14001 17 50001 20 EIA 27 Delivering change ESOS compliance Climate resilience Practitioners discuss whether Peel Land and Property takes IEMA guides the profession on the revised standard can help the 50001 route to comply with assessing the challenges and firms to embed sustainability new energy efficiency scheme threats from a changing climate

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April News Features 4 EU ETS rules increase emissions Waste duties need enforcing 5 Osborne bows to pressure on mandatory greenhouse gas reporting 6 Emissions down, economy up Better ways to trade waste 17 Can 14001 help drive sustainability? 8 Green laws cost neutral Paul Suff hears practitioners’ views on the revised international standard and whether its requirements will assist them in embedding sustainability Timber advice service closes Business plans United Airlines, AltAir Paramount, Viridor, Unilever, TerraVia IEMA news 9 New look membership levels coming in June 20 Making 50001 work Policy column Martin Baxter on plans to Manchester-based Peel Land and Property made an early decision to take change energy taxation and reporting the 50001 route to ESOS compliance. Niall Enright on the lessons learned EIA news 12 Wales revises EIA laws Practice column Rufus Howard, chair of the IEMA impact assessment network, goes in search of proportionate EIA 23 Endless possibilities EIA research Health-impact assessment; benefits of the ‘pre-app’ AkzoNobel is a Dutch company whose brands include Dulux and Polycell. Paul Suff reports on how imagination is helping it do more by using less Political insight 13 Environment missing from Brexit debate In parliament Catherine Bearder welcomes EU plans to tackle wildlife trafficking Legal brief 27 Acclimatising to change Mott MacDonald’s Henry Le Brecht, James Montgomery and Phil Le Gouais 14 In court Thames Water receives six-figure summarise the IEMA guide on climate change resilience and adaption in EIA financial penalty; Advocate General rejects German ETS appeals Case law Court of Appeal dismisses solar firms appeal over early closure of RO 15 New regulations Sustainability; pollution; planning; water; waste; environment protection 30 Wales: the new of home of sustainability? 16 Latest consultations Non-financial New legislation will require every major public body in Wales to maximise reporting; renewable heat incentive; sustainable development. Alex Marshall discovers what it means in practice bioenergy; offshore environmental assessment; buildings regulations Guidance Waste duty of care; low-risk waste; waste electrical and electronic equipment IEMA members 33 Is your business fit for the future? 35 More successful IEMA members A new tool is being launched to assess whether a company is sustainable. IEMA and external events Michael Hardisty wonders if it is what the profession has been waiting for April 2016 environmentalistonline.com I was used to the tree hugger label at work so the The Finance Director signed off the proposal last thing the Fleet Manager expected from me was a and created a more senior role for me so that proposal to buy new cars. I could launch a company-wide audit of our I’d recently upgraded to Associate membership and environmental policies. felt able to put together a strategy showing how She’s hoping for cost savings and I still want to a more efficient fleet, combined with a car sharing save the planet. It turns out we can do both. incentive scheme would generate cost savings as well People as reducing our impact on the environment. like Hannah say:

Use your IEMA membership to build your skills and boost your professional profile today at www.iema.net/mystory

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Bright, open and brave

In April 2013, I was preparing to join IEMA and doing my homework, finding out what the institute had achieved and where it said it wanted to be. What I realised was that IEMA was an organisation with a huge wealth of knowledge and equity, which had grown quickly for all the right reasons and boasted a network of thousands of committed and passionate professionals. Fast forward a few months and, after spending time getting to know the staff, volunteers and many members, I discovered that the institute was a little listless: capable of huge things but held back by some self-imposed barriers. That is not unusual for a professional body. As beasts they can feel a little cool to the touch and are rarely set up to maximise Over the next three months you will the passion members have for their careers. I knew I wanted IEMA to be different and members told me see IEMA change in the right ways time and again they wanted the same thing. and because members said that’s Three years later, I can tell you that we have been working hard to reshape IEMA to become what what they need. This will include you want and need us to be. We’ve removed the barriers that constricted our ambition, creativity and greater clarity about what being an growth. We are building the IEMA brand to have IEMA member at any level means a bigger impact and to be readily recognised. Most importantly, with the help of members, employers and universities, we have worked to make membership more meaningful and more valuable than ever. We now consider ourselves to be a bright, open and brave organisation that is fit for the future and ready to fulfil the collective ambition of its members. Over the next three months you will see IEMA change in the right ways and because members said that’s what they need. You will see a refreshed look and feel to our logo and website. You will hear IEMA’s comment and voice get louder. You will also get greater professional value from your membership. From June, you will have greater clarity about what being an IEMA member at any level means and the tools to better explain it to employers. The member journey will be clearer and you will have more opportunities to develop and progress. Innovations to the way those new to the profession can join IEMA will help the institute to grow, making your professional network stronger, wider and more diverse. Please keep an eye out for the updates we will be delivering to you in the months ahead because they will explain the important changes in far greater detail than this column allows. I am genuinely excited to see Tim Balcon, all we have worked on together come to fruition. I hope you are too. CEO of IEMA

The Institute of Environmental Management Deputy editor Advertisement production © IEMA 2016 & Assessment (IEMA) is the professional Catherine Early John Woffenden home of more than 15,000 environment and [email protected] [email protected] LexisNexis aims to provide authoritative sustainability practitioners from around Managing editor Publisher and accurate information at all times. Its publications are, however, for guidance only the globe. We support individuals and Louis Wustemann Chris Jones organisations to set, recognise and achieve and are not an official information source. [email protected] [email protected] global sustainability standards and practice. All rights reserved. No part of this publication We are independent and international, Sub-editors IEMA PR and communications manager may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval enabling us to deliver evidence to Mike McNabb; Angela Partington Katrina Pierce system or transmitted in any form or by any governments, information to business, [email protected] means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise, inspiration to employers and great stories to Display and recruitment advertising without the prior written consent of the Advertising, subscription the media that demonstrate how to transform Harry Toomey publisher and editor. and back-copy enquiries to the world to sustainability. Join us at iema.net. tel: +44 (0) 20 8212 1989 [email protected] Customer services, ISSN 14727625 tel: +44 (0) 845 370 1234 IEMA the environmentalist is City Office Park, Tritton Road Dean Chapman The 2016 annual rate is £142. tel: +44 (0) 20 8212 1913 printed by ISO 14001 Lincoln, Lincolnshire Printing [email protected] certified printers on LN6 7AS Headley Brothers Ltd, Ashford, Kent 55% recycled paper tel: +44 (0) 1522 540069 Marketing campaign manager stock and despatched in Published by fax: +44 (0) 1522 540090 Rakhee Patel biodegradable polywrap [email protected] | iema.net [email protected] LexisNexis, Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Editor Design Sutton, Surrey Paul Suff Jack Witherden SM2 5AS. [email protected] [email protected] lexisnexis.co.uk

April 2016 environmentalistonline.com 4 News

Short cuts ETS rules increase emissions Higher Scottish targets Scotland should aim to achieve a The rules on the free allocation of EU 61% reduction in emissions by 2030 to emissions trading system allowances have meet the requirements of the Climate created perverse incentives, resulting in Change (Scotland) Act. This would the cement sector emitting more carbon

go beyond the UK ambition for that than if it were outside the scheme, period, but was achievable and in line according to climate think-tank Sandbag. with the Act. It also tied in with the Its latest report reveals that the rules, global shift towards higher ambition under which producers lose 50% of their implied by the Paris Agreement, said free allocation if they generate less than the Committee on Climate Change in 50% of their historic activity levels, had led its advice to the Scottish government the cement sector to over-produce clinker © Werner Bachmeier / © Werner imageBROKER/REX/Shutterstock on targets between 2028 and 2032. to avoid losing millions of euros worth of Measures recommended by the allowances. Clinker is an intermediary allegations that the ETS has incentivised committee to achieve the 2030 target material in the cement-making process, but overproduction are based on thin air and include decarbonising electricity has a very high carbon intensity. do not acknowledge the strides the cement generation to reduce emissions from Sandbag claimed the sector emitted sector has made through investments in the 220gCO2/kWh to below Scotland’s an extra 15 million tonnes of carbon in reduction of its carbon dioxide emissions,’ legislated target of 50gCO2/kWh. 2013 and said emissions would be lower said the association. This was achievable given the large if it were outside the ETS. The think-tank A separate study by consultancy CE potential for expanding renewable also warned that low-efficiency producers Delft has found that European industry power and the shutdown of coal power, were benefiting at the expense of their made more than €8bn in additional profits said the committee. Low-emissions more efficient competitors. According to from the overallocation of ETS allowances vehicles, such as those powered by the report, low-efficiency cement kilns between 2008 and 2014. The Dutch-based electricity, should comprise about 65% produced 20 million tonnes of clinker in firm calculated the profits for 15 sectors in of new car and van sales, it added. The 2013, even though there were nearly 50 19 countries. It found that Spain had the committee also advised the Scottish million tonnes of unused capacity among highest profits, totalling more than €1.6bn, government to revise its 2017–27 high-efficiency kilns. while about one-third of allowances in carbon targets to align them with Cembureau, the trade body for the Sweden were issued in excess of verified the latest scientific evidence on past European cement industry, reacted emissions. It also found almost all sectors emissions and accounting rules for the angrily to the report, claiming it contained in the UK participating in the ETS had EU emissions trading system. factual errors and wrong numbers. ‘The profited from over-allocation of allowances. Ireland falling short The Environmental Protection Agency in Ireland has warned Waste duties need enforcing that the country will miss its 2020 greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions Awareness and enforcement of waste criminals, he added. Waste crime costs the targets for sectors not covered by responsibilities are still lacking, UK around £560m a year in clean-up costs the EU emissions trading system. according to experts in the sector. and loss of tax revenue, according to an Ireland’s 2020 non-ETS emission The environment department (Defra) ESA report in 2014. reduction target is 20% below 2005 published a revision of the waste duty The association and the Chartered levels, but the agency predicts by of care in March (p15), incorporating Institution of Wastes Management 2020 Ireland will only have cut changes to legal requirements since the (CIWM) are launching a campaign in them by between 6% and 11%. The previous version in 1996. Duty of care is a April called Right Waste, Right Place to non-ETS sector covers agriculture, legal requirement for anyone dealing with advise businesses on how to comply and transport, residential, commercial, waste, and covers producers, carriers, warn them of the risks of failing to do so. non-energy intensive industry and dealers and brokers. Peter Jones, senior consultant at waste sectors. Agriculture and The waste sector broadly welcomed the Eunomia, welcomed the campaign but transport will account for more than new guidance. Sam Corp, head of regulation warned that on its own it would not three-quarters of these emissions by at the Environmental Services Association be enough if there was almost no risk 2020, according to the agency. Its (ESA), said it was much clearer on the legal associated with not complying. ‘Many projections suggest that agriculture requirement for organisations to ensure that businesses will see that as a tacit approval emissions will increase by 6%–7% waste was disposed of correctly after it was of doing the bare minimum.’ between 2014 and 2020, while those passed on to waste carriers. However, he Chris Murphy, CIWM’s deputy chief from transport will rise by between warned: ‘A lot of businesses are not aware of executive, is hopeful that compliance with 10% and 16%. New obligations for it, nor of the fact that they are in danger of the duty of care will improve now that Ireland to cut emissions for the years prosecution if they are in breach of it.’ the Environment Agency has been given 2021–30 will be set later this year. If everyone complied with duty of care, better resources to tackle waste crime and waste would be kept out of the hands of criminals were being jailed.

environmentalistonline.com April 2016 News 5

Osborne bows to pressure on Budget 2016 Packaging targets fall mandatory GHG reporting George Osborne’s reduction in the targets for recycling plastic packaging The government should strengthen drew a mixed reaction. mandatory carbon reporting now that This year they will be trimmed it has pledged to retain it, business and from 52% to 49%, then increased by investor organisations have said. 2% each year to 57% in 2020. The The regulation, introduced in 2013, target had been due to increase to requires all quoted companies to report 57% next year. For glass, the 77% greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions. The target will be maintained until 2017, government had threatened to scrap it then increased by 1% a year to 80% in as part of a review of business energy 2020. Osborne claimed the changes efficiency taxes due to a desire to create a would reduce the burden on business. more simplified reporting system. Osborne’s decision to revise the Although continued disclosure of targets follows a consultation by the emissions was supported by the energy environment department (Defra) and climate change department and last year to renew them before they the Treasury, the business department expire in 2017. The department said (BIS) wanted to remove it to reduce new data on plastic packaging placed the regulatory burden on business, on the market suggests that the UK’s sources said. But, in a document released recycling rate is higher than expected. © Paul Marriott/REX/Shutterstock alongside the Budget, the Treasury said Jakob Rindegren, recycling the regulation would be retained. business or a current consultation by BIS policy adviser at waste trade body The creation of a taskforce to on non-financial reporting, which will Environmental Services Association, develop recommendations for the G20 close on 15 April. Michael Zimonyi, senior said he was disappointed that the on disclosure of climate-related risk, project officer at the Climate Disclosure government had decided to lower its announced by Bank of England governor Standards Board, said the current recycling ambition, particularly for Mark Carney at the Paris climate talks, GHG reporting requirement should be plastic packaging, especially given the was ‘definitely one of the reasons’ the expanded by clarifying what firms should difficult position plastic recyclers are government changed its mind on the issue, report, so investors can compare data in. ‘Lowering the targets and therefore according to Paul Simpson, chief executive from different companies. Kate Levick, also the producer responsibility of the CDP. Pressure also came from director of policy and regulation at the contributions towards packaging businesses and organisations including CDP, said qualitative information, such as recycling sends the wrong signal IEMA, the Aldersgate Group and the exposure to climate change-related risk, and sets an unhelpful precedent that Institutional Investors Group on Climate should be included. adds uncertainty to already volatile Change. They wrote to chancellor George The Treasury also outlined proposals for recycling markets,’ he said. Osborne stressing the value of disclosure. a single reporting framework, the detail of But Chris Murphy, deputy chief ‘It’s great that the government is listening which will be consulted on later this year. executive of the Chartered Institution to corporations and investors. Normally it is It plans to abolish the carbon reduction of Wastes Management, said low oil driven by ideology,’ Simpson said. commitment from 2019, and integrate the prices had caused a huge fall in the Changes to the reporting obligations compliance and reporting requirements price of plastics, and recycling was could come through either a Treasury of climate change agreements, the energy the victim of this. ‘It’s all very well consultation later this year on a single savings opportunity scheme and the EU collecting it, but you have to have an energy and carbon reporting system for emissions trading system. outlet,’ he said. ‘The changes to the targets are pragmatic, they’re not Other measures in George Osborne’s eighth Budget going to extend the targets before they’re achievable.’ � Enhanced capital allowances – the difference (CfD) mechanism, with Peter Jones, senior consultant list of designated energy-saving a first sale worth £290m to fund up at consultancy Eunomia, said the and water-efficient technologies to 4GW of offshore wind and less targets had little influence over qualifying for an ECA will be established renewables. how much packaging needed to be updated during the summer. � At least £50m over the next five recovered. Quantities were likely � The supplementary charge years for innovation in energy to increase due to council recycling on oil and gas is halved to 10%, storage, demand-side response and targets and landfill tax. while petroleum revenue tax other smart technologies. A new report from charity Wrap is abolished. Both measures are � The standard and lower rates of revealed that recycling of plastic backdated to 1 January 2016. landfill tax increase in line with RPI, packaging in the UK had increased � £730m this parliament for the next rounded to the nearest five pence, by more than 50% between 2009 and auctions under the contract for from 1 April 2017 and 1 April 2018. 2015 to 891,000 tonnes last year.

