We understand our environmental aspects and impacts and are strengthening processes to measure our performance.  These foundations support a longer term aspiration to be at the forefront of our business sectors in reducing environmental impacts, reducing our carbon emissions and using environmental criteria to help guide our strategic and operational decision-making processes.  We do however recognise that we need to find pragmatic solutions within a commercial context.

As a minimum we recognise the need to ensure we comply with legal requirements but also strive to achieve excellence through a continuous improvement programme, the effectiveness of which is recognised with ISO 14001 certification across the business.  To support this, reporting mechanisms and governance systems are being strengthened to ensure we continue to understand and reduce our environmental impacts.

We also need to recognise and respond to increasing legislation.  For example the UK Government's Carbon Reduction Commitment which is a mandatory emissions trading scheme for the large non-energy intensive sector, covering both business and the public sector.

Our approach is multi-faceted with each division developing specific projects/initiatives to deliver their identified strategic objectives.  This is then supported by Group initiatives that can provide benefit across the company. 

The following objectives have been set to steer our path forward over the next few years.  Our aim is, by 2012, to have:

• reduced by 15% CO2 tonnes/£M revenue from energy and fuel used for business by the against 2008 baseline
• 70% of our business covered by ISO 14001 certification

To deliver this target we will:

• Implement systems based carbon
• Strengthen processes for the accurate reporting for waste and water
• Embed a single environmental management system and operating procedures across all operations.
• Increase coverage of ISO 14001 certification
• Extend formal programmes to deliver reductions in energy, fuel and water consumption