The Portakabin Group has been awarded its third accolade this year in recognition of its commitment to sustainability. It has succeeded in achieving a Gold Award in the Business in the Community Environment Index 2013. This puts the Group among the UK’s highest performing businesses for environmental management.
The Index assesses participants’ integration of an environmental strategy into their operations and their performance in reducing impact on the environment. Over the past 15 years, the Index has enabled businesses and organisations to measure their environmental management and benchmark against competitors and other companies in their geographical region.
The survey looks at all aspects of an organisation’s environmental performance, including:
• Corporate strategy – demonstration of strong leadership to address sustainability issues.
• Integration – the inclusion of environmental issues in strategic decision making.
• Environmental management – the provision of sustainable products and services, and the engagement of the supply chain to improve environmental performance.
• Assurance and disclosure – established reporting criteria for sustainability and the sharing of information.
• Reductions in energy and water consumption.
• Waste and resource management – preventing waste wherever possible and making more sustainable use of waste produced.
The Gold Award represents a score of 90 to 95%, which compares to an average score among participants of 80%, and follows a Silver Award that was presented to the Portakabin Group in 2012.
Commenting on the award, Derek Carter, Chief Executive of the Portakabin Group, said, “This award is another opportunity for us to demonstrate our commitment to being even more environmentally responsible. Our progress in the Index over the past year is a tremendous achievement, going from silver to gold. We were also delighted to score higher than the average for the construction sector which is further recognition of our pioneering position in reducing impact on the environment in the provision of building solutions.”
The Portakabin Group’s sustainability achievements over the past year have included:
• Succeeding in its objective of zero waste to landfill at its manufacturing centre in York a year ahead of its December 2013 target.
• Using new materials in the manufacture of Portakabin buildings that have a recycled content of 35%.
• The launch of the new Energy-Saver range to enable Portakabin customers to reduce energy usage by more than 60 per cent, and benefit from some of the UK’s best-performing sustainable buildings.
• Designing out the use of painted components, reducing airborne solvent emissions by 20%.
• The development of the revolutionary new Yorkon off-site building system, which can reduce heat loss by 32% compared to Building Regulations requirements.
The introduction of a sustainable food service at its international headquarters and production centre in York. Initiatives include chefs’ clothing made from recycled PET; the use of fish from sustainable sources; recycling of coffee grinds; cooking oil re-used to fuel food delivery vehicles, and the anaerobic digestion of food waste.
For further information about modular buildings for permanent and interim applications, visit www.portanews.co.uk, email [email protected] or call 0845 401 0010.
