Environmental Policy
We are committed to providing a quality service in a manner that ensures a safe and healthy workplace for our employees, and minimises our impact on the environment. We operate in compliance with all relevant environmental legislation and we strive to use best sustainability practice in all we do. As an environmental improvement business we are aware of the need to minimise our own impact and to assist clients and others wherever practicable. Our work philosophy is to actively promote the use of ecological, conservational and sustainable practices as much as possible.
Our objective is to reduce our impact on the environment, and that of every client
we work with, through a commitment to continual improvement.
We achieve this through:
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Ensuring that we have a robust and continually reviewed policy document that is understood by all staff and implemented as an integral part of our culture and operations.
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Reviewing our operations to ensure that we fully implement this policy and continually seek opportunities for improvement as new products, technologies and practices allow.
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Working with our clients in a responsible manner to ensure that environmental impact is fully taken into consideration at every stage of each project, and where appropriate suggest and devise solutions with least impact and greatest sustainability.
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Working with and choosing suppliers who through product, locality, and practice assist us in achieving our environmental objectives.
In practice, this means that we:
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Minimise and continually reduce the use of energy in every aspect of our operations, including heating, lighting, machinery and use of electrical equipment.
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Minimise and continually reduce the use of all resources, including water.
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Minimise and continually reduce impact of travel, including wherever practicable choosing and adapting our own vehicles to run on biodiesel (which has no negative overall impact).
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Ensuring that all plant, vehicles and all equipment is chosen for maximum efficiency and longevity.
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Maintaining all plant at optimal levels and extending lifetime use to a maximum.
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Consider carefully the environmental consequences before deciding to replace plant or equipment, especially whether the equipment could be upgraded or refurbished or can be passed onto others instead of being disposed of.
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Planning work schedules and all activity including employees car sharing to and from work so that we minimise travel and all energy usage. We use satellite navigation to use the most efficient routes for travel, and always consider the most appropriate vehicles for each job.
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Vehicles and machinery are not left with the engines idling when not in use.
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Keep external client and other meetings to a minimum, planning them as efficiently as possible utilising electronic means of communication and contact where practicable.
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Avoid the use of print and paper by using electronic communications and storage, and using smart formatting to minimise necessary print.
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Ensure that paper products and all other consumables and products used come from recycled materials or suitably certified sources, and are capable of recycling or are biodegradable.
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Work with reputable suppliers of hardware and other electronic equipment who work under appropriate WEEE regulations for handling and disposal of redundant equipment.
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Where any equipment or materials (electrical or other) is not the direct responsibility of a supplier, to ensure that all disposal meets appropriate regulations, including recycling wherever possible.
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Source and use environmentally friendly inks, chemicals, biodegradable chain oils and other consumables in every area of our business and operations.
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Use our specialist knowledge and expertise to enable clients and others make the ‘best’ environmental choices and improve their own carbon footprint, harnessing wherever possible our expertise in forestry, tree and landscape management to maximum benefit.
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Nesting birds and their nests and eggs are protected by law. Many other species such as bats and badgers are also protected. We work within the guidelines set out in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW).
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Undertaking a Bat Presence Survey prior to felling possible habitats. Informing our customers of any protected species which prevent work from being undertaken.
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Promoting reduction rather than removal of trees, where possible, and also encourage re-planting.
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Where possible leaving habitat piles (hibernacula) or dead stems (monoliths) to encourage diversity of wildlife, and minimise the impact on the local fauna.
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We encourage our customers to install bird and/or bat boxes where appropriate, and will hang these for no additional charge if working on the tree.
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We promote the re-use of waste materials, by selling our waste wood as logs for fuel, timber for furniture and construction or donating it as wood chip.
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All other green waste is composted by us, to minimise use of landfill.
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We operate in compliance with our Environment Agency waste disposal licence.
We measure our success through:
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Carrying out a quarterly review of our operations to ensure that they are fully compliant with our environmental objectives.
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Taking immediate remedial action wherever our performance can be improved.
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Showing improvement and a reduction in our impact at each successive review.