You are in: Roadtransport.com > Little Green Truck
You are in: Roadtransport.com > Little Green Truck
A policy is designed to express your approach to a subject clearly and concisely. Begin by stating the facts – that transport, while improving daily, contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, which are implicated in global warming. Next, you should outline your belief. For example, that your company wishes to perform in a manner that supports the local community and global environment. The remainder of the document can be as simple as a statement to:
The level of detail you give as to how you will address these issues is up to you, but this is the perfect chance to underline to yourself, staff and customers that environmental responsibility is not bolted on to your operation, but is a fundamental principle of how you do business. It may be good to illustrate your policy with key achievements.
Are you committing to reducing your carbon, to a broad-brush good-neighbour approach, or to pushing the limits and achieving carbon negativity?
Make a realistic decision – you must live up to it. Ensure the policy is readily accessible to everyone, part of all staff inductions and that a nominated person has responsibility for ensuring compliance with it.
The Road Haulage Association offers members an environmental policy that can be amended and rebranded to suit the organisation. Most organisations have their environmental policies on their websites – read a few and see what impresses.
It is tempting to overplay carbon offsetting in an environmental policy, because planting a forest somewhere has the same whimsical and appealing ring as sponsoring an orphanage – it is hard to see how it can be anything but good PR. But tread carefully, because offsetting can bite you in more ways than one. The first problem is that it isn’t environmentally sustainable to waste resources and then compensate for that waste. You must have ensured that the use of resources and the production of greenhouse gases are driven as low as possible before offsetting the remaining amount.
It is impossible. however, particularly for a transport company, not to emit CO2 and so carbon neutrality can be achieved only through some off-setting. However, as always, you must be careful. Use schemes whose offsets are properly calculated and sustainable – Defra’s first approved off-setters are due to be announced.
In the meantime, its code of practice advice for choosing an offsetter can be found here. While the Government thinks about it, 50 international non-governmental bodies, including World Wildlife Foundation, have chosen the Gold Standard as the peak offset rating. Choose an offset that coincides with your firm’s values. For example, it may feel more natural for a transport company to fund renewable fuel than to renew a forest.
Supporting the Little Green Truck: Michelin and Shell
Reed Business Information Limited.©2009