April 2016 environmentalistonline.com 6 News

Short cuts Emissions down, economy up Business sustainability More than 80% of companies in the Data from the International Energy US S&P 500 index published corporate Agency has revealed that energy-related sustainability reports in 2015, a emissions remained flat in 2015 for the 5% rise on 2014 and up from 20% second consecutive year. in 2011. Louis Coppola, executive The agency said 32.1 billion tonnes vice-president at the Governance of carbon dioxide were emitted last year, & Accountability Institute, which much the same as in 2014. With the global compiled the figures, said: economy growing by more than 3% in 2015, ‘Measuring, managing, and reporting the figures are further evidence, said the on ESG [environmental, social and agency, that the link between economic and corporate governance] issues has emissions growth was weakening. been established as a mainstream The Paris-based body has been practice in both the corporate and providing information on carbon emissions investment communities. [Business] for more than 40 years and said there had leaders increasingly understand the been only four previous occasions when critical importance of adopting and emissions had stood still or fell compared © REX/Shutterstock implementing strategies, products, with the previous year, with three of those The figures came as the UK government services, programmes and initiatives – the early 1980s, 1992 and 2009 – were pledged to set a legally binding zero- that reflect the 21st century business associated with global economic weakness. emissions target. In a parliamentary debate environment, and the interest of By contrast, the recent stall in emissions on the energy bill and in response to a investors and important stakeholders.’ comes amid global economic expansion. call by ex-Labour leader Ed Miliband for ‘The new figures confirm last year’s a clause to be inserted committing the UK Impact knowledge gap surprising but welcome news: we now have to meet the zero-emissions ambition set seen two straight years of greenhouse- out in the Paris climate agreement, energy A study by Corporate Citizenship gas emissions decoupling from economic minister Andrea Leadsom told MPs: ‘The has found that just one company in growth,’ said Fatih Birol, executive director at government believes that we will need to five believes external stakeholders the agency (pictured). Its preliminary 2015 take the step of enshrining the Paris goal for have a good understanding of their data confirmed that electricity generated by net zero emissions in UK law. The question impacts on the world. The consultancy renewable technologies played a critical role is not whether but how we do it and there said this was due to an internal and in keeping emissions stable, accounting for are an important set of questions to be external ‘impact knowledge gap’. It around 90% of new production last year. answered before we do.’ found that few corporations were able to measure effectively how they create change and that many did not know how to communicate their Better ways to trade waste future impact. It added that too many stakeholders knew surprisingly little The UK has signed a deal with the Measures to strengthen the circular about corporations’ impacts. Netherlands, France and the Flanders economy are high on the agenda of the six- region in Belgium to extract raw month Dutch EU presidency. The NSSR will Ethical companies materials from waste. also make it easier to trade in raw materials Residual materials are difficult to trade left over from waste incineration, such Some 131 businesses, representing internationally because of the different ways as bottom ash, and recover tiny pieces of 21 countries and 45 industries, have countries view them. Kitchen and garden aluminium, lead, zinc, silver and gold. been named the world’s most ethical waste, for example, can be composted and Meanwhile, the European Commission companies in the 10th annual index used as fertiliser but some countries simply has drafted the first regulation under its from the US Ethisphere Institute. The consider it to be refuse. The Green Deal for circular economy package. The proposal 2016 list includes 14 ten-time honorees a North Sea Resources Roundabout (NSSR) is to simplify the process of bringing and 13 first-time members. Four UK aims to remove these obstacles. organic and waste-based fertilisers to the companies are listed: retailer Marks ‘I want to give companies leading EU single market. & Spencer; utility firms National the way in sustainability more scope to ‘Few of the abundant biowaste Grid and Northumbrian Water; and innovate in order to make our economy resources are transformed into valuable vehicle parts manufacturer Delphi greener,’ said Dutch environment minister fertilising products,’ said commission Automotive. Several other firms with Sharon Dijksma. ‘And that’s exactly what vice-president Jyrki Katainen. ‘Our UK operations, including Japanese this deal does. By redefining raw materials farmers are using fertilisers manufactured electronics equipment manufacturer and working with our neighbours, it will from imported resources or from energy- Ricoh and US engineering and be easier for businesses to innovate and intensive processes, although our industry environment consultancy CH2M, were operate in this area. That’s good for the could valorise these biowastes in recycled also on this year’s list. environment and will also boost trade nutrients. This regulation will help us turn between countries in the North Sea region.’ problems into opportunities.’

environmentalistonline.com April 2016 7

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April 2016 ❱ environmentalistonline.com 8 News

Businessplans United Airlines became the first US Green laws cost neutral air carrier to use sustainable aviation biofuel for scheduled flights when flight Countries with tough environmental 708 from Los Angeles International regulations do not lose export Airport took off on 11 March. The competitiveness to those with less airline has agreed to buy up to 57 stringent legislation, according to a million litres of sustainable biofuel study by the OECD. from AltAir Paramount over the The Paris-based organisation, next three years. Sourced from non- which represents the world’s major edible, natural oils and agricultural economies, found that high-polluting wastes, the fuel expected to emit 60% or energy-intensive industries, whether less carbon than fuel produced from in the BRIICS (Brazil, Russia, India, traditional petroleum. At the end of Indonesia, China, South Africa) or in last year, British Airways shelved Europe or North America, would suffer plans to open a facility in Essex that a small disadvantage from a further would have produced aviation fuel tightening of regulations, but that growth © Flickr/ OECD/Andrew Wheeler from household waste. in exports from less-polluting activities Meanwhile, Heathrow has revealed would compensate. The analysis showed that countries with plans for a WebPortal to consolidate ‘Environmental policies are simply not strict environmental laws suffer a very freight loads, and decrease the number the major driver of international trade small disadvantage in pollution-intensive of lorries and cut emissions on roads patterns,’ said OECD chief economist sectors, such as steelmaking, chemicals around the airport. The portal, which Catherine Mann (pictured). ‘We found and plastics, but a gain in cleaner Heathrow describes as the UK’s first no evidence that a large gap between industries like machinery or electronics. geographically specific system of the environmental policies of two given The domestic value added in exports of its kind, will enable subscribers to countries significantly affects their overall goods from high-polluting industries in the exchange and share information about trade in manufactured goods.’ most environmentally stringent countries any spare capacity on their vehicles. The study used historical export data (Denmark, Germany and Switzerland) When a match is found, operators will to calculate the domestic added value compared with the BRIICS increased by be able to negotiate a price to use it. from high- and low-polluting industries in $11.15bn between 1995 and 2008 – 3% less Waste company Viridor has 23 advanced countries and six emerging than if the laws were not as strict. However, installed rooftop solar arrays at six of economies. The OECD’s environmental the laws protecting the environment its sites in south-west and south-east policy indicator ranked countries boosted exports in cleaner industries by 3%, England. The systems have a combined according to more or less stringent policies. almost the same amount in dollars. size of 841kWp and were installed by Solarcentury. The solar energy firm designed bespoke systems to optimise the energy generation capability at Timber advice service closes each site. Because of local grid capacity constraints, the array installed at Business groups and environmental the TPP to low volume, complex queries. Bridgwater, Somerset, for example, campaigners are seeking reassurance from This demonstrates to us that CPET has includes an export limiter. This slows the government about its commitment to achieved its goal and procurers do not its energy generation capability if sustainable timber procurement, after the need the same type of support as they did.’ necessary. In 2014, Solarcentury closure of the service advising Whitehall It is replacing the five people employed completed the installation of an array and its supply chain on compliance. by CPET with two-page guidance and a at Viridor’s former landfill site at The Central Point of Expertise on page on the gov.uk website. Westbury, Wiltshire, with the panels Timber (CPET) was set up to advise Julia Young, manager of the global forest mounted on recycled railway sleepers. departments and agencies on how to meet and trade network at WWF, said the service Unilever has agreed a $200m, the government’s timber procurement was still needed. Research carried out last five-year deal with US-based policy (TPP), which aims to ensure that year by WWF found that compliance with TerraVia (formerly Solazyme) to timber, palm oil and woodfuel products the TPP was ‘patchy at best’, she said. The supply renewable algae oils for use purchased with public money are from organisation has attended meetings with in personal care products. Alan Jope, sustainable sources. CPET also advised Defra on the issue, along with businesses in personal care president of Unilever, businesses supplying the public sector and the government’s supply chain, including said: ‘The decision to use algae oils local authorities, which were encouraged Lendlease, Kimberly-Clark, Pearson, Saint- is fully aligned with the Unilever to meet the policy voluntarily. Gobain and Willmott Dixon. sustainable living plan and with But the environment department To support organisations in their our goal to grow the business while (Defra) closed the service at the end of timber procurement, Dave Hopkins, reducing our overall environmental March. CPET’s final newsletter stated: managing director of the Timber Trade footprint.’ The oil will be produced at ‘The use of the service has changed, Federation, said it was considering a TerraVia plant in Brazil. moving away from high volume assistance providing training on sustainable timber of contractual issues and compliance with to public bodies later this year.

environmentalistonline.com April 2016 IEMA news 9

New look membership levels coming in June

Since completing the consultation in institute has been working intensively and better recognised by business. With 2013 on developing its future vision, for more than two years to create a the help of members, employers and IEMA has been working to reposition ‘future-fit’ choice of memberships, trainers we have taken that direction itself to ensure it is equipped to build which brings together new levels of and totally reshaped IEMA around it. a community of professionals who meaning, value, relevance and service This is a really exciting time and I am are willing, able and empowered to for members and employers. The very much looking forward to shortly transform the world to sustainability. review stage of work is coming to an revealing the end result.’ This involves: end, details of the opportunities the Full information on the new structure „„broadening its scope, while protecting new structure will bring are on their will be revealed soon. Members will the core focus on environmental way and a new structure will be in place be advised about how their individual management and assessment; from mid-June. membership status is set to be enhanced „„growing the membership around IEMA chief executive Tim Balcon and better recognised. the world; and explained how the review and relaunch IEMA will also provide details for „„arming members with the knowledge of the member levels have been driven by all members to take to employers and skills to make changes to survive changing demands – both from members and clients to help explain what their the challenges facing organsations and their organisations: ‘What we have membership level says about them in and outlined in IEMA’s Preparing for done here has been absolutely member- terms of their knowledge, experience, the Perfect Storm report. led. During the Vision 2020 consultation skills and ambition. members told me loud and clear that they Watch out for e-mails from IEMA over Part of this repositioning is a refresh of needed – not wanted – their membership the next few weeks to find out what membership standards and structure. The to be more meaningful, more rewarding is changing and how it will affect you.

Osborne sets out significant changes to business energy taxation and reporting The Budget set out further significant The government has also said it will in order to provide changes to the business energy efficiency consult this summer on a simplified data transparency for tax regime (p5). In his March 2012 energy and carbon reporting framework, investors and establish budget, the Chancellor had signalled that to be introduced by April 2019. We London as a centre of the carbon reduction commitment (CRC) will keep IEMA members informed global green finance. scheme would be simplified and warned and engaged in our response. The The government will also explore the that if significant administrative savings consultation will propose mandatory integration of existing compliance and were not found, the government would annual reporting for the organisations reporting requirements of climate change bring forward proposals by autumn that within its scope, with board or senior agreements, the EU emissions trading year to replace CRC revenues with an level sign-off and some public disclosure system and the energy savings opportunity alternative environmental tax. of data. The government will seek, scheme (ESOS) in a new framework. It has taken longer than originally as far as possible, to streamline data This would apply to UK undertakings and outlined, but George Osborne has now collection and reporting requirements, their corporate groups that satisfy the decided to scrap the CRC and recover for example by limiting the number of qualification criteria for ESOS. Public and the lost revenue by raising the climate times organisations have to measure and third sector organisations that meet the change levy (CCL). The CRC will be report their emissions and by aligning criteria would also have to report. withdrawn at the end of the 2018–19 data collection and deadlines. Under compliance period, with the increase to the plans, mandatory reporting of GHG Martin Baxter is senior policy advisor the CCL from April 2019. emissions by listed companies is retained at IEMA; @martinbaxter on Twitter

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IEMA-edieLive-DPSadvertorial-vs2.indd 2 24/03/2016 09:48 This theatre examines the options open to sustainability, energy and facilities managers responsible for energy and water on their sites. Delegates will benefit from expert case studies drawn from across business sectors. From the UK’s largest onsite solar installations, to small-scale, single site solutions, hear from those sustainability professionals that have already done the work and are making it happen for their business.

edie Leaders Conference The strategic conference will Register for your free edie Live ticket and gain help delegates understand the unlimited access to: broader risks and opportunities • Three practical CPD-certified seminar – energy efficiency, for driving profit, innovation resource efficiency and onsite solutions and brand value through • The edie Sustainability Leaders keynote conference sustainability leadership. Leaders • Professional advice clinics theatre session titles include • Innovation Zone and technology showcases ‘Inside the mind of the finance • Networking areas director’ and ‘Making it happen: • Hundreds of new products and services first steps to a new business model’.

