BSkyB - seeing 'The Bigger Picture'
Background
Over the past three years, BSkyB (‘Sky') has reduced its carbon emissions by 27% and in May 2006, it became the world's first CarbonNeutral® media company.
But it's not all about CO2. Sky has for example also worked hard to reduce its waste and increase overall recycling, with its staff canteens even trialling composting services and wormeries.
As well as reducing its own impact on the environment, Sky also provides practical help and advice to its customers and employees, encouraging them to live and work more sustainably.
Sky's environmental efforts are integrated across the business and driven by every employee. The CEO, Jeremy Darroch, offers his complete support to all Sky people in their efforts to make a difference and plays an active part in key green business issues. This work is in turn supported by a dedicated Environment team and a virtual taskforce of senior operational managers from across the business. The Corporate Responsibility Steering Group (CRSG), chaired by one of Sky's non-executive directors Gail Rebuck, also provides strategic direction and keeps a watching brief on progress across the company.
Fife business
With such a high profile corporate commitment to environmental management, Sky's Facilities Management team in Scotland have been working hard to drive and realise green changes at the company's Dunfermline and Livingston sites.
Yvonne McFarlane, Head of Facilities Management and Michael Cusack, Facilities Management Contracts Manager, in particular have worked closely with staff and suppliers to implement practical and policy changes. But by doing what? "We took away all the bins!" laughs Michael.
Waste management
The pair explain how the company in Dunfermline is already recycling 85% of everything consumed on the premises: paper, plastic, cans, CDs, batteries. A fantastic achievement, made all the more impressive by the fact that Sky increased the amount of waste that went to recycling some 5 times over, from a base of 15% to the current 85%, in the space of only a month.
Working with their cleaning provider Shanks (offering waste management solutions), their team placed recycling bins around the building for staff to sort and deposit their various types of waste. Shanks ran roadshows in the staff restaurants to explain the recycling policies in place and their benefits.
However, a nagging area of concern was the use of bins by desks where inevitably waste became mixed up and ‘contaminated', needing further sorting. The radical approach was to remove all desk side bins, and staff were very supportive in disposing of waste at newly-created the recycling points. Not only has this improved the recycling performance, but staff get a little extra exercise, too!
Yvonne and Michael are keen to divert as much waste from landfill as possible in Dunfermline. As such they have undertaken a trial in food waste composting. To this end they recently ran a pilot in the staff restaurant (in conjunction with Tucker who manage compostable waste) where staff cleared their own trays into various bins. Michael however already has some new refinements in mind after recently visiting the Volkswagen factory in Germany and noticing how they have successfully combined food waste composting with a pleasant and relaxing meal break for staff by moving much of the sorting to behind the scenes.
Using technology
All paper used for printing and copying is recycled and all photocopier machines in Dumfermline are automatically set to duplex print. Sky's IT supplier, Ricoh, has a policy where it will plant a fruit tree on behalf of Sky for every 100,000 copies made on its machines. So far, Ricoh have planted 78 trees on behalf of Sky in Scotland.
A further development the team are hoping to implement will be the introduction of networked MFDs (Multi Function Devices) that act as photocopier, fax, scanner and printer in one. This is a company-wide initiative and Michael is enthusiastic about the benefits these can bring. Placed at strategic points around the building, they enable the removal of printers from every desk, so saving on equipment and running costs, and deliver cheaper copying and less use of cartridges. But crucially they are also more energy efficient and will therefore reduce the organisation's resource needs by consolidating single function machines.
The redundant printers would also be reused or recycled wherever possible or disposed in an environmentally sound manner. Eventually, Sky hopes to introduce a secure key coding system where each individual has a unique code and can print documents off at any copier in any location simply by tapping in the code ensuring that confidentiality is always maintained and paper and ink is used as efficiently as possible. Sky also ensures that printer toner is recycled as standard practice and in Scotland 463 bottles weighing 167.38kg have been recycled so far.
Energy and Water
All of the main Sky-owned premises in the UK are supplied with electricity generated by 100% renewable sources, and supplied to their sites via the grid. As standard, Sky always considers sensor lighting, sensor operated taps and dual flush facility in any refurbishments that are undertaken. In Scotland, Michael is investigating the use of rainwater for flushing, and has already installed a sensor system that sanitises and flushes urinals, which has reduced water usage by 25%. The building has a combination of hand driers and paper towels available, these are then recycled.
Sky encourages its suppliers to ensure they also have strong green credentials and Michael asks tendering companies to consider use of recyclable materials and other environmentally friendly measures such as video conferencing instead of travelling to meetings. Cutting down on travelling is also a particular saving for Sky managers and these savings are evident in time, cost and the environment.
Empolyee benefits
The changes have not just reduced Sky's impact on the environment, but have also benefitted employees. For example, those who cycle to work have cycle racks near the building and shower facilities inside and new parking bays, set to be introduced in the coming months, will be reserved only for those who car share.
The future
Much has been achieved already, but Yvonne and Michael are the first to say that there is much more still to do. They certainly intend to continue to play their part in creating a more sustainable Sky.
As Yvonne comments, "Some of the key objectives in Facilities Management and Sky generally is to continue to drive sustainability initiatives, set ourselves stretched targets year on year to support the environment and support our local communities, and we remain fully committed to achieving those goals. I believe this is evidenced in the range of environmental initiatives we are currently involved in."