Environmental Policy
Xcede Group recognises and accepts its responsibility to minimise, wherever possible, its impact on the environment and to comply with all statutory environmental requirements.
The Company wishes to promote, amongst its staff and sub-contractors, an understanding of environmental issues.
Through properly developed and executed practices, The Company seeks to sustain and improve its own environment and contribute to the protection of the local, national and global environments.
The Company has several key environmental aims:
To enhance environmental awareness among its staff and sub-contractors.
• in the procurement of resources.
• by provision of information, instruction, and training.
To minimise;
• the consumption of resources
• the production of waste and
• harmful emissions to air, land, and water
Consideration will be given to the substitution of polluting substances with “greener” alternatives wherever possible. Steps will be taken to minimise smoke, dust, fumes, vapours, noise, and vibration nuisance – the potential for which will be identified during the risk assessment process.
To achieve these objectives the following policies will be adopted to cover areas of key environmental importance.
1. Energy
The Company wishes to conserve energy. It will endeavour to use the minimum quantities of energy possible in accordance with the safe and efficient operation of its heating, lighting, plant and machinery. It will continuously review its energy sources, energy forms, and energy efficiency with a view to causing least environmental impact. It will carry out a continuous programme of energy conservation by monitoring consumption and eliminating excessive or unnecessary use. It will communicate to staff and contractors used on the premises, the means by which energy may be conserved.
2. Water
The Company wishes to conserve water. It will endeavour to use the minimum quantities of water possible in accordance with its activities and it will ensure that the water it uses is both supplied and disposed of, in purest condition possible, meeting statutory requirements. It will carry out a continuous programme of water conservation by monitoring consumption, reducing leakage and eliminating excessive or unnecessary use. It will communicate, to staff and sub-contractors, the means by which water may be conserved.
3. Transport
The Company wishes to mitigate the harmful effects of its traffic on the environment. When travelling to and from our premises and on company business, all staff will be discouraged from the single occupancy use of private vehicles. Company controlled vehicles will be operated in such a way as to minimise their impact on the environment.
4. Purchasing
The Company wishes to conserve resources. Through its purchasing policies it will seek goods and services, which do least harm to the environment in their production, delivery and packaging use, re-use, recycling, and disposal. It will seek to purchase from local or regional suppliers which will maximise the Company’s input to the local community and minimise transport. It will communicate to staff and contractors means by which goods and services may be purchased, with due regard to the environment.
5. Waste Management
The Company wishes to conserve resources by minimising its generation of wastes. It will do this by, in order of priority, reducing the acquisition of new materials, re-using materials, recycling existing materials and, if the former are impractical, disposal by a means which will have least impact on the environment and conforms to statutory requirements. It will communicate, to staff and sub-contractors, means by which waste may be minimised.
All waste disposal shall be carried out by registered waste carriers and removed to registered waste disposal sites. Documentation shall be held to demonstrate compliance with this.
Whenever possible waste shall be recycled, reclaimed or reused.
6. Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
The Company wishes to prevent harmful impacts on the environment from the hazardous substances they use. Hazardous substance spillages will be immediately contained by the use of an inert substance and then correctly disposed of to prevent any damage to the environment. Any hazardous substance spillage of a significant amount will be immediately reported to the Local Water Authority if discharge into a sewer is likely. All hazardous substances and empty containers will be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner by an approved method.
All liquid storage will be bunded wherever there is a risk.
COSHH assessments will form part of our environmental system.
7. Environmental Awareness of Staff and Contractors
The Company wishes to promote the awareness of environmental matters amongst its staff and contractors and will also apply to office functions, company travel as well as all warehouse storage and on-site activities.
To do this it will:
a. support the implementation of an environmental policy.
b. delegate environmental responsibilities to the Health and Safety Co-ordinator.
c. provide staff with information and training in environmental matters.
d. it will be enforced by managerial vigilance and shall be subject to regular auditing and review.