Responsible Solutions - Sustainability consultants in the Midlands

Getting 'ReAdy' for responsible sourcing

2010-09-28T02:43:00.001-07:00

Responsible Solutions Ltd is working with two of the UK’s top universities, Loughborough and Nottingham, to develop a new suite of targeted training resources aimed at SME construction businesses. The £40,000 research project is funded by emda and the ERDF through the Sustainable Construction I-Net.

The 'ReAdy' project will prepare construction SMEs for the responsible sourcing of construction products and services and aims to influence the future research and policy agenda in this area.

Further information on the 'ReAdy' project in available through our website. Please click here to view.

Become part of the 'ReAdy' project

2010-09-28T02:36:00.004-07:00

Responsible Solutions and the 'ReAdy' project team are currently looking for SME's to take part in the pilot testing of the training resources.

If you are interested in getting a head start by becoming one of the first construction SMEs to benefit from this training, we can offer the opportunity to participate in an intensive two-day workshop in return for your feedback on the training materials’ appropriateness, accessibility and relevance.

This will feed into the next stage of development along with wider industry feedback, to ensure that the 'ReAdy' responsible sourcing training is fully fit for purpose when it is brought to market.

Please contact Responsible Solutions if you would like to be considered for the pilots.

EMCBE Awards Night 2010

2010-09-28T02:36:00.003-07:00

Responsible Solutions are happy to promote the EMCBE Awards Night 2010. The Awards are an annual event that celebrate the best of the regional construction sector and showcase the region’s efforts and products. This years Awards Night will be held on Thursday 14th October 2010 (7pm to 11pm) at the Leicester Tigers RFC stadium, in The Caterpillar Stand.

David Walker, EMCBE Cheif Executive - 'Please help us to create a worthwhile and memorable evening for this purpose, which will also provide a forum for networking, socialising and generally shutting the world out for a few hours, by supporting the event in one or more ways:

• Dinner/Event tickets (a 2 course meal) at £55 each or £500 per table of 10;
• Headline Sponsor £5,000;
• Award Category Sponsor (there are a total of 9 Award Categories) £2,000;
• VIP Reception Sponsor £1,500;
• Raffle Prizes (the chosen charity is ‘Help for Heroes’).'

For further information please visit the EMCBE website or contact either Emma or Louise as soon as possible at 01509 225800 or info@emcbe.com.

Encephalitis Society Fund Raising Walk

2010-09-28T02:36:00.001-07:00

Responsible Solutions are assisting our colleague Charlotte in her fund raising walk for the Encephalitis Society.

Charlotte and her partner Mark are walking 100 miles of the Coast to Coast walk and the start date of the 25th October is fast approaching.

Earlier this year Charlotte unfortunately lost her 17 month old daughter Lucie-Mai to the viral infection Encephalitis.

The Encephalitis Society has provided valuable advice and support to Charlotte and her family and the society seeks to support thousands of families every day who have been affected directly or in-directly by Encephalitis. Please click here to read more on or visit the link below.

www.justgiving.co.uk/markandcharlotte

We are moving office!

2010-09-28T02:34:00.000-07:00

At the end of September, Responsible Solutions will be moving on from our current base within Loughborough University's Innovation Centre. We will be staying in Loughborough and moving to an office which presents plenty of scope for our future expansions.

Our current telephone number (01509 320100) will remain the same, but our fax number will be changing. This number has yet to be finalised. Our address as of the 30th September will be:

Unit 12
The Office Village
North Road
Loughborough
Leicestershire
LE11 1QJ

Horizon EMS Certification to ISO 14001

2010-08-17T06:17:00.003-07:00

Horizon Specialist Contracting in Epperstone, Nottinghamshire are steeplejacks committed to providing innovative approaches to difficult access problems when working at height.

Having secured grant funding towards an Environmental Management System, Horizon needed to find a consultancy that could work to the tight timescales determined by the funding rules. Responsible Solutions were delighted to help.

Louise Kerry-Armes, Horizon’s sales and marketing director said “As a business which uses paints, solvents and chemicals at a wide range of sites, we need to understand the environmental implications of our activities and what to do if, for example, there is a spillage.”

