Helping communities become more sustainable
PICA Group is taking steps to create a more sustainable future for our community. We are proud to actively be involved in several national and local initiatives aimed at improving the sustainability of apartment buildings.
PICA Group is conducting a survey to help us identify key environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors that may impact our company now or in the future. We aim to create an ESG strategy for our business and your feedback is valuable in assisting us in guiding its direction.
When it comes to ESG, factors may be important for two reasons:
How our operations can affect the environment and society
How a sustainability issue has or is likely to have, an effect on PICA Group.
Some factors may be important from both viewpoints. The list in the survey has been created through internal interviews, workshops, and desktop research. Please prioritise the factors in order of importance to you with the first being the most important and the last being the least important.
Measure and establish GHG emissions baseline in each office or branch with a future goal of net zero.
Reduce PICA Group’s consumption of resources (electricity, water, paper, plastic, etc.) and reduce waste through various initiatives. including energy-efficient tools, technology and recycling.
Prepare PICA Group operations to ensure business continuity in the event of extreme weather events and other natural disasters and provide support for both customers and employees affected.
Positively impact Australia’s journey to net zero by 2050 by procuring and partnering with suppliers who can offer beneficial deals to our customers on sustainability products and services e.g., green energy deals, recycling services, EV charging unit installations, etc.
Improve management of customer needs and expectations through better technology, omni-channel support, education, and clarity of roles and responsibilities.
Keep PICA Group employees motivated, engaged and in good mental and physical health through effective policies and practices. Includes: a positive healthy culture, people management capability, pay structures, reward and recognition, coaching and development, internal communications and work health and safety.
Introduce and strengthen both employee and customer-directed policies and practices designed to make people of various backgrounds feel welcome and able to actively participate and contribute in their respective environment (workplace and community living.)
Address industry-wide issues and challenges to help raise professionalism, enhance industry reputation, reduce unethical or inappropriate employee, supplier, or customer behaviour, and increase the attractiveness of careers in the strata or body corporate sector.
Adapt to, and where possible leverage, changes in employee and customer demographics and social trends (like AI) through organisational changes, technology enhancements, working arrangements and employee training and development.
Support charitable causes through various activities, including donations, volunteer programs and partnerships with nonprofit organisations.
Support charitable causes through various activities, including donations, volunteer programs and partnerships with nonprofit organisations.
Ensure PICA Group complies with all statutory and other regulatory obligations, is resourced and prepared to meet evolving future requirements, and regularly assesses and mitigates risks to the business, our employees, and our customers.
Ensure all PICA Group employees understand their responsibilities regarding anti-corruption and bribery, fraud prevention, conflict of interest and duty; and have systems, policies, and processes in place to ensure adherence to high standards of trust and accountability.
Implement systems, policies and processes that safeguard digital information throughout its entire life cycle (including customer and employee data). The aim is to protect digital information from corruption, theft, or unauthorised access and minimise potential unlawful interference to help mitigate the risk of a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles.
Our PICA Group Sydney CBD offices have committed the Zero Waste Sydney pledge. As part of the initiative, we aim to reduce the use of single-use plastic by phasing out 10 single-use items. We are proudly one of 50 other businesses that are participating in the initiative.
To demonstrate our commitment, we pledge to turn our words into action by:
Before renewing your agreement, take a moment to compare your options. Our quick and easy form can be completed in less than 30 seconds.
This program was launched to reduce the cost of living and greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution. It targets small to medium sized strata properties and appoints an assessor to review and identify reduction opportunities in energy, water and heating usage, as well as solar viability.
The savings potential with energy upgrades is likely to also help reduce the strata fees for many property owners. The findings can further help quantify the amount of wastage and make recommendations for improvements to owners corporations.
Aligned with our company’s aim of enhancing communities, we are happy to announce that North Sydney Council selected 18 managed buildings out of 32 entries to participate in the program.
Our successful strata properties and branches are:
Smart Green Apartments is an award-winning program organised by City of Sydney to help more than 50 buildings become more energy and water efficient, saving thousands of dollars on running and maintenance costs.
With selection being based on an evaluation of energy and water consumption, size and complexity and the capacity of owners corporations to implement upgrades, PICA Group is excited to be amongst the first in Australia to have a NABERS for Apartment Building rating and to share in the journey of creating a more sustainable future.
Ratings are conducted by a qualified in-house assessor, who is authorised by the National Administrator on behalf of the Federal Government.
Our successful strata properties and branches are:
Building Futures is a new program by Waverley Council that aims to reduce shared energy usage in community apartment buildings.
This initiative is saving tens of thousands of dollars for owner corporations by reducing water use, energy use, waste and greenhouse gas emissions for the common property.
Each building receives free assessments, recommended upgrades, water fixtures and implementation support to provide the best opportunity for sustainable community living.
Our successful strata properties and branches are:
PICA Group is a proud partner with NABERS for Apartment Buildings, offering rating assessments for strata properties. Based on the energy and water efficiency of a strata building’s common property, NABERS (National Australian Built Environment Rating System) for Apartment Buildings grants a rating using a six-star scale.
Having a NABERS rating has assisted many buildings to save thousands of dollars by becoming more energy and water efficient and save on running and maintenance costs. So don’t miss out – increase your property value with a NABERS for Apartment Buildings rating, and enquire about getting a building assessment.
Ratings are conducted by a qualified assessor, who is authorised by the National Administrator on behalf of the Federal Government. Your assessor will work with your committee to compile all data and visit your property and submit the property’s application to the technical team at NABERS. Once you have received your rating certificate our team can work with you to plan and discuss strategies on how to improve the building’s rating.
CommunityUtilities is designed to help reduce the cost of community living across Australia. Through a range of expense reduction programs, our specialised in-house team work with a panel of Australia’s top brokers to help committees, owners, and residents reduce the cost of their electricity and gas bills.
You can support sustainability and maximise savings on your utility bills and running costs for your strata property too. To find out more on CommunityGreen and related information, contact us using the form on this page and we’ll be in touch soon.
