NEWS | Round-up


Richard Hagan, MD of Crystal Doors and kbbreview’s climate champion outlines the vital role SMEs play in championing sustainability


Sustainability GOALS


ON JANUARY 1, 2016, the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by world leaders in a historic UN Summit in September 2015, came into force. When I first learned about these back in 2015, I


couldn’t see how goals such as ‘Life Below Water’, aimed at conserving the world’s oceans alongside the ‘Clean Water and Sanitation’ goal were relevant to my business, situated far from global centres of influence. But then I did some research and saw a crucial connection between my business and the SDGs. Despite Crystal Doors’ location in the tranquil foothills of the Yorkshire Pennines, our impact on these global goals became evident. Not least, the uniforms and clothing that we provide for our team were sourced from various corners of the world like Brazil and China. It seems that many UK consumers, manufacturers


and retailers are unable to survive without global imports and this alone highlights the urgent need for sustainable practices within our industry. Driven by profits and capitalism, the UK has become the sixth-largest global economy. It is time to reflect not only on economic achievements but also on the fundamental values that we take for granted in the UK, like access to clean water, equality, and the preservation of life under the sea.


There is a crucial connection between SMEs and global sustainability goals


Every purchase we make has a ripple effect on a global scale. At Crystal Doors, our guiding principle is ‘buy once, buy for life’. This year, we are unveiling a ground-breaking initiative: embedding a unique serial code into every item we manufacture. This code grants our customers instant access to an online portal where they can register their product, enabling them to replace items or make additions. This innovation allows consumers to register just one item code for a lifetime of support. Through this portal, customers gain full transparency into our materials, sources, carbon emissions, and social impact, with reference to each of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).


Crystal Doors is committed to championing the SDGs on various fronts. We uphold the SDG’s Decent Work and Economic Growth strategy by rejecting exploitative zero-hour contracts. Our transition to an Employee Ownership Trust model also ensures equitable ownership for all 31 members of our team. In line with SDG number five, Gender Equality, we


proudly boast an equal representation of two female and two male managers, each receiving equal pay. As a small independent business, my team and I are


proud to lead by example. Independents need not fear the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. Crystal Doors’ achievements stand as a testament to the vital role SMEs play in championing sustainability.


10


Electrolux Group passes 60% renewable energy sustainability milestone


APPLIANCE GIANT Electrolux Group, has released its latest sustainability report, which reveals that 60% of the energy used in its product manufacturing came from renewable sources last year. The report also revealed that 97% of the


group’s products with refrigerants have switched to gases which carry a low global warming potential. According to the company, its latest achievement has also allowed it to be recognised in the latest UN Cool Coalition report covering the cooling industry. Electrolux Group also had its second climate goal approved by the Science- Based Targets Initiative, after achieving its first target three years ahead of schedule. The company’s new goal is to reduce its carbon emissions from scope one and two operations by 85%, and to reduce its scope three carbon emissions by 42%, between 2021 and 2030.


Scope one and two emissions are direct emissions from an organisation’s operations, and scope three includes emissions produced


from a comany’s overall supply chain. Electrolux group is already making headway in achieving its targets. It has reduced its scope one and two emissions by 33% since 2021, with scope three emissions reduced by 28%. The company says that this goal puts it in line with the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit average global temperature rises to 1.5°C in the 21st Century, to avoid the


most severe


impacts of climate change. Chris


George,


Electrolux Group’s commercial lead for the UK said: “Our sustainability performance in 2023 and our new science-based climate target approved in 2024


show that together we continue to build a better company, create better solutions and enable better living.


“This highlights the power of our people, planet and business perspectives.” Last year, Electrolux Group announced that it was stepping up its cost reduction programme to restore margins, against a backdrop of continued weak consumer demand and competitive pressures in the market.


Mira Showers highlights green credentials in new ESG report


CHELTENHAM-BASED bathroom


manufacturer, Mira Showers, has announced the release of its 2024 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report. The company says the report has been compiled “as the world continues to face urgent environmental challenges” and to “showcase the full transparency in [Mira Showers’] goals, whilst emphasising the importance of working to create sustainable practices that drive meaningful change.”


Mira Showers has indicated the report’s key highlights, including the acquisition of Recoup Energy Solutions, a specialist supplier of waste water heat recovery products. The acquisition is said to “provide consumers, installers and specifiers with a range of sustainable products to help reduce waste and energy usage.”


Mira Showers says it has made its national distribution centre completely carbon neutral, due to the installation of over 1800 solar panels. In addition, it has achieved the National Equality Standard – the UK’s leading Diversity, Equity and Inclusion atandard.


“Our dedication to having a positive impact on our people, planet, and communities continues to


be a core business ethos,” says Emma Foster (pictured), managing director of Mira Showers. “Since the launch of our first-ever ESG report last year, we’ve been working hard to continue bringing this ethos to life and drive tangible change, not just in our business but across the whole industry. “I’m incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made in the last year and am looking forward to seeing sustainability become even more embed in our daily operations.” The bathroom manufacturer has also recently become a member of the Future Homes Hub to collaborate on developing innovative solutions that benefit both customers and the environment.


• June 2024


Climate


Champion Change


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