Business and the Environment

Latest

28 February 2006: Launch of Sustainable Consumption and Production Taskforce.
A business taskforce has been brought together to identify ways in which companies can move to more sustainable consumption and production practices.

24 January 2006: Launch of Environmental Reporting Guidelines – Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
These guidelines will help companies measure, manage and report their environmental impacts. They have been published following extensive consultation in 2005. Also see the news release.

September 2005: Government Position Statement on Environmental Management Systems

4 August 2005: Sector Sustainability Challenge.
The Sector Sustainability Challenge has been launched to support selected projects focused on taking forward sectoral or supply chain initiatives to put Sustainable Consumption and Production into practical action

26 July 2005: Guidelines for Company Reporting on Greenhouse Gas Emissions - annexes updated

27 June 2005: Consultation launched on Environmental Reporting Guidelines - Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) (June 2005). Closed 19 September 2005

Introduction

Businesses have a major role to play in helping protect and enhance the environment, in line with wider goals of sustainable development. In particular, business has a pivotal role in meeting the Johannesburg goals (World Summit on Sustainable Development 2002) on sustainable consumption and production, and corporate responsibility.

In March 2005 the Government launched the new UK Sustainable Development Strategy Securing the future. It highlighted the need for business' approach to corporate responsibility to extend throughout their supply chains, tackling issues at extraction of raw materials through to engagement with consumers about the products and services they buy and eventually discard. Sound environmental management of processes and products is regarded as a core business issue, that can help promote a company's products and services, and improve its corporate standing.

Government has a key role to play and will work closely with business to encourage more sustainable patterns of production and consumption:

• encouraging wider take up of corporate responsibility practices, including environmental reporting and management systems
• enabling investors to deliver more sustainable consumption and production
• providing information and advice to business on environmental issues
• working directly with business sectors to improve environmental performance

Further information

For further information on these please see the links below:

• Sustainable consumption and production

• Government Corporate Social Responsibility website

• Environmental reporting

• Environmental Management Systems

• Environmental technologies

• Environment awards

• Sectoral Sustainability Challenge Pioneers Group
  DTI web site; sectoral sustainability strategies. Defra is a co-sponsor link.

• Environmental Industries Unit

Practical Assistance for Companies

• Business Resource Efficiency & Waste Programme (BREW) Your business can receive advice and support on improving resource efficiency measures, minimising waste production and improving its bottom line through a number of projects funded by BREW.

• The Carbon Trust (helps Business and the public sector cut carbon emissions)

• WRAP the Waste and Resources Action Programme to promote the development of markets for recycled materials.

• Envirowise - practical environmental advice for business.

Links to more information

• More information on how current environmental legislation relates to your business can be accessed at: www.netregs.gov.uk

• See also: www.businesslink.gov.uk - the Government site for practical business advice and help.

Advisory Committees

In the UK Sustainable Development Strategy, the Government outlined its plans to convene a new Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) Business Taskforce. This is a joint DTI-Defra initiative which will access business expertise committed to working with Government to help us make progress on consumption and production challenges together.

The Taskforce will build on past and present SCP related programmes by identifying where it can most add value within its two year lifespan, starting in Autumn 2005. In particular, it will work closely with existing business networks, and will look to build on the achievements of Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment (ACBE), and the Advisory Committee for Consumer Products and the Environment (ACCPE), and will complement the work of the Round Table on Sustainable Consumption.

The Government also works closely with the Trade Unions to promote more sustainable workplaces, and provides secretariat support to the Trade Union Sustainable Development Advisory Committee (TUSDAC).