Retail Carbon

Plastic Bags Charges & Environmental Good Causes

Responsibly managing their environmental impact is a key concern for proactive retailers. They realise their actions directly impact how their business brand is perceived by customers and can significantly impact purchase choice.

Carbon Footprint has particular expertise within the Retail sector, providing a full range of carbon, energy, health & safety services and also software tools. We provide solutions, whether you are just starting out on your sustainability journey or you have a mature/leading edge programme in place.

Plastic Bag Charges & Environmental Good Causes

All large UK retailers (greater than 250 employees) are obliged to charge at least 5p per single use plastic carrier bag.

Legislation has been in place since October 2015 with an objective to reduce waste and environmental damage and has already seen a great reduction in bag demand and waste associated with it.

Retailers must donate the proceeds of the scheme to good causes, but it is you to decide what initiatives you wish to support - these may include environmental projects, such as Carbon Offsetting programmes.

Your will need to report to the UK government what they do with the money from the charge and this information will be published annually

SUSTAINABILITY & CARBON OFFSETTING PROJECTS

Manage your environmental impact and engage with your customer via UK & International social impact projects

Other legislation that may impact you

Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting - If you are currently listed on the FTSE Main Market you must do this. We expect all large entities to be required to do this in due course - as described in the Companies Act 2006. Don't forget - this is UK Legislation and completely unaffected by the Brexit vote.
Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) Stage 2 - We expect this to stay in place for 2019. You can start audit work at any time between 1 Jan 2016 and 31 Dec 2019.
ISO 50001 (Energy Management System) provides an alternative compliance route and is popular within the sector.

Not Legislation ... But strongly favoured for excellent business management

ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 - The 2015 standard is now here and you will need to make the transition before end 2018 - dependent on your recertification date! You can get the new standard ahead of your recertification date - and benefit from differentiation.

The process is straightforward and because these ISOs now share a common structure ( so-called 'Annex SL' - also shared by ISO 50001 and ISO 27001 (IT Security)) it will soon become very familiar and provides an ideal time and opportunity to integrate into an Integrated Management System (IMS).

ISO 9001 on-line Gap Tool

ISO14001:2015 on-line Gap Test

Sustainability & Environmental Reporting

Leading retail businesses now produce a formal Sustainability or Environmental report - often to support/complement their Annual Report & Accounts.

You may be asked by your supply chain to complete one for the CDP (formerly known as the Carbon Disclosure Project) or you may voluntarily decide to submit your own.
Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) provides a useful (and free!) format/template to complete Sustainability Reporting - it is well recognised and you can decide whether to make this public or use for internal management

How Carbon Footprint serves our clients

Carbon Footprinting / Assurance - for your reporting requirements
Carbon Offsetting- high quality certified carbon offsets to render your organisation or your projects as carbon neutral
Sustrax - Carbon Tracking software tools - carbon and environmental metric tacking tools -for organisation & project use.
Energy Auditing - organisation and project energy assessments, recommendations and costed payback analysis
ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001 and OHSAS 18001 - full assistance with strategy, planning & documentation towards certification
Training/Employee Learning progranmes - classroom and E-learning on all aspects of energy, carbon, sustainability, H&S