Mapping the route to success

By Kevin Else Managing Director, Dennis Eagle

Perhaps because of the industry we work in and the ethos of our customers, sustainability has always been a part of what we do. But these new reports give those principles a formal basis, alongside financial reporting. In fact, the two are intertwined and often dependent on each other.

Our customers do not just judge us on the quality and cost-effectiveness of our products and services. Our environmental credentials and social responsibility already help them make procurement decisions.

Going forward, the sustainability of our operations will inevitably become increasingly important to our commercial success.

Drive to innovation

This first report sets out to produce a benchmark against which the sustainability of different parts of our business can be assessed in future.

In these yearly reports, however, aspects of our operations will have been accurately and reliably measured and reported in line with recommended standards. And our results will be compared with those published by our competitors.

Competition of this nature will lead to innovation and progress. Thankfully, this desire to find new solutions, better products, improved systems, greater efficiency … it's already in our DNA.

Now, under the spotlight of these reports, this will drive us to become increasingly sustainable.

Finding solutions

The reasons businesses need to focus on sustainability, as outlined on page 12, do not make comfortable reading. These are serious issues and there is no doubt the world faces major challenges. But all is not doom and gloom. Our industry is used to facing challenges and succeeding.

At Dennis Eagle, our connection with science and engineering is immensely strong. We turn to these resources every day for answers and we find them.

And I am confident that this is where, once again, we will find the solutions we are looking for.

Zero landfill and zero waste may seem a long way off at the moment. But so too did zero emissions, until recently. This report and those that follow it, are crucial steps in helping us tackle these challenges.

Three strands of sustainability

Most people understand that the environment and sustainability go hand-in-hand. The Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) approach, however, are the cornerstones of sustainability. But how Social and Governance issues have an impact is not always as clear.

The United Nations spells it out when it says doing business in ways that benefit society and protect people will benefit the business itself.

So, it is important to manage the impact this business has on our stakeholders, such as employees, suppliers, customers and local communities. In turn, how any of these groups feel about us, interact with us and talk about us has an impact on this business.

Similarly, good governance is based on economic, social and environmental improvements which all promote sustainability and improve a company’s relationship with its stakeholders.

It is important to this business and all our stakeholders that we commit to improve all three strands of sustainability.

Our customers taking action

I’m greatly encouraged that our customers have a similar determination to succeed.

The scientific consensus is that, in order to limit global warming to 1.5°C by the end of the century, we must halve annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. By the start of 2021, 80% of UK local authorities had climate action plans in place so they could lead by example and play their part in achieving this.

Their plans vary according to their operational circumstances but there are common themes. Among them, the transition to zero-emissions waste and recycling fleets is prominent.

The timescales different councils and private operators have set themselves depend on a range of practical issues which they have clearly considered carefully. Reassuringly, their targets reflect the urgency of the situation; they are ambitious.

Our approach is loud and clear; ambitious targets require customer-focused solutions.

I hope this outlines our commitment to sustainability as the best way forward.