Calor shares the SHV Energy groupwide business conduct principles of health, safety, integrity and care for people and the environment. The aim is to make a real difference for Calor’s customers and the communities it serves. This includes making operations sustainable, as well as making positive contributions to the global climate change agenda.
Calor joins top companies in Ireland with the Business Working Responsibly Mark
In 2020, Calor was delighted to achieve the prestigious Business Working Responsibly Mark, the leading independently audited standard for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability certification in Ireland. The Mark is audited by the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) and is based on ISO26000.
The Mark provides a ‘root to branch’ review of the organisation and assesses its CSR and sustainability management system across five pillars: Governance, Workplace, Marketplace, Environment and Community.
Only 40 companies in Ireland have achieved the Mark to date and in 2020, Calor joined five leading Irish brands, including Aldi, Siemens, and Energia Group, to be certified for the first time.
Stepping up to the Mark
Partnering with Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI), Ireland’s network for responsible business, Calor identified and then put in place measurable goals to drive performance.
It began with a BITC baseline audit in 2018, to determine where the business sat across 22 key sustainability indicators. The next stage was introducing a robust governance management system to deliver measurable improvements across the organisation. Following these internal initiatives, Calor policies, practices, performance, and impact across the 22 indicators were externally audited
Areas assessed included governance and compliance, environmental practices, emissions reporting, supply chain management, sustainable transport, biodiversity, employee engagement, responsible products and services, customer engagement, sustainable procurement, corporate giving, and employee volunteering.
An achievement and an ambition
The Business Working Responsibly Mark achievement is a recognition that Calor has placed sustainability at the heart of its business strategy, with a sustained impact for decades to come. From the successful Corporate Social Responsibility review, the Mark also recognises the commitment Calor is making to responsibly manage the social, environmental, and economic effects of its business operations.
Speaking about the achievement, Duncan Osborne, Calor Ireland Chief Executive, said: “Calor has been supplying lower carbon energy solutions to rural homes and businesses for over 80 years. By 2037, our centenary year, our ambition is that all our energy products will be from renewable energy sources. Achieving the Mark underpins our commitment to a sustainable future for our employees, customers, suppliers, the environment and rural communities across Ireland”.
The Sustainability Journey Continues
The journey so far has provided a focus on issues that are material to Calor’s business operations and the wider sector. There is improved customer focus, ensuring that their needs remain at the heart of the business. It has identified how Calor’s contribution and impact in local communities can grow, with employees as a driving force.
It also provided an opportunity to consider the evolving needs of the company’s workforce, both today and tomorrow, and allowed a review of internal energy management, carbon reduction and waste, and water management.It has highlighted that every small choice that everyone makes has a considerable impact on the environment. The involvement of all colleagues across the business is key. Everyone owns the achievement and more importantly, by securing buy-in across the whole team, the prospect of success rises.
Switching for the future
To date, all Calor offices have switched to bioLPG, delivering up to 90% emissions savings. Solar panels have been installed at key office locations and energy efficiency LED lighting has been rolled out, with an estimated 50% reduction in energy lighting consumption per year. Calor is also confident that as a business the ambition of a 25% reduction in carbon emissions by 2025 is achievable.
The sustainability journey continues, and the team at Calor is proud of the progress to date and looks forward to making even greater strides in 2021.
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