In February 2009 Rider Levett Bucknall clinched the much coveted and prized environmental accreditation - ISO 14001 for all its UK operations.
ISO 14001 is an internationally accepted standard that sets out how a company can put in place an effective Environmental Management System (EMS).
The standard, which is the most prestigious and highly-regarded of the ISO 14000 series, is designed to address the delicate balance between maintaining company profitability and reducing environmental impact. Most importantly, it is a commitment that needs to be embraced by everyone in an organisation.
RLB UK's Corporate Responsibility (CR) objectives include; reducing business travel impacts, minimising waste to landfill, development of environmental purchasing approaches for high cost and visible goods and services, and engaging with all key stakeholders of the company's environmental goals and what they mean. Additionally schemes are set up with Business in the Community and similar local partner organisations to foster links with local communities and catalyse involvement in pro-bono, volunteering and charitable work.
To launch the ISO14001 programme the UK business held a company-wide competition in a move to improve staff participation and engagement.
Phil Higham, Partner in charge of UK CR said "the external assessors who awarded us ISO 14001 were very impressed with the high level of response from staff and praised the quality and innovation of the competition entries".
He added: "Many companies set out to achieve this accreditation in an attempt to boost their sustainable credentials. However for any organisation to be truly sustainable, everyone has to be involved. I'm proud that the way the business responded and supported this idea earned us ISO 14001 certification at the first attempt."
RLB is immensely grateful to its staff for the wide ownership and buy-in to the CR programme. Each office has self-appointed and community and environmental representatives.
Phil added: "Legislative pressures, such as the proposed Carbon Tax on public and private companies to be more environmentally aware, are growing. Our firm is increasingly providing environmental services and advice to clients - so to achieve the ISO 14001 accreditation demonstrates that we practice what we preach."
Steps are already under way to share the UK experience throughout other regions in the Practice.