At The Movers and Storers Show in November, Charlotte Parslow from Britannia Movers International offered some advice to moving companies on how to operate in a more environmentally sustainable way.

She explained that sustainability is something that all companies need to pay close attention to now, and it will become increasingly important in the future.

She said that it has become clear that customers, both private and corporate, want their suppliers to take a responsible approach to protecting the environment. “A really significant proportion [of customers] want to work with companies that have very clearly defined environmental policies,” she said.  “We need to consider how we are rewarding the planet for all the resources we are extracting from it.”

Charlotte explained that the environment has been a factor on tender awards for some time but has had a relatively small weighting of around 5% compared with 40% for price, 30% for service capability, 15% for workforce and materials and 10% for a company’s memberships and quality awards. “But this is reordering,” she said. “As governments are asking companies to clean up their supply chains the environment is going to become more important.” She said that ISO 14001, the environmental Standard, will be a quality mark that becomes much more widespread throughout industry.

Another practical reason for taking care of the environment is the effect it can have on a company’s image and its ability to attract talent. Charlotte said that many people, especially younger people, want to work for a company that they feel is doing something good for the planet and for society. “So if you are a company that can demonstrate a really sound environmental policy you are more likely to recruit and keep great talent, and so reduce costs on recruitment and training.”

There is also the simple principle that taking steps to reduce the detrimental effect operations have on the environment usually saves money in the long term.

With this as the backdrop, Charlotte offered a catalogue of ideas, many of them minor but all contributing to an operation that is more sustainable from an environmental perspective. 

Not automatically turning on office lights when it is unnecessary; stopping drafts to reduce heating costs and opening windows for ventilation in the summer rather than using air conditioning; turning off equipment when not in use; going paperless; and an increased focus on recycling were all on the list. Planting trees and hedges in office grounds not only helps the environment but creates a habitat for wildlife and improves the outlook for employees.

She encouraged companies to promote ‘green’ commuting, such as cycling and car sharing, and to make full use of video conferencing, that has become so popular recently, to minimise travelling. Companies involved in commercial moving have an opportunity to recycle unwanted office equipment rather than disposing of it. Packaging waste also has a value.

Plastic, Charlotte said, is a hot topic.  But not all plastic is bad. Some can be infinitely recycled. She encouraged companies to ask suppliers what kind of plastic they use and find out whether it can be recycled.  Paper tape is potentially more sustainable than vinyl, but it is expensive.  However, Charlotte believes that as its use increases, so the cost will reduce.

Charlotte said that introducing simple things such as renewable water bottles or thermal mugs can have a disproportionate effect on the way staff behave. “It’s changing the mindset of how your staff think and letting them know that your company is serious about doing something,” she explained.  It is also important for companies to interrogate their supply chains to make sure that garments are coming from sustainable ethical sources.  “Do you know that the T-Shirts you buy for your staff are not being made by child labour?  If enough of us ask these questions of our suppliers it puts pressure on them to ask their suppliers and we start to clean up our supply chains.”

Companies could include a page on their websites to explain the steps they have taken to improve sustainability.  However, Charlotte warned against ‘greenwashing’. “There are organisations hunting down companies that make unsubstantiated claims,” she said.

From 2040 not diesel engines will be allowed in HGVs, so companies should now be working out their transport strategy for the future. She said that finance may be available (www.grantsonline.co.uk  and www.gov.uk) to cover some of the costs for vehicle charging stations and for converting heating systems to more sustainable alternatives such as heat pumps or biomass.

It is very difficult to encourage companies to become ‘greener’ purely for altruistic reasons, but when they appreciate that saving energy, for example, also saves money, it’s a much more compelling argument.  Compelling also is the realisation that contracts may soon not be awarded to companies that cannot show a responsible and systematic approach to protecting the environment.

Photo: Charlotte Parslow, Britannia Movers International.