Commercial Group is a leading independent integrated office services and supplies group. Based in Cheltenham, it has more than 150 employees, and in 2008 had a turnover of £137m.
In 2007, Commercial Group committed to slash its operational greenhouse gas emissions by 75% from 2006 levels by 2010 and launched a carbon reduction programme. Measures implemented resulted in 61% lower emissions by 2008, putting the company well on track to meet its goal.
Initiatives have included a dynamic routing system for deliveries, which has reduced fleet journeys by more than 140,000 miles, and the use of sustainable biodiesel using a pioneering real-time blending system to maximise environmental benefits. As a result of these and other initiatives, audited fleet emissions to 2008 were cut by over 75%.
Commercial Group's offices have onsite heat pumps, low-energy lighting and a model energy-efficient data centre. All electricity is provided by 100% certified renewable energy from additional power sources.
Commercial Group has offset all its carbon emissions since 2006 through the purchase of voluntary emission reduction credits (VERs) certified to leading standards. The company has also been working since 2008 to encourage staff to reduce their own emissions and those of their communities. Over 40% of staff are enrolled on its programme. It encourages both suppliers and customers to reduce emissions too, and has influenced more than half its suppliers to undertake carbon footprinting or other environmental assessments and to increase the availability of 'green products'. In addition, the firm hosts a free annual seminar on carbon reduction for business leaders.
Commercial Group plans to reassess its carbon reduction target in 2011 with a view to setting a new, more advanced goal by 2012. It is increasing its work with suppliers to understand and reduce the carbon footprint of products supplied.
All measures have been introduced in the context of an environmental management system registered to ISO-14001 standards.
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WEB LINKS
Commercial Group
http://www.commercial.co.uk/
Energy Saving Trust case study
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/business/ Global-Data/Publications/Commercial-Group-case-study
