Why use UKAS accredited certification bodies

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Certification - Why you should use UKAS accredited certification bodies You know I often extol the virtues of an Environmental Management System (EMS), using the ISO 14001 standard. It is a great way to manage your impacts & costs, comply with the law & engage with your customers & staff on issues that are important to them. Although you don’t need to get it certified, it is good practice to do so. Externally certification gives validity to the EMS, demonstrates you are serious about the quality of your system & helps identify where to improve. UKAS accredited certification bodies You would bring in auditors from a certification body to do this. 'Cert bodies' may cover a range of standards (ISO 14001, 9001, 27001 etc) and/or industry sectors. Certification bodies are themselves overseen by UKAS, the National Accreditation Body, which is responsible for determining the technical competence & integrity of these organisations. Maybe surprisingly it is not mandatory to use a UKAS accredited certification body, even...
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Using ISO 14001 to go Net Zero

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Using ISO 14001 to go Net Zero Net Zero is the new buzzword. With so much more interest in climate change nowadays, from individuals & companies alike, it is not surprising that many businesses are committing to reduce & even neutralise their carbon emissions. The trouble is, most people don’t know where to start. It’s exciting to set the goal, but to achieve it requires a considered approach. Luckily, that’s where ISO 14001 comes in. ISO 14001, the Environmental Management Systems (EMS) standard, offers a formalised framework for identifying your environmental impacts, including climate risks & carbon emissions.   ISO 14001 EMS & Climate Change My latest webinar for IEMA was attended by nearly 200 people. I shared the virtual stage with Marek Bidwell, Nick Blyth of IEMA & also Kirit Patel of DHL Supply Chain, who gave an overview of DHL’s Environmental Management System & approach to risks & opportunities. I spoke about how ISO 14001 can be used to turn climate aspirations into reality. Climate...
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Adapting my business during Covid-19

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Adapting my business during Covid-19 How have businesses adapted during the Covid-19 crisis? Are female entrepreneurs thriving during these difficult times? What changes need to be made to existing business models? I was pleased to discuss these issues in the SINC Female Founders webinar run jointly by with Sussex Innovation Centre & Gatwick Diamond Business, as part of their Survive & Thrive series. I shared the screen with 2 other female founders - Daniela Carl, Deputy Chief Executive of the Regional Studies Association, and Oanh Brophy, head of a circular economy start up. The objective of the session was to introduce our businesses & discuss how we had adapted during the pandemic. Here’s what I covered.   Effective Environmental Management during Covid-19 I shared my story – my why, my business, my services. I started with ‘My Why’ – my love for our beautiful, complex & wonderful world. It’s important to me & what drives my career in environmental management. Indeed, many more people nowadays feel the same. Recent research by...
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Tell me your Environmental Stories

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Tell me your Environmental Stories “Where do your machines go when they die, Daddy?” A talk with his young daughter prompted the MD of medical manufacturing company to start their environmental journey, managing energy, materials & waste – all done through their ISO 14001 Environmental Management System. With the ongoing pandemic, I’m making use of the time I used to spend travelling. Rather than learning a new language or baking sourdough bread, I’m finally getting round to writing my book. It’s all about how, why & when to put in an Environmental Management System.   Do you have environmental stories to share? For my research, I want to speak to businesses, particularly SMEs, who have an ISO 14001 Environmental Management System. Why did they get started? How involved is senior management? Did they use a consultant? How long do staff spend each month? What motivates staff to be part of environmental projects? What’s the weirdest thing found in the audit? Anecdotes & stories are really useful, especially when...
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3 Top Tips for smooth SECR carbon reporting

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3 Top Tips for smooth SECR carbon reporting Are you feeling confident about SECR? SECR (the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting Regulations) requires quoted & large unquoted companies & LLPs to include carbon & energy information in their Annual Report. If you’re worried about getting your SECR project done, here are some top tips to help:   3 top tips for smooth SECR 1. Good preparation Because this is your first SECR project it’s important to prepare well so that you get everything together on time. Set out your plan for what, where, when & whom. Start the conversations now – whether you’re in finance or facilities, you will need to liaise with your colleagues on this. Agree the timetable & who is responsible to collecting & providing the data. Don’t forget to check what period you’re covering. If it’s the standard financial year, you need to get going ASAP as you’re covering April 19 – March 20; for calendar year, you have some breathing space as it covers...
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10 Top Tips for a great Environmental Policy