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Get your free two-day pass at www.edielive.net

IEMA-edieLive-DPSadvertorial-vs2.indd 3 24/03/2016 09:48 12 EIA news

EIA research Health impact assessment Wales revises EIA laws The revised EIA Directive (2014/52/ EU) aims to achieve high levels of New environmental impact assessment protection of human health and the regulations for Wales introduced environment. A QMark paper by several major changes from 1 March. Tamara Al-Obaidi, health impact These include increasing the screening assessor at consultancy Jacobs, thresholds for industrial estate and urban looks how the directive’s overriding developments to align them with the objectives will affect health impact changes introduced in England last year. assessments. She says that, in terms Under the Town and Country Planning of considering and assessing the (Environmental Impact Assessment) effects on populations and human (Wales) Regulations 2016 (bit.ly/1SS6LR7), health risks, there are gaps between the threshold for industrial estate the directive’s aims and the guidance development increased from 0.5 hectare and tools available to identify, assess to 5 hectare. For urban developments, the and report health-related effects. threshold increased from 0.5 hectare to She points to a lack of clarity on what 1 hectare if the project does not include is considered to be the appropriate housing; or includes the construction of manner of identification, description more than 150 new houses; or the overall © Photofusion/REX/Shutterstock and assessment of significant health development area exceeds 5 hectares. thresholds, as subjecting projects to effects, including those that may When the UK government consulted on screening for EIA when they are unlikely to arise from interactions with other raising the thresholds in England, it said have significant effects on the environment environmental aspects. Al-Obaidi also the changes would reduce the number causes unnecessary delay in the planning highlights a lack of clarity about the of screening opinions and focus EIA on application process.’ criteria and methods that should be developments that are more likely to give The revised Welsh regulations also used when deciding whether a project rise to significant environmental effects. provide for Local Development Orders to qualifies for EIA on human health risk. The Wales government mirrored this grant planning permission for schedule 2 ‘This absence of definition is likely to thinking in its consultation, which ended EIA developments in some circumstances present a challenge to health impact on 18 June 2015. Its consultation document and allow local planning authorities or assessment practitioners,’ she writes. stated: ‘Analysis of requests for screening ministers to modify a planning permission. The directive is due to be transposed directions made to the Welsh ministers They also consolidate measures brought in into UK legislation next spring. found that a significant majority did not since 1999, including the requirement for bit.ly/1RQlRBO require EIA. This suggests that there may be councils and ministers to give reasons for scope for increasing the existing screening negative screening decisions. Benefits of the ‘pre-app’ When used properly, a planning pre- Rufus Howard: In search of proportionate EIA application mechanism has a number of benefits, says Spencer McGawley, Proportionality has been the watchword (IEPs), bringing associate at consultancy CampbellReith. in EIA for the last few years. together historic In a QMark paper, on ‘pre-app’ and IEMA’s special report on the state of results from previous how it relates to EIA, McGawley EIA practice, published in June 2011, EIAs in a sector and says the positives include improving identified many of the issues, with the review the evidence the quality of the application and, primary cause for disproportionate to determine issues that practice possibly, faster validation by the local assessment being the scoping process. indicates are likely to be significant planning authority (LPA). He argues At the IEMA masterclass conference and others that are not. Once the that, pre-apps can also help foster on EIA and environmental and social information is contained in an IEP, it relationships with the LPA and statutory impact assessment in November, I could be widely consulted on, published consultees, which can reduce the linked the failure to predict significance as a living document, with future likelihood of objections. And, because in assessment to the scoping process. projects and monitoring studies adding the information required at pre-app Scoping should identify the potentially to and enhancing it. Future scoping mirrors closely that required as part of significant impacts of a development reports could rely on the IEP when an environmental statement, it benefits and the assessment should focus on designing the scope of projects, using the project, allowing the information these. In reality, too often scoping the evidence to reduce the scope of the to be incorporated at an early stage and includes multiple issues that do not impact assessment to achieve a more helping to kick-start the design process. result in significant impacts, and with proportionate process. Pre-app typically involves presenting a hindsight were never going to. I will be seeking further views on site location plan, a written description How do we bring this understanding the development of IEPs at IEMA’s of current land use as well as of the of a situation to future projects? My proportionate EIA summit this month. proposal, and a draft design. suggestion at the conference was that bit.ly/1PdybKj we produce industry evidence plans Rufus Howard is chair of the IEMA IA network.

environmentalistonline.com April 2016 Political insight 13

Environment missing from Brexit debate

Green organisations are struggling to But Lord Callanan, a Conservative peer promote the environment as a key issue and former MEP, said: ‘I have a certain in the EU referendum debate, according suspicion that some of the arguments to speakers at an event in Westminster of some of the players in this debate are held by the Institute for European driven by the fact that they receive large Environmental Policy (IEEP) and WWF. grants from the European Commission.’ The call to move environmental Stanley Johnson, another ex-MEP protection up the agenda was led by and co-chair of campaign group Caroline Lucas, Green party MP for Brighton Environmentalists4Europe, said it was Pavilion and board member of the Britain important not to belittle the opposition but Stronger in Europe campaign (pictured). to ensure that the environment message But the role of the EU as a champion for was communicated as well. ‘What we’re conservation and sustainability had been a trying to do is get a positive message out.’ relatively untold story so far, she said. ‘If we Environmentalists4Europe will be helping keep just banging on only about jobs and to spread awareness of the issue, he said. the economy, then a whole raft of issues that Meanwhile, a report from the Institute could be quite central to whether a lot of for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) people bother to vote aren’t going to be on has analysed the impact of leaving the EU. the agenda,’ she said. It found that most EU environmental law Jake Sumner from SERA, Labour’s would continue to apply to the UK as long as environment campaign, said green it remained inside the European Economic charities had an ‘amazing reach and Area (EEA). Exceptions to this include the ability’ to make the environmental directives on birds, habitats and bathing protection argument, and urged a much water, and the common agricultural clearer explanation from them on the and common fisheries policies. If the UK benefits of staying in the EU. leaves the EEA, future UK governments But NGOs expressed nervousness on would be free to change environmental speaking out about the referendum after standards, the IEEP concluded. It predicted, regulatory guidance from the Charities however, that the current government Commission stipulated that they should © REX/Shutterstock would be likely to opt for a less ambitious not campaign on the issue. action but we have to navigate the choppy approach. The integration between UK, Sam Fanshawe, chief executive at waters of this guidance. We are going to EU and international environment law is the Marine Conservation Society, said: have trustees who are very nervous about so close that separating them would be a ‘We’d love to be outspoken and take direct taking an outspoken view.’ considerable challenge, the institute said.

EU launches crackdown on wildlife trafficking In September 2014, one of the first Vella’s proposed action plan builds in developing things to land on the desk of the newly on this success by ensuring coordinated countries. This will appointed environment commissioner, action is taken across all areas so that include support for Karmenu Vella, was a letter I had authorities can stay one step ahead of projects to develop written, co-signed by 80 MEPs, urging poachers and wildlife-trafficking gangs. alternative livelihoods, such as wildlife him to propose an EU action plan against A key proposal is the requirement tourism so that local communities regard wildlife trafficking. So I was delighted for every member state to treat wildlife wild animals as an economic asset to last month when he finally presented offences seriously. Currently, wildlife be protected. There will also be more proposals to step up the fight against the traffickers in some countries receive EU funding for joint law enforcement illegal wildlife trade. only a small fine and a warning, so these operations to crack down on wildlife Europe has already been at the member states become transit points trafficking gangs in Europe. forefront of global efforts to tackle this for this despicable trade. Under the This kind of coordinated action is a activity, contributing millions of euros to commissioner’s plans, criminal gangs great example of how by working together schemes that prevent the unlawful killing caught trafficking ivory and other illicit in Europe we are so much stronger in the of elephants by setting up anti-poaching wildlife products, be they animal parts, fight against global problems. As the EU patrols. Last year the bloc’s crime-fighting live pets, plants or endangered birds, referendum campaign heats up, I would body, Europol, supported the world’s would receive the punishment they urge all those who care about our shared largest international operation against deserve, with sentences of up to four environment to speak out. wildlife crime, which resulted in more years imprisonment common across than 200 arrests and the seizure of the EU. The plan will also target more Catherine Bearder MEP is a member of the 12 tonnes of ivory and 119 rhino horns. EU aid on efforts to tackle poachers European parliament’s environment committee.

April 2016 environmentalistonline.com 14 Legal brief

In court

Thames Water receives six-figure financial penalty Case law Aylesbury Crown Court has fined Thames Water £380,000 for polluting a Court dismisses appeal watercourse in Buckinghamshire with sewage. The company was also ordered to pay costs of £23,092 and a victim surcharge of £120. by solar companies The court was told that an Environment Agency officer performing an routine fish survey of Horsenden stream in February 2013 discovered the pollution. In Solar Century Holdings & others He was forced to stop work for his own welfare because of the amount in the v Secretary of State for Energy and watercourse, part of the River Thame catchment area in the Chilterns. The Climate Change, the Court of Appeal pollution was traced to Thames Water’s Princes Risborough sewage treatment dismissed a judicial review appeal works. Agency officers found further discharges during a site visit on 5 March by four solar energy companies and 2013, when the sewage in places looked like feathers, and on 19 July 2013, which upheld Amber Rudd’s decision to was caused by a blockage at the works. close the Renewables Obligation (RO) The Recorder of Aylesbury, Judge Sheridan, said were it not for the initial survey, scheme to solar photovoltaic projects the incidents were unlikely to have come to light. The agency blamed management above 5MW two years early. failures at the site for the incidents, which it said were ongoing. It described as The companies challenged the lamentable the failings at the treatment works and confirmed that the shortcomings decision on four grounds: misuse had caused the site to breach its permit several times between February and July 2013. of statutory power; express pre- An agency investigation found that inlet screens, designed to prevent debris legislative assurances; legitimate entering the treatment works and causing blockages, were not working and the storm expectation; and that the grace tank pump was broken. Although the permit allowed Thames Water to discharge periods under the new scheme sewage during storms as long as stringent conditions were met, the agency said the were retrospective and unlawful. In site’s weir was set too low, allowing discharges of effluent when it should have been particular, they argued that the Levy passing through the works for treatment. Control Framework (LCF) gave rise to Agency officer Holly Linham said: ‘One of the officers had never seen sewage a legitimate expectation and included fungus in a stream that bad before. A biological survey of the stream noted that the projects that were in the pipeline impact of the sewage was chronic and was likely to have been prevalent for some time. towards RO accreditation. The conditions observed during visits were not isolated incidents. Logbook entries The court held that the early suggest ongoing discharges and other problems at a site that was struggling to cope.’ closure of the scheme by statutory Thames Water pleaded guilty to the offences at Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on instrument had not been unlawful and 5 August 2015 and was committed to Aylesbury Crown Court for sentencing. The firm ultra vires. It said parliament had not has since changed the management structure at the site and raised the storm weir. intended that the secretary of state In January, Thames Water was fined a record £1 million after it repeatedly polluted could only exercise powers to close the Wendover Arm of the Grand Union Canal with sewage from its Tring treatment the RO on or after 31 March 2017. The works between July 2012 and April 2013. pre-legislative statements referred to were not binding assurances that Advocate General rejects ETS appeals on the free allocation of allowances. The the scheme would not be closed early Paolo Mengozzi, Advocate General at commission said assigning more free and, with the inherent risk of change the European Court of Justice (ECJ), allowances would distort competition and under the LCF in mind, had not has dismissed appeals by four German undermine the harmonised approach to created such a legitimate expectation. companies against decisions by the EU-wide allocations. Further, the grace periods were not European Commission to refuse requests Mengozzi said the fundamental retrospective and unlawful. The court for more free allowances under the EU question was whether, in the light of said Rudd had been entitled to draw emissions trading system. the objectives of the ETS, the directive a line between supporting existing DK Recycling und Roheisen, Arctic permitted the commission to provide accredited investments under the RO Paper Mochenwangen, Raffinerie Heide for a hardship clause in implementing and projects in the pipeline. This was and Romonta had each applied to the measures. He said it did not and rejected particularly plain in the context of the German authorities for free allowances the appeals. As part of their appeals, LCF, the court said, noting that it made on the basis of a clause laid down in the the companies alleged that the EU’s law clear that policies within the agreed national implementing measures. This on free allocations also infringed their spending cap were subject to rigorous permits free allocation of supplementary fundamental rights. The advocate general adjustment if there was higher than allowances to undertakings for which dismissed this claim. ‘Established case-law expected deployment. participation in the ETS would entail ‘undue shows that protection of the environment Emma Lui hardship’. However, the commission did is one of the objectives of general not include the firms’ installations on the interest which may justify limitations of list of sites covered by Directive 2003/87 fundamental rights,’ he said.

