Companies in the South East are this month being invited to join a programme to help them engage more effectively with their suppliers – in a bid to reduce their wider environmental impact.
Launched this month, Envirowise’s 2007 supply chain programme comes at a time when a growing number of businesses are putting resource efficiency issues at the heart of their Corporate Social Responsibility agendas.
Last year alone the programme worked with a number of household names and their suppliers to identify resource efficiency savings worth more than £2.5 million.
Companies from the region that sign up will benefit from free, on-site visits* and practical training workshops highlighting best practice in key areas such as packaging design, waste and water minimisation, transport and energy use. Businesses are then given practical guidance on how to share this knowledge with their customers and suppliers.
Michael Savage, Acting Envirowise Regional Manager for the South East, comments: “As well as companies’ own CSR demands, the current climate of consumer pressure for more environmentally-friendly products and services is showing no signs of waning. This creates a strong business argument for local companies to take the matter seriously, and the key to this is getting resource efficiency working effectively across all companies in the supply chain.”
A resource efficient supply chain is something that smaller companies in the region need to engage in too.
Michael continues: “For smaller companies in the South East, communication is king. Companies need to talk to one another both to share best practice, and to identify ways in which procedures and processes can be more resource efficient.
“For instance, each supplier to a retail outlet could look at ways of cutting packaging used in transporting their goods – which will reduce costs as well as impact on the environment. In turn this could encourage the retailer to produce a less-packaged final product, which customers will appreciate.”
Companies interested in taking part in Envirowise’s 2007 supply chain programme, or who would like more information on resource efficiency more generally, should visit www.envirowise.gov.uk/supplychain or call 0800 585 794.
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Issued on behalf of Envirowise by Trimedia Harrison Cowley. Media contacts: Sally Wain-Heapy, Louise Harris or Rod Dennis on 0117 929 2311.
Notes to Editors
About Envirowise
Envirowise delivers a valuable programme of confidential advice to UK businesses. This advice enables businesses to improve profitability and reduce environmental impact.
Independent, practical and proven guidance is available through the Envirowise Advice Line, information resources and on site visits* delivered by a national team of expert advisors. Each solution is driven by the specific needs of individual firms, to genuinely improve their business practices, profitability and competitiveness. Since 1994, Envirowise has helped UK industry save over £1 billion.
The Envirowise programme is available to any UK business, completely free of charge. For more information visit www.envirowise.gov.uk or call 0800 585 794.
* Please note that different services are available in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales – please contact our Advice Line on 0800 585 794 for more information on whether you are eligible for a site visit.