As a business we have done quite well on sustainable development issues over the past decade, something that I have been accused of not acknowledging in the past. We have a list of company firsts in our sector and part of my responsibility is to ensure that we continue to do so. But it would be the height of arrogance to assume that our sustainability efforts are due to my efforts alone; I am indebted to all of my colleagues at every site and office that do great things every single day.
Responsible sourcing is one particular activity that we are all involved in at this time of year. BRE launched BES 6001 in 2008 (yes we were first at that too) which looks at the supply chain of the building materials we manufacture. As a business we have certification to the leading management systems for quality (ISO 9001) environment (ISO 14001) and health and safety (OHSAS 18001). It has taken years of effort from countless people to embed these management systems in to the business.
Another aspect of responsible sourcing is the social and environmental issues that we need to demonstrate we have objectives for at a site level. Quite often sites are involved with community engagement and biodiversity initiatives but may not consider them as such, it is just part of what we do, which is great - but also means that we perhaps don’t tell the wider world about how much good stuff actually goes on.
Building materials and responsible sourcing
I would actively encourage all construction product manufacturers to engage with the responsible sourcing journey. It is not just for large companies; help and advice for the SME community is also available. Perhaps, like us, many will find that it is a scoping exercise which, in my opinion, then allows us to pause and reflect on our business on a cross issue basis rather than the individual businesses and operations.
I see the role of any senior sustainability professional as a tailor; we sew the thread of sustainability into the fabric of the business but we must not forget the army of people who give us the individual strands to create the thread.
To our sites and individual strand bearers, I offer my humble thanks.