The Environment As a Company we are striving to minimise our environmental impact by improving and implementing effective recycling and sustainable schemes, together with raising awareness of such issues amongst our key stakeholders, employees, tenants, clients and contractors. Our first step towards sustainability was taken in 2006 when we set up our own in-house Environmental Committee made up of senior management and employees from every Department, and set out some specific objectives which included: · Prevent pollution, reduce waste and increase paper recycling · Promote environmental awareness among our customers, suppliers, contractors and partners · Monitor and evaluate any initiatives to ensure consistent improvement · Ensure that potential hazards and risks to the environment are identified and that suitable, effective and preventative methods are implemented · Fit timers and light sensors within the offices and toilets to reduce wastage · Minimise out of hours & summer months lighting · Carry out two environmental surveys to identify the areas of the business that are creating waste The first and most important task involved in ensuring our environmental objectives could be achieved was through creating awareness of our commitment amongst our stakeholders. The Directors were pro-active in developing and promoting initiatives, as well as monitoring their progress. Management and supervisory staff were given direct responsibility for the implementation of the policies and were expected to ensure that environmental issues were given proper consideration in the planning and day to day supervision of work. In January 2008 we set up the ‘Green Police’, made up of green champion volunteers from each BDC department committed to developing ideas, increasing our activities and achievements, and raising awareness throughout the company and venue as a whole. We also incorporated green targets within the BDC’s core corporate objectives, and this year they are: · Implement the energy efficiency strategy to ensure maximum savings on energy costs and the supply of efficient and environmentally friendly energy over the long term. · Increase our total waste recycling from 31% to 50% by the end of 2008. Practical initiatives we have put into action so far to increase our sustainability are as follows: · Recent £1.3m roof replacement – allows more natural light into the building enabling us to reduce lighting and gives better insulation so less heating is required · Timers and lighting sensors installed to all staff offices, toilets and communal areas · All toilets have been fitted with Dyson Airblade hand driers which will result in energy usage in this area being reduced by 81% · Eco-kettles offered to all 120 offices within the venue · We have appointed a company that collects the organic waste generated from our restaurant. They collect from us three times a week, totalling 6 wheelie bins of food waste collected each week · Our catering partners now purchase mineral water in recycled bottles, and only prepare food with seasonal produce · Glass and plastic recycling bins have been placed around the venue for visitors use · Introduction of personal recycling bins and a collection service for all tenants and staff for glass, plastic and cardboard recycling – 80% of glass, plastic, and cans are now recycled · Activated all venue monitors and office equipment such as printers and photocopiers with timers to reduce energy consumption · Purchased a networked scanner for the BDC staff to reduce paper consumption · Registered BDC fax numbers/address on preference lists reducing paper consumption · All venue staff now use 100% recycled copier paper · Increased our paper recycling collection from fortnightly to weekly, which has seen over 60 tonnes collected from April – December 08 · Recycling of waste from skips - Prior to last year all skip waste went direct to land fill. We now work with a company that recycles 60% of all skip waste. In 2008 we used a total of 151 skips and compactors equalling 805 tonnes of waste. This year to date we have used 94 skips and compactors with a total tonnage of 518 tonnes. This means that so far this year we have reduced our skip and compactor hire by 38%, which is a 36% reduction on waste compared to last year · To cope with the huge increase in recyclable materials being collected a recycling point was created in our Loading Bay. An entire area of the Loading Bay is now dedicated to housing our paper sacks, glass and plastic bottles, cardboard, and organic food waste ready for collection. An adjoining area houses a skip and compactor for larger items of waste · We have changed the way in which we construct our stock panel events to reduce the use of timber. This saves of 20,000 linear metres of batten per year · In June 2008 we were delighted to win two Giant Green Business Awards from Islington Council · Won first place for Best Business Frontage last summer from Islington Council’s Islington in Bloom 2008 awards · Received a Highly Commended award, Green Business of the Year award at the Archant North & West London Business Awards 2008 All in all We feel we have made a significant start and look forward to increasing and developing our sustainability and environmentally aware culture within the Business Design Centre and throughout all aspects of our business.

