Sustainability Hydrasun is fully committed to protecting the environment in which we work, ensuring that we minimise our impact and sustainably manage our global operations as a strategic focus and priority. As an environmentally responsible business, Hydrasun recognises that our impact on the environment goes well beyond simply managing our own footprint, ensuring that all stakeholders throughout our supply chain are engaged and contributing to Hydrasun’s Carbon Reduction targets. Emissions scopes Scopes 1,2 & 3 emissions are strategically in focus by Hydrasun as part of its carbon reduction and sustainability roadmap. Scope 1 concerns emissions related to fuel combustion (natural gas), company vehicles, business mileage and fuel used in plant and equipment (FLTs). Scope 2 concerns emissions related to purchased electricity and the third concerns emissions related to air and rail travel, non-company vehicle hire and purchased goods and services (distribution). Four Pillars One of the BFPA’s Four Pillars relates to Sustainability, and carbon reduction is increasingly recognised as a matter of urgency within our industry. Hydrasun has been looking carefully at its carbon footprint for the past 12 years. So, before the industry in general was giving sustainability the greater focus it has today, we already had several key carbon reducing strategies in place. A decade or so ago, many of our supply chain partners and customers weren’t enquiring so much about our green initiatives. However, about four years ago, the carbon intensity data that many companies in our industry had had access to for over a decade started to become much more of a focus for them, including many of our own supply chain partners. As part of our plan to reduce our impact on the environment, we now have a wellestablished database and tracker that covers all our sustainability goals and targets. Of course, the UK and other nations have a target of reaching net zero by 2050. Environmental responsibility helps business One thing we’re seeing more and more is that a company’s green credentials are becoming ever more important to run a successful and sustainable business. For example, from a funding perspective there are certain banks that offer preferential lending rates to businesses depending on their green credentials. Some banks are now more reluctant to support high carbon producing organisations or certainly won’t offer preferential lending rates. So, we’re seeing a real shift in the financial markets towards supporting and encouraging companies to ramp up their green credentials. I totally understand that some companies might consider certain green initiatives not to be financially viable or too expensive. However, by becoming more responsible and putting in place some simple back-to-basics initiatives there are many cost benefits to be had as well as having the opportunity to reduce your overall energy impact. At Hydrasun, for example, we have put in place motion sensors to automatically turn lights off when people aren’t in the room. We also switch computers off overnight. Of course, this won’t get companies to carbon neutrality, but it can take the edge off it. Renewable energy On a larger scale, solar technology has been around for some time now. Hydrasun is considering solar power at its various location around the UK. This is a major investment and can cost upwards of £300,000, with return-on-investment timings of around 7 years. However, the energy market has been significantly affected by overseas conflicts and the volatility of energy pricing is having a major effect on renewable energy investment. Energy suppliers more recently have now raised their daily standing charges to compensate for the revenue losses as the market price for gas reduces. Investment in renewable technology is still strategically important for the industry So, Hydrasun is dedicated to reducing its carbon impact through energy reduction. It is also dedicated to being Minimising environmental impact, maximising business opportunity 70 www.bfpa.co.uk By Stuart Gardiner, Group Operations Director, Hydrasun. Stuart Gardiner: “A company’s green credentials are becoming ever more important to run a successful and sustainable business.”
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