The award winning renewable energy company Proper Oils knows how to cut the environmental footprint of businesses
Environmental Policy
The company heavily promotes environmental efficiency and is all about sustainable use of the available resource (waste cooking oil) on a local scale. The company chose to promote sustainability and environmental efficiency not only based upon their core dedication to these matters but as a means to access new business, and as part of Corporate Social Responsibility.
The company has an Environmental & Sustainability Policy, and measure their performance annually. Due to them being a relatively young business they do not currently have targets in place as their production volume changes, altering usage.
The company has undertaken the following measures to lower their environmental impact:
- Using energy efficient lighting
- Using recycled products
- Recycling
- Maximising available space
- Use of water saving devices
- Choosing environmentally sound suppliers
- Using signs to promote environmentally aware behaviour
- Promoting the use of public transport over cars
- Maximising transportation routes
- Promoting environmentally aware behaviour outside the office
Before initiating these measures the company measured their baseline environmental impact in the following areas in order to best monitor their performance:
- Electricity bills
- Transport usage
- Amount of waste sent to refuse
- Amount of waste sent to recycling
- Amount of Waste Cooking Oil collected for recycling
- The company is also finalising the external verification of the carbon savings from local recycling, so this can be measured
What support have they received?
The company has received technical support from other agencies and through environmental accreditation schemes. Proper Oils have also received information and advice from Go Green Richmond Carbon Smart accreditation, London Community Resource Network Mayor's Green Procurement Code, LRS Benchmarking & best practice, as well as receiving information regarding vehicle usage from Freight Operators Recognition Service.
What do they plan to do in the future?
All initiatives are ongoing and offer scope for continual improvement (e.g. when buying new vehicles ensuring they are Euro IV compliant.) Proper Oils are aiming to get accreditation to ISO1 4001 in 2011 and will seek further assistance in gaining the accreditation and in measuring / setting targets against changing volumes.
Environmental Achievements
The measures undertaken by Proper Oils have succeeded in helping them perform better and increase their competitiveness.
The company has won lots of awards, which have helped them receive lots of press coverage, imrpoving their exposure in the process.
The founder and manager of Proper oils Stephen Hurton would advise businesses who are considering implementing their own environmental strategy to go for it.
According to Stephen by employing similar measures to Proper Oils a business can save money, improve its performance, and give you more reasons to be able to sell your products and services.
Email info@properoils.co.uk .Telephone 020 8894 9476 / 0845 470 8091.
Visit http://www.properoils.co.uk/.
