Action

The Prudential’s Environmental Policy Group have set a group-wide environmental strategy to integrate environmental management into their operations. Their aim is to reduce material consumption and recycle wherever possible, reduce water and energy consumption, raise environmental awareness amongst employees, encourage suppliers to minimise their environmental impact through introducing environmental purchasing criteria, take account of environmental considerations in investment decisions, and apply best environmental practice in building planning, development and decommissioning.

The Euston Road office has set targets to reduce energy, water and gas consumption by 10% of 1999 levels by the end of 2001. Waste has already been reduced to 68%, and the target is to reduce it to 34% of 1999 levels by the end of 2001.

The Prudential have used Waste Alert’s Waste Exchange to dispose of larger items, such as 50 fax machines to local community organisations and businesses. Their computers are recycled through a computer refurbishment company.

Installing push button taps in bathrooms and movement sensors in the urinals has already reduced water consumption.

Energy is managed by the TREND building management system, which enable facilities staff to monitor energy use around the building and to bring in energy saving measures where use is found to be high. Savings of 7% were made in 2000 due to improvements in changes in catering practices, reducing the size of hot water storage tanks and improving the efficiency of lighting.

Recycling has been introduced for paper, toner cartridges, cardboard, video tapes, plastic cups, cans and even spectacles! Individual waste bins have been replaced with larger, communal bins between 4 staff placed next to paper recycling bins that encourage them to think about which bin they put their waste in.

Staff awareness of environmental issues has been raised through use of internal emails and the Prudential’s Intranet site, which incorporates information from Waste Alert’s Energy and Water efficiency weeks. Staff were also asked to contribute their ideas to making environmental improvements around the building. Posters have been put up around the building to remind staff to recycle their waste and to switch off electrical equipment. Cleaners and security staff have been involved in implementing new recycling collections, and have also been asked to switch off PCs where staff have left them on overnight.