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Structure and Governance | ||||||
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Housing Department Environmental, Health and Safety Committee | ||||||
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Overarching Policies and Management Systems | ||||||
Structure and Governance
With the re-organisation of the policy bureaux of the Government Secretariat with effect from 1 July 2007, the Secretary for Transport and Housing takes charge of housing policy and assumes the office of the Chairman of the Housing Authority (HA). The Director of Housing assumes the office of the Vice-chairman. The HA has two official members and 29 non-official members as at the end of March 2007, apart from the Chairman and the Vice-chairman. Appointments are made by the Chief Executive. Non-official members are appointed ad personam.
The HA has six standing committees that are responsible for formulation, administration and oversight of policies in the areas of strategic planning, building, tenders, commercial properties, finance and subsidized housing.
Organisational Chart of the Six Standing Committees of the HA
The Housing Department (HD) acts as the executive arm of the HA in implementing its policies and those set by its standing committees. The HD is headed by the Permanent Secretary for Transport and Housing (Housing) who also assumes the Office of the Director of Housing.
Housing Department Organisational Structure
Housing Department Environmental, Health and Safety Committee
To improve the overall safety and health management in the Housing Department (HD), the scope of the Housing Department Environmental Committee has been expanded to cover safety and health policy. Thus it has been renamed the Housing Department Environmental, Health and Safety Committee (HDEHSC). Its responsibilities are to develop and give policy direction on all environmental, health, safety and sustainability issues within the HD. Since the re-organisation, two further sub-committees (the Housing Department Occupational Safety and Health Sub-committee, and the Housing Department Site Safety Sub-committee) were set up under the HDEHSC to oversee occupational safety and health for employees at their workplace and site safety management measures for works contracts respectively.
Overarching Policies and Management Systems
In order to meet our vision for sustainable housing, we are balancing the economic, social and environmental needs and concerns of all our stakeholders. To help achieving this balance, we have formulated our Environmental and Safety Policies respectively. With the active support of all staff, relevant policies on sustainability are systematically implemented throughout the Housing Authority (HA) and communicated to our suppliers and contractors. Sustainability concerns are embedded in our tendering and contracting procedures and implementation of our policies and systems are regularly checked and monitored. We also provide training and undertake promotional events to ensure that staff and contractor competences meet our needs and to raise the awareness of our tenants in general.
| Environmental Policy |
To promote healthy living and a green environment; |
To develop a strategic framework and implement environmental management for the promotion of sustainable development; |
To strictly comply with and fully implement all relevant environmental legislation and regulations; |
To address environmental concerns and incorporate environmental initiatives in planning and design, construction and demolition, marketing and estate management activities; |
To minimize environmental impacts from our operations (air, dust, noise, waste and water) on residents and the public; |
To develop procurement policies to minimize the use of resources and achieve cost effectiveness; |
To promote environmental awareness and participation among staff, residents and contractors through education and publicity programmes; and |
To review and seek continual improvement on the implementation of an environmental management system. |
Safety Policy |
To provide information on safety and health criteria in new projects and maintenance operations for contractors, the public and other key stakeholders; |
To make safety and health performance one of the critical considerations in tender selection for all new and existing building projects; |
To build up a safety profile of contractors for continuous assessment of safety performance; |
To monitor contractor's safety performance by independent and in-house assessment; |
To work through partnership by incorporation of contractors' input in respect of safe construction technology and equipment; and |
To promote safety and health issues particularly related to HA projects to enhance the safety and health of all persons involved. |
We believe that our vision for sustainable housing in Hong Kong is achievable with business partners and contractors who share our vision. Our procurement principles were developed to guide us in the procurement process to ensure that our partners operate in a sustainable manner.
Environmental Procurement Policy |
To identify significant environmental impacts of materials and services in use; |
To purchase materials, goods and services to specifications that are compliant with relevant environmental legislation; |
To include environmental considerations in our purchasing decisions so that, if technically acceptable and economically viable, lower environmental-impact goods are purchased; |
To assess the environmental commitment of suppliers, contractors and service suppliers as part of the tender evaluation process, and to reward the best environmental performers; |
To require contractors and service providers (where appropriate) to produce Environmental Management Plans in their bids for work, and to evaluate the evidence of implementation as part of the supervision of the works; |
To provide feedback and advice, and facilitate training to key suppliers, contractors and service providers on environmental performance and improvement opportunities; |
To ensure all staff, as well as suppliers, contractors and service providers are aware of, and act in accordance with, the Environmental Procurement Policy and contribute to the HA's environmental objectives; and |
To establish systems, targets and action plans for effective environmental procurement and regular reporting on performance. |