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10 Top Tips for a great Environmental Policy All organisations should have an Environmental Policy. It’s a great way to communicate with customers; particularly in the B2B supply chain, they often ask for the policy & supporting data. The benefits of having a policy include: Shows commitment to good environmental management Embeds the environment into core business practices - finding efficiencies & cost savings, reducing pollution, saving energy & addressing climate change Shows leadership & links to executive responsibility Simply communicates to stakeholders (including staff & customers) Helps drive change & keep up momentum. Your Environmental Policy is often people’s first introduction to your environmental activities. So, remember to make it interesting, relevant and available. But where do you start?   Here are my 10 Top Tips on how to write a great Environmental Policy: The policy is meant for everyone to see, so make sure it's easy to read and understand - not too dry or filled with jargon. Keep it short - one A4 sheet...
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#ShowYourStripes – my Climate Stripes face mask

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#ShowYourStripes - Check out my Climate Stripes face mask It stops the spread of Covid-19. And it helps share information about climate change.   Everyone’s wearing a mask nowadays with the on-going Covid-19 pandemic. (Well actually, I see too few people wearing one, but that’s another story… Please, everyone, wear a mask to help prevent a second wave!) Some people have disposable masks, while others are choosing more colourful cloth masks. You see all kinds of designs – animal faces (I love the zebras!), famous paintings (I’ve got The Starry Night by van Gogh) or simple abstracts. But when I saw the climate stripes mask, I just had to have one! The climate stripes were developed by Ed Hawkins, Professor of Climate Science at the University of Reading. They are a simple visualisation of complex climate data, showing the average global temperatures since 1850. Each stripe represents one year, blues are cooler years, reds are warmer. This clearly showing the warming of the planet in recent years...
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GDB Diamond July 20

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Read my Chairman’s Column in the GDB Diamond My regular column in Diamond – the magazine for GDB Gatwick Diamond Business.   I write this on the day that should have been our AGM, which is now postponed to September because of the Covid-19 disruption. The new AGM is going to be different; it might be in person or done virtually – hopefully we can have a dynamic & engaging session. Either way, this is just another of many examples of adapting to new ways of working. There will be a couple of vacancies on the Executive Council, so please do consider now if you’d like to nominate yourself. It is an interesting & rewarding opportunity to be involved in the running of Gatwick Diamond Business. Voting will be taking place later on in summer. Have you seen the report commissioned by our sister organisation, Gatwick Diamond Ltd, on the impact of Covid-19 in this area? A loss of 12.8% in GVA is expected in 2020. To...
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10 Golden Rules of Remote Auditing

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10 Golden Rules of Remote Auditing 400 webinar delegates asked for more help With the continued Covid-19 disruption, the use of remote environmental audits is now common place. Remote audits allow organisations to continue with the established audit programme, ensure the EMS works well & staff are properly engaged. This is relevant for internal audits & especially important for third party audits (annual surveillance visits & certification audits). I was recently part of the expert panel on a webinar for IEMA – we gave advice on how to prepare for & conduct remote audits, from the perspective of both auditors & auditees. We had over 400 people on the webinar, with lots of great questions asked. And the feedback was – more help please! So, the panel sat down & wrote a short guide - The 10 Golden Rules of Remote Auditing. Again helping auditors & auditees prepare & get the best out of their audits. The Golden Rules are supported by simple pieces of...
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My Story, My Mission, My Vision

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My Story, My Mission, My Vision On this World Environment Day, I wanted to share my story. Much environmental messaging comes across as (slightly) negative – we’ve got to stop doing / reduce / prevent XYZ or it’ll devastating for us / the planet / wildlife / oceans. And yes, this is true. It is important to change. But negativity & fear don’t motivate most people. It can be much more inspiring to focus on the positive… to have something wonderful to aim for. So, I thought I’d share how I got involved in environmental management (My Story), what I’m trying to achieve (My Vision) and how I go about this (My Mission).   My Story My Story begins with me, aged 10, sitting on the floor in front of the TV watching the wonderful David Attenborough’s Life on Earth. This series was so inspirational to me, seeing the beautiful world around us, its diversity & fragility. We are so lucky to live here & benefit from...
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Build Back Better

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Build Back Better During the Covid lockdown some positives have come out. Many of us appear more kind & compassionate – people offering to be NHS Volunteers & helping neighbours with food shopping. We consider our health & wellbeing - families cycling down once busy roads & a significant reduction in air pollution (clearer skies with fewer cars & planes). Not just individuals, businesses are making masks & visors for NHS staff, raising money for charities or donating services to local companies or groups in need. Why should we simple return to the 'old ways' as we start to reopen? We have an opportunity now to change things with greater benefits for society, the planet and the economy – to build back better. You may have seen #BuildBackBetter trending. Just think how much better it could be – healthy, clean, just. We will all benefit! This reflects the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals – 17 goals to achieve by 2030 for an environmental, social &...
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Jargon Buster

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From Access Economy to Zero Carbon – here’s the Jargon Buster Environment A-Z   The environmental industry can seem a little cliquey to the outsider. Maybe we talk in TLAs (Three Letter Acronyms!), abbreviations or just use words that are so outside the sphere of ‘normal people’. For years I have tried to avoid using the term ‘sustainability’ because it immediately turned people off – using ‘environmental’ (even though this is only one of the three elements of sustainability) makes it immediately more understandable. As experts we want to get it right, but we do have to consider our audience. The environmental news site edie has helpfully put together a Jargon Buster. This is a useful tool if you can’t tell the difference between carbon neutral & net zero; can’t get your head around biomimicry or biodiversity; want to get to grips with ISO 14001 & ISO 50001; or to differentiate between supply chain & value chain. This helps you cut through complexity and get straight...
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Nature & Wellbeing

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How Nature can Improve your Wellbeing I’m a firm believer of the benefits of connecting with nature, for both mental & physical wellbeing. Since joining the Sussex Wildlife Trust as a corporate member, I’ve been keen to promote this concept to my business contacts. During the Covid-19 lockdown, people are taking the opportunity to explore their local surroundings & enjoy nature nearby. They’ve found that you don’t have to go all the way to national park or nature reserve to connect with nature. Personally, I see a great variety of flowers, shrubs, trees, birds, mammals & insects on my regular walks or runs around the neighbouring roads (see this photo). I love it! Use Nature in your Business to Improve Wellbeing So, once we’re all back at work again in the future, think about how we can help our colleagues to connect with nature – to the benefit of the person & the business. The Trust gives this advice: Daily contact with nature is linked to...
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GDB Diamond May 20

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Read my Chairman’s Column in the GDB Diamond My regular column in Diamond - the magazine for GDB Gatwick Diamond Business.   Firstly, I hope you are all well & managing to get through the initial shock of the Covid-19 lockdown. In these fast-moving times, it is difficult to write a piece which may be rather dated by the time of publication. As I write this, it’s a beautiful sunny Monday morning & I’ve been working from home for I don’t know how many weeks. The gdb Steering Group has been meeting regularly to assess risk & plan budgets & strategy. The first difficult decision was the postpone the Awards, without government guidance at the time we wanted to show leadership. I look forward to the ceremony later in the year & at least the entrants can continue to use the ‘gdb Awards 2020 Finalist’ strapline on their emails! Similarly, we have decided to postpone the AGM until September. This way we can have an engaging &...
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Remote Auditing Webinar

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Remote Auditing Webinar In response to substantial demand & addressing a significant need in the industry, I recently was part of a webinar put on by IEMA on remote environmental auditing. This was for IEMA’s “Adapting to COVID-19” series, helping environmental professionals adapt to new ways of working during the lockdown & beyond. I was part of the panel of experts, reflecting on my experiences of running remote audits – the benefits & pitfalls, plus also how to prepare. The webinar was chaired by Nigel Leehane, an experienced auditor & consultant. Myself & Neal Barker of WSP gave the auditor’s perspective, and we heard from the auditees: Nigel Sagar of Skanska & Matthew Goldberg of National Grid. We were also joined in the Q&A by Paul Greenwood of UKAS.   Remote Auditing - The Key Points The key points I shared, from an auditor’s point of view included: Test the technology – new systems, connectivity, security restrictions. Firstly – technology: Zoom, Teams, facetime, whatsapp. Does it work (for both...
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The Good Life Goals

