PURPOSE
Sword Contracts Limited is committed to promoting sustainability. Concern for the environment and promoting a broader sustainability agenda are integral to Sword Contracts Limited professional activities and the management of the organisation. We aim to follow and to promote good sustainability practice, to reduce the environmental impacts of all our activities and to help our clients and partners to do the same.
SCOPE
Our Sustainability Policy is based upon the following principles:-
- To integrate sustainability considerations into all our business
- To ensure that all operatives are fully aware of our Sustainability Policy and are committed to implementing and improving
- To minimise the impact on sustainability of all office, site and transportation activities.
- To make clients and suppliers aware of our Sustainability Policy, and encourage them to adopt sound sustainable management
- Caring for the environment and promoting a culture of sustainability is implicit in all of our companies communications, whether on site or in the office.
- To comply with, and exceed where practicable, all applicable legislation, regulations and codes of
- To review, annually report, and to continually strive to improve our sustainability
PROCEDURES FOR IMPLEMENTING THE POLICY
To cultivate a work ethic with a high level of awareness of waste minimisation and recycling within the Company and in order to put these principles into practice we will monitor and manage our use/generation of
- Energy
- Water
- Resources
- Transport emissions
- Waste Contamination
- Biodiversity
Energy
- Reduce the energy consumption of office equipment by purchasing energy efficient equipment and good
- Use non fossil fuel heating systems (ground source and air source heat pumps) in new buildings wherever possible
Water
- Reuse roof water for horticultural and domestic use where possible
- Install water efficient fittings in new buildings and in refurbishment projects
Resources
- Minimise our use of paper and other office consumables, for example by double-siding all paper used, and identifying opportunities to reduce
- Favour suppliers who remove packaging as part of their supply contract and obligations and who operate according to sound environmental principles.
- Minimise waste by encouraging the exchange, and reuse of equipment and materials amongst departments.
- Develop a waste management strategy which accommodates recycling procedures and initiatives.
- Promote economy in the use of paper and the selection of print formats and document styles in line with this.
- Encourage the purchase of recycled materials and those which are suitable for disposal by recycling.
- Refer to sustainable timber policy
Transport emissions
Share travel to attend any meetings, site, visits etc, apart from in exceptional circumstances where the alternatives are impractical and/or cost
- Encourage recruitment from local area near to contracts
- Avoid physically travelling to meetings etc. where alternatives are available and practical, such as using teleconferencing, video conferencing or web cams and efficient timing of meetings to avoid multiple trips. These options are also often more time efficient.
Waste
To reutilise waste – offcuts of timber etc.
- To work with waste management companies that recycle the maximum amount of waste possible and send the minimum to landfill
- Segregate waste so that it can be recycled, scrap metal and green waste separate from general waste
- Develop the green waste composting capacity
Contamination
- Have robust plans in place to deal with any incidents that do occur
Biodiversity
- Encourage new and enhanced habitats when practicable.