environmentalistonline.com April 2016 Legal brief 15

New regulations

In force Subject Details 1 Feb; 1 Apr; Sustainability The Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 (Commencement No. 2) Order 2016 puts 6 Apr 2016 in place on 1 February 2016 provisions relating mainly to the functions of the future generations commissioner for Wales. The remaining measures – including setting wellbeing goals and the sustainable development principle – came into force either on 1 April 2016 or 6 April 2016. bit.ly/1UshrWy 4 Feb 2016 Pollution The Pollution Prevention and Control (Designation) (England and Wales) Order 2016 designates Directive 2009/126/EC on stage II petrol vapour recovery during refuelling of motor vehicles at service stations, enabling provisions to be made under the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999. bit.ly/1P7UUrc 1 Mar 2016 Planning The Developments of National Significance (Wales) Regulations 2016 deal with various matters in relation to developments of national significance; the Developments of National Significance (Fees) (Wales) Regulations 2016 set out how fees paid to Welsh ministers are refunded or remitted; the Developments of National Significance (Application of Enactments) (Wales) Order 2016 applies to applications made to the Welsh ministers for planning permission for development which is of national significance; the Developments of National Significance (Specified Criteria and Prescribed Secondary Consents) (Wales) Regulations 2016 specify the criteria for development which is of national significance for the purposes of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990; and the Developments of National Significance (Procedure) (Wales) Order 2016 makes provisions for applications for planning permission where development is dealt with by the Welsh ministers. bit.ly/1P7W0Dq; bit.ly/1V68iUa; bit.ly/1pGjwmo; bit.ly/1RZmFqo; bit.ly/1Rhycym 8 Mar 2016 Water The Water Environment (Amendment of Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990: Contaminated Land) (Scotland) Regulations 2016 set out the circumstances in which a remediation notice under Part IIA of that Act (contaminated land) does not apply under the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011. bit.ly/1M1KX3Y 30 Mar 2016 Waste The Waste Management Licensing (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2016 remove exemptions in the 2011 Regulations from waste management licensing for activities relating to the storage and treatment of waste tyres. bit.ly/1P7UUrc 1 Apr 2016 Environment The Reservoirs Act 1975 (Exemptions, Appeals and Inspections) (Wales) Regulations 2016 protection provide a right of appeal against designations of large raised reservoirs as high-risk, and against notices issued by Natural Resources Wales either to appoint an engineer or to carry a recommendation of an engineer and the timings of inspections. bit.ly/1RZjYp4 1 Apr 2016 Waste The Scottish Landfill Tax (Standard Rate and Lower Rate) Order 2016 specifies the standard rate and lower rate from 1 April 2016. The standard rate is £84.40 and the lower rate is £2.65. bit.ly/1UshrWy 1 Apr 2016 Water The Water Quality and Supply (Fees) Order 2016 sets out the fees that the chief inspector of drinking water may charge to exercise his or her functions, including checking water sampling and analysis, water supply management arrangements and investigating events, incidents, emergencies. This instrument revokes the fees order made under the Public Bodies Act 2011. bit.ly/1LlUdQg 6 Apr 2016 Environment The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations protection 2016 amend the 2010 Regulations to regulate flood risk activities within the environmental permitting framework, replacing the current flood defence consent scheme. bit.ly/1pHh8vi This legislative update has been provided by Waterman’s Legal Register available at legalregister.co.uk

April 2016 environmentalistonline.com 16 Legal brief

Latest consultations

15 Apr 2016 reductions and innovation in bioliquids. This includes harmonised Non-financial reporting technologies to help build markets that sustainability criteria for biofuels and The business department is are sustainable in future. provisions to limit indirect land‐use seeking views on the bit.ly/1U0t4Wa change. However, the commission is now implementation in the UK of EU Directive reviewing the sustainability of all 2014/95/EU on the disclosure of non- 29 Apr 2016 bioenergy sources and final uses for the financial and diversity information by Offshore environmental period after 2020. Identified sustainability large undertakings, which came into force assessment risks under examination include lifecycle on 6 December 2014. The consultation Decc has published a draft plan to greenhouse gas emissions from bioenergy document has two parts: regulatory enable future offshore renewables production and use; impacts on the carbon changes to implement 2014/95/EU and leasing and licensing for oil and gas, stock of forests; ecosystems; impacts on how these fit with the existing UK hydrocarbon and carbon dioxide gas biodiversity, soil and water; emissions to requirements; and whether there is scope storage. The Offshore Energy Strategic the air; and indirect land use. It is also to refine regulation. Environmental Assessment (OESEA3) is looking at impacts on the competition for bit.ly/1VjqmIu intended to: consider the environmental the use of biomass between different implications to enable further licensing/ sectors (energy, industrial uses, food). 27 Apr 2016 leasing for offshore energy (oil and gas, bit.ly/1KmXSwI Renewable heat incentive hydrocarbon gas storage, carbon dioxide A consultation storage and marine renewables, including 24 May 2016 on how the wind, wave, tidal stream and tidal range); Buildings regulations renewable heat incentive (RHI) scheme inform government decisions; and provide The Wales government withdrew operates for domestic and non-domestic routes for public and stakeholder its sustainable buildings national buildings has been issued by Decc. In participation in the process. planning policy and related TAN22 November, the department forecast that bit.ly/21IUcx6 guidance in July 2014 with intention of RHI expenditure would increase from incorporating key non-energy elements of £430m in 2015/16 to £1.15bn in 10 May 2016 the Code for Sustainable Homes/BREEAM 2020/21. Its planned reforms relate Bioenergy into the building regulations. A review mainly to affordability (‘ensuring that the The European Commission is identified a number of components for RHI is affordable by firmly controlling consulting on plans to update incorporation into building regulations and costs’) and value for money (‘maximising policy on sustainable bioenergy for the government is consulting on these. They the benefits of the scheme including 2020–30 as part of the EU renewable include: changes to Part G – sanitation, hot carbon abatement and renewable heat energy package, which should be finalised water safety and water efficiency; and generation to achieve value for money for by the end of the year. Currently, the publication of guidance on the content and the taxpayer’). They also aim to provide renewable energy and fuel quality presentation of information to householders support to technologies unlikely to be directives provide an EU‐level for new dwellings. strategically important and to drive cost sustainability framework for biofuels and bit.ly/1QRJVtx

New guidance

Waste duty A new version of the waste duty of care code of practice for England and Wales has been published by Defra of care and the Environment Agency (bit.ly/1RDzaFq). The law requires anyone dealing with waste to keep it safe, make sure it is dealt with responsibly and given only to businesses authorised to take it. The code provides practical guidance for those who produce, carry, keep, dispose of, treat, import or have control of waste in England or Wales. The code also applies to those authorised or registered in Scotland or Northern Ireland but who store, transport or transfer waste in England or Wales (see p4). WEEE The Environment Agency has updated the public registers of electrical and electronic equipment producers (bit.ly/1RJ9qrn); approved exporters (bit.ly/1V6hpEu); approved authorised treatment facilities (bit. ly/1MhGGEu); and WEEE producer compliance schemes (bit.ly/24ZKFkl). Low-risk Updated guidance (version 62) has been published by the Environment Agency setting out its regulatory waste position on low-risk waste activities (bit.ly/1V6jT5D). Appendix A lists the low-risk activities covered and these range from animals and animal waste to wood and plant matter. The guide and the approach it sets out apply only to matters concerning environmental permitting for regulated facilities for waste operations in England and how to use it to meet the requirements of the duty of care. The agency says the guide must be read in conjunction with its approach to enforcement, sanctions and offences, last revised in October 2015 (bit.ly/1RDzaFq).

environmentalistonline.com April 2016 Roundtable 17

Paul Suff finds out whether the international standard can assist companies in realising their sustainability ambitions

ustainability is specifically referenced in Gatwick: ‘14001 was very helpful because the audit ISO 14001: 2015, which was published last asked questions on the ground that could be traced back September. According to the International to senior management, so it felt embedded. SOrganisation for Standardisation (ISO), the ‘An EMS is more valuable when it is endorsed by requirements of the revised standard for environment senior management. We had that, so it was easier to management systems (EMS) will enable organisations spread it through the organisation.’ to establish, implement, maintain and continually External pressure, in this case participation in People improve a framework in order to manage their and Planet’s Green League, was the main trigger for 14001 environmental responsibilities while contributing to at the University of Greenwich. the ‘environmental pillar’ of sustainability. However, head of sustainability Simon Goldsmith To find out whether it can help organisations to be said the EMS was not really driving wider improvement more sustainable, consultancy Ramboll Environ and at the university, which forced a rethink. ‘It was too the environmentalist hosted a roundtable with EMS procedural and seemed somewhat separate to our practitioners (see pp18–19 for list of the participants). strategic sustainability application,’ he explained. ‘We redefined our delivery of the EMS to become Help or hindrance? a programme of enabling accountability and To gauge how 14001 has been helping and hindering management of all our key sustainability relationships. sustainability efforts in their organisations since it We also opened up the implementation of the system was last revised in 2004, Greg Roberts, manager at beyond the sustainability team so everyone, including Ramboll Environ, who chaired the discussion, asked senior managers, who perform audits now understand the panel about their experiences of it. their role and what the organisation is trying to achieve. Lugano Kapembwa, environment manager at The EMS is now a really useful tool.’ property company Canary Wharf Management, spoke Claudia Dommett-Noehren, sustainability about his involvement with environment systems in specialist at infrastructure company Colas Rail, previous roles at News International and Gatwick talked about how the 14001-certified EMS for the airport. He said the standard had contributed to driving Infrastructure Projects division at her former company sustainability in both organisations, particularly at Network Rail had provided a good platform on which April 2016 environmentalistonline.com 18 Roundtable

Making the transition programme at Network Rail, a risk manager facilitated an aspects This IEMA-approved one-day course aims to help individuals and impacts workshop with responsibility for implementing or maintaining an and her approach was environmental management system (EMS) based on 14001 to adapt much clearer; project to the revised standard. Participants receive insights from IEMA on managers tend the new standard and the IEMA EMS gap analysis tool, and learn to understand the how to identify and plan actions so that their organisation can language of risk.’ conform to the new requirements. Harrison added: ‘We For a list of approved training providers running the course go to have a corporate risk training.iema.net or see the December 2015 issue of the environmentalist. register and new risks are recorded in it, so I can see to build in other aspects of the sustainability agenda. ‘It the standard becoming a core helped us link in social impact objectives when setting part of this process.’ the environmental ones for the EMS,’ she said. Dommett-Noehren Air transport communications and information said 14001: 2015 would help technology company SITA developed its corporate social practitioners drive improvements responsibility (CSR) strategy seven years ago. Director in organisational performance of CSR Amber Harrison told the panel that 14001 had across the three pillars of sustainable played an important role in developing the strategy. development: ‘The new standard gives ‘Using a recognised framework provided credibility and the profession the tools to get sustainability Claudia Dommett-Noehren structure,’ she said. ‘It’s a living, breathing document and on the agenda much more than the 2004 version.’ sustainability specialist we include social aspects in the EMS.’ at Colas Rail Mark Greenwood, group HSE director at packaging Lifecycle thinking firm DS Smith, is responsible for more than 300 sites. A stipulation in 14001: 2015 that is of His experience suggests a correlation is not always concern to the panel is the requirement evident between achieving certification and good site to consider a lifecycle perspective when performance. ‘But where a site is well managed it is looking at activities, products and services. likely to also be more sustainable.’ ‘We don’t make anything, we’re a service company, so I think the lifecycle Enter 14001: 2015 requirement might be complex to implement,’ Roberts next asked whether the additional said Maria Hughes, UK environment requirements in the revised standard, with its manager, at consulting and outsourcing company Mark Greenwood greater focus on leadership, context, stakeholders Capgemini. ‘We have a good procurement process group health, safety and and communication, risks and opportunities, and and we do encourage clients to use our sustainable environment director at DS Smith lifecycle thinking, would help drive sustainability. datacentre, but we’ll need to think about how we ‘Our chief executive has signed the UN Global approach lifecycle thinking as part of our EMS.’ Compact [UNGC] and we report to GRI4, so we The lifecycle element is also a concern for Greenwood: already have some of the new areas in the 2015 ‘There’s nothing particularly radical about most of the new standard covered, such as leadership,’ said Harrison. requirements, but lifecycle thinking is different. Because ‘The challenge is balancing the requirements of GRI, of purchasing decisions we can exercise a good degree the UNGC and 14001. How do they fit together?’ of control over our upstream suppliers, but we have far Marcus Pearson is environment manager at DP less control over our downstream customers. Once our World London Gateway, a new deep-water port and cardboard leaves the factory we have little influence over logistics park being developed on the River Thames. He how it is used or disposed of. To suggest we have leverage is enthusiastic about the changes. ‘The 2015 version will over the end-user is absurd.’ Simon Goldsmith help me in around issue like procurement, leadership ‘Lifecycle thinking is the one area that stands out head of sustainability at University of Greenwich and organisational buy-in,’ he said. and will be difficult to apply,’ said Goldsmith. ‘The This is because some of the terminology in 14001: other issues [leadership, context, stakeholders and 2015 is more business friendly. Pearson said using the communication, risks and opportunities] are relatively terms risk and opportunity would help embed an EMS straightforward. Get the leadership right and everything and achieve further senior management engagement. else in the standard should flow. That’s not the case with ‘I’ve done a lot training and trying to explain to a non- lifecycle thinking.’ The university spends around £40m environment audience what aspects and impacts mean a year on procurement but, Goldsmith said, the lifecycle can be very difficult,’ he said. ‘Senior management requirement would force it to examine how it engaged understand risk and opportunity more than aspects and suppliers. ‘We will also need to more effectively look at how they relate to the business.’ our core business – teaching and research. These have Dommett-Noehren agreed: ‘It can take cross- historically been challenging areas to engage with.’ Amber Harrison functional personnel time to understand impacts and Kapembwa said firms should be able to exert director of corporate social responsibility aspects, so the terms risk and opportunity are better. influence over suppliers but feared this might disrupt at SITA When I was developing the EMS on the Crossrail longstanding procurement practices and relationships.

