Highlights
- Reduced waste per product by 3%
- Increased recycling rates by 10%
- Reduced carbon footprint per product by 23% since 2012
- Invested in greener travel with 3 electric cars and 4 electric charge points
- Reduced ink and solvent use by 45%
- Reduced business travel thus reducing green house gas emissions by 34 tonnes CO2
- Ensure packaging is at least 95% recycled or from a sustainable resource
Headquartered in Hawick, Emtelle has over 20 years’ experience in the telecommunications industry and is a leading global manufacturer of blown fibre and ducted network solutions. Emtelle’s sustainability plan called PLANET (Plan Emtelle Tomorrow) sets out the organisation’s aims and targets from 2014 to 2024 and reflects their commitment to the environment.
The VIBES Management Award recognises businesses, whose management systems deliver continuous improvement in environmental performance. The category is aimed at businesses that are taking a holistic approach to environmental improvement and can demonstrate the associated economic and social benefits that have been achieved. The judges considered that the continuous improvements that have been instigated by Emtelle UK and the environmental benefits achieved were worthy of an award in this category.
Emtelle has a strong drive to continuously improve their environmental and social performance and the integration of the supply chain into the sustainability plan.
The sustainability plan (PLANET) is driven by four key objectives;
- Reduce Emissions
- Improve Resource Sustainability
- War on Waste
- Become a fairer employer and partner
The Plan includes mechanisms for the business to tackle issues from within the organisation via Staff training, meetings and internal competitions for ideas regarding resource efficiency and Carbon management. The plan works both as a marketing tool but also a working document that clearly communicates sustainability targets and objectives and identifies what targets have already been met.
The company have set an ambitious target of a reduction in carbon emissions by 3% per year; this target was derived from the target periods of the CCA (Climate Change Agreement) which sets targets for businesses over four, two year periods.The company is a major employer in the Borders with sites at both Hawick and Jedburgh. A green champion and a green team has been set up for each site.
A nationwide recycling loop is in place that re-uses and repairs drums that house the main product, this is an important part of the business to reduce waste and create jobs in the local area.
The company are involved in the B4RN project. This is a project that Emtelle has been involved in for a number of years supplying discounted products and training/advice on the installation of fibre cabling for rural areas. While there is economic benefit to the communities directly affected this also brings a real community and social benefit.
Future plans include collaboration with Aberdeen University to look at separation of mixed waste product to develop new products from the mixed waste. It has been estimated that this could save the organisation around £80k per year in disposal costs with the potential to generate a new income stream from waste refuse.
John Bathgate, SHEQ Manager at Emtelle UK Ltd., said: “Emtelle is delighted to have won this VIBES award. It is a real reflection of the commitment from our staff and their attitude towards reducing our environmental impact. We continue to enter these awards as they provide stiff competition and to win one means that our performance is at the benchmark level in Scotland.”