Energy and climate change

Planning for energy efficiency and carbon emission reduction

In 2011, the Board approved our Carbon Management Plan (CMP) which commits us to reducing our relative carbon footprint by 15% by 2014 compared to a 2010 baseline.

We are also committed to being a Carbon Neutral Company, in accordance with the recognised standard PAS 2060. In 2012 we will purchase carbon offsets through a verified scheme, with the particular type of project selected to align with our broader business objectives of community investment and protection of the natural environment.

The rise in energy costs resulted in a significant increase in our fuel spend; emphasising the need to drive business efficiency and use of alternative and renewable fuels.

With our growth forecast, we predict our fossil fuel costs will rise to £13m if we adopt a 'business as usual' approach. Though our CMP, we will mitigate this increase and keep costs below £10 million (detailed in graph).

Where there is carbon, there is cost and to improve measurement of our carbon footprint, we’ve developed an Environmental Data System that connects our various methods of recording and reporting carbon to give us real-time data to target areas where performance is at odds with expectations.