iSupply has just completed a collaboration with researchers in University of Galway to begin measuring our ‘Carbon Footprint’. Being a supplier to our local university, we worked with researchers to understand how we contribute to their eco-sustainability. Any enterprise has to consider not only what happens within the boundaries of the organisation, but also upstream and downstream supply chains. What you buy in from suppliers, and how your customers use, recycle and dispose of your products is just as important as your internal operations.
‘What gets measured gets managed’ – iSupply is committed to reducing our Carbon Footprint as part of our Eco Sustainability Strategy. The first step is to baseline where we are now so we can measure improvements and evaluate what is working and what can be improved. We used the global standard for measurement called the GreenHouse Gas Protocol (GHGP). This covers our direct Carbon Emissions (consumption of electricity, diesel, etc) but also that of our suppliers (what materials, services and equipment we buy in). This work came up with a few interesting results:
- Over 14% of our Carbon Emissions come from our staff commuting to and from work – we wouldn’t have guessed that!
- Even though Electricity is the only energy source for heat, light and machinery on our premises, it accounted for only 11.2% of emissions
- While we do recycle all paper, cardboard and increasingly plastics, we were still surprised waste disposal only made up 1.6% of carbon footprint
- A full 66.4% of emissions came from our suppliers, including raw materials, machinery, professional services, etc., underscoring the importance of measuring effects outside the boundaries of the organisation.
These findings show the importance of measurement – what we often assume would be the first areas to tackle (energy, waste) are eclipsed by those we might not think important at all, such as staff getting to and from work!
If you’d like to help us on our Green Journey, check out our sustainable materials and recycling options which we are actively expanding as part of our many eco-initiatives. Call our sales team to find out more: 091 705755 or [email protected]
Learn More about our eco-friendly range here.
