A commitment to resource efficient construction

The construction industry in Scotland uses significant amounts of energy, water and raw materials. In addition, the industry is also the largest producer of waste in the country.

By choosing this action, we will ensure that our business is resource efficient. As a minimum requirement we will commit to measuring the use of energy,water and waste on our projects and reporting via the online portal and report annually.

To help you achieve your pledge, please visit the implementation pages of the construction section of our website.

Verification Criteria

As a prerequisite for this action, your organisation must take part in construction activities.

The evidence required to verify that this action has been undertaken would be a report outlining the actions taken and their impact.

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Achieve environmental accreditation

There is increasing pressure on organisations throughout Scotland to demonstrate their environmental credentials. In the public sector, this pressure is coming through the Scottish Sustainable Procurement Action Plan. