FEATURE
Greener Carpets from Ulster Sustainability continues to top the agenda for manufacturers but for Ulster Carpets this is not a new area to focus on.
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s the first company in Northern Ireland and the first textile manufacturer in the UK to be awarded the Carbon Standard Award, Ulster have continued to build on their reputation as industry pioneers. They backed this up recently by achieving Silver in the 2021 Northern Ireland Environmental Benchmarking Survey organised by Business in the Community. “Sustainability is an ongoing process but one that we are very much committed to,” commented Beverley Copeland, Director, Organisation Development. “We have a dedicated group which focuses on sustainability and social responsibility that reviews current practices and implements new strategies to reduce our environmental impact.” Many of these strategies come from Ulster’s own highly experienced staff. “Our dedicated group includes people from across various departments and that gives us a full insight into the different needs of each aspect of the company. It Ulster Carpets mark their latest strategic move in sustainability by partnering with Power NI to procure is a collective approach and one that is 100% green electricity for their NI operations. From left are: Adam Stevenson, Procurement Manager, Ulster working well for us,” added Beverley. Carpets; Eddie Ruddell, Health, Safety and Environment Manager, Ulster Carpets; and Amy Bennington, With the general public becoming more Commercial Marketing Manager, Power NI. environmentally conscious, Ulster are contract from Power NI, Northern Ireland’s by over 950 tonnes per year – a key step in finding that residential customers are now moving to decarbonise our manufacturing leading energy provider. As a result, Ulster’s asking more questions about sustainability. operations.” manufacturing and warehouse facilities in The company’s involvement in the hospitality Power NI supplies around 40,000 businesses Portadown are now supplied with green sector across the world has also led to across NI, with over 150GWh of that electricity energy generated by local, renewable sources. increased focus on sustainability, particularly provided as green energy. Power NI’s parent Eddie Ruddell, Health, Safety and in the cruise ship sector. The fact that at least company, Energia Group, has invested over €1 Environment Manager at Ulster Carpets, 80% natural wool is in every Ulster Carpet is billion to date in the energy market across NI said: “We have always been a company with a good starting point, but the company have and ROI, focusing on their core segments of an ethos of sustainability. Founded in 1938, also worked hard to reduce the environmental the company has invested in key strategic renewables, flexible generation and customer impact created by the manufacturing process. innovations to maintain local jobs, create a solutions. One major change in this process came this premium product and export globally to some Amy Bennington, Commercial Marketing year with the switch to a new green energy of the most luxurious Manager at Power NI, added: “As Northern establishments in Ireland’s largest electricity supplier, and as . The Natural Choice range from Ulster hospitality. part of the Energia Group, we are committed Carpets is made from 100% wool. “As a manufacturer, to transforming how our customers use and we have a responsibility generate energy, in a way that has a positive to steward our people and sustainable impact on the environment. and planet well. Our We are delighted to supply Ulster Carpets with green energy which would be the equivalent latest strategic move of powering over 1,000 average homes in in sustainability has Northern Ireland for a year.” been to partner with The energy switch with Power NI is the Power NI to procure latest move in Ulster’s long-term commitment 100% green electricity to sustainability with more changes planned in for our NI operations. the near future. This commitment is forecast to reduce www.ulstercarpets.com our carbon footprint
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