Read more about how Responsible Solutions worked with Horizon to produce an environmental management system to meet the requirements of ISO 14001.

Responsible Solutions and 10:10

2010-08-17T06:17:00.001-07:00

The 10:10 scheme is a national drive to cut carbon emissions by 10% in 2010. Responsible Solutions have joined more than 2,300 businesses signed up to this scheme which aims to reduce energy consumption and carbon footprint.

Responsible Solutions have incorporated a number of the ideas from the 10:10 Small Business Checklist into our business polices and office practices. We'll keep you updated on how we progress throughout the year. Further information on the 10:10 scheme and how you or your company can sign up, can be found at www.1010global.org/uk

Responsible Sourcing of construction products - BES 6001

2010-08-17T06:16:00.000-07:00

In September 2008, BRE Global launched their framework standard BES 6001. The standard provides a framework through which construction product manufacturers can demonstrate how sustainable the manufacture of their products are.

The standard covers issues such as organisational and supply chain management and a range of 9 environmental and social aspects, including topics such as greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, recycling, skills and human rights. Performance under all the aspects are scored to give an overall performance grade for the products.

The BES 6001 certification has already been awarded to a small number of organisations. If you are a construction product manufacturer and would like further information on how your company can achieve BES 6001 why not contact Responsible Solutions on 01509 320100.

Encephalitis Society Fund Raising Walk

2010-08-17T06:14:00.000-07:00

Responsible Solutions are assisting our colleague Charlotte in her fund raising walk for the Encephalitis Society.

Earlier this year Charlotte unfortunately lost her 17 month old daughter Lucie-Mai to the viral infection Encephalitis.

www.justgiving.co.uk/markandcharlotte

Interfuse Certification to ISO 14001 and Virtual Environmental Manager

2010-06-15T05:29:00.000-07:00

Interfuse Ltd, a manufacturer of precast masonry blocks, is saving money as well as ensuring its compliance with environmental legislation after working with Responsible Solutions to produce an Environmental Management System to the requirements of ISO 14001.

They are now being supported by our Virtual Environment Manager service to help them maintain these benefits. Read more…

Thinking about ISO14001

2010-06-15T05:28:00.001-07:00

Are you thinking about ISO 14001? Are your clients and/or suppliers asking you about ISO 14001? This standard can not only help you keep you on the right side of the law but could also give you a competitive edge.

Want to know more? Then contact Responsible Solutions and talk to us about how we can help you.

Already got ISO14001

2010-06-15T05:26:00.000-07:00

So you've got your Environmental Management System to meet the requirements of ISO 14001 but what next? Are you struggling to keep on top of the requirements? Responsible Solutions’ Virtual Environment Manager service can help your organisation continue to meet the ongoing demands of your EMS – ideal if you don’t have the skills and knowledge in-house.

For more information please click here or contact us today to see how we can help.

If you already have ISO 14001 and are thinking about adding a Occupation Health and Safety Management System (OHSAS 18001), Responsible Solutions can help. Through our close group of associates we can offer you this service, please contact us directly to find out more.

My Crazy Week - Giving advice on Environmental Impact

2010-06-15T05:25:00.000-07:00

Responsible Solutions Managing Director Ian Nicholson recently featured in the Leicester Mercury's buisness feature 'My Crazy Week'. Click here to read the article and gain an insight into Ian's busy schedule.

ICE Fellowship

2010-06-15T05:24:00.000-07:00

Recently Ian Nicholson, Managing Director of Responsible Solutions and Technical Manager of CEEQUAL, was awarded Fellowship to the Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE). Read the full ICE press release.

New Telephone Number

2009-10-21T05:40:00.000-07:00

We have changed our telephone number.

Our new number is 01509 320100.

Please update your records and use this number to contact Responsible Solutions from now on.

Landfill Tax - Budget 2009

2009-08-11T01:26:00.001-07:00

The Landfill tax increased on 1st April 2009 to £48 per tonne for Active waste and remained at £2.50 per tonne for Inactive waste.

It has been announced that that the rate for Active waste will continue to increase by £8/tonne per annum until 2013. Therefore the following rates will apply in the forthcoming years:

2009/10 - £48

2010/11 - £56

2011/12 - £64

2012/13 - £72

The rate for Inactive waste has currently been frozen by the government at £2.50/tonne for 2009/2010.

Construction Environmental Improvement Club - Workshop 6

2009-08-11T01:24:00.000-07:00

The sixth workshop of the Club will be on ‘Carbon Accounting/Footprinting’. It will be held at The Innovation Centre, Loughborough, on the 16th September 2009, registration at 8.30am. To book your place on this workshop, please fill in the registration form provided on the EMCBE Website.

This workshop will give delegates an overview of accounting/footprinting methodology and why you should undertake a carbon footprint. It will demonstrate how to calculate a carbon footprint and identify useful publications, tools and websites available to the industry. The workshop will also illustrate the relevant legislation and examples of industry best practices.

Our role in social responsibility

2009-06-09T03:01:00.000-07:00

Click here to read Ian Nicholson's comment in the New Civil Engineer (NCE) magazine on 'Our role in social responsibility'.

Environmental Managament System - Case Study

2009-05-26T08:02:00.000-07:00

Brett Martin Daylight Systems approached Responsible Solutions to help them improve and demonstrate their environmental performance through development of an Environmental Management System (EMS)

As a manufacturer of GRP, PVC and polycarbonate roof light systems, they already had an ISO9001:2000 Quality Management System but had been asked by a major client to demonstrate their environmental performance. With the help of De Montford University, Brett Martin had already shown the energy efficiency and other environmental aspects of their products but needed assistance to demonstrate the performance of their internal business activities.

Brett Martin manufactures their products from two adjacent factory buildings in Coventry and employs around 150 people on the site. As a company with culture of being quick, responsive and flexible, they were looking for a system that would be straightforward to implement and easily adapted to their own needs.

The company selected Responsible Solutions to help them through the development of a system which saw them achieving ISO14001 at their first assessment. Ian Middleton, Quality Systems Manager at Brett Martin said. "We don't pay for suits, we pay for expertise, so as a small yet highly reputable environmental consultancy, Responsible Solutions and their associates were a great choice, something that was supported by the quality of the references they were able to provide."

Since achieving the ISO14001 standard, Brett Martin has experienced no external non-conformities. In fact, their EMS proved very useful when they had a spot check by the Environment Agency to look at their storage & waste management. Ian Middleton was able to impress them by being able to instantly access the documentation they wanted to see, including the Waste Management Exemption clause 27 for waste compaction and various waste transfer notes. The Environment Agency were able to give Brett Martin a full clean bill of health.

Similarly, when the Fire Brigade were updating their information on the site, which has 100+ tonnes of flammable resin in site, Brett Martin were able to quickly supply them with all the information they required, such as the drainage plan showing interceptors, etc. Ian Middleton said "Our EMS helped give the Fire Brigade confidence that we are in control of our situation, not just being reactive to it."

In summary, the benefits for Brett Martin Daylight Systems of working Responsible Solutions have been the development of a system that has been simple to implement; the achievement of ISO14001; and the confidence of knowing that they have had no external non-compliance issues since.

Boost your environmental performance and stay ahead of the curve

2009-05-08T01:52:00.000-07:00

Responsible Solutions can help produce and implement an Environmental Management System (EMS) for your company. An EMS is a structured and documented approach to your environmental responsibilities which, when it complies with a standard such as ISO14001, is also likely to comply with any environmental requirements specified by your clients and other stakeholders.

We are seeing a marked up turn in enquires about developing an EMS. It seems that people are taking the opportunity whilst the order book is a bit lighter to implement improvements to their business operations.

If you want to ensure you are in good shape and ready for the economic recovery why not talk to us about implementing an EMS or updating your current EMS to a standard such as ISO 14001, please contact us.

Construction Environmental Improvement Club - Workshops 4 and 5

2009-05-08T01:41:00.000-07:00

Data Collection and Environmental Performance Indicators

The fourth workshop of the Construction Environmental Improvement Club will be held at The Innovation Centre, Loughborough, on the 20th May 2009, registration at 8.30am. To book your place on this workshop, please fill in the registration form provided on the EMCBE website.

Environmental performance indicators are increasingly becoming important for organisations which are seeking ways to understand, demonstrate and improve their environmental performance.

