Ensuring good environmental management is a crucial element in all our services, and we’re proud to hold ISO 14001
A year on from COP 26 in Glasgow, and ahead of COP 27 in Egypt next month, people are demanding action on climate change and other elements of environmental management. There are ever-rising demands for decisive action from governments (and companies).As a GlobeScan poll across 18 countries showed in 2021, the balance has shifted in favour of ambitious and radical targets, rather than more gradual action (>>https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-59067471). There’s a lot that feeds into these goals to safeguard the planet’s future. It requires a coherent approach to tackling issues that affect the environment throughout every organisation. Here at REACT, environmental management is a core company value, and provides a vital context to all our services. In this blog we run a refresher on some of the practical steps we take to ensure we’re environmentally responsible in everything that we do.
Environmental management ISO 14001 sits at the centre of what we do
We’re a specialist cleaning company, so of course we focus on improving indoor and outdoor environments every day. But we also take seriously our responsibilities towards protecting the broader environment and safeguarding the future. We’re proud to hold ISO 14001, Environmental Management. This kitemark is the international standard that specifies requirements for an effective environmental management system (EMS). As a holder of ISO 14001, we continuously work to improve our own environmental performance through more efficient use of resources and reduction of waste.
We’ve developed an environmental policy that reflects our commitments and established a robust EMS. We’ve identified how our organisation interacts with the environment, and the actual and potential environmental impacts of our work. We’ve identified environmental compliance requirements, and established environmental objectives, targets, and programmes. We monitor and measure the progress of our EMS to achieve these objectives, and regularly review our environmental performance. Ultimately, we’re aiming to continuously improve our organisation's environmental performance across all our work.
Addressing our environmental impact through innovation
Using and discarding products will always be a part of the cleaning industry. But we’re a forward-thinking, innovation-focused company. So we’ve been taking steps to limit our environmental impact in several different regards. We’ve already switched to using more environmentally friendly cleaning products. This includes the Jangro ‘ntrl’ range (pronounced ‘natural’), which uses technology based on biology to deliver next-level performance. (We successfully trialled these products at the tail end of 2021). And we’re currently assessing barrier cleaning technology which will mean cleaning is more effective for longer.
The mantra in environmental management is to reduce, reuse, and recycle where possible. Our focus for the smaller equipment we use is on reducing our single plastic use and looking at reusable rather than disposable items. And when it comes to carbon emissions, we’ve been reviewing our vehicle usage and increasing our access to electric vehicles (EVs). We’ve also reassessed the machinery and larger items of equipment which we use in our cleaning assignments, to reduce electricity use.
Protecting the public from harm as a licensed waste carrier
A further practical way in which we improve the environment is by being an upper-tier licensed waste carrier. This means we’re permitted to carry waste from whatever source it comes. Removing waste is often part of our regular cleaning contracts. Our waste removal services cover the full range of materials. We’ll always make sure to divert as much as possible of the waste we collect away from landfill. We also deal with hazardous and biohazardous waste; we clear clinical waste from hospitals, and industrial waste from void commercial properties. And we maintain strict controls on correctly categorising and handling all the waste we deal with, to maintain public safety at all times.
We know that environmental management is vital for all our futures. We protect the environment now by making localities cleaner and neater, from targeted decontamination to secure waste removal. And we don’t store up problems for the future by the overuse of harsh chemicals that can have long-term detrimental impacts. At React Specialist Cleaning, we’re contributing to a cleaner, safer future.
To find out more about REACT Specialist Cleaning and our commitment to environmental management, contact one of the team today.
Telephone: 01283 550 503
Email: info@reactplc.co.uk
Website: www.reactsc.co.uk
Post by Shaun D. Doak
Shaun is the CEO of REACT Group plc., a business dedicated to specialist cleaning, hygiene, and decontamination. He is deeply committed to making sure that every one of our company’s clients receives the highest possible level of service. An expert in HVAC and commercial and industrial cleaning methodologies, Shaun has extensive experience in the facilities management and renewable services sector.