Glossary of Terms
Accident	An accident that results in incapacity of more than one day
Behaviour-based safety programme	Behaviour-based safety is a safety approach that focuses on workers’ behaviour as the cause of most work-related injuries and illnesses. It aims to increase operations safety by positively influencing the behaviour of every person involved (especially frontline workers) through a process of observation, coaching and communication. At the same time, it seeks to identify barriers to safe behaviour, while also designing and implementing procedures and strategies that will support behaving safely.
Building Environmental Assessment Method (BEAM)	BEAM is a voluntary standard for assessing the environmental performance in planning, design, construction, commissioning, operation and management of buildings.
Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (CO2-e)	The universal unit of measurement to indicate the global warming potential (GWP) of each of the six greenhouse gases, expressed in terms of the GWP of one unit of carbon dioxide. It is used to evaluate releasing (or avoiding releasing) different greenhouse gases against a common basis.
Carbon Reduction Charter	The Carbon Reduction Charter was launched by the Environmental Protection Department of the HKSAR Government in July 2008. Supporting organisations signed the charter as ‘Carbon Audit • Green Partner’, undertaking the carrying out of activities that will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Coalbed methane (CBM)	CBM is simply methane found in coal seams. It is generated either from a biological process as a result of microbial action or from a thermal process as a result of increasing heat with the depth of the coal.
Coal-mine methane (CMM)	CMM is the methane gas that naturally dissipates from coal mining operations, and is released from coal and the surrounding rock strata through mining. Like CBM, CMM is generated from biological processes.
Global Reporting Initiatives (GRI) reporting framework	The GRI reporting framework is intended to provide a generally accepted framework for reporting on an organisation’s economic, environmental, and social performance. The Framework consists of the sustainability reporting guidelines, the indicator protocols, technical protocols and sector supplements.
Greenhouse gas (GHG)	GHG is a gaseous constituent of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic, that absorbs and emits radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of infrared radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, the atmosphere and clouds. GHGs include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O). hydrofluorocarbons (HFCS), perfluorcarbons (PFCS) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).
ISO 9001	ISO 9001 is published by the International Organisation for Standardisation. It specifies the requirements for quality management systems, providing assurance with regard to the ability to satisfy quality requirements and enhance customer satisfaction in supplier-customer relationships.
ISO 14001	ISO 14001 is published by the International Standards Organisation. It stipulates the requirements for environmental management systems, to enable an organisation to develop and implement a policy and objectives which take into account legal requirements and other requirements to which the organisation subscribes, and information about significant environmental aspects.
ISO 14064-1	The ISO 14064-1 standard is published by the International Standards Organisation. It specifies principles and requirements at the organisation level for the quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals. It includes requirements for the design, development, management, reporting and verification of an organisation’s GHG inventory.
Naphtha	Naphtha normally refers to a number of different flammable liquid mixtures of hydrocarbons, i.e. a distillation product from petroleum or coal tar boiling in a certain range and containing certain hydrocarbons. It is a broad term encompassing any volatile, flammable liquid hydrocarbon mixture.
OHSAS 18001	OHSAS 18001 is an Occupation Health and Safety Assessment Series for health and safety management systems. It helps organisations control their occupational health and safety risks.
PAS 55	PAS 55 is the British Standards Institution’s “Publicly Available Specification” for the optimal management of physical assets and infrastructure. It is applicable to organisations where physical assets are a key or critical factor in achieving effective service delivery.
PE	Polyethylene is a plastic material which is increasingly being used in the manufacturing of gas transportation pipes.
Reportable accident	An accident that results in incapacity of more than three days.
Social enterprise	A social enterprise is a business whose ultimate mission is to achieve a social objective. Revenues generated from the business are used to support the enterprise’s operations and social mission without the need to depend on subsidies or donations.
Sustainability report	Sustainability reporting is the practice of measuring, disclosing, and being accountable for organisational performance while working towards sustainable development. Sustainability reports aim to provide a balanced and reasonable representation of the sustainability performance of the reporting organisation, including both positive and negative contributions.
The Hong Kong Green Purchasing Charter	The Hong Kong Green Purchasing Charter was launched by the Green Council in October 2007 to promote green purchasing in the community.