Policy Statement
Within Specialist Heat Exchangers Ltd (SHE), sustainability is about delivering the best possible value for all our stakeholders in a responsible manner. Striving wherever practically possible to eliminate or minimise the negative impact of our operations on the world’s communities, climate, and natural resources.
Within our culture of continual improvement, we will incorporate sustainability values into our existing management systems and will:
• Continue to manage and ensure our commitment to the environmental standard ISO14001:2015.
• Encourage a diverse workforce and provide a work environment in which everyone is treated fairly, with respect and can achieve their full potential.
• Act within our own business and other stakeholders to reduce carbon footprint of our joint ventures.
• Manage our business efficiently by promoting the use of energy efficient solutions and innovative technology as well as reducing and preventing waste.
• Embrace industry leading practices and sound principles on business conduct and corporate governance.
• Safeguard human rights within our sphere of influence.
• Regularly review our performance and adjust this policy according to results.
In implementing this policy, we aspire to achieve zero harm to people, the climate, and our environment. We will engage with, and support our employees, contractors, suppliers, customers, and business partners in sharing responsibility for meeting our goals.
In addition to this we also commit to abide our Ethical Procurement Policy .
Scope
The purpose of this policy is to identify how Specialist Heat Exchangers plans to manage sustainability in the business.
Sustainability Factors
For all of the factors that affect sustainability a hierarchy tree will be applied,
1. Don’t use
2. Reduce or use from a sustainable source
3. Reuse
4. Recycle
5. Waste
Electricity
Most of our electricity usage is from manufacturing processes.
Our current electricity tariff is for renewable power which yields 0% CO2 per kWh produced and does not yield any hazardous waste as part of the generation.
It is still within the interests of the business to reduce electricity consumption where possible.
We will continue to implement energy efficiency processes. For example, to reduce our reliance on compressed air processes and implement direct electric tools.
Targets for reduced electricity to be communicated through our Goals and Objectives and Key Performance Indicators.
Gas
Most of the gas usage is from factory heating.
Although it depends on the efficiency of the process but on average 1 kWh will yield 0.185 kg of CO2.
Targets for reducing gas to be communicated through our Goals and Objectives and Key Performance indicator.
Water
Our water usage is split between manufacturing processes and welfare facilities.
Targets for reducing water to be communicated through our Goals and Objectives and Key Performance indicator.
Waste
Our Quality Management System’s main aim is to make things right first time to minimise waste in materials, labour and overheads.
All wastes are removed from our site according to parliamentary legislation.
Procurement and manufacturing processes are focussed on minimising waste of raw materials.
We continually strengthen our procedures and processes to reduce waste of limited shelf-life items such as paint.
As far as practically possible, all our wastes are recycled.
Waste water and effluent is processed in our own treatment plant before it is returned to the national waste water system.
We will explore and utilise, where feasible, new technologies and techniques for recovering waste heat and use it to minimise energy required to heat our factory.
VOC's
Our VOC usage and emissions are monitored and controlled within the limits of our local authority part B permit. They are reported as a KPI and our solvent management plan is based on targeted reductions of VOC usage.
One option we are exploring to reduce VOC is a switch from conventional spray painting to airless spray which uses less thinners. It also reduces our reliance on compressed air as part of our efforts to reduce electricity usage.
Materials
When selecting materials for the manufacture of our products, we are largely bound by our customers’ requirements and industry codes of construction. Outside of these restrictions we will consider the following factors.
• Origin of materials - sociopolitical profile of producing countries, environmental impact of operations, welfare of material processors and their community, government ideology in respect of corruption and support of conflict.
• Impact of processing – Energy used both in volume and how it is generated, additional materials used such as water, chemicals and alloying elements, also byproducts and wastes (heat, noise, effluent, smog, oils etcetera).
• Nature of finished/processed materials – durability and impact of processing, toxicity (particularly with some heavy metals), end of life considerations such as biodegradability, recyclability, cost and ease of re-processing.
Transport
Personal travel for business reasons must be justified and, if essential, achieved by the following means in descending order. Train or bus, zero or low emissions transportation, emissions assessed car, hired car, aeroplane.
Transportation of raw materials should be mitigated by selection of the most local viable suppliers. Deliveries should be consolidated where possible to minimise journeys.
Transportation of goods where practically possible should be by groupage haulier and only by dedicated courier with consideration for appropriate vehicle size for the load. Air freight should only be used as a last resort.
When planning travel or transportation of goods, the following assumptions on Kilograms of CO2 per mile should be considered:
Typical car – 0.078 kg/mile
Small truck – 0.28 kg/mile
Large truck – 0.827 kg/mile
SHE plan to encourage all employees who car share by providing priority parking spaces to them and considering other incentives.
Cycling. Ample undercover secure bike racks are provided for all employees. Cycling is strongly encouraged over driving. A Cycle to Work scheme is shortly to be rolled out to ensure all employees have access to the required safety equipment and bicycles.
Packaging
Where possible packing materials from supplied goods are reused and any that cannot be used are sent for recycling.
Use of new packing materials is reported in our KPIs. Where possible new packing materials will be made from recycled material and sustainably sourced timber.
Environmental Incidents
All environmental incidents once contained are reported to the management team and local authorities for investigation into corrective action, root cause and preventive actions. Environmental incidents are reported as a KPI.
Products
Products are designed within customer and safety requirements but in all other respects, consideration for the maximum operating efficiency & design life as well as minimum material content are observed. As far as practically possible all components are recyclable.
Customers
We actively engage with customers compliance information requests and use the interaction to inform and update our own policies as a continuous improvement measure.
Our policy on which customers we deal with is limited to adherence to UK Government sanctions.
The industry which we serve is one that is very heavily reliant on end user specifications for construction and engineering. However, where opportunities arise, we will promote the use of a more sustainably produced cooler over one which requires exotic materials and wasteful processes.
Suppliers
Supplier scoring for approval and preferential status has environmental and sustainability factors built into supplier onboarding questionnaires. This encourages prospective suppliers to gain environmental accreditations and adopt sustainability policies.
We commit to using the most local viable suppliers available and seek out suppliers who do not enforce minimum order quantities in an effort to drive down waste.
Where possible we schedule arrival of goods so that dedicated delivery is not necessary.
Employees
Training for employees on environmental waste, waste streams and environmental considerations is mandatory.
Information relating to the company’s environmental performance on key aspects is communicated out to all employees.
Employees are further encouraged to use bicycles, public transport or car share for their commute. Secure bike facilities are kept onsite. Further to this, working from home options are available where the employee’s role permits.
Paper
All employees are encouraged to use electronic means to eliminate paper waste. This includes but is not limited to, e-sign of documents, pdf viewing, email approvals and regulating paper usage within the business.
Complete prevention of all forms of paper is not currently practical due to the large proportion of shopfloor employees that require controlling documents (drawings and works orders) to be able for the company to function correctly.
Accommodation
Employees are encouraged to assess the impact of overnight stays during business trips verses travelling.
Where accommodation is required, accommodation is to be selected on the environmental impact as most establishments list their sustainability in the booking phase.
Local Environment
SHE takes periodic time out to garden its unused green spaces, maintaining trees and shrubs on our plot which provide great bio diversity and habitat for birds and insects. Bird boxes are installed in many of the trees and plan to install more.