Policy Statement
Signcraft’s Environmental Policy has been developed to provide a framework for the company and its staff to continuously monitor and improve their environmental performance against clear objectives.
The company, like all organisations, inevitably makes an impact on the environment, for example through its use of fossil fuel, energy, water, timber and other natural resources.
We will use the following guiding principles to drive forward continual improvements in the company’s environmental performance.
The Guiding Principles
The company will
- Minimise its use of natural resources and seek to lessen its adverse impact on the environment.
- Meet or exceed all applicable environmental regulations and will set its own standards and targets if there are no relevant Government or EU regulations.
- Keep abreast of relevant technical and legislative developments in order to continue operating in accordance with current best practice.
- Purchase, wherever possible, non-polluting and energy efficient products and technologies, adhering to an environmental procurement policy.
- Assist suppliers and customers to promote products and activities that minimise their environmental impact.
- Raise awareness of environmental responsibilities and actively promote good environmental practice to its staff and customers.
- Measure performance against these objectives and report this fully.
Procurement Policy
The company will give preference to purchasing environmentally preferable products and services that meet current performance, safety and regulatory requirements. The company will continue to source and increase the purchase of products and
services as set out below:
- Focus on products or services that have the greatest environmental impact and attempt to reduce, stop their use and find alternative, less environmentally harmful alternatives.
- Examine products that will be visible, for example stationery and office electrical equipment.
- Integrate reused, refurbished, remanufactured and recycled-content products wherever possible.
- Use less environmentally harmful products available through existing suppliers, such as energy saving office equipment and biodegradable cleaning products.
- Support local businesses by purchasing locally where possible and therefore reducing pollution resulting from transportation.
- Actively encourage suppliers to provide products and services that have a minimum adverse environmental impact and support the company’s Environmental Policy, requesting suppliers to identify harmful processes and materials in their manufacturing processes. Seek suppliers that are working towards the phasing out of such practices.
Advantages of a ‘green’ procurement policy
- Green procurement of products and services raises environmental awareness, which in turn prompts more people to buy more environmentally sound products.
- Green procurement has potentially direct environmental benefits: fewer emissions, less waste and more efficient resources use.
- An increase in demand for greener products and services improves the market position of suppliers.
- Demand for green products acts as an incentive for technological development towards greener products.
It will obviously not be possible to purchase a less environmentally harmful alternative for every product or service, compromise will be required. It is therefore important to address the significant environmental impacts of the current purchasing policy. The company’s green procurement checklist is at the end of this document.
Facilities and Staff Management
The company aims to minimise the environmental impact of its workplace and staff and will:
- Minimise the use of energy and water.
- Provide facilities that encourage staff to walk, run or cycle to work.
- Encourage staff to adopt work behaviours that minimise energy and resource consumption.
- Encourage the use of public transport rather than cars where practical.
- Include the environmental policy and advice in staff induction materials.
- Maintain photocopiers and printers well to avoid paper wastage.
- Encourage staff to reuse plastic bags when shopping at lunch.
- Adopt the Government’s cycle to work scheme to allow staff tax breaks on new cycle purchases.
Communication and promotion
The Company seeks to play a positive role in championing good environmental practice and to promote good practice to members and beyond. To this end the Company will:
- Provide a clear, public statement of the company’s policy and practices, via website and other media.
- Share the policy with all staff.
- Work with staff to advise and encourage them on good environmental practice.
- Showcase staff good practice.
Our Green Procurement Checklist
The company will consider the following checklist, wherever practicable, with regard to resource use and recycling, hazardous content, energy, packaging, and transportation:
Resource Use and Recycling
- Does production/extraction of the product/material cause ecological damage, such as loss of habitats or damage to threatened species? Are there alternatives?
- Is this a remanufactured product/material?
- Can the product/material be re-used, refilled, recharged or reconditioned to extend its life?
- Can the item be easily upgraded by adding or replacing a part?
- Does the product/material have a recycled content? If so, what percentage?
- Is the product/material accredited with a recognised environmental standard?
- Can the product/material be recycled easily (in the workplace and/or local community)?
Hazardous content
- Is the product/material or its components hazardous to humans and/or the wider environment?
- If yes, what are the health and safety implications and disposal requirements?
- Are there any non-hazardous alternatives available?
- Are technical data sheets available?
Energy
- Does the item use energy? (e.g. electrical appliances, equipment, machinery, heating or vehicles).
- If so, is the item as energy efficient as the alternatives?
- Does the item have energy consumption data for all operation modes?
Packaging
- Can product packaging be reduced or eliminated?
- Is packaging made of recycled material(s)?
- Can packaging be re-used, recycled or returned?
Transportation
- Is the product locally manufactured and/or locally supplied?
- Does the supplier have a Green Transport Plan for their operations
