below that will be your ESG options. Select Water to open the ESG Water page.

You can filter your entry results by selecting a specified date range from the drop-down or a custom date range by entering the dates, here. To reset your date filters, simply click the reset button here.

You will see two panels, one for Withdrawn Water and another for Discharged Water. Let’s talk about how to add entries into each of these panels.

To enter a withdrawn entry, click here.

A pop-up window will display where you will select the following:

• Withdrawn Type
  • Fresh water or other
  • Is the water coming from an area of water stress? (if identified on the biodiversity tab)
• the date and cost
• and the withdrawn value, and unit of measurement for the value.

Here you can upload any files pertaining to the withdrawn entry, like a water bill for example.

Finally, you can enter any notes in the box located here.

When complete click Save & Next to enter more withdrawn entries, or just Save to save this single entry and return to the Water Page.

Once saved, your entries will display here.

The columns will include the date, withdrawn type, monetary amount (or cost), Input amount , Inputted Unit of Measurement (or UOM), Standard Amount, Standard UOM, attachments (such as a water bill as shown here), and any notes regarding the entry.

On the right of each row you will see your edit and delete icons, as well as a kebab to display the history of actions performed for that event.

To enter a discharged entry, click here.

A pop-up window will display where you will select your Discharged type, the date, cost, discharged value, and select a unit of measurement for the value.

Here you can upload any files pertaining to the withdrawn entry, like a water bill for example.

Finally, you can enter any notes in the box located here.

When complete click Save & Next to enter more withdrawn entries, or just Save to save this single entry and return to the Water Page.

Once saved, your entries will display here.

The columns will include the date, discharged type, monetary amount (or cost), Input amount , Inputted Unit of Measurement (or UOM), Standard Amount, Standard UOM, attachments (such as a water bill as shown here), and any notes regarding the entry.

On the right of each row you will see your edit and delete icons, as well as a kebab to display the history of actions performed for that event.

Waste Inputs

In this video we will discuss how to access the Waste module within the ESG Steward, and how to enter data for Directed to Disposal and Diverted from Disposal.

The difference between diverted and directed waste is that diverted waste is waste that can be reused or recycled with the goal of waste reduction. Directed waste is when it is disposed of in more traditional methods, whether its taken to a landfill, burned, etc…

An important note. The GRI standards are calling for contextual information about the waste stream. This means some narrative about step taken to reduce the waste and context about the business operations that may help give meaning to the numbers being reported from the Waste Entry Screen.

Before we get started, please note that if ESG has not been purchased for your company, the ESG windows described in this training will be unavailable.

To get started, open a lease record, in this training, we will select ESG from the main menu, then select a Record ID to open it.

Once the record is open you will see there is a new tab option called ESG, located here. Below that will be your ESG options. Select Waste to open the ESG Waste page.

You can filter your entry results by selecting a specified date range from the drop-down or a custom date range by entering the dates, here. To reset your date filters, simply click the reset button, here.

You will see two panels, one for Directed To Disposal and another for Diverted From Disposal. Let’s talk about how to add entries into each of these panels.

To enter a directed entry click, here.

A pop-up window will display where you will enter your Directed information. This will include:

• Waste Type
  • Please note: waste types are configurable and your platform administrator will set up the waste types that are applicable for your company.
• Disposal Method
  • The method becomes important because it can be incinerated, go to a landfill
  •  If incinerated, is there going to be energy recovery? Or in other words, will the company use the heat generated to incinerate for other means, like heating or creating electricity?
• Selecting whether onsite or off-site
  • For example, the waste is picked up and disposed off at a different location vs. being done onsite at the premises.
• The date
• The cost
• Directed value and Unit of Measurement

Here you can upload any files pertaining to the waste entry, like a waste bill for example.

Finally, you can enter any notes in the box located here.

When complete click Save & Next to enter more withdrawn entries, or just Save to save this single entry and return to the Waste Page.

Once saved, your entries will display here.

The columns will display the following:

• The date
• Disposal type selected in the previous window
• Disposal Method
• Whether it was offsite or onsite
• The monetary amount, inputted amount, and the inputted amt unit of measurement
• The standard amount and uom.
• Any attachments (such as a waste bill)
• And any notes given

You will see, here, an edit and delete icon as well as a kebab to view a history of actions taken on a particular entry.

To enter a diverted entry click, here.

A pop up window will display where you will enter your Diverted information. This will include:

• Waste Type
• Disposal Method – Reused or Recycled
  • An example of reuse vs. recycling is the following:
    •  Imagine you own a box. You use this box to move things around the office. When you are done with the box, you put it into storage for future use. That is ‘reuse’
    • Recycling on the other hand, you put the box in a recycling bin and it is taken and is shredded to become packing filler for other boxes.
    • The difference between the two is that the original purpose of the box doesn’t change for reuse while recycling it is repurposed and used for something different (the filler).
• Selecting whether onsite or off-site
• The date
• The cost
• Diverted value and Unit of Measurement

Here you can upload any files pertaining to the withdrawn entry, like a waste bill for example.

Finally, you can enter any notes in the box located here.

When complete click Save & Next to enter more withdrawn entries, or just Save to save this single entry and return to the Waste Page.

Once saved, your entries will display here.

The columns will display the following:

• The date
• Disposal type selected in the previous window
• Diverted type
• Whether it was offsite or onsite
• The monetary amount, inputted amount, and the inputted amt’s unit of measurement
• The standard amount and uom
• Any attachments
• And any notes given

You will see, here, an edit and delete icon as well as a kebab to view a history of actions taken on a particular entry.

Biodiversity Inputs

In this video we will discuss how to access the Biodiversity module within the ESG Steward, and make selections risk zones and water-stressed areas.

Before we get started, please note that if ESG has not been purchased for your company, the ESG windows described in this training will be unavailable.

To get started, open a lease record, in this training, we will select ESG from the main menu, then select a Record ID to open it.

Once the record is open you will see there is a new tab option called ESG, located here. Below that will be your ESG options. Select Biodiversity to open the ESG Biodiversity page.

The purpose of this page is to indicate any risk zones within the environment the asset is located in. You will be presented with three options:
1. Fire Risk Area
2. Flood Risk Area
3. Water Stress zone (this will affect the Water usage reports)

These selections typically deal with real estate assets and will more than likely be a one-time selection due to the asset either being in a risk zone or not.

To make your selections, click the pencil icon and check the appropriate box. Then click save.

The information from these selections will be held for other reporting.

 

Key Takeaways

This concludes the course for Water, Waste, and Biodiversity inputs within the VL platform.

Remember….

• Water Withdrawn is water taken from something and water discharged is water put back into something.
• Diverted waste can be reused or recycled
• For GRI Standards, it is important to provide context to the numbers that will be reported on.
• Biodiversity selections will be held for other reporting needs.

Thank you for attending this course – any questions, suggestions or feedback can be sent to support@visuallease.com