‘Trailblazing’ Barnsley business hits net-zero goal

A Yorkshire-based environmental systems company has reached its ambitious net-zero target.

Barnsley-based Andel, a specialist in leak detection and flood defence systems, has confirmed it has reduced its carbon footprint by 38 per cent since 2020. 

Over the same period, the business has doubled in size. 

Andel, which counts the Pentagon and Google among its clients created a dedicated sustainability role in 2022 to help achieve its green goals, with Joe Harris becoming net-zero and sustainability co-ordinator.

Joe said: “Some would say we’re trailblazing in our industry, but at times it has felt like stumbling about in the dark, trying to find a path that didn’t exist yet because so few have done it before us.

“However, we have proved it is possible, and now we are net-zero through scopes one and two. 

“We have sustainable procurement processes, electric vehicles, and continue to drive down our carbon footprint in all areas, including installing a large solar system on the roof to accommodate all our current electricity with spare to increase business capacity.

“For any residual carbon that needed offsetting, we’ve looked to ‘inset’ as much as possible, which meant working with local organisations and the community to plant trees in the local area, supporting the local economy and engaging our employees in the process.”

Peter Double, managing director of Andel, added: “I’m so proud of what we have achieved as an SME. 

“We made it work by making it clear from the outset that Joe had 100 per cent buy-in from management at the highest level in Andel. 

“He had to be able to ask questions, request information, and suggest changes, and it was seen as a help, not a hindrance. 

“That was extremely important to make this a success.

“I’d like to see more businesses following our path. 

“If more SMEs got on board, it would make the path easier for us all, and change would reach more parts of the UK workforce.

“According to recent Office for National Statistics data in the Leeds City Region, there were around 150,000 SMEs, accounting for around 600,000 employees. 

“That’s a lot of people in Leeds who could make a difference, not counting the wider county and Yorkshire as a whole.”

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