Partner Article

Seaward goes green to boost business

A County Durham manufacturer has introduced a campaign to improve its green credentials and launch the electrical industry’s first carbon neutral product. The Peterlee-based Seaward Group has undertaken an audit of its energy consumption and is putting in place a series of measures initially aimed at reducing its carbon dioxide emissions by 20% each year for the next three years. Alongside this aim initiatives will be run to ensure that all products manufactured by Seaward will be carbon neutral within the next 18 months.

Among the changes to be implemented, the company will be switching its energy supplies to renewable sources and green tariffs. It is also setting up new arrangements for waste management and recycling, putting timers on switches and appliances, making lighting system changes throughout its buildings and changing all stationery to recycled grades. As well as making practical changes, Seaward will also be using carbon offsetting programmes to make an immediate impact in reducing the company’s carbon footprint.

Rod Taylor, Seaward managing director, said: “Climate change has moved rapidly from being a fringe concern to a key business issue. It is not only the sensible thing to do for any responsible business, but it is increasingly becoming a determining factor in whether or not contracts and orders are won or lost. “The aim is to reduce our carbon footprint by 50% in three years. Some of the changes we are introducing will actually add to our costs in the short term, but over time the commercial payback is expected to be considerable. “Having now established a new set of environmental principles we are committed to monitoring our performance and minimising the effect of our activities on the local, regional and global environment.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .