Page 9 - BOSS Today Issue 14

Special report Environment

An Across the boArd is really about minimising the It says such a process necessarily
winner Resources costs. And environmental
amount of stock the company
improves its efficiency – not
to mention its property rental
has to carry.
awareness doesn’t stop at its
Still, Richardson says in today’s
factory gate either: Esselte
climate of dwindling natural
audits all its suppliers in the Far
resources – not just raw
with its own standards. Action
materials, but water and energy East to make sure they comply
Esselte’s company-wide view on improving environmental as well – it is easy to turn your plans have been put in place for
focus on improving efficiency
those suppliers who have not
performance has made it a benchmark for companies into a focus on reducing your conformed.
The company is now not
hoping to win a BOSS Award this year environmental impact as well. just FSC accredited – a must for
In fact, adhering to Kaizen and
lean manufacturing policies is all environmentally conscious
now fundamental to Esselte’s companies in the UK – but has
sustainability strategy, as it also won accreditation from
helps promote the idea of the Blue Angel, the German
the esselte team picking reducing waste throughout the equivalent.
up their award at last
year’s boss awards organisation. Richardson says winning
That strategy has helped the the BOSS Award has given the
company gain ISO 140001 for company added credibility.
ost office product David Richardson, Esselte’s all of its factories around the That is an added bonus for its
Mmanufacturers of today country manager for the UK and world, including 11 in Europe. dealers, many of whom are
will be more than happy to Ireland, says the process began The certification involves having pitching to supply Government
assure you of their “green” some years ago when Esselte to keep stringent records on departments who stipulate that
credentials, but scratch beneath introduced Kaizen management each facility’s environmental the products they buy must be
the surface and often you will philosophy onto the factory floor. performance, not just on carbon environmentally friendly.
find that this amounts to little Initially developed over 70 years emissions but also on things like Richardson concedes that in
more than bringing out an ago in Japan, Kaizen involves water use. It has certainly been some of the product categories
environmentally friendly range of looking at every single process making progress: last year the that the company operates in
products in the hope of jumping within your manufacturing company’s carbon emissions – paper products, for example
on the “green” bandwagon, while system, no matter how small, level was 164kg per tonne, 25 – there are competitors doing
much of the rest of production to make sure it is being carried per cent down on what it was similar things.
stays firmly in its old carbon out in the most efficient way. in 2005. In the same year it also But it was the fact that
emitting ways. Even something as seemingly used 21 million litres of water less environmental performance had
Esselte has not behaved like trivial as the distance a factory than it used in 2005, a reduction been assessed across the whole
that, which is one of the reasons operative’s hand needs to travel of 36 per cent. company and its entire product
why it won the Environment to turn a machine on would be Esselte’s waste reduction range – and the fact that the
Awards for Manufacturers at considered. figures were equally impressive: company sets goals to measure
the BOSS Awards last year. The “With Toyota in Japan Kaizen the amount of waste its factories its performance every year - that
multinational manufacturer has led to a system where if you recycled climbed from 92.9 per really impressed the judges last
operates across eight different order a new Toyota, it is custom- cent in 2005 to 97.6 per cent year, and made Esselte a worthy
product categories and has built at the factory for you and last year. That’s the equivalent of winner. This year’s winner will
6,000 different stock keeping you get your new car within saving 4,200 fully loaded garbage have a lot to live up to.
units (SKUs) within its product 11 days, or else Toyota is duty trucks.
line-up. Its focus on making every bound to offer you a 10 per cent But the push to reduce impact n For help on how
one of those products worthy discount,” says Richardson. goes into areas you might not lean can support
of the “environmentally friendly” Esselte is by no means the expect as well. Having worked your business and
tag really sets something of a only UK company to have taken out that the smaller the area of environmental
benchmark for other companies on Kaizen thinking, and it wasn’t factory or office building, the credentials please call
who might be hoping to win initially developed with the less energy and lighting used, helen dunn on
the category at this year’s BOSS environment in mind: Toyota’s the company has slowly been 020 7915 8320 or email
Awards – or in the future. car selling solution, for example, reducing its physical space too. helen.dunn@bpif.org.uk.

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