Environment

St Ives and the environment

The board has established an environmental policy which is implemented through the Group’s existing management structure. The policy concentrates on achieving a deliverable improvement in performance in consultation with suppliers, customers and employees.

Specific areas targeted for continuous attention include the adoption, where practicable, of processes which reduce the Group’s emissions of volatile organic compounds, noise and dust, minimising and recycling of waste products, recycling of water and securing reductions in energy consumption.

The Group continues to make progress towards improving its performance in the areas identified for attention and, during the year, completed Group-wide ISO14001 accreditation.

The targets set for the year to contain the net financial impact on the Group of the Climate Change Levy have been met and new targets set for next year in order to recoup as much of the Levy as possible.

The key performance indicators used to measure environmental performance are:

Waste sent to landfill;
Water consumption; and
Gas and electricity usage per square metre of substrate (usually, but not always, paper or board).

In absolute terms, however, the Group recorded an improvement in all three key performance indicators: total gas consumption at all sites fell, year on year, by 10.4% (2008 – 3.3 per cent fall compared with 2007), total electricity consumption fell by 8.0% (2008 – 0.4% fall compared with 2007) and total water consumption fell by 4.6% (2008 – 1.9% increase compared with 2007). Total waste sent to landfill was reduced by 53.1% (2008 – 13.3 per cent reduction compared with 2007).

Individual targets are set on a site by site basis to improve the Group’s overall environmental performance and these are set out in the Group’s latest Environmental Report which is available, on request, from the Company Secretary or by clicking here.

waste sent to landfill

Waste sent to landfill per metre squared of substrate consumed was reduced by 45%;

water consumption

Water consumption per square metre increased by 10% (in 2008 a 5.8% reduction was achieved)

energy efficiency

Energy efficiency (energy used per square metre) increased by 6% (in 2008 a 3.7% decrease was achieved) compared to the previous year’s figures.

Additionally St Ives have reduced carbon emissions year on year.

St Ives plc were successful in achieving the Carbon Trust Standard in March 2010. This has been awarded in recognition of the group’s continued reduction in it’s CO2 emissions over the last three consecutive financial years. Certification is valid until 31st August 2011 and will assist the group in reducing the financial impact of the Carbon Reduction Commitment which came into force on 1st April 2010.

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