Sustainability
Protecting The Environment
Building a Sustainable Business
We are committed to sustainability, protecting the environment and minimising any environmental impact created by our activities. Our mission is to strive forward and make a positive contribution to the world around us by ensuring environmental protection is firmly embedded into our organisational and employee culture.
ISO 14001 Accreditation
We are very proud to be an ISO 14001 Environmental Standard System accredited business.
ISO 14001 is an internationally recognised standard for environmental management systems (EMS) and is part of the ISO 14000 family of standards developed by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO).
The purpose of ISO 14001 is to provide a framework that organisations can follow to set up an effective environmental management system, helping them improve their environmental performance through more efficient use of resources and reduction of waste.
Our business is driven by this accreditation and continually improve our organisational processes to reduce our environmental impact. We will continue to develop our culture by improving our team’s awareness and engagement to fully embrace environmental management and continue to reduce our environmental footprint.
renewable energy
In May 2024, we installed 531 solar panels across the roof of our Carrington facility. For a business based in Greater Manchester, we did not invest in solar because we expected perfect blue skies every day. Far from it! We did it because reducing the environmental impact of our operations matters to us and because practical investment is what turns intention into progress.
The panels now generate around 45% of the electricity we use on site, rising to between 60% and 70% through the summer months. When generation exceeds our own requirements, the surplus is exported back to the grid, supporting homes and businesses in the local community.
By generating our own electricity, we reduce the carbon footprint of everything that we manufacture and reduce our demand on grid-supplied green energy. In doing so, we free up more of that renewable capacity for use elsewhere.
Solar is the most visible part of our longer programme of investment at Carrington, alongside the additional green initiatives listed in the section below. Each change is incremental on its own. Taken together, they are the difference between talking about the environment and investing in it.
We will continue to invest. This is not a project with a finish line. It is a long-term direction for the business.
Additional Green Initiatives
We have implemented an ever-evolving number of environmentally friendly initiatives, including:
- Electric car charging points on-premises
- Electric company vehicle
- Electric forklift trucks
- Recycling bins across premises
- Energy efficient LED lighting across premises on motion sensors
- Cycle To Work Scheme
- Only green energy from renewable sources is supplied by the grid, if needed. No brown energy is supplied to premises
- Onsite voltage optimiser to reduce energy use, cut carbon emissions, extend asset life and improve efficiency
- Energy efficient modern premises – Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rated B.
Carbon Neutrality
We have been an accredited carbon-neutral business through Carbon Neutral Britain since 2021.
Carbon neutrality refers to the state in which an individual, organisation, or business entity offsets or balances the amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions they produce by removing an equivalent amount of CO₂ from the atmosphere or by investing in carbon reduction projects.
Through Carbon Neutral Britain, we have achieved ISO 14064 – 12018 and GHG Protocol Emission Standards in measuring and calculating, and International Carbon Offsetting Standards for offsetting carbon by investing in various global projects. The projects we have invested in include:
- Wind Power – India: This project produces renewable electric power in a region where fossil fuels would have otherwise been burned for energy.
- Household Solar Lighting – Zambia: Provides solar lighting to families in Zambia who lack access to electricity in their homes, enabling families and children to study, cook, and socialise safely.
- Salkhit Wind Farm – Mongolia: The first grid-connected wind farm in Mongolia, supplying renewable electricity to the central grid.
- Elazig Solar Farm – Turkey: One of the first ‘high efficiency’ solar farms in the region, this project provides economically viable renewable energy to the Turkish National Grid.
Continuous Development
We are always evaluating opportunities to improve and innovate our product, processes and business to deliver on our environmental responsibilities. We are committed to striving towards a greener future and making a positive contribution to the world around us.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES
OUR ONGOING COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY
Our mission is to make a positive contribution to the world around us by ensuring environmental protection is firmly embedded into our organisational and employee culture.
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