Stephen Bentley

In 2008 we gained the internationally recognised environmental management standard ISO 14001. While I now fully appreciate the value of the accreditation, this was certainly not always the case. So why was I so sceptical of its value and what changed during the eight month audit process and the following 14 months to make me change my mind?

My first reservation about the ISO 14001 was whether it was just another accreditation for accreditation's sake. I had to ask myself why we were really doing it? Although many contracts set out requirements for ISO 14001, if we were going to commit to the standard we had to do it for the right reasons not just because the industry was asking for it. Naturally, there were also slight reservations about the investment of resources needed, in terms of money, time and effort, and the implications this would have on the cost of trading.

Before committing to the ISO 14001 we were also considering other industry accreditations, covering different aspects of our business such as data security and quality, which we then had to prioritise. In the end the decision came down to which accreditation would have the biggest and most immediate impact on the way we worked.

After careful consideration, we came to the conclusion that the ISO 14001 would move us to where we wanted to be much quicker, even though it would demand the most work and would be the most difficult to achieve. A major factor in this decision was the fact that the ISO 14001 was based on continual improvement and year-on-year benchmark assessments. This meant that rather than standing still we could develop and grow the business around an environmentally sustainable model.

By the very nature of the handling and promotions industry in which Granby Marketing Services operates, we have to deal with a certain amount of consumer packaging and material. Given this fact, there was significant scope for us to improve not only our own environmental performance, but also that of our cl ients. For example, as part of our commitment to improvement we actively encourage all our clients to make use of more sustainable sources of material, such as recycled paper or paper generated from sustainable forests.

What did I learn?

The eight month audit process itself was incredible insightful. I guess the biggest surprise was how little recognition that we had towards the environment and saving costs. With hindsight it's obvious that having tighter monitoring for energy and utilities will save you money on your energy bills, but at the time I was staggered to see how much money we were wasting. So from initially starting with the suspicion it was going to be a costly exercise, it became quickly apparent it would end up saving us money.

To stand any chance of success we knew it had to be a company-wide initiative, so it was important that we got someone internal to head it up. We felt it was essential to have someone passionate driving the scheme, so rather than appoint someone management-related we picked someone cause-related as our Green Manager. We allowed him to chair and coordinate an internal 14001 working party which involved the wider staff. As with any big task, we broke it down into manageable chunks then worked with the individual departments to find solutions. For example, Finance got involved with the energy consumption; Purchasing got involved in sourcing of sustainable materials; while our Account Managers promoted renewable materials to our clients.

The Benefits

Other than the cost savings due to better controls of our heat, light and power bills, a benefit that was completely unexpected was the feel good factor it created within the business. As I've previously mentioned, we're in an industry which sometimes has negative connotations due to its association with the excessive use of packaging. However, with the ISO 14001, it's a statement to all your stakeholders that you recognise your environmental responsibility and you're actively doing something about it. It's great to be able to speak about the virtues of recycling and green management, knowing that you can fully justify your opinion.

There's also a secondary benefit. While I can't say in any instance the ISO 14001 has been a determining factor in us winning business, I can say that without it we wouldn't have been able to pitch for certain business. We also work with a lot of top brands, who have invested heavily in improving their own CSR, thus the last thing they want to do is subcontract their work out to someone who doesn't care. It is much easier to talk to clients knowing we share the same ethics and that we can at least match or enhance their environmental standards.

For any company thinking about going down this road, I can whole-heartedly recommend it. There really are no negatives. The only objections to not going down this route is that you're either lazy or don't care. Yes, you have to put the effort in, but there's no doubt about it, you will definitely gain in the long run.

Stephen Bentley is chief executive of Granby Marketing Services