Our story
Their journey started with the commissioning of a green action plan that took six months to research and publish. That action plan became the guiding document for their Planet ‘P’. It came up with a series of 36 possible projects to lower the company’s carbon footprint. These projects ranged in size from the very minor, like placing air cleaning plants around the factory, right up to much larger and more ambitious projects such as solar power, electric vehicles and replacing the old oil-fired boilers with air source heat pumps.
Some projects had a major impact such as replacing 1200 light bulbs with LED lights, which halved the company’s electricity bill. Others were less ambitious: such as composting tea bags rather than throwing them away, and using the compost on the roof garden. The projects continued with electric car charge points being installed at the head-office to help with the growing fleet of electric hybrid cars the company now runs.
Having significantly reduced the company’s carbon footprint (by more than half) with these projects the remaining 220 tonnes of carbon the company still produces has been offset by joining the Woodland Trust and signing up for an annual tree planting scheme. This scheme plants woodland within the United Kingdom, thus benefitting the whole country.
Image: Unsplash stock image, Josh Beech
Our advice
“The cost of this tree planting has been more than offset by the increased profits from our carbon footprint reduction. Reducing carbon is another way of reducing the costs of the business. If you use less electricity or generate more of your own electricity, it does take a capital investment, but delivers a very real increase in the bottom line. After all that’s why we have the Profit ‘P’ in our 3Ps program!
The People ‘P’ in our 3Ps program has also delivered a significant improvement in staff retention and happiness with their six days paid volunteering plus numerous other schemes. Indeed of the very few staff to leave the company over 60% either return to the company or ask to return. One other benefit is to the local charities who have written to the company to thank them for their efforts. If the staff use their volunteering time to raise money for charities, then the company will match those funds.”
- David Millar
Our metrics
Emissions reductions
Staff satisfaction & retention
