Natural resources and the environment
Why are Natural Resources and the environment important to us?
As a supplier of products used in the construction, development and maintenance of the essential built environment, we acknowledge that our business can have impacts on the environment and consumes natural resources.
We are very aware therefore of our responsibility to minimise any potential impacts and use materials in the most efficient and sustainable way possible.
We are also committed to using natural resources responsibly and sustainably. This includes minimising waste, conserving water, controlling our emissions, and helping to recycle or reuse waste to make useful products.
How are we dealing with this?
Environmental protection
For many years we have used strict environmental management systems that conform to the international standard ISO 14001 to identify and control the environmental impacts of our processes. For this we also need to set performance improvement targets for our main impacts, which in our case is energy efficiency, water consumption and waste for which long term targets are in place.
All of our production sites have independent certification to ISO 14001
Efficient use of natural resources
We tackle efficient use of natural from three sides.
Where possible we will use locally available recycled, secondary or by-product materials to replace the use of new raw materials in our products.
We control our production waste closely on the basis of Reduce>Reuse>Recycle principle with disposal as a last resort.
We look at product development that can minimise the use of resources, reduce maintenance and optimise recyclability.
During 2009 35% of all materials used in our concrete block production were recycled, secondary or by-product materials.
What are we doing for the environment?
We try to manage the impacts of our activities on the environment; promoting biodiversity, safeguarding archaeological heritage and restoring sites are an integral part of our responsibility.
We are also committed to using natural resources responsibly and sustainably. This includes minimising waste, conserving water, controlling our emissions, and helping to recycle or reuse waste to make useful products.
Environmental protection
Given the breadth and nature of our business, it is essential that we protect the environments in which we work and live. This involves focusing on biodiversity, cataloguing archaeological finds, restoring sites, working with local communities to understand and address their concerns, and having strict standards and policies for environmental management at each site.
Efficient use of natural resources
Our materials and products are used across the UK in all aspects of our everyday lives. Natural resources are finite, and we need to use them carefully and efficiently. We are doing this by focusing on reducing waste, promiting the use of recycled materials and conserving water.