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The Good Life Goals I’ve written before about the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which aim to achieve an environmental, social & economic balance across the world. The aim is to deliver these 17 goals by 2030. It is important that governments, organisations & businesses all work together, to ensure the wellbeing of our citizens in the medium & long term. But individuals themselves may feel disconnected from the SDGs (& the supporting 169 targets). Enter the Good Life Goals. These have been developed to support the main SDGs, but show how we, our families & friends can make a difference. Our own everyday actions have the power to change the world!   I particularly like the environment & health ones. For each Goal, check out what you could be doing: Goal 13 - Act on Climate Learn about climate solutions Call for more renewable energy in your country Eat more plants and cut down on meat Walk and cycle rather than drive Demand leaders...
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Back Garden Bird Race

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Back Garden Bird Race Connecting with nature is important, especially during these difficult times of lockdown. If you’re frustrated about being stuck at home, why not get involved with Sussex Wildlife Trust’s Back Garden Bird Race? Happening each weekend, the next one is on Sunday morning. Between 10 and 11 am, they are asking people to sit in their gardens or look out of their windows for one hour and note down all the wild bird species that they can see. Details of your sightings can be entered on their Facebook group, app or on the website. Need help identifying the birds? Check out their Bird ID sheet – click here. I really enjoy the birds in my garden - spring is a great time to sit & watch them gather nesting materials, do their aerobatic displays & sing their little hearts out! For more info on the Bird Race check out the Sussex Wildlife Trust’s website.   _____________________ Liked this post? Sign up for the Eshcon Newsletter.  ...
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Positive Vibes

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Positive Vibes during Covid-19 Lockdown I try to give out positive vibes, so here are some thoughts on this Friday morning. I love the wildlife in my garden – the birds are busy gathering nesting materials & food. I was digging at the weekend – accompanied by inquisitive robins & blackbirds. Even the squirrels (previously, my nemesis!) are delightful, bouncing across the lawn. The birds are more vocal too – with the reduced road & air traffic noise. I’m getting better on identifying birds from their song. The spring colours are fabulous – the azaleas are coming out & the rhododendrons will be soon. Plus, the vibrant greens of the new tree leaves, especially the oak & beech, plus the reds of the acer. I’m talking more with my mum – previously we maybe had a weekly phone call. Now we’re touching base every couple of days & just ‘talking toot’. Again, sharing positivity. Similarly with the rest of the family on the Whatsapp group. We’re planning...
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Save Energy when Working from Home

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Save Energy when Working from Home With the country battling the Corona virus, many of us are dealing with new ways of working. While I’m sure no-one misses the daily commute, working from home presents its own challenges … & opportunities. Apart of the health & childcare concerns, we’ll also be using more gas & electricity while working from home, so our energy bills will be going up. So, I thought I’d put together some simple tips on saving energy at home whether you’re alone or with the family.   Turn down the heating Over half of a typical home’s fuel bill is for heating & hot water - turning down the heating by just 1oC can save up to £80 per year. Use the programmer to set your heating & hot water to come on when it’s needed & go off when it’s not. Make use of the thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) to control the temperature in each room, especially those that are unoccupied (for...
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Getting the Best from ESOS

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After the Deadline – 4 Tips for Getting the Best from ESOS Thousands of companies rushed to comply with ESOS, the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme. Were you one of them? You’re probably thinking… great, I don’t have to do anything until the next deadline. But if you do leave it there, you’re missing out on great opportunities to save energy and money. Now is the really important bit. So, where do you start and how do you keep momentum?   How to Get the Best from ESOS Step 1 - Think about Priorities The report from your energy audit will have given you recommendations for saving energy - including electricity, gas, other fuels and for transport. The actions don’t have to be just technical, you should also be thinking about operational & behavioural changes too. You’ll probably have been given an indication of priority for the actions - the quick & easy ones (the ‘low hanging fruit’) that will give you best return or those that require...
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