Environmental Management System
GBUK Group is committed to delivering strategic growth and minimising our environmental impact. Without compromising the quality of our products and services, we aim to:
Deliver Net Zero Service
To deliver a carbon neutral service to our customers by recognising our remaining carbon footprint and funding appropriate schemes to offset the impact
- GBUK Group measured its baseline carbon footprint as 41.87 tonnes per £m turnover in 2019, with a total CO2 of 1,989 tonnes
- In 2020, GBUK Group reduced its carbon footprint to 40.36 tonnes per £m turnover whilst support of the UK Covid-19 pandemic response increasing total CO2 to 3,374 tonnes,
- In 2021, GBUK Group reduced its carbon footprint total CO2 to 3,308 tonnes, but tonnes per £m turnover increased to 55.97 due to the impact of Covid-19 on sales
- In 2022, GBUK Group increased its carbon footprint total CO2 to 3,890 tonnes, but tonnes per £m turnover reduced to 48.52
- In 2023, GBUK Group reduced its carbon footprint total CO2 to 2,796 tonnes, but tonnes per £m turnover reduced to 37.79
- And encourage customers to use our products responsibly and aim for Net Zero consumption
Maintain
Maintain a robust environmental management system to measure performance & improvement
Comply
Comply with international standards and legal requirements
Prevent
Prevent pollution, reduce waste and minimise consumption
Educate
Educate, train and motivate employees to act in an environmentally responsible manner
Reduction
Promote carbon reduction and environmental protection amongst all stakeholders
The Board of Directors analysed all business operations and set two strategic goals:
- To offer a carbon neutral service to customers
- To promote carbon reduction in the products consumed by our customers
Carbon reducing measures now form an integral part of the GBUK Group strategy and are expected to improve operational performance, benefit customers and reduce emissions.
To deliver its strategy, GBUK Group has adopted a three-stage loop:
Raise Awareness
To raise awareness, both internal and external, of our environmental footprint and strategic response
- Compliance with all current energy legislation, seeking to meet or better legislative targets
- Carbon footprint recognition in all relevant GBUK Group policies
- Staff awareness training and enlisting staff support in improving our performance
- Encouraging the adoption of similar environmental principles by our strategic partners
- Calculating our CO2 impact and monitoring our performance
Promote Reduction
To promote activities that reduce emissions per £1,000,000 of turnover, whilst still delivering strategic growth
Business Facilities
- Renewable energy sources
- Recycling, and the use of recycled products
- Energy efficient equipment and devices, including ICT
- Energy efficient heating & cooling systems
- Motion activated lighting and LED lighting
Business Travel
- Digital communication to avoid the need to travel
- Lower carbon options when travel is required
- Vehicle sharing for work and commuting
- Electric vehicle ownership
Supply Chain Transport
- Freight partners who share our environmental principles (DPD)
- Efficient transit routes and transport
- Minimal dead space on shipments
Packaging Materials
- Avoiding unnecessary plastic packaging
- Recycled packaging
- Bio-degradable packaging
Products
- Avoiding unnecessary SKUs in a product range
- Recycled materials
- Bio-degradable materials
- Recycling amongst all strategic partners
Deliver a Net Zero Service
To deliver a carbon neutral service to our customers by recognising the carbon footprint, we are funding appropriate schemes to offset the impact
- Using an accredited program to offset the annual carbon footprint of our service operations across business facilities, business travel, supply chain transport and packaging materials
- Encouraging customers to use our products responsibly and aim for Net Zero consumption
Performance 2023
CO2 Tonnes in 2023 = 2,796
CO2 Tonnes / £m Turnover = 37.79
CO2 Tonnes / FTE = 19.69
Raise Awareness
To raise awareness, both internal and external, of our environmental footprint and strategic response
- Statutory reporting on ISO 14001, packaging waste and ESOS
- Carbon footprint to be recognised in all relevant GBUK Group policies, including staff handbook, purchasing, travel expenses, driving at work, business assurance
- Online staff training & signing for all policies, including environmental policy
- Quarterly ‘Environmental Awareness Newsletter’ with requests for carbon reducing ideas
- Publication of the GBUK Group environmental policy on the company website
- Policy sharing with suppliers and regular submission to customer tender processes
- Board level review of calculated CO2 impact over time and new initiatives
Promote Reduction
To promote service and product activities that reduce emissions per GBP£ of turnover, whilst still delivering strategic growth
Business Facilities
- Onsite wind turbine for energy demands and provision to the national grid
- Separation of waste for recycling, with onsite compacting
- Energy efficient equipment and devices, including ICT
- Daikin VRV HVAC system for all office areas
- Motion activated lighting across the site, including office and warehouse areas
- LED lighting in all corridor areas
Business Travel
- Microsoft Teams & VoIP provision for face to face meetings without travelling
- Rail travel to be encouraged in expenses policy where routes allow
- Vehicle sharing for work and commuting promoted in driving at work policy
- Electric vehicle charging provision onsite for staff & visitors
Supply Chain Transport
- Freight forwarders environmental principles considered during selection
- New parcel carrier added who offer a carbon neutral commitment on every parcel they deliver
- Efficient transit routes and transport where possible
- Appropriate handball or palletised packing to minimise CO2 via transport or dead space
Packaging Materials
- Air pillow inner packaging replaced with recycled paper
- All cardboard packaging & labelling on Banana Slide & Transfer Sheets, Slings & Proning devices to be recycled materials
- All clear plastic packaging on Banana Slide & Transfer Sheets, Slings & Proning devices to be bio-degradable
- All literature to be available online via a QR code
Customer Product
- Product range rationalisation where possible
- Eco Slide Sheets made from Recycled Polyethylene Tetraphyte (RPET), reducing the energy used to make the material by 50% and reducing the number of bottles heading to landfill
- Bio-degradable materials to be considered for suitability at product design stage
- Promote the use of medical device recycling schemes across stakeholders
Updated: 27/08/2024
