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Going Green Is Not A “Nice to Have” – The Benefits Are Clear to See

Posted On : Tuesday 02nd June

KnitMesh Technologies has a proud 70+ years’ history and operates under the guiding principle of “Protecting People, Property and our Planet”. This ethos has been essential to the efficient operation of the company’s undertakings and its reputation worldwide. Senior management recognise the need to conduct the business in line with current legislation, industry-relevant codes of practice and the pursuit of continuous improvements.

Overall responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of the organisation and its employees is vested to the Managing Director. Equally, it is the duty of each and every employee to assist the organisation in achieving its stated Quality, Environmental and Health&Safety objectives.

Paul Morris, Group Quality Manager at KnitMesh Technologies, says: “As an organisation we strive to take all reasonably practical steps to ensure the impact on the environment is reduced and the health, safety and welfare of our employees and other stakeholders is paramount”.
KnitMesh Technologies and its sister company Elmac Technologies located on the same site in Greenfield, North Wales, follow a code of practice comprising 6 rules hosted on and managed via an Integrated Business Management System maintained in-house:

1. We provide a safe and hygienic work environment through the design, construction, operation and maintenance of all equipment and other plant facilities.
2. We ensure the provision of safe systems of work.
3. We provide adequate instruction, information, training and supervision.
4. We strive to control situations likely to cause damage to personnel, property or equipment.
5. We offer facilities and systems for effective communication, consultation and participation between management and employee representatives and other interested parties.
6. We undertake such tests, examinations, samples and records as necessary to monitor our employees and their workplace.

Operating in a safe, compliant way and offering high standards of quality is a pre-requisite for any modern business in order to trade profitably in the long-term. However, reducing the company’s environmental impact is also critical in improving efficiencies, reducing operational costs and helping with new business development.

Our Corporate and Social Responsibility Policy: the benefits of ISO 14001: 2015 Certification
“We have established and maintain effective management systems to understand and monitor our impact on the local and wider environment. Our key environmental impacts have been identified as waste, travel and energy usage, and they have therefore been selected as our key areas of focus” Paul Morris continues.

“We set targets within our organisation for continuous improvement in these areas. Upon joining the organisation, our employees are trained on our environmental requirements. We are committed to preventing pollution, not just directly but also by taking into account the environmental impact of resources utilised. We strive to reduce our usage of consumables by applying the waste hierarchy as appropriate. In addition, we encourage sustainable travel wherever possible.”

Sharing Best Practice
As well as improving the environmental performance of the organisation, we are committed to providing guidance to employees wishing to pursue environmental best-practice outside of work. We have an active Environmental Forum made up of individuals from across the business who act as Environmental Champions.
The Forum constantly works to increase awareness of environmental issues, enhance our Corporate, Social Responsibility and reduce our carbon footprint. We also work in partnership with our suppliers and other organisations to raise awareness and share environmental best practice advice and information.
What are the benefits of certification?

Benefits to ourselves:
• Cost savings: by reducing wasted resources such as energy and water
• Reduced energy use: via improved energy efficiency across product life cycles.
• Improved corporate image: by demonstrating we are being environmentally responsible our enhanced credibility enables us to win new customers.
• Reduced environmental impact: through a process of monitoring and controlling our processes we can reduce our environmental impact on the local and global eco-systems.
• Compliance with legislation: implementing ISO 14001 has meant that we can demonstrate that we understand and comply with applicable environmental legislation.
• Reduced legal costs: through compliance with environmental legislation we have reduced the costs of our public liability insurance.

Benefits to our customers:
• Alignment with ethical choices: in a world increasingly concerned with the impact of industry on the environment, ISO 14001 certification acts as a seal of approval for our products and services.
• Cost savings: following the successful implementation of our environmental management system, the cost savings achieved help to reduce the overall cost of manufacture and the customer receives a proportional reduction in the cost of goods received.
• Assurance of service: certification to a recognised body acts as proof that our organisation complies with environmental legislation.

“Operating in a compliant, sustainable and environmentally friendly way is good for people, good for business and good for the planet – a true “must have” in today’s competitive environment”, Paul Morris concludes.