environmentalistonline.com April 2016 Roundtable 19

‘If customers start added: ‘If the EMS is just a folder that the auditor flicks asking for more through and says it is fine, then it’s not adding value. information about How the system is audited is a major issue.’ goods and services, Goldsmith too said auditors must show that their suppliers may begin work was adding value: ‘Someone will be signing off the to equate 14001 budget for the audit and they should require evidence with time-consuming that past assessments have triggered improvements.’ questionnaires,’ ‘Auditors need to act as your critical friend,’ said he warned. Hughes. Pearson agreed: ‘We don’t mind being told to Maria Hughes ‘The potential impact make things better, particularly if it produces cost savings.’ UK environment of lifecycle thinking on Greenwood advised practitioners to mark the manager at Capgemini procurement is a big issue for me,’ auditor’s findings. ‘We do not accept something if we conceded Pearson. ‘We have more than disagree; if it goes wrong and you didn’t challenge it, that 2,000 suppliers and do lots of tenders. could present a problem when the regulators investigate.’ So the whole lifecycle thing is frightening to some extent. Our 14001 EMS will need to Summing up focus more on procurement.’ Roberts asked the panel to reconsider his original Goldsmith said one answer would be question about whether 14001 was good for to ensure departments such as procurement sustainability in light of the changes that had been properly understood their role in the made to the standard. EMS: ‘Give them ownership and explain ‘I’m excited by 14001: 2015,’ said Dommett- Lugano Kapembwa exactly what it means for them; how Noehren. ‘The new standard will really help knit environment manager at Canary what they’re doing helps to drive sustainability into my organisation. I think it will Wharf Management improvement. [The profession] encourage other organisations to engage in the broader should see the lifecycle requirements sustainability issues, though that might also depend on as an opportunity to knock on who has ownership of the EMS and how they sell it to the door of the procurement and the rest of the business.’ other core departments.’ ‘Yes, we need to illustrate it The new standard will be good for my for others or it just becomes a technical exercise,’ said Pearson. organisation and our drive to be sustainable. Roberts, a member of the ISO working group that We want to push the EMS more into CSR revised 14004, the guidelines on implementing an EMS that were Hughes also expressed enthusiasm, believing the published on 1 March to reflect the revised standard was an opportunity to take a fresh look changes in 14001, said one approach at her organisation’s systems. ‘I did the IEMA 14001 to lifecycle thinking was to apply it transition training course [see panel, p18] as we were only where it was significant. going through the new requirements. I thought, yes, we’ll be OK. But I still want to take our EMS back to basics, to Adding value pull it apart and put it back together rather than bolt on Another potential worry was whether the auditing the new bits. It’s an opportunity for innovation.’ community had the competence generally to assess Pearson also viewed the changes positively. ‘It’ll compliance with the new standard effectively. be good for my organisation and our drive to be Harrison compared her experiences from more sustainable. We want to push the EMS more audits in five countries to doing the hokey cokey. into the corporate social responsibility arena. It’s an ‘Each had their own set of aspects and they’d expect opportunity to rethink our system. It may also allow Marcus Pearson to see those covered. An auditor with an engineering us to bid farewell to the language of aspects, at least environment manager at DP World background would be looking for one thing, while when we’re talking to non-environmental colleagues.’ London Gateway someone with financial sector experience would be Greenwood said: ‘I’m hoping the changes will enable looking for something else. We’d put something in for us to get to the stage where 14001 is one of the indicators one auditor and have to take it out for another. That we can use to assess whether a site is sustainable. If that was really frustrating.’ happens it will help drive sustainability.’ She offered advice on what to look for in an auditor. ‘The revised 14001 holds practitioners to a higher ‘We use BSi now and are very happy with them but, standard,’ said Goldsmith. ‘It moves us away from when we first started, some assessors claimed they environment management to sustainability. It should could audit us in an afternoon. It shouldn’t be that help push the profession forward.’ easy. A good auditor should always find room for Harrison was also positive, although she was improvement. If not, they’re not doing their job.’ cautious about how easy it would be to move from The panel was unanimous in expecting audits to the 2004 version. ‘Complying with some of the new Greg Roberts add value. ‘We want more than a check of the aspects requirements will be more of a challenge than others … manager at register and a site inspection,’ said Pearson. Kapembwa and I’m glad we’ve got 18 months to make the transition.’ Ramboll Environ April 2016 environmentalistonline.com 20 Energy management

Making 50001 work Niall Enright worked with property company Peel on certification to the energy management standard and compliance with ESOS. Here, he gives some insights

ntil recently few UK organisations Desktop from Verco, while an opportunities database contemplated achieving the international was created to drive improvement. Between 2010 and energy management standard. That changed 2013 more than £500,000 savings were achieved each Uin 2014 when the government included ISO year against costs of around £4m – a reduction of more 50001 as one of two main routes to complying with the than 12.5%. The Carbon Trust certification ranked Peel mandatory energy savings opportunity scheme (ESOS). top of 29 UK property companies benchmarked. Reaching 50001 is a demanding process and, to date, So there was a concern that 50001 would undermine a only 217 out of 5,938 organisations, or 3.6%, have taken process that was delivering good results for the company this route to achieve ESOS compliance. and its tenants. Glover says: ‘What decided it for us One organisation that has is Peel Land and Property was the realisation that the standard route to ESOS (PL&P), which owns and manages 1.2 million m² compliance through audits offered little value as we had of property and 15,000 hectares of land and water already audited all our major assets and quantified our worth £2.3bn. Properties include the MediaCityUK use as a result of the CRC [carbon reduction commitment]. development in Salford, the nearby EventCity exhibition So we decided to proceed with 50001, but in a way that complex and two outlet malls, Salford’s Lowry and would put the energy champions front and centre.’ Gloucester Quays. PL&P is part of The Peel Group, one of the UK’s largest investors in real estate, infrastructure Working with the champions and transport, with assets of more than £5bn. With this direction, getting started was easy. As ‘management representative’, I worked with the energy Going for the standard champions to examine their processes and devise a The Peel Group has had an overarching energy and model for best practice that involved improvement carbon policy since 2009. It includes an emissions opportunities and target-setting. These became the core reduction target of 3% year on year, adjusted for 50001 activities, with some changes in terminology activity. It is a goal that Peel has achieved every year. to make it easier for auditors to relate them to the ISO Achieving 50001 was first considered in 2012 when standard. The champions were clear about which the company was updating the policy, but it took a aspects of 50001 they believed added value and those further year before it decided to go for the standard. they considered burdensome. We emphasised the A key attraction was the independent assessment of former and reduced the latter to a minimum. performance. However, there were misgivings among Formulating the 50001 process in terms that the management team about implementing 50001 in an reflect an organisation’s activities is critical. Although organisation where people were accustomed to working it may appear easier to copy and paste from the with a high degree of trust, autonomy and professional standard, there is a risk of failing to document what freedom. David Glover, the operations director and the the organisation does, a shortcoming that would be board member driving Peel’s sustainability agenda, uncovered during the audit. says: ‘One of my biggest concerns about the process was As well as tailoring the ISO process to the the impact that this would have on the enthusiasm and organisation, it is also important to keep it simple. motivation of our “energy champions”, who were doing Peel’s 50001 process applied to a range of facilities: such an outstanding job.’ offices, exhibition centres, studios, car parks, three When the company decided to go for 50001 there was regional airports, outlet malls, environmental assets, already a strong record on energy management in place. energy generation and retail and industrial parks. Between 2009 and 2013 it was certified to the Carbon The description of the entire Peel ISO 50001 process, Trust Standard. Every major asset in its portfolio had including all the forms, schedules of businesses and an energy champion and was subject to a full audit to people, and the audit calendar, fits on just 24 pages of the CIBSE TM22 assessment and reporting standard. At A4. A concise process is easier for staff to follow and is the same time, sophisticated performance targets were simpler to maintain. established to account for measures such as weather and However, brevity should not lead to ambiguity. It occupancy. Performance was monitored using Carbon is important not only to spell out what the process is,

environmentalistonline.com April 2016 Energy management 21

TOP TIPS for 50001 success

People and culture Process Certification „„Be clear about why you are „„Ideally, put great energy management „„Meet the prospective certifier doing 50001 in place first, then do 50001 before appointing them „„Senior management „„Describe your process, do not just „„Run the system for a year commitment is critical repeat the standard (minimum) before certification to success „„Make the document as concise as possible „„Make sure your internal „„Beware the demotivating „„Remember to document what, who, audits are complete potential of imposed systems when and how verified before certification

but who will do it, by when, and how it will be verified yet lacking in knowledge about energy management. and recorded. If this is clear, it will be easy for the One certifier even suggested that we ‘dumb down’ certification body to validate a system. the targets to a simpler kWh/m2 because they found After three months working on the document, Peel’s correlation with heating and cooling degree days system went live in April 2014. Since so much of the too complicated. Others, usually more experienced, process was based on the existing approach to energy took a ‘key principles’ approach and would test the efficiency, the energy champions took it all in their stride. system against the broad intentions of the standard, such as continuous improvement, measurement, Learning points accountability, verification and so forth. One early learning point from PL&P was the importance The chosen certifier, Tim Watts from Lucideon, of the internal audits. About six months after the launch showed lots of experience in auditing a complex of 50001, these took centre stage. First, the audits organisation such as Peel. He also had first-hand provided confirmation that everyone understood the knowledge of energy systems and construction. processes. Critically the internal audits enabled those The process, between April and July 2015, was working on certification to flag up where work was still thorough. An initial one-day document review needed. For example, one relatively minor aspect of the was followed by an intense three-day audit at the standard involves checking the calibration records for all Peel offices, with every document, action plan, meters in the system. However, in some older properties the organisational structure, energy performance it was difficult to find these. An action request as part indicators and internal audit records scrutinised. Watts of the audit/non-conformity process signalled to the met most of the energy champions and several business certifiers that PL&P had a programme of work in place to managers. He also inspected actual energy efficiency fix it so they could not fail the company on this. measures ‘in situ’. Every single aspect of the standard, Another tip for anyone looking to have a 50001 no matter how small, was checked. At the end of the system externally certified (a requirement for ESOS) process, Watts identified one minor non-conformity: the is that some auditors adopt a different approach. I teams did not respond as vigorously to green exceptions would strongly urge anyone seeking certification to (when PL&P was performing better that expected) than interview auditors they are considering appointing. to red exceptions (when it was performing worse). Although the certification bodies are UKAS-accredited ‘In the course of the three-day onsite certification and notionally work to the same standard, individual audit, it became clear to me that the energy auditors can fall into several camps. We found some management system at Peel was a long-established

© iStock.com/swanseajack999 took a ‘literalist’ approach to the standard, nitpicking process, which has widespread support from the April 2016 environmentalistonline.com 22 Energy management

Watts inspecting a lighting project with Chris Dunham, energy champion at PL&P © Peel Group In terms of a statement of quality, the fact that David Glover, director at PL&P, left, and 50001 auditor Tim Watts 50001 is difficult to achieve added to the rigour of the certification process and makes this a benchmark the boardroom to the facilities teams,’ says Watts. ‘This company values. It is one badge that Peel wears with was reflected in the very considerable number of pride and is happy to communicate to its customers, completed energy-efficient projects, which I was able tenants and partners. ‘This recognises the commitments to observe during my visit, and the professionalism we have made over a number of years in terms of our and dedication of the staff involved.’ energy use and carbon emissions,’ says Glover. How have the energy champions reacted? They Going forward are going from strength to strength. Today the savings So how do staff at PL&P involved in the 50001 process exceed £1.3m a year, reducing energy by almost 30%. feel now the company has its certification? It was Peel is not resting on its laurels, however. ‘We are certainly hard work to launch the system, and the determined to continue to lead the way in the design certification process itself was stressful. But it has of new low-carbon facilities as well as review how we improved the company’s energy management in two operate our existing properties,’ says Glover. ways: first, the action plans formalised input from business managers into the energy management Niall Enright is director of the consultancy SustainSuccess and process; second, the energy management system has has more than 25 years’ experience running energy and resource efficiency programmes for large organisations. He enabled the firm to take action in parts of the business was the management representative for the implementation that were yet to adopt best practice. of ISO 50001 at Peel Land and Property Group.

