Sustainability: To move forward, we have to give back

Sustainability plays an increasingly important role both in our personal lives and at work.  It includes how we act towards each other, how we behave when we consume and travel, what we eat, produce and much more.  Change only happens when individuals take action.

NOTE’s sustainability objective is to contribute to and improve the societies in which we operate. We are committed to operating our business in a sustainable manner and are continually striving to improve our carbon footprint.

ISO14001:2015

Our sites in Windsor and Stonehouse have achieved ISO 14001:2015 certification. It is the international recognised standard that serves as a framework for companies to establish and create their own Environmental Management System on, in the same way that we have done with Quality and ISO 9001.

ISO 14001:2015 aims to minimise how business operations negatively impact the environment, ensures continual improvement and compliance with the relevant regulations and laws outlined in the business.

This certification endorses our ongoing commitment to ensuring that sustainability underpins everything we do.

On the road

We have our new hybrid company van in Windsor. We have installed an electric changing point for the van, which employees are also able to use.

We have a Car Share scheme which helps to reduce traffic and the environmental impact of motoring.  

In the factory

We have a Heat Recovery system fitted in our compressor room, helping us heat the factory, saving on emissions and electricity.  (A Heat Recovery system is an energy recovery ventilation system that uses an air-to-air heat exchanger that recovers normally wasted heat.)

We have introduced a turn it off policy at work. This may sound like a small task, but it can have a surprisingly big impact. In fact, one small click can make a big difference and a business can reduce energy consumption by up to 25% by turning off computers, lights, and other equipment at the end of the day and when not in use.

We have swapped all lights in the factory and offices to LED to further save energy and reduce our carbon footprint.  LED lightbulbs use up to 80 percent less energy than conventional incandescents. They’re also cheaper in the long run.

Employees are encouraged to reduce printing – a simple, yet effective way to help protect the environment. When we do need to print, we use both sides of the paper and if it doesn’t need to be in colour, to print in black and white.

We have introduced centrally positioned recycling bins, clearly labelled to encourage employees to recycle and reduce what goes to landfill. We continue to recycle printer/toner cartridges, batteries, waste toner and light bulbs.

We will continue to introduce more environmentally responsible business practices and monitor our progress.

NOTE is part of Global Compact – the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative

Global Compact is a call to companies to align strategies and operations with ten universal principles on human rights, labour, anti-corruption and environment, and take actions that advance societal goals.  It was formed on the request of the UN’s then General Secretary Kofi Annan at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 1999.

NOTE joined the Global Compact in 2011.  Each year we report our COP (Communications on Progress) to the UN.  It’s a framework that defines how sustainability work is conducted within the group, and towards external stakeholders, and it includes our approach, results and goals.

You’ll find more information in our Sustainability Report: NOTE Group’s Sustainability Report

For more information about the Global Compact, please visit: www.unglobalcompact.org

Consume less, waste less, enjoy life more

Small changes to our behaviour at home will help us use less energy, cutting our carbon footprint and energy bills:

• Turn off lights and appliances when they are not needed. Replace light bulbs with LEDs or other low-energy lights. Put on an extra layer and turn down the heating a degree or two.
• Unplug fully charged and rarely used devices at home and adjust computers and monitors to automatically power down to the lowest power mode when not in use.
• Eat food that is locally grown and seasonal. Even better, grow your own fruit and vegetables.
• Think about how you shop, because everything we buy has a carbon footprint either in the way it is produced or how it is transported. For example, the clothing sector represents around 3% of the world’s global production emissions of CO2, mostly because of the use of energy to produce attire.  The hectic pace of fast fashion contributes to this figure as clothes are discarded or fall apart after short periods.
• Recycling is a cost-effective and eco-friendly process that reduces waste and doesn’t emit greenhouse gasses into the environment. Although not all plastic is recycled, so try to buy and use as little as possible.
• The pandemic has really demonstrated that focusing on life’s simple pleasures – spending time in nature, being with loved ones, making a difference to others – provides more purpose, belonging and happiness than buying and consuming. Plus, when we consume less, we produce fewer emissions and are gentler on the earth.  Sharing, making, fixing, upcycling, repurposing, and composting are all good places to start.

Click here to read NOTE Group’s Sustainability Report