Four strategic themes
The Ports North Sustainability Strategy sees the organisation align itself with a global trend towards broad sustainability thinking and innovation, embedding sustainability initiatives across all areas of strategy and operations.
Our local priorities and actions are aligned to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals across four strategic themes.
These themes incorporate both our existing sustainability initiatives, and a raft of new ideas and targets.
Together, they provide Ports North with a strategic framework to continue supporting environmental stewardship, community partnerships and economic prosperity throughout Far North Queensland.
- Read the Ports North Sustainability Strategy
- Read our strategy summary
People
Ports North will nurture a culture of sustainable value, safety and diversity.
Our workforce of approximately 80 employees spans professional, operational, technical, trade and administrative roles. As a regional organisation, we have employees based in Cairns, Mourilyan and Thursday Island.
We recognise that achieving the best outcomes for our business is synonymous with achieving the best outcomes for our people.
Our near-term actions in this theme include developing a plan to maximise opportunities for ‘whole of business’ sustainability communication, implementing a calendar to support consistent safety and wellness messaging, and embedding a sustainability focus into the Employee Consultation Group.
- Read our action plans from page 36 – 46 of our Sustainability Strategy
Planet
Ports North will protect environmental values by leading in environmental management.
We are committed to understanding and minimising any potential environmental impacts of our operations and encouraging good environmental practice by our port users, tenants and other stakeholders.
Our environmental management focuses on both regulatory requirements and improving performance.
We support and engage in a range of environmental monitoring projects to understand the physical, biological, and cultural attributes of the areas surrounding our ports.
Our near-term actions in this theme include building on existing monitoring to protect and enhance biodiversity around port locations, reviewing potable water usage patterns across our operations, and developing a waste strategy focused on reduce, re-use, recycle and re-purpose.
- Read our action plans from page 36 – 46 of our Sustainability Strategy
Prosperity
Ports North will deliver regional prosperity by facilitating development and optimising business efficiencies.
We are unique among the port corporations in Queensland for our diverse role in tourism, property, defence and community supply services, alongside bulk, project and general cargo.
Our network of nine ports in Far North Queensland is essential to economic development in the region. In addition to facilitating key industries, our ports provide valuable services to remote communities in Cape York Peninsula, the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Torres Strait Island.
We are also committed to facilitating sustainable, regional prosperity through our delivery of major projects. These have included developments such as the Cairns and Mourilyan Port Master Plan, Cairns Shipping Development Project, Cairns CityPort Development and Cairns Marine Precinct.
Our near-term actions in this theme include implementing a risk-based Sustainable Port Management Framework at each of our regional ports and supporting the delivery of the Cairns Marine Precinct. Our precinct projects include the construction of two new in-water berths at the Port of Cairns, as part of an early works packaged funded by the Queensland Government.
- Read our action plans from page 36 – 46 of our Sustainability Strategy
Partnerships
Ports North will drive positive change by connecting with the community, industry, research and global partnerships.
We currently partner with local organisations and the community across a range of initiatives, general sponsorships and consultative committees.
Some of our previous or ongoing partnerships include community and regional festivals and events; arts, cultural and sporting events; charity initiatives; secondary school environment and education awards; and marine industry environmental initiatives and programs.
Our near-term actions in this theme include identifying and consolidating opportunities for information sharing forums and joint projects, assessing community engagement expectations, and strengthening our knowledge and understanding of First Nations contributions across our operations.
- Read our action plans from page 36 – 46 of our Sustainability Strategy
- Return to our strategy summary