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Shaun Bainbridge, Director, Assurance www.lucideon.com/ISO50001

environmentalistonline.com April 2016 © AkzoNobel April 2016 possibilities Endless P AkzoNobelfirm to do more by using less ambition are helping paint and chemicals Paul Suff reports on how imagination and effective use of natural resources, he says. resources, of natural use effective more making is environment for the value The benefits. or energy resource generate and functionality excellent have that products providing involves for customers value better that He explains says. Veneman resources,’ fewer from value more create that solutions to develop suppliers and customers our with to work together us ‘It requires competitors. its of those than customers for its sustainable more are –that solutions eco-premium as –known products from generated to be 2020 by revenue of its 20% time.’ over strengthen will focus That less. with value more create that products making started have and trends these against opportunities and risks business our reviewed we have so resources, on natural strain enormous an be will There class. middle be will of them many and cities in live will 2050. Some 70% by planet the sharing people billion nine be will ‘There says. Veneman customers,’ our and businesses our impact will trends ‘We at look how global boundaries. planet’s the within operate to increasingly determination its reflect company chemicals and coatings paint, or he ambition,’ says. vision our don’t to limit have resources ‘Limited challenges. only see others where opportunities on identifying based is strategy the says environment, and safety In the short-term, AkzoNobel is aiming for for aiming is AkzoNobel short-term, the In Dutch-owned of the targets sustainability The corporate director for sustainability, health, health, sustainability, for director corporate Veneman, André less. with more doing about is and to sustainability approach of AkzoNobel’s name the is Possible lanet environmentalistonline.com footprint of the firm’s own operations declined by 17%. by declined operations own firm’s of the footprint 2012 absolute 2014 and the though between even sales of tonne per carbon in a 4% increase triggered changes These mixes. energy regional in changes and products footprint for higher demand greater margins, tighter due to was fall recent most 2013, The 98 in he says. of 100 and figure 2012 the baseline with compared 96 2014, was In says. REI the Veneman upwards,’ be increasingly resource-constrained world. an in indicator performance along-term become to index the expects company The improvements. of efficiency effects the captures and stable comparatively it is because added for value metric main the as selected was profit Gross footprint. carbon cradle-to-grave company’s the by divided profit gross as defined is index The chain. value the across used energy and materials of raw unit each from added more value to generate aim organisation’s on the progress 2013, in measures introduced was which (REI), index efficiency resource AkzoNobel’s efficiency Resource and energy in our products.’ our in energy and materials raw using we are for how efficiently aproxy as it using we are impact, climate of our ameasure as well ‘As goal: 2020 company’s the to achieving key is this that explains Veneman 30%. 25% and between by footprint carbon ‘cradle-to-grave’ its to reduce target a2020 set has firm The chain. value entire the across energy and of resources use efficient more to make AkzoNobel ‘It will vary from year to year, but the trend must must trend to year, but the year from vary ‘It will Achieving its sustainability ambitions also requires requires also ambitions sustainability its Achieving In practice 23 24 In practice

Measuring impacts in 4D The cradle-to-grave footprint reveals that around 40% of carbon emissions in 2014 were from raw materials extraction and processing (scope 3 upstream), In its 2014 sustainability report, AkzoNobel stated that economic 15% from AkzoNobel’s direct and indirect energy growth could not be sustained if the underlying natural and social consumption (scope 1 and 2), and 45% from use and capital upon which wealth creation depended was depleted. The end-of-life (scope 3 downstream). company has piloted an approach in its pulp and performance Recent initiatives to reduce the footprint include a chemicals operations in Brazil that focused on four impacts renewable energy supply strategy focusing on three – environmental, human, social and financial capital – to ascertain a areas: maintaining the firm’s existing share; participating more detailed insight into how profit and loss is generated and how in cost-effective, large-scale projects; and testing the the business affects the environment, people and society. feasibility of onsite generation. The proportion of energy The impacts of the process, titled 4D, were measured across the from renewable sources consumed by the company in whole value chain, from raw materials to the production of sodium 2014 was 34%, which it aims to raise to 45% in 2020. chlorate production and its use in pulp production by customers. Where After altering the energy mix at its Moses Lake plant in possible, AkzoNobel attached an economic value to the positive and the US, part of its Eka pulp and performance chemicals negative aspects of each dimension. division, renewable energy now provides 92% of the The results of the pilot were published in 2014 and revealed that the site’s electricity and heat, saving about 30,000 tonnes of impact on financial capital was positive and substantially higher than CO2. Two relatively new production facilities in Brazil, the conventional profit calculation. However, the impact on natural Jupiá and Imperatriz, each use 100% renewable energy capital was largely negative, caused partly by use of oil and natural gas sources. The Imperatriz plant processes sustainable and emissions to air of carbon, sulphur and nitrogen dioxides. eucalyptus pulp and the waste material generates Employee training programmes and career opportunities electricity through biomass. AkzoNobel is also a member generated a positive human impact, while that on social capital was of the VindIn consortium, a group of nine electricity- limited, due mainly to the nature of the operations in the pilot, which intensive companies that invests in wind power across had larger production volumes but involved fewer people compared Sweden. The target is to generate 1,000 GWh a year. with other industries. In terms of material efficiency, the company is Use of 4D in AkzoNobel is being scaled up to help the company make developing ‘slates’ of raw materials in key areas, better business decisions by reducing the negatives and building on the consisting of a list of core materials, vetted for health positives. It also reports that the findings from the pilot have been used and sustainability aspects. Eventually all materials and to improve the six plants in Brazil where it was conducted. suppliers will migrate to the slates, which, Veneman AkzoNobel chief executive Ton Büchner said of the findings: ‘We believes, will make the company’s value chain less wanted to push the boundaries of our impact assessment and develop a complex and more sustainable. AkzoNobel works deeper understanding of our influence across the whole value chain. with others to design products and use materials that ‘By attaching an economic value to the positive and negative aspects of can more easily be reused and recycled. ‘This circular each dimension, we can gain valuable insights into how we can thinking can’t just be restricted to a company’s own drive longer-term value, not only for our shareholders but operations,’ says Veneman. ‘Due to the complex nature of also for the environment, people and society at large.’ global value chains it needs to run across to customers, suppliers, business partners and communities.’ AkzoNobel is also increasingly switching to bio- based or renewable raw materials, which tend to exhibit lower footprints. These include algae-derived oils, bio-based epichlorohydrin and cellulose-based acetic acid. It is also exploring, mainly with partners, the development of chemicals derived from sunlight and CO2, waste and sugar beet. In 2014, 13% of organic raw materials came from bio-based sources. AkzoNobel is a member of Together for Sustainability, an industry initiative involving 12 leading European chemical companies. It aims to improve practices in supply chains by encouraging suppliers to adopt the principles in UN Global Compact and the Responsible Care Global Charter. Veneman reports that AkzoNobel is rolling out standard global corporate social responsibility assessments and onsite audits to monitor and improve sustainability practices in its supply chain.

In house The resource efficiency index centres on AkzoNobel working in partnership with suppliers and customers to become more sustainable. But the company is also working to improve its own operations and

© AkzoNobel has introduced an operational eco-efficiency (OEE)

environmentalistonline.com April 2016 In practice 25

AkzoNobel employees taking part in a project to paint favelas in Brazil © AkzoNobel

The plant, which can produce 100 million litres of paint a year, has been designed to minimise its OEE footprint. Its emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) are 75% less than older plants of a similar size, while it reuses 90% of solvents. Ten per cent of its energy is generated onsite, in part from a biomass plant and a rooftop solar photovoltaic array. Increases in efficiency have helped to reduce the energy required to produce one litre of paint by 60% compared with a programme, which determines how it manages conventional factory. its own processes and focuses on increasing raw material efficiency, reducing energy consumption, Innovative products and cutting emissions and the production of waste. The eco-premium solutions must be more sustainable AkzoNobel’s eco-efficiency footprint, which for AkzoNobel customers than those produced by combines energy, water, waste and air emissions, as well as competitors, and the company is on track to generate cost elements, is measured quarterly. Weighting factors for 20% of its revenue from them by 2020, achieving each of the four elements are used to calculate the overall 19% in 2014. footprint. This number – combined with production volume – Despite this strong performance, Veneman concedes is then used to calculate the relative footprint improvement. that achieving the target in four years depends on Between 2009 and 2014, there was a 24% improvement, and staying one-step ahead of competitors: ‘We’re in the 2017 target is a 40% smaller footprint than in 2009. competition. It’s a fight. If we stand still our competitors Veneman says AkzoNobel has made some notable will catch up, so we have to keep innovating.’ improvements in operational efficiency. At its innovation More than that at least two-thirds of AkzoNobel’s centre at Felling, Gateshead, a metering system to optimise annual research and development budget is spent on the compressors, which cost €50,000 to install, is saving developing environmental innovations, including the firm more than €150,000 a year. Switching from gas on products that have a cleaner or lower footprint to a district heating system at its metal coatings facility in process and on customer applications with less Malmö, Sweden, has reduced annual energy costs by 10%. environmental impact. One of these is an exterior Material efficiency, which is seen as more than simply paint, Weathershield KeepCool, that can reflect up reducing waste, is improving through initiatives such as to 85% more infrared radiation than comparable reusing packaging in China and, in the US, reconditioning exterior paints. This reduces the heat transferred to and reusing drums for transporting chemicals. Meanwhile, the interior of a building, which in turn cuts the energy total waste per tonne of production declined 5% in 2014 needed to keep it cool. compared with 2013, and total waste volume fell 7%. AkzoNobel reports that, independent tests in Consumption of freshwater is also lower. The Singapore found energy savings were up to 10% for company’s new £100m decorative paints plant in a typical 15-storey building and 15% for the average Ashington, Northumberland, has a sustainable freshwater house. Veneman says the paint underlines how the management system, which includes rainwater harvesting company is developing solutions that can help the and the reuse of wash water in the production process. world’s cities cope with higher temperatures and the A site is classed by AkzoNobel as having a sustainable need to reduce energy consumption. freshwater management system when it scores low in all Another eco-premium solution is a biocide-free, categories of the firm’s assessment tool comprising water anti-slime coating developed by the firm’s marine sources, supply reliability, efficiency, quality of discharges, coatings business, which helps ship operators to save compliance and social competitive factors. fuel and cut emissions. AkzoNobel says Intersleek April 2016 environmentalistonline.com 26 In practice

1100SR is the first foul release coating to prevent the build-up of slime, thereby reducing drag. In addition, it enables owners that switch from biocidal antifouling products to earn carbon credits. The firm has also developed a more sustainable barrier coating, EvCote, for beverage and food paper packaging, including cups and sleeves for French fries. The coatings use recycled PET bottles and plant-based oils components in the base, and the zero VOC waterborne coating can be repulped, recycled or composted after use. Lifecycle assessment [LCA] applies to all sustainability work at AkzoNobel, including its eco-premium solutions, which require assessment of sustainability along the entire value chain. The company’s standard method is called eco-efficiency analysis, a combination of LCA and lifecycle costing. Specialists who follow the principles and framework set out in ISO 14040 and 14044 perform the assessments. Veneman says the eco-premium concept promotes top line and bottom line growth opportunities. ‘It can generate improvements in the use of raw materials and reduce the energy use and waste in the manufacturing process. It can also help to stimulate the production of environmentally beneficial alternatives to existing solutions and improve product performance.’ He adds that innovation in products and processes is the key: ‘It

© AkzoNobel is crucial to our current and future success.’

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environmentalistonline.com April 2016 © iStock.com/KristianSeptimiusKrogh April 2016 climate change resilience and adaptation EIA in Phil Gouais Le outline guide for anew IEMA Henry Le Brecht Le Henry „ „ „ It requires: change. climate from arising challenges and threats the on assessing emphasis 2017, spring by legislation domestic more places into (2014/52/EU), due transposed to is be which Directive EIA EU revised the this, Recognising Directive EIA T change to Acclimatising developments will be the subject of future guidance. of future subject the be will developments from climate on the impacts Tackling development. of aproposed resilience the account into to take how and assessments impact in variations climate on including guidance produced has IEMA response, In environmental impact assessment (EIA) practitioners. (EIA) assessment impact environmental for challenge asignificant is events such trigger that climate our in of variations account How to take forecast. 2015-16 in £5bn to one than – more according alone, „ „ „ on the environment. on the development of the impacts the assessing when variation of climate account to take them for and climate; on future developments of impacts the to assess practitioners EIA variations; climate to resilient are projects to ensure developers causing billions of pounds worth of damage of damage worth of pounds billions causing businesses, and homes devastated and country, of the tracts large flooded lives, cost have winters recent in UK the hit have that he storms environmentalistonline.com , James Montgomery James

the regulatory regime changes. regime regulatory the before practice of evolution sound the support to and considered being for projects managed well are they that now so process assessment the in risks to climate consideration enhanced give to begin authorities competent and practitioners that advocates guide the such, As spring. next from required be will what to anticipate practitioners and developers encourage and approval at planning EIA in change of climate inclusion late requiring regulators of risk the minimise developers that ensure will completed, such as for phase one of the HS2 rail link. HS2 rail one of the for phase as completed, such already out on those work carried initial on the builds and assessments, in change of climate inclusion start interim. the in conducted assessments from learned on lessons build will This spring. next implemented are regulations UK new the for when planned version future a with practice, assessment to improve step first the is guidance The process. EIA the in when and consider to issues on which prompts giving by practitioners to assist produced been has guide the drivers, directive. revised the with line in change climate of consideration effective for the aframework provides Adaptation and IEMA believes early adoption of the guidance guidance of the adoption early believes IEMA to kick- intended is guidance of the release early The policy and on legislative adiscussion with Along The IEMA IEMA The EIA Guide for Climate ChangeEIA Resilience was published in November 2015 November and in published was and and Climate resilience

27 28 specialists onspecialists future climate conditions informed advice to be available to EIA assessment process, it isimportant for To integrate climate properly into the Climate resilience

© iStock.com/SBTheGreenMan assessing its impact. its assessing of terms in and resilient is ascheme to guarantee both directive: revised the under change for climate account to properly need of the aware is developer care. with used be should and complex is information but the to practitioners, available are UKCP09) called and publications, on 2009 based (currently Office Met the by published Projections conditions. climate on future specialists technical to EIA available to be advice informed for important it is process, assessment the into properly To climate integrate climate effects change 1. Resourcing to assess EIA guide: the in principles key five are There principles underlying Five „ „ „ „ the IEMA guide would: guide IEMA the „ „ „ „ It is the role of EIA co-ordinators to ensure the the to ensure co-ordinators role of EIA the It is used in the assessment. the in used base knowledge of the account a pragmatic taking by of effects significance the define and assessed; been have change to climate related how effects outset clearly considered; was change to climate resilience project’s of how the explanation aconcise provide always make reference to climate change; with line in produced statement environmental An

in climate is small. is climate in variation potential the since affected not particularly are up to 2040, lifetimes, short with developments that noting worth It is responses. at regional generally look scenarios (called climate change projections) and emission of greenhouse-gas for arange models uncertainties. the understand properly specialists topic various the and developer the to ensure ordinator co- change climate role of the the It is to aproject. relation in of change impacts the to assess difficult it make uncertainties Such conditions. average as well as events extreme affect and evolve might climate future about how the uncertainty is There Identifying the climate future 2. „ „ specialist but they should be able be to: should but they specialist aclimate to be not have does person This projections. future interpreting and using in experienced is and co-ordinator), change (a models climate change climate about future knowledgeable is who practitioner „ „ Climate change predictions are based on global on global based are predictions change Climate the environmental statement. environmental the in change on climate background the write and projections; on these based co-ordinator EIA to the recommendations make and datasets, national and patterns climate regional as such sources, information available access To assist the co-ordinator, EIA teams require a a require teams EIA co-ordinator, To the assist environmentalistonline.com

April 2016

Climate resilience 29

It is also possible that the EIA will identify climate change risks to the project. These should be communicated to the design team to ensure they are aware of potential residual issues.

