Gordon has article published in February 2011 FM Journal
Posted 28 February 2011 in News
The following article can be found at the FMJ web site.
When I first cut my teeth in the facilities management sector over 25 years ago, we operated in a very different landscape. Although energy use became a focus in the 90s, there was little or no reference to climate change as a driver for efficiency and we had to wait for the new millennium before environmental issues really hit the radar.
These days, however, climate change is on everybody's lips and green is the new black. You only have to open the latest stationery catalogues to see the selling power of sustainability and as we move forward it is likely that official environmental standards will be established to offer guidance; but what does environmental spend really mean to a facilities manager, and how does one negotiate the claims and requirements of suppliers and clients?
In the broadest sense, operating an environmentally friendly policy impacts directly on an organisation's longevity: clients – especially public bodies – are demanding evidence of carbon reduction; Fairtrade towns specify the use of Fairtrade goods in public sector premises, and consumers lobby for cleaner, greener products. Any business that can prove a commitment to sustainable procurement and carbon reduction will not only act as a standard bearer for the sector as a whole, but will also benefit from increased long term profitability, and from the knowledge that it is helping to secure a more ethical, robust future.
The last 10 years have seen the introduction of a whole tranche of environmental legislation introduced through EU regulations and transposed into law by the UK government. For facilities managers the key issues are waste disposal and the impact of energy use. This includes the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, hazardous waste regulations, and the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme. In addition, FMs need to take purchasing habits into consideration; methods of procurement and the environmental soundness of products – from toilet tissue through to furniture – also impact significantly on the carbon footprint of an organisation.
Procurement is often the most visible aspect of an environmental policy. For example, staff are able to see Fairtrade goods on the shelves or, where they are missing, will lobby for their inclusion. When assessing the sustainability of a product, a range of factors can be taken into account, from the quantities of water and non-renewable resources used in manufacture, through to the use of recycled materials, potential for end of life recycling, or treatment of workers and producers in developing countries. Similarly, a green supplier should be able to demonstrate the management of supply chains and be actively working to reduce the use of non-renewable carbon fuels, passenger and freight transport, and packaging throughout its buildings, services or product lines.
However, assessing the environmental credentials of goods and products is not as straightforward as it may seem. As the need for environmental accountability increases, so do the number of green claims and it often takes only a small scratch to find little substance behind the surface. To navigate this potential minefield, it is worth bearing in mind that any claims made on packaging or in advertising material should be specific: if a claim sounds vague, then it probably does not stand up to rigorous scrutiny. Equally, exaggerated language, exceptional claims, or wording that implies a product has been endorsed by another organisation with no evidence to back it up, should be treated with suspicion.
In many cases, green claims offer genuine information on how the product was made or the best way to dispose of it. Toilet tissue describing itself as '100% recycled paper' is self explanatory, but many green claims can be misleading or confusing. Phrases like 'environmentally friendly', for example, are meaningless without clarification. If in doubt, opt for products demonstrating accreditation to a green label such as the UK Fuel Economy label or Fairtrade. A product aligned with a genuine label like these will typically have been assessed independently to prove that it meets certain standards before it is allowed to display the organisation's symbol.
In order to introduce regulation into the myriad of green claims covering every type of product from paints to cutlery; and vegetables to wood products, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has developed a Green Claims Code. The code is designed to advise businesses on how to make clear green claims and states that where businesses make self-declared environmental claims, they should be meaningful, and consistent with the following existing standards: ISO:14021, the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing, and European Commission Guidelines for making and assessing environmental claims. If you are unsure of the accuracy of a particular claim, you can always ask the company involved whether it adheres to the Defra code.
For large or high profile projects, it is valuable to ask a supplier to provide environmental data within pre-qualification questionnaires (PQQ). Until around five years ago, environmental sections within PQQs were relatively rare, and contractors found it difficult to understand why the information was necessary. In those days, I worked as a client FM for a large NGO which needed to do the right thing and to safeguard its reputation, but today as a contractor, this type of information is becoming much more standard. The decision to issue a PQQ will depend on a range of factors, but in my experience should be based on value and risk. Generally, it would be uneconomic for a contract of low value, but safeguarding the client's reputation must take priority. Typically, an environmental PQQ would ask for information such as confirmation of supply chains; accreditation to an environmental management system (EMAS) such as ISO:14001; evidence of commitment to environmental concerns through the employment of an environmental manager; or engagement with government-funded advice bodies such as the Carbon Trust or Envirowise.
Once a contractor has been engaged, it is important to monitor performance and confirm that these standards are maintained by undertaking periodic audits. Many organisations take an active role in this themselves, and those committed to continuous improvement of ethical performance within supply chains, the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (SEDEX) may be a useful tool. SEDEX connects businesses with their suppliers in order to share data on ethical performance and boasts many household names such as Marks and Spencer, John Lewis and the Royal Mail among its members.
At ground level, companies can also take advantage of free government advice on procurement by downloading the Guide to Green Procurement (GG921), which uses 'traffic light' style toolkits to identify areas that need closer examination, and also highlights specific themes at work such as premises, fixtures and fittings, utilities and consumables,
In addition to outlining the benefits of implementing a green policy, the guidance includes a seven-step plan, advising that the key to success lies in: assessing current procurement requirements; obtaining support from management and stakeholders; identifying legislative requirements; appointing a champion for green procurement; integrating green procurement into environmental policy; assessing the whole life-cycle cost; and providing a pre-qualification questionnaire.
If you still feel in need of advice, a wide range of organisations such as Envirowise or the Energy Saving Trust are on hand to sort the wheat from the chaff and steer your organisation in the right direction. Implementing an environmental procurement and energy policy may be a daunting prospect but as business greens up, it will become second nature.
The right purchasing decisions can go a long way to saving energy and materials, will help to reduce waste and pollution, and also set a good example, encouraging sustainable patterns of behaviour both in the workplace and in the home. In this way, by working to the principles of the '4Rs' – Reduce, Reuse, Repair and Recycle – facilities managers can make a genuine contribution to the profile of their profession, minimise environmental impacts, and also reap the associated economic benefits. In other words, a genuine win, win situation.