e: t: m: REPORTING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT Why bother? Bill Taylor Taylor Armitt Consulting Ltd.

Agenda Definitions – what is ‘Environmental Impact’? Why is it important? Is it just for the big boys building stuff? Measurement and evaluation - ‘ Analysis’ Tools Introducing EIA to your organisation Conclusion Sources of further information

A word from my sponsors…….. Taylor Armitt Consulting, started 2009 after 30 years’ experience (mostly) in Registered Providers of Social Housing – development, asset management, social enterprise. TAC offers services in retrofit policy and strategy, procurement, social sustainability and growing veg. SAN social accountant and accredited auditor. Also recently qualified as a Green Deal Advisor re domestic energy efficiency improvements.

Definition – Environmental Impact ‘Possible adverse effects caused by a development, industrial, or infrastructural project or by the release of a substance in the environment‘ business dictionary.comadverse effectsdevelopmentindustrialprojectreleaseenvironment ‘A change in the make-up, working, or appearance of the environment. These changes may be planned, like afforestation, or accidental, like the introduction of Dutch elm disease into Britain. Most accidental impacts bring about undesirable change, and deliberate actions may have an unexpected impact, as when the construction of a sea wall leads to the destruction of a beach. Sometimes the damage is irreversible, like the introduction of DDT into food webs. ‘ The Oxford Dictionary of Geography

Is it just for big boys who build? This one is 575 pages with 22 pages of contents, tables and figures

(all hands up please) Cost of product / service only (hands down) Cost and Quality of product / service ‘Triple Bottom Line’ ( Economic, Social and Environmental factors) ‘Quadruple Bottom Line’ ( plus financial return /stability of supply chain) ‘Quintuple Bottom Line’ ( plus ethical / moral framework) – why does that matter? (think banking crisis, horsemeat, etc) What matters to you in the way you work?

SMEs and Environmental Impact SMEs generate 65% of industrial pollution in Europe (they account for 66% of private employment, and 99% of private businesses are SMEs) 45% of SMEs have ‘high’ impact on the environment Only 6-7% of SMEs actively engage in reducing environmental impact compared to 16-17% of large companies Only 0.4% of ALL companies use a certified methodology (eg ISO 14001) European Compliance Assistance Programme (ECAP) is available to help Ref:

How does an SME do it? Consider what matter to you and your stakeholders Develop an Environmental Policy Use that to develop and action plan Take the actions, review them Set targets for next year Publicise what you are doing Include it in your social accounts and get them audited using the SAN method! See – LB Richmond: ‘How to write an environmental policy’ ‘Prove, Improve, Account’ p21 ( good links), p48, cd 29, Examples from: NMC, Traidcraft, ASAN

Are you too small to do it?

Tools to measure and actions to take A lot is common sense and you don’t need to use sophisticated tools to report at a basic level. Mileage tracking for staff – from claims – Apps available. Target year-on-year reduction Gas and Electricity Usage – reduce and go for ‘Green’ supply? Paper / printer consumables consumption Amount of waste recycled / not recycled – BOTH should reduce, but proportion of total that’s recycled should increase – less overall waste! Use Carbon offsetting? Be careful! Better to reduce use than just assuage your conscience.

Tools - ISO – incurs cost and time Key requirements include: Creation of an environmental policy Appreciation of your environmental issues and their potential impact Formalising control systems and monitoring processes Communication of policy and approach to staff and stakeholders Setting objectives and targets Compliance with relevant legislation Some potential benefits of certification: Shows a clear commitment to addressing environmental issues Delivers cost savings Improved operational efficiency Supply of services is increasingly conditional on proof of certification – so your clients may ask for it – esp at PQQ stage.

The WORKSHOP bit What sort of organisations do we represent? Groups of 2 or 3 people. Write your name and on the card and hand to BT 5 mins discussion – what matters to your organisations and stakeholders most. 5 mins What are your major environmental impacts 5 mins Discuss and agree 2 or 3 actions that could reduce your environmental impact 5 mins Come up with suggestions as to how you would ‘sell’ it to your FD and Board One from each group to report back for 3 mins.

C/at.../file - Environmental management tools for SMEs (1998, but good overview and basic measures) C/at.../file – Construct CO2 measurement toolwww.constructco2.com - Measuring Environmental Impact among SMEs in EU (2010) – bit academic, but interesting environmental-management/ ISO 14001http:// environmental-management/ RESOUCES

THANKS Bill Taylor All slides © Taylor Armitt Consulting Ltd