EA calls for big business to follow its lead

Posted on: August 24, 2011

The Environment Agency has announced that it has cut its CO2 emissions by almost a fifth since 2006/07. It has now urged other large organisations to improve their environmental reporting and performance.
The organisation measures its environmental performance in five key areas, with ambitious 2015 targets set for each. New figures from the Environment Agency’s first internal environment management update show that the 2006-2011 performance on each is:
• Office waste – reduced by 18%, 66% less to landfill.
• Mileage – reduced by 33%, 19 million fewer miles per year.
• Carbon dioxide – a 17% reduction in emissions.
• Buildings’ energy – a 15% reduction in use.
• Mains water – an 18% reduction.
Organisation estimates reveal that the programme has already reduced its costs by more than £6m a year.
According to the Environment Agency, the majority of Britain’s biggest publicly listed businesses are now disclosing some information about their environmental performance on an annual basis. However, a recent Environment Agency study of more than 500 FTSE All-share companies showed that not enough companies are providing environmental statistics in line with Government guidance and that the quality of information is still very varied and in some cases basic. The Agency urged companies to go further on environmental reporting following publication of the report.
Environment Agency Chief Executive, Dr Paul Leinster, said:
“Big organisations often have a big environmental footprint. Transport, energy and waste all contribute and need to be managed, measured and reduced. Those that do so effectively will reduce costs and improve their reputation.
“In the future, we’ll see higher energy prices, more carbon reporting and greater competition for resources. Good environmental management helps address each and also helps to reduce our running costs. Our own experience shows that focusing on a few important measures, embedding them into every team and reporting to the Board each year are key to success.”
The Environment Agency’s internal environment management update shows the ways in which its own reductions have been made. These include cleaner vehicles, water-saving technology, more sustainable travel choices, improved recycling facilities and awareness-raising amongst staff.
Various other technologies have been introduced across the Environment Agency to reduce energy, such as voltage optimisation and Automatic Meter Reading.
The Environment Agency has its own target to reduce CO2 emissions by 33% by 2015 from 2006/07 levels