Carbon Trust Standard Awarded to Sims Group UK

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Sims Group UK Limited has become the first specialist metals and electronics recycling company in the UK to be awarded the Carbon Trust Standard after taking action to manage and reduce its carbon emissions across all of its UK operations.

The Carbon Trust Standard is the world’s first award that recognises organisations for genuine carbon reduction. Based on a rigorous, independent assessment, it certifies that organisations have measured, managed and reduced their carbon emissions across their own operations, and are committed to reducing them year on year.

Sims Group UK Limited – which incorporates Sims Metal Management and Sims Recycling Solutions – was awarded the Carbon Trust Standard after reducing its carbon emissions by almost 2% between January 2007 and December 2009, despite having expanded its operations during the same period.

The reduction amounted to the equivalent of 550 tonnes of carbon emissions. Carbon management measures taken included: installing a building management system at the company’s Dumfries electronics recycling facility; installing high efficiency motors at its dense media recycling plant at Long Marston, Warwickshire and developing ‘energy champions’ at each site.

Graham Davy, CEO, Sims Group UK Limited said: “We’re proud to be the first specialist metals and electronics recycling company in the UK to achieve the Carbon Trust Standard. It is a great way of showing that we are on the front foot when it comes to carbon management best practices. It also gives us an opportunity to communicate our environmental credentials with integrity to those that matter.

“Cutting carbon is a priority for us as a business and delivers tangible bottom-line benefits. We have already cut our carbon emissions by 550 tonnes as part of the initiative and are committed to making further reductions in the future. Going through the assessment process helped us not only to quantify our carbon footprint, but also to benchmark our performance and identify areas for improvement. This has brought tangible and significant cost savings across our operations. In the current climate it is essential that we remain competitive, and the Carbon Trust Standard is another way we can stay ahead of the competition.”

Harry Morrison of the Carbon Trust Standard Company said: “We congratulate Sims Group UK Limited on their certification. Carbon is a complex issue so most people need shorthand to indicate whether a company is doing the right thing. Achieving the Standard allows organisations to talk with integrity about the serious and credible steps it has taken to reduce its carbon emissions.”

The company is now looking at ways to further reduce its carbon footprint through maximising logistics efficiency, increasing employee involvement and investigating the possibility of wind turbine power generation.

Posted on September 25, 2010 · in UK

Tagged as: Carbon Footprint • carbon management • Emissions Reductions