This workshop will look at data collection and key performance indicators in a pragmatic manner and give delegates the necessary tools to go back to their organisations and implement, effective and useful performance indicators.

Designing Out Waste

The fifth workshop of the Construction Environmental Improvement Club will be held at The Innovation Centre, Loughborough, on the 17th June 2009, registration at 8.30am. To book your place on this workshop, please fill in the registration form provided on the EMCBE website.

With the government’s introduction of mandatory Site Waste Management Plans and increasing amounts of environmental legislation, the construction industry is facing pressure to act responsibly. As a result it has become critical for not only construction site personnel but also clients and designers to understand the legal requirements and their role in construction waste management.

This workshop is tailored for clients and designers to understand the waste management system in the UK and how they can help on the day-to-day issues that the construction industry faces.

Environmental Damage (Prevention and Remediation) Regulations 2009

2009-05-08T01:37:00.000-07:00

The Environmental Damage (Prevention and Remediation) Regulations 2009 came into force on the 1st March 2009. The regulations implement the European Parliament Directive 2004/35/EC on environmental liability.

The scope of environmental damage regulation applies to only the most serious pollution cases, specifically;

Protected species or natural habitats, or a site of special scientific interest (SSSI)
Surface water or groundwater
Land, contamination with significant adverse effect on humans

Contact Responsible Solutions for more information on this regulation and how your organisation can be legally compliant.

Legal Compliance

2008-07-11T04:48:00.000-07:00

With so much talk of green taxes and carbon trading schemes it is easy to become confused about which piece of legislation applies to which sector of industry. There seems to be so much new and impending legislation out there, some is in draft form and some is under consultation. So how do small businesses keep track of it all this environmental legislation and make sure they aren't doing something they shouldn't? The netregs.gov.uk site is really good for small businesses to keep up to date. If you are on of our clients signed up to our virtual environmental manger site then we'll also keep you informed of any changes to environmental legislation that affect you. So whether it's Energy Performance Certificates or the Batteries directive we'll make sure you are doing the right thing. Have a look at our website for more details. www.responsible-solutions.co.uk

Environmental Training

2008-06-30T07:26:00.000-07:00

We're planning some new open courses and are researching to make sure we offer the most interesting courses and those which people most need. Some of the ideas we had are Energy saving basics for business, Carbon footprinting basics for business and a workshop on how to use your "green" credentials in your marketing work without being accused of green wash. We are also planning some more Site Waste Management Training Courses in September. Let us know if there is an area of training that you think should be covered.

Code for New Non-Domestic Dwellings

2008-06-06T07:07:00.000-07:00

The Code for Sustainable Homes has been given much publicity but following in its heels could well be the Code for New Non-Domestic Dwellings, this will set similar radical emissions reductions in all new commercial buildings. A popular recommendation is that all new non-domestic dwellings should be zero carbon by 2020. Read the report published by the UK Green Building Council - Report on carbon reductions in new non-domestic buildings for more information.

Display Energy Certificates ... are you ready?

2008-06-06T06:31:00.000-07:00

From 1 October 2008 public authorities, institutions providing a public service and buildings that are frequently visited by the public will have responsibilities to make Display Energy Certificate (DECs) available to the public.

The fundamental aim of this legislation is to raise the public’s awareness of energy use and to inform visitors to public buildings about the energy use of a building. Buildings will be given a rating of A-G and DEC certificates will need to be displayed in a location visible to the public. A useful document if you think that these regulations may affect you business is - Improving the energy efficiency of our buildings: A guide to Display Energy Certificates and advisory reports for public buildings.

Business Breakfast Briefing

2008-05-23T00:54:00.000-07:00

We're putting on a free breakfast briefing for anyone involved in the construction industry. We are running it in association with EMCBE and Business Link and aiming it towards those companies that are maybe smaller and haven't got round to looking at their environmental performance. We'll talk about the things that companies need to be aware of and how you can make steps to becoming more aware and better prepared for increasing environmental legislation. It'll be a good time for networking within the construction industry too and we may have a representative on hand from the Environment Agency to answer any questions you may have. It'll be finished by 9.30am so won't take too much time out of your busy days!