4. Integrating climate change adaptation into the EIA The guide sets out the considerations that should be given to climate adaptation at key stages in the assessment process, with examples of the actions that are likely to be required at each stage. Emphasis is placed on scoping the assessment since this is when broad principles must be translated into tangible plans for addressing climate adaptation issues. The guidance covers the following steps required during the EIA: „„scoping climate resilience in or out of the environmental statement; „„defining the boundaries of the climate change assessment; „„consulting about climate change; „„defining a future baseline; „„identifying climate change vulnerability and sensitivity of receptors; „„identifying future impacts; „„assessing ‘in-combination’ impacts of the scheme and an evolving baseline; and „„assessing significance.

5. Developing mitigation plans through adaptive management EIA practitioners will have to embrace uncertainty in the development of mitigation measures to deal with significant effects on receptors to ensure they are properly accounted for. After 2040 the projections diverge, and it is likely that the EIA will have to consider a range of conditions, The guide sets out the considerations that depending on the lifespan of the project. A project with a long life, such as major transport infrastructure, should be given to climate adaptation at key would have to consider a wider range of climate conditions than one with a shorter lifespan. stages in the impact assessment process Precisely how the assessment covers the array of possibilities will require practitioners to examine This will be a big challenge to EIA practitioners, the resilience of environment receptors in their regulators and developers, given that assigning specialism to climate change. If the project could have responsibility and agreeing how and when possible future an impact on a significant number of climate-sensitive mitigation should be adopted is not something that is receptors, a more robust examination of future climate generally dealt with under current planning and approval variation would be justified. processes. If the scheme is unlikely to have an impact on a The source of climate projections and the range receptor until the climate has changed in, say, 30 years, the of those used in the EIA (and project design) must be regulators and developer will need to agree whether this is clearly described in the environmental statement. something to be considered now, or included in planning conditions and land titles for future land owners to cover. 3. Building climate resilience This process is described as adaptive management. Developers and scheme designers must carry out a The guide discusses the issues associated with defining risk assessment of a project to ensure it is resilient mitigation for future impacts and the steps required to to future climate change. develop an effective adaptive management plan. Performing a risk assessment not only makes economic sense, but the revised directive requires Henry Le Brecht is a senior environmental planner, James the environmental statement to confirm that the Montgomery is the environment divisional manager, and Phil Le Gouais is a principal environmental planner at Mott MacDonald. scheme is future-proofed against changes in the They are joint authors of IEMA’s EIA Guide for Climate Change climate. This should be included in the section of the Resilience and Adaptation. The authors would like to thank the publication’s working group for its support. The guide lists all statement that discusses the options considered in those involved in producing, reviewing and commenting on developing the scheme design. drafts and is available at iema.net/eia-climate-change. April 2016 environmentalistonline.com 30 Regulation

Wales: the new home of sustainability? Every major public body in Wales will soon have a duty to maximise sustainable development. But will it simply be wise words or could it transform a nation? Alex Marshall reports

ince the first Welsh Government formed in Finally, the act forces organisations to work together 1999, the country has claimed to lead the UK – by creating public service boards for each of Wales’s the world, in fact – on sustainability. But, more 22 local authority areas. These must carry out Soften than not, that claim seemed to be based assessments of an area’s wellbeing by 2017 and set goals on words rather than action. And a lot of words at that. to improve it within 12 months of establishing them. In 2009, the government produced One Wales, One A future generations commissioner will oversee Planet, a 78-page document setting out the strategy this whole system with the help of the Welsh for making Wales the first truly sustainable country. auditor-general. The former deputy police and crime Its main target? To reduce Wales’s ecological footprint commissioner for south Wales, Sophie Howe, was to ‘1.88 global hectares per person’ so it was living appointed to the post in November. within ‘the global average availability of resources’. Together, all this sounds impressive and it is This was admirable, certainly, but it was also a target unsurprisingly easy to find cheerleaders for the act. few policymakers, let alone members of the public, ‘It’s one of the bravest pieces of statute I’ve seen,’ says understood. As a result, the strategy stalled. Dr Alan Netherwood of consultancy Netherwood But change is in the air. The Wellbeing of Future Sustainable Futures, which co-ordinated an early Generations Act received royal assent in April 2015 adopters programme involving 11 councils and and this has the potential to turn the country into an three national parks. ‘It will really challenge the core indisputable sustainability leader. approach of the public sector in getting them to think long term and out of silos.’ 43 public bodies But what it means in practice for the organisations Under the act, 43 public bodies – from local affected depends on to whom you talk. To some, the authorities to Natural Resources Wales, and NHS legislation will change little – it will simply require a trusts to fire and rescue services – are being given tweak here and there, a rebranding of goals already in a duty to promote sustainable development. This place to ensure they are couched in the act’s language. is defined as maximising their contribution to But others believe it could alter everything they do. the economic, social, environmental and cultural wellbeing of the country. Getting to grips The legislation also establishes seven wellbeing The organisations that appear to have done most goals – from a resilient Wales to a healthy Wales – to understand the act’s implications are local some of which include strong environmental elements. authorities, although the final report from the early The main economic goal, for example, defines ‘a adopters programme admits some still have their prosperous Wales’ as ‘an innovative, productive and ‘heads in the sand’ about it. low-carbon society which recognises the limits of the Several are already sustainability leaders and the act global environment’. Each of the 43 organisations must should pose few problems for them. Swansea Council, set its own targets under these goals; a forthcoming set for example, has had a sustainable development unit of indicators will feed into this process. since 1997, and already commissions future trends Accompanying guidance, meanwhile, expects reports, looking 25 years ahead, to identify long-term organisations to adopt five ways of working to needs. It also asks departments to work together, as guarantee their decisions are always sustainable. These the Act envisages. This has led to programmes such as include ‘looking to the long term’, preferably 10–25 the one between its social services and environment years ahead, and focusing on the causes of problems to departments under which people with disabilities clean prevent them reoccurring. urban areas that would otherwise be left to ruin.

environmentalistonline.com April 2016 Regulation 31

However, Suzy Richards, a member of the unit, says the act has made Swansea realise it needs to engage its senior management more in sustainability issues to change the organisation’s culture. As a result, the authority has created a future generations board to sit directly below the executive board and discuss wellbeing targets and possible areas for collaboration with other organisations. In a similar vein, Vale of Glamorgan has become the first local authority to bring the act into its corporate plan to 2020, the document that sets the tone for everything the council does. ‘Before, our plans would have a couple of paragraphs saying we’re committed to sustainability,’ says Helen Moses, the council’s strategy and partnerships manager. ‘But we’re now talking about it explicitly: the legislation, the need to adopt new ways of working, the need to set objectives that fit across the seven goals and so on.’ A draft of the plan certainly does refer in detail to the act, although the continuing impact on the council’s operations of central government-imposed austerity is mentioned too. Moses does not try to hide the fact that budget cuts present a challenge in implementing the act. ‘The need to think in the long term does present us with challenges and trying to look at a 10- to 25-year horizon is probably the aspect of the act we’ll find most difficult as we know plans can be impacted by changing budgets.’ The Welsh Local Government Association has long called for the government to give councils six-year indicative budgets rather than setting them annually, but that looks unlikely to happen. Moses points out that the act’s focus on collaboration and innovative ways of working could save councils money and should spur people to adopt its ideas, but she admits there are other issues ahead that could divert attention from the legislation, not least the government’s plan to slash the number of councils in Wales from 22 to eight and elections in May. An in-depth look at her council’s draft corporate plan also suggests much work will be needed before the act truly changes what authorities like the Vale of Glamorgan does. Most of the actions the document contains are similar to those found in any corporate plan but include developing a digital inclusion strategy and one for transport to reduce local air pollution. The only difference is they have been grouped to show how they contribute to the seven national wellbeing goals. Moses says this is unsurprising because the act does not change ‘the core business of what the council is’. But the new ways of working embodied in the legislation should change how the council does that business. ‘Of course the success of the plan will not be seen in its drafting but in the delivery,’ Moses adds. April 2016 environmentalistonline.com 32 Regulation

Natural Resources Wales the act that the services welcome most is their statutory Outside councils, the organisation that is most open membership of the boards. They can then be listened about how significant the act could be is Natural to and should be able to encourage more collaboration. Resources Wales (NRW). ‘It’s a big challenge,’ says Existing local service boards tend to be dominated by Ruth Tipping, team leader for future generations, councils with little input from other organisations. climate change and landscape. ‘We’re a relatively However, Morris admits the development of such new body. NRW was created to bring together joined-up programmes will depend on the enthusiasm Environment Agency Wales, the Forestry Commission of other board members: ‘Some seem to be taking the and the Countryside Commission for Wales, but it’ll view that we already do needs assessments for an area be a step change to do more and be collaborative and just continue as we are, but others are taking the outside our areas.’ view we need a complete rethink. I do think the act could be transformative. There just needs to be time Public service boards will provide a forum for for the dust to settle.’ NRW to move others away from talking about Checks and balances One thing everyone agrees could decide the micro-issues to bigger ones like climate change success of the act is the potential checks it contains, principally whether the auditor-general and the ‘It’s a widening of approach,’ adds Sarah Williams, future generations commissioner can name and manager of NRW’s natural resources and ecosystems shame organisations that do little. group. ‘We need to make a contribution to all seven Howe took up the role as future generations goals, not just the environment ones. So if we’re commissioner on 1 February, but is already clear on building a flood defence we need to ask ourselves what the challenges ahead and how she will overcome them. more we could do to get a wider benefit from it in terms ‘The biggest issue will be asking bodies to focus on of leisure or health, such as by adding a cycle route. It’s prevention of problems and taking a long-term view about maximising contributions.’ to solving them,’ she says. ‘Public sector bodies have An added complication for NRW is that it will be been collaborating for years, so that requirement and implementing the legislation at the same time as it the [introduction of the] public service boards are not prepares for the enactment of the Environment (Wales) big changes, but I think a lot of bodies are caught up in Bill, which has been submitted for royal assent. This will crisis management – the here and now of keeping their give NRW the responsibility for managing and improving day-to-day services running – so it’s understanding they Wales’s natural resources. It will also have to assess the need to shift away from that.’ nation’s natural resources much as public service boards Howe’s background as a deputy police commissioner will have to assess local wellbeing. has shaped that view. ‘While I was in the police, we had NRW has started running training programmes an issue with the maintenance of vehicles and created to ensure all staff realise the changes the act and bill a joint facility with the council to maintain theirs too,’ will cause, although uncertainties are likely to remain she says. ‘It was a great example of collaboration, but we for some time given the host of new responsibilities didn’t think about including renewable energy in that to be absorbed without extra finance. NRW has not project, and that was a missed opportunity.’ clarified what the change in approach will mean for the One of her main roles will be to identify and share businesses it regulates, Tipping adds. best practice, but her remit will extend to highlighting However, NRW does like the concept of the public ways to achieve culture change in organisations, such service boards. It is a statutory member of all 22 as identifying champions. and will be relied on to provide much of the data for However, she wants to go beyond that by trying to wellbeing assessments. remove burdens on public sector bodies that could stop Although that sounds like a burden, Williams says them focusing on the act. ‘I do have sympathies with the boards will provide a forum on which NRW can try people who say there are too many requirements on the to persuade other organisations to move away from public sector and too many plans everyone’s asked to discussing micro-issues to bigger ones like climate do, all to different timescales,’ she says. change. ‘So if we were discussing flood prevention Ultimately, though, it will be the responsibility of in a town we’d be wanting people to realise flooding public bodies to understand the act and ensure it is is due to activities in a whole catchment and perhaps what the Welsh government intended: something that what’s needed is action to improve land management genuinely makes the country a leader, the first to put upstream [rather than a new defence]. But that’ll be sustainability at the heart of everything it does. a massive challenge as people always focus on their ‘We’ve started looking at council plans [for dealing patch.’ As soon as Williams says this, she insists that with the act] and the words are normally all there, but flooding is only one example – that being her area of my litmus test will be, “What changes?’’,’ Howe says. expertise – and towns should not start panicking about ‘I want to see bodies changing the way they deliver future flood defence provision. services and how people receive them. It can’t just be Other organisations regard the boards as similarly nice words again.’ crucial. Shan Morris, corporate planning manager at North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, says one feature of Alex Marshall is a writer on the environment and sustainability.

environmentalistonline.com April 2016 Benchmarking 33

Is your business fit for the future? Michael Hardisty asks when a company can be considered genuinely sustainable

aving worked in carbon management and A guide sustainability for many years, I often hear The GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) has developed the term ‘sustainable business’ or the phrase a comprehensive framework to guide organisations in H‘making the business more sustainable’. reporting on the economic, environmental and social The Oxford English Dictionary defines sustainable as impacts caused by their everyday activities. Such a ‘capable of being maintained or continued at a certain report might show that an organisation is heading in rate or level’ and ‘forms of human activity…avoiding the right direction – by reducing its carbon emissions, the long-term depletion of natural resources’. Strictly, it for example – but the GRI provides no guidance on is an absolute term much as ‘stationary’ or ‘unique’ are. the performance levels that might be considered Something is sustainable, stationary or unique or it isn’t sustainable. It indicates the desired direction of travel – so how can it be made more sustainable? And, if it is an but does not identify the destination. absolute condition, at what point does an organisation The white paper Defining Corporate Sustainability,

© iStock.com/Lorraine Boogich achieve the goal of being sustainable? produced by IEMA and GACSO, provides a lexicon April 2016 environmentalistonline.com 34 Benchmarking

© iStock.com/ Lorraine Boogich of sustainability definitions. These were developed in „„Zero carbon: making buildings energy-efficient and workshops by 24 leading sustainability professionals, and delivering all energy with renewable technologies the descriptions for a sustainable business include: ‘An organisation whose operations seek to support But even these stop short of defining a set of key sustainable development by delivering long-term social performance indicators (KPIs) to measure a business’s and economic value within environmental limits.’ progress on each principle. ‘Organisations [that] minimise environmental impact and maximise social benefit.’ Future fit? However, these definitions prompt two questions: Perhaps the Future-Fit Business Benchmark (see p34, the „„How do we assess whether an organisation is environmentalist, September 2015) provides the answer. operating within environmental limits? It defines a ‘future-fit business’ as ‘one that creates value „„If an organisation has minimised its environmental while doing nothing to undermine the possibility that impact and maximised its social benefit as far as humans and other life will flourish on Earth forever’. it reasonably can, does that necessarily make it This open source initiative, led by the non-profit environmentally and socially sustainable? Future-Fit Foundation, has defined a set of eight environmental and societal business principles, Testing businesses including ‘protects the environment from physical We need a set of tests that can assess whether the degradation’. Building on these is a set of 20 business organisation is sustainable. There are already goals – the desired, sustainable end-points. Thse several frameworks for assessing sustainability, include one that states: ‘All materials are from but none seems to answer the question: when is an responsibly-managed sources.’ organisation sustainable? Twenty key fitness indicators or KFIs enable The planetary boundaries framework developed practitioners to measure how close a business is to by Johan Rockström and colleagues provides a set of achieving each goal. Progress against each KFI can be absolute ‘red lines’ that should not be crossed at a global represented by a percentage, with 100% indicating level, such as the concentration of atmospheric carbon fully future-fit in that area. dioxide. However, it is unclear how it could be applied at Although some of the goals may appear idealist – an organisational level. such as ‘operations emit no substances which cause Another approach might be to take an ecological harm’ – the Future-Fit Foundation does provide footprint – a method developed by sustainability guru examples of companies that have already made public Mathis Wackernagel – of an organisation’s operations commitments to similar aims. and products. This would provide a single measure of its In his foreword to the second draft, sustainability environmental impact in hectares of land, but would not expert John Elkington writes: ‘The benchmark is indicate whether that impact is sustainable. designed to help [a] business measure – and manage – An environmental profit and loss (EP&L) analysis, the gap between what they are doing today and what such as that pioneered by sportswear company Puma, science tells us they will need to do tomorrow.’ He warns, attempts to put a monetary value on the environmental however, that some of the thinking may surprise those impact of a business, but must this value be reduced to business leaders who think they have already nailed the zero for it to be considered sustainable? environmental, social and governance agenda. Perhaps Bioregional’s 10 principles of One Planet Living (see p29, the environmentalist, January 2015) *Two public drafts of the Future-Fit Business Benchmark have come closest to providing a set of benchmarks that have been released for feedback, with the first full public businesses can apply. The principles include: release due later this month. IEMA and GACSO held a „„Health and happiness: encouraging active, workshop on 2 February to better understand members’ sociable, meaningful lives to promote good views on the benchmark. Members were largely very health and wellbeing. positive. All members are encouraged to take a look at „„Sustainable materials: using sustainable and the benchmark (futurefitbusiness.org) and contribute healthy products, such as those with low their thoughts at bit.ly/1XsKhp0. embodied energy, sourced locally, made from renewable or waste resources. Michael Hardisty is a principal sustainability consultant at „„Zero waste: reducing waste, reusing where possible, WSP|Parsons Brinckerhoff. The consultancy will be piloting and ultimately sending zero waste to landfill. the benchmark to see how easily it can be applied in practice.

environmentalistonline.com April 2016 IEMA members 35

More successful IEMA members

IEMA would like to Alex Clark, Linda McGravey, Edward Gabbitas, congratulate the following System Concepts Johnson Matthey Sustainable Commercial members on recently Rachel Drabble, Matthew McNeice, WYG Solutions upgrading their membership JBA Consulting Bindu Mohanty Syed Hassan, AECOM as part of their ongoing Matthew Drinkwater, Aveshen Moodley, Grainne Kennedy, commitment to learning and Carbon Credentials Barclays Africa Group Crichton Carbon Centre professional development. Energy Services Stephen Morgan, Christopher Leach, Bleddyn Escott, Canary Wharf Management Peter Brett Associates Associate Dwr Cymru Welsh Water Lenny Pack, CB and I UK Amanda Lesiatoi, MOD Oluwarotimi Alabi Oliver Funnell McGravey, Marc Postle, Jacobs UK Alex Martin, EDIF ERA Susan Allan, Ambiente Int Claudia Quitian, Daniel Parsons, Atkins London Underground Daniella Gray, Keepmoat Ferrovial Agroman UK Thomas Slater, Arup Darren Anderson, Zanzibar David Goodall, Mira Rosten Tom Taylor Magdalena Andres, Costain Yamazaki Mazak UK Sarah Ruck, EBRD Rebecca White, Balfour Matthew Baker McGravey, Ian Green, Dexter Group Peter Serafin, IKEA Beatty Utility Solutions Cares Group Matt Griffiths, Craig Sharp, Pfizer Philip Williamson, Sophie Bennett, Andrew James Associates Christiaan Smart Royal HaskoningDHV Mott MacDonald Kristian Harding, Marc Stephens, OpenCities Jacqueline Beresford British Gas Alan Thomas, British Gas Chartered Jerry Boardman, Alison Hunter, Skills Alison Thomas, Costain environmentalist KP Snacks Development Scotland Ruth Aguilar Varela, Edward Crawley, Claire Boyle Eleanor Jeffrey, Bio-Bean Ferrovial Agroman UK WSP|Parsons Brinkerhoff Craig Brooks, TTS-UK Catherine Joce, KTN George Vernon-Hunt, Carolyn Francis, CH2M Catherine Burrows, Daniel Johnson, Costain Skanska UK Allan Environmental Donald Walters Fellow Timothy Butt, JSM Group Aaron Leaves, Claire Williams, Nifco UK Rufus Howard, Dave Capewell, NSK London Underground Stuart Wright Royal HaskoningDHV Michael Charman, Jason Light, Beata Zyrek, Dexter Group Department for Work Eastleigh Borough Council To upgrade your membership and Pensions Krzysztof Litwiniuk Full and Chartered visit iema.net or call IEMA Charikleia Chelmi, Julia Maclean, British Gas environmentalist on +44 (0)1522 540069 to GroundSure David Manik, Pupuk Kaltim Ola Bankole discuss your options.

IEMA events

Date Region Topic 19 Apr Yorkshire Full membership workshop (Leeds) and Humber 27 Apr Yorkshire Sustainable capital of culture: Leeds–Hull collaboration and Humber 5 May South East Social (London) 13 May South West Bournemouth University – Sustainability in practice 1 Jun Wales Wales network meeting and social 1 Jun Wales Full member and CEnv mentor forum External events 19 Apr Salford Delivering the northern powerhouse: bit.ly/1MKxyXX smart cities conference – IEMA discount available 20–21 Apr London Water and environment 2016 bit.ly/1Rdgws1 26 Apr London Edie corporate water management bit.ly/1pELRtj 17–18 May Birmingham Edie live 2016 – IEMA discount available exhibition.edie.net/ 17 May London Air quality in the UK bit.ly/1UhJSrQ 26 May Edinburgh Next steps for renewable energy in Scotland bit.ly/25itwCC

April 2016 environmentalistonline.com SELECTION OF CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES

Sustainability Manager Senior Ecologist LONDON £40,000–£45,000 MB 8204 BRISTOL/LONDON £32,000–£37,000 One of the UK's most prestigious MB 8439 construction organisations is seeking a We are currently working with a developing Sustainability Manager to cover multiple Environmental Consultancy that is looking projects. This role will see you provide for a Senior/Principal Ecologist. The role will support to the onsite teams, conducting have responsibilities for the management BREEAM/Code/LEED assessments and technical delivery of various projects, and work with the project teams to whilst another aspect of the role will be develop environmental requirements. to aid in the development of business, Candidates must have BREEAM/Code/ as the organisation is seeking to grow LEED experience and a degree in a related substantially. Candidates will need to be discipline. degree educated and have experience within at least one taxonomic group (bats, Associates EIA Consultant reptiles, birds etc). ENGLAND £COMPETITIVE LO 8472 A leading multi-disciplinary consultancy is Principal EIA Co-ordinator currently seeking both an Associate and an YORKSHIRE/NORTH EAST £COMPETITIVE Associate Director EIA Consultant to join LO 8363 their growing EIA team. Within this role, you A leading Environmental Consultancy is Are you looking to will be responsible for providing technical currently seeking a talented Principal EIA advice on large scale infrastructure and Co-ordinator to join their large EIA team. expand your own property developments as well as growing The successful candidate will advise on new business opportunities. Candidates planning EIA legislative requirements and team? must have previous infrastructure project will manage a team of internal and external We are able to provide a broad experience and have CEEQUAL/BREEAM consultants as and when required. Suitable range of candidates from Graduate experience. candidates will have an EIA related degree to Director level, as well as and will have EIA experience within the permanent or temporary solutions. Environmental Advisor (PT) infrastructure or power sector. Whether you’re a small consultancy EAST ANGLIA/LONDON £COMPETITIVE or global conglomerate, we are LO 8412 Sustainability Advisor able to help with your recruitment A global construction and engineering LONDON £30,000–£35,000 LO 8437 needs. business is currently seeking an A leading contractor is currently seeking Environmental Advisor. Working across a Sustainability Advisor to join their team. Please contact either Matt or Lisa multiple utilities projects, the successful You will have responsibilities ranging for assistance: candidate will manage and maintain the from managing environmental issues to Lisa – 01296 611338 or Environmental Management System (EMS) social and economic impacts. You will [email protected] and liaise with environmental regulators be responsible for constantly driving Matt – 01296 611318 or Matthew. as well as providing support to onsite staff. sustainability across the group as well as [email protected] Candidates must hold a minimum of a across large construction projects. Suitable Diploma within an Environmental related candidates will have previous sustainability discipline. experience within construction.

A Message from Matt and Lisa Get in contact The Shirley Parsons Associates Sustainability Division has gone from strength to strength over For more information the last 3 years and has recently seen the addition regarding any of these of two new faces. Matt has been with the business opportunities or to apply please for the past 6 years and having grown a successful call 01296 611300 or email team within the construction sector, will join forces [email protected] with Lisa to develop the Division even more. To help further our network, Rob has joined the team to work solely with candidates; so if you’re looking for your next move or would simply like some @SPA_Enviro career advice, feel free to contact him at any time!

Follow us on Twitter for all Thanks, Lisa and Matt our latest opportunities and health and safety news You can contact the team on the following numbers: Lisa Toms on 01296 611338, Matt Bransby on 01296 611318 and Rob Jolly on 01296 611341 Also search for us on Linked in! www.shirleyparsons.com delivering what we promise Environment Advisor (Graduate trainee) Based in Stevenage with UK-wide travel £23,500 + bonus + car

Make the most of your degree in environmental management, engineering or geography; your Accredited Environmental Management Qualification and work towards IEMA; your knowledge of ISO 14001; your ability with IT, particularly Word and Excel; and your outstanding organisational and communication skills, especially with report-writing and presentations.

In this new central role, you will provide environmental support and advice and ensure adherence to ISO 14001. This will involve advising contract management; preparing specific plans; planning and conducting audits; analysing trends; investigating and reporting on any incidents; and delivering briefings and awareness training.

It is an exciting and interesting role in a crucial area of the business. To find out more and to apply, visit jobs.environmentalistonline.com

Closing date 17 Apr 2016

Morrison Utility Services values diversity and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Morrison is committed to equal opportunities.

Environmental Manager Birmingham City University – City North Campus £39,977 per annum The Estates Department of Birmingham City University is seeking to recruit an Environmental Manager to promote and further develop its environmental policies and practices and to maintain the University’s certification to the ISO 14001 standard. You will take a lead role in ensuring that the University meets its aims in respect to environmental performance with particular reference to energy, transport, waste management, pollution, procurement and communications. A key role will be to build awareness of environmental issues amongst the University community and stakeholders. To succeed, you will need to hold an environmental related degree or other appropriate high level academic qualification together with a professional qualification in a relevant subject and have several years’ experience in managing and implementing environmental policies. You must be able to competently deal with a wide range of environmental issues, have experience of project management within a large organisation and possess excellent communication, IT and organisational skills. For more information about applying and for the job description and person specification for the post, please see the current vacancies on the BCU website: http://jobs.bcu.ac.uk/. Alternatively if you require the application in a different format please contact the Human Resources Department at [email protected] or on 0121 331 6693. Closing date for applications: Wednesday 13 April 2016

Birmingham City University seeks to be a single status employer and benefits include up to 32 days annual holiday, an index linked contributory pension scheme and an employee medical scheme. Birmingham City University is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Glasgow

Manchester

Solihull

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Winchester 57% 43%

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