ESSENTIALS: SAFETY Environmental awareness

ESSENTIALS: SAFETY

Environmental awareness

Contents2 Overview3 Benefits of environmental awareness4 Environmental health & safety policies6 Environmental aspects and impacts

eBook

OVERVIEW BENEFITS HEALTH & SAFETY POLICIES

ASPECTS & IMPACTS2

ESSENTIALS: SAFETY


Protecting the environment makes sense...Our environment includes the air, water, land, natural resources, flora, fauna,

humans and their connections, the bio-diversity, ecosystems and climate, locally, regionally and globally.

An increasing number of studies shows that organisations with strong commitment to the environment and sustainability are better able to attract,

retain and engage both employees and customers.In addition to customer retention and workforce engagement and motivation, we know it also reinforces

our corporate social responsibility credentials and reputation and, because it drives improved efficiency and reduces costs, it gives us a financial advantage.

Overview...


ASPECTS & IMPACTS3

ESSENTIALS: SAFETY


Benefits of environmental awareness...1. Customer retention...Customers like to see a clear and active commitment to environmental management and sustainability. They like to hear: • How we minimise and reduce waste • What we do to make the business efficient in terms of energy and water consumption • The environmental credentials of our raw materials and supply chain • How we minimise the environmental impact of our products and services

"I want to buy from companies that work hard to look after our environment."

2. Workforce engagement...People like to make a difference. They can do this more easily when they work for environmentally responsible businesses. In general, people seize the opportunity to contribute to reducing waste, using resources more efficiently and minimising the environmental impact of what they do.

"I prefer to work for an organisation that has a strong social conscience."

3. Corporate social responsibilities...Taking corporate social responsibilities seriously enhances an organisation's reputation with customers, suppliers, regulators, shareholders and the wider community. It's essential to comply with legislation. It can also be a requirement for winning major contracts with.

"We attract a high percentage of socially responsible investment funds."

4. Financial benefits...Green and sustainability policies can save money and protect the environment by: • Reducing energy costs • Reducing the use of raw materials • Using raw materials more efficiently • Making processes more efficient • Reducing costs of waste and waste disposal


ASPECTS & IMPACTS4

ESSENTIALS: SAFETY


Environmental health and safety policy..Our policy is a statement of the Board's commitment to: • Comply with regulatory and other requirements • Prevent injury, ill-health and pollution • Promote health and well-being at work • Follow and promote good sustainability practice • Continually improve Environmental Health and Safety performance • Set EHS objectives and targets to deliver the above

Our compliance obligations are a combination of: • Legal requirements, e.g. waste disposal • Industry standard requirements • Customer contractual requirements

ComplianceObligations

We use an environmental management system (EMS) as a formal framework for improving environmental performance and fulfilling our compliance obligations. It helps us systematically assess areas of the business and look for opportunities to reduce our environmental impact, set objectives and put policies/processes in place. It's audited externally and certified along with the Occupational Health and Safety management

system (HSMS) to the internationally recognised ISO standards.

Any aspect of our activities, products or services that results in a change to the environment, whether adverse or beneficial, wholly or

partially resulting from an organisation's environmental aspect.

EnvironmentalImpact


ASPECTS & IMPACTS5

ESSENTIALS: SAFETY


Non-compliance...If we don’t fulfill our commitments, we could: • Adversely affect our local environment and contribute to global environmental damage • Be prosecuted, fined or even imprisoned or subject to a penalty or enforcement notice • Lose our EHS MS Standards certification which could mean we lose customers • Attract bad publicity and damage our reputation • Be affected financially

Costs that could increase include: • Insurance premiums • Energy bills • Waste disposal or clean up costs • Fiscal measures (Carbon reduction commitment (CRC), landfill tax, Climate change levy) • Legal costs and compensation claims


ASPECTS & IMPACTS6

ESSENTIALS: SAFETY


Environmental aspects and impacts...

Waste...

Almost all of our day-to-day activities have some kind of impact on the environment, whether that's positive, negative or neutral. To do our bit, we need to be aware of and understand that impact and its significance in terms of: • Complying with legal requirements • Avoiding financial penalties • And the level of risks presented to the local or global environment based on the severity, scale and duration of the impact.

As an organisation, we produce a range of waste materials. Waste management legislation is complex and, to minimise any impact on our environment and prevent any statutory non-compliance, we use a waste hierarchy to decide how to handle it. The top priority is to prevent waste in the first place. But, when waste is created, the priority is to prepare it for re-use, then recycling, then recovery, and last of all disposal (e.g. landfill).

PreventMinimise the amount of waste produced

ReuseUse materials more than once

Recycle/CompostUse materials to make

new products

RecoverRecover materials

from waste

Disposal

Double sided printing, Follow Me printing and Docusign

• IT equipment refurbishment for the second user market.• Re-use of furniture and unwanted stationery by local community groups and charities.

Waste is any substance or object which the holder discards, intends to discard

or is required to discard.

PLASTICS

METALS


ASPECTS & IMPACTS7

ESSENTIALS: SAFETY


What you can do to apply the waste heirachy?...As an organisation, we produce a range of waste materials. Waste management legislation is complex and, to minimise any impact on our environment and prevent any statutory non-compliance, we use a waste hierarchy to decide how to handle it. The top priority is to prevent waste in the first place. But, when waste is created, the priority is to prepare it for re-use, then recycling, then recovery, and last of all disposal (e.g. landfill).

Dry mixed recyclables...The waste needs to be dry with as little food/liquid contamination as possible. It is mixed and generally made up of empty drinks cups, plastic bottles and aluminium cans, cartons/tetra paks, tins, paper, envelopes, cardboard, foam, plastic film and bubble wrap. Waste items such as liquids, food and glass are a no-no.

Confidential waste...Any paper that requires shredding and CDs that need to be destroyed should be disposed of via this route.

Glass waste...There is very little if any of this waste stream. Employees are requested not to bring in items that would give rise to glass waste.

Waste batteries......should be disposed of in the separate waste battery receptacles.

Cartridges and toners...These should be returned to our offices, where they are recycled.

Food waste...Food leftovers including skins, peels and cores, tissues and napkins, teabags, coffee grounds, flowers and plant cuttings. Liquids should be poured down the drain or disposed of in waste liquid pods where fitted.


ASPECTS & IMPACTS8

ESSENTIALS: SAFETY


General waste...Made up of any other office waste which does not fall into the above categories such as heavily soiled / contaminated packaging, sweet/crisp wrappers, polystyrene, hard plastics, aerosols and writing stationery.

Electrical equipment (WEEE)...Anything electrical or electronic equipment should be disposed of separately. There are special arrangements in place for IT equipment.

Sharps...These should be disposed of in the separate sharps receptacles.

Hazardous waste...Waste batteries, printer cartridges and toners, sharps and WEEE are all types of hazardous waste and must not be mixed with any non-hazardous waste.


ASPECTS & IMPACTS9

ESSENTIALS: SAFETY


All our business activities, products and services use fuel and energy which produce emissions such as carbon dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, particulates and ground level ozone.These contribute to climate change and reduce local air quality which impacts public health.What can we do? As an organisation we can use energy efficient technologies. As individuals, we can turn off screens, lights, heating + air conditioning when not in use. We can use public transport or cycle to work, and, when we have to drive, adopt economical driving practices.

Driving Economically

Public Transport

LED Lighting

Switching Off

Cycling

Fuel and energy consumption...


ASPECTS & IMPACTS10

ESSENTIALS: SAFETY


3Virtual Meetings

Virtual Meetings: Use of WebEx and Tele-presence eliminates the impact of individual participant journeys

to attend meetings or training.

2Buildings

Buildings and Infrastructure:Housing technical halls in co-location data

centres delivers improved power usage efficiencies through energy efficient data

centre infrastructure.

1Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing Solutions for Customers:Providing cloud computing solutions for

our customers eliminates inefficiencies in stand-alone server operations and drives improvements in energy utilisation and

computing resources.

4Home Working

Home Working: Home working provides a net carbon saving

arising from the difference between the saved commute against the cost of energy

consumed in the home.

Positive impacts...


ASPECTS & IMPACTS11

ESSENTIALS: SAFETY


We use refrigerant gases in our air-conditioning and data centre chillers and release of fire suppressant gases. Refrigerant gases, or F-Gases, are strictly

regulated to ensure the environment is protected. If refrigerant gases leak they contribute to climate change and the depletion of the ozone layer.

Release of refrigerant gases to the air...


ASPECTS & IMPACTS12

ESSENTIALS: SAFETY


Leaks and spills of hazardous substances to land, surface water drains or foul water drains can cause significant environmental damage. The priority is

to prevent spills or leaks in the first place, but if one does occur, to contain it and clean it up before it pollutes land or drains.

Discharge of hazardous substances...


ASPECTS & IMPACTS13

ESSENTIALS: SAFETY


How could you be more environmentally friendly? Can you...

...Decrease waste?

...Increase recycling?

...Minimize fuel and energy consumption?

...Find new ways to reduce your impact on the environment?

... Help customers to make a positive impact on the environment?

So what can you do?...


ASPECTS & IMPACTS14

ESSENTIALS: SAFETY


NOTES


ASPECTS & IMPACTS15

ESSENTIALS: SAFETY


NOTES


ASPECTS & IMPACTS16

ESSENTIALS: SAFETY


Look out for other titles in the series

Asbestos Awareness

COSHH

Display Screen Equipment

Driving at Work - Economical Driving

Driving at Work - Your Safety

Electrical Safety

Environmental Awareness

Fire Safety

First Aid

Food Safety - Catering

Health & Safety in the Office

Infection Control

Legionella Awareness

Managing Risk

Manual Handling

New and Expectant Mothers

Noise Awareness

Personal Protective Equipment

Positive Mental Health Awareness

Risks and Responsibilities

Slips and Trips

Stress in the Workplace

Suspicious Packages

Working at Height

©2015–2019 Hot Learning Ltd trading as Engage in Learning. All rights reserved.

engageinlearning.comVisit our website

01453 796222Give us a call

©2015–2019 Hot Learning Ltd trading as Engage in Learning. All rights reserved.

ESSENTIALS: SAFETY Environmental awareness

Documents