ESG 23 Final Single pages - Flipbook - Page 30
Environment (continued)
MINIMISING WASTE
PAPER
Being a service-based company, our waste generation is
naturally low and non-hazardous. However, we continue
to engage colleagues, suppliers and other stakeholders to
take ownership and create more e昀케cient operations and
practices.
We have embraced agile working which enables digitalised
process and resulted in a reduction in the amount of
paper we use. As part of our Green O昀케ce Policy, we
purchase paper which is sustainably sourced from known
and responsible sources and we print double-sided where
possible.
In FY23, the Group took several measures to reduce
waste. These included:
•
•
Whilst rolling out of the environmental compliance
programme, we ensure the RWS Group Waste Policy is
implemented appropriately to optimise recycling
The introduction of the new Group-wide Waste Policy
improved waste collection methodology, e.g. separating
aluminum and biowaste in Brno (Czechia), enabled
the o昀케ce to collect approx. 50kg of aluminum which
they could sell-back and separate biowaste which is
now repurposed and used for heating. In Cluj-Napoca
(Romania), for example, plastic caps are being ‘resold’
and the funds donated to charity, and co昀昀ee grounds
are collected for colleagues to use as fertilizer
•
Working with landlords regarding waste measurement
and management
•
Working with suppliers to get more accurate reports
detailing waste and recycling
•
Sending our electronic equipment back to the supplier
to recycle as part of a global buy-back scheme
•
•
•
Storing and reusing bubble wrap and cardboard boxes
RWS seeks to purchase the most energy e昀케cient IT
hardware and work with global suppliers who are
committed to reducing their global footprint.
We purchase our end use computers from a supply base
which utilise carbon 昀椀bre and tree-based bio plastics.
Our supply base has been an Energy Star partner for
over a decade, demonstrating its ongoing commitment
to energy e昀케ciency in its products. Energy star certi昀椀ed
laptops use 25-40% less energy than conventional
monitors by using the most e昀케cient components and
better managing energy use when idle. We also operate a
buy-back scheme with our supply base to further enhance
reuse and certi昀椀ed Waste Electrical and Electronic
Equipment (WEEE) recycling as part of our disposal policy.
Championing recycling during our 'Recycling Week'
We encourage our colleagues globally to switch o昀昀 laptops
and monitors when not in use and have con昀椀gurations
in place for inactivity to reduce energy consumption. Our
strategy incorporates consolidation to reduce overall
footprint of hardware and software across our IT estate.
Hosted a World Cleanup Day to further educate, inform
and engage colleagues around waste
BUSINESS TRAVEL
Where our o昀케ces are in managed buildings, we are
working with landlords to derive better data on waste
and then implement programmes to reduce, reuse and
recycle.
WATER
Most of our o昀케ces use water from municipal supply and
are in developed countries with a high capability for water
adaptation and mitigation.
Moving forward we continue to reach out to the landlords
of our leased o昀케ces and request detailed information.
We are also introducing measures to reduce water usage
including low 昀氀ow plumbing 昀椀xtures, identifying and
昀椀xing leaks, and communicating with employees about
responsible water use measures.
In FY23 we hosted an awareness day for World Ocean
Day to educate, inform and engage colleagues as well as
a World Rivers Day competition to raise awareness of the
importance of our rivers around the world and encourage
increased stewardship. More than 180 entries were
received and colleagues globally participated in judging
the winners.
30
ELECTRONIC WASTE
RWS Holdings plc — ESG Report 2023 ENVIRONMENT
As conditions return to the new ‘normal’ post the Covid-19
pandemic, business travel and commuting have increased.
The Group continues to utilise software to hold virtual
meetings and these are promoted as a way to curtail
unnecessary business travel.