The Environment

As a Company we are striving to minimise our environmental impact by improving and implementing effective recycling and sustainable schemes, together with raising awareness of such issues amongst our key stakeholders, employees, tenants, clients and contractors.

Our first step towards sustainability was taken in 2006 when we set up our own in-house Environmental Committee made up of senior management and employees from every Department, and set out some specific objectives which included:

· Prevent pollution, reduce waste and increase paper recycling

· Promote environmental awareness among our customers, suppliers, contractors and partners

· Monitor and evaluate any initiatives to ensure consistent improvement

· Ensure that potential hazards and risks to the environment are identified and that suitable, effective and preventative methods are implemented

· Fit timers and light sensors within the offices and toilets to reduce wastage

· Minimise out of hours & summer months lighting

· Carry out two environmental surveys to identify the areas of the business that are creating waste

The first and most important task involved in ensuring our environmental objectives could be achieved was through creating awareness of our commitment amongst our stakeholders.

The Directors were pro-active in developing and promoting initiatives, as well as monitoring their progress. Management and supervisory staff were given direct responsibility for the implementation of the policies and were expected to ensure that environmental issues were given proper consideration in the planning and day to day supervision of work.

In January 2008 we set up the ‘Green Police’, made up of green champion volunteers from each BDC department committed to developing ideas, increasing our activities and achievements, and raising awareness throughout the company and venue as a whole.

We also incorporated green targets within the BDC’s core corporate objectives, and this year they are:

· Implement the energy efficiency strategy to ensure maximum savings on energy costs and the supply of efficient and environmentally friendly energy over the long term.

· Increase our total waste recycling from 31% to 50% by the end of 2008.

Practical initiatives we have put into action so far to increase our sustainability are as follows:

· Recent £1.3m roof replacement – allows more natural light into the building enabling us to reduce lighting and gives better insulation so less heating is required

· Timers and lighting sensors installed to all staff offices, toilets and communal areas

· All toilets have been fitted with Dyson Airblade hand driers which will result in energy usage in this area being reduced by 81%

· Eco-kettles offered to all 120 offices within the venue

· We have appointed a company that collects the organic waste generated from our restaurant. They collect from us three times a week, totalling 6 wheelie bins of food waste collected each week

· Our catering partners now purchase mineral water in recycled bottles, and only prepare food with seasonal produce

· Glass and plastic recycling bins have been placed around the venue for visitors use

· Introduction of personal recycling bins and a collection service for all tenants and staff for glass, plastic and cardboard recycling – 80% of glass, plastic, and cans are now recycled

· Activated all venue monitors and office equipment such as printers and photocopiers with timers to reduce energy consumption

· Purchased a networked scanner for the BDC staff to reduce paper consumption

· Registered BDC fax numbers/address on preference lists reducing paper consumption

· All venue staff now use 100% recycled copier paper

· Increased our paper recycling collection from fortnightly to weekly, which has seen over 60 tonnes collected from April – December 08

· Recycling of waste from skips - Prior to last year all skip waste went direct to land fill. We now work with a company that recycles 60% of all skip waste. In 2008 we used a total of 151 skips and compactors equalling 805 tonnes of waste. This year to date we have used 94 skips and compactors with a total tonnage of 518 tonnes. This means that so far this year we have reduced our skip and compactor hire by 38%, which is a 36% reduction on waste compared to last year

· To cope with the huge increase in recyclable materials being collected a recycling point was created in our Loading Bay. An entire area of the Loading Bay is now dedicated to housing our paper sacks, glass and plastic bottles, cardboard, and organic food waste ready for collection. An adjoining area houses a skip and compactor for larger items of waste

· We have changed the way in which we construct our stock panel events to reduce the use of timber. This saves of 20,000 linear metres of batten per year

· In June 2008 we were delighted to win two Giant Green Business Awards from Islington Council

· Won first place for Best Business Frontage last summer from Islington Council’s Islington in Bloom 2008 awards

· Received a Highly Commended award, Green Business of the Year award at the Archant North & West London Business Awards 2008

All in all

We feel we have made a significant start and look forward to increasing and developing our sustainability and environmentally aware culture within the Business Design Centre and throughout all aspects of our business.

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2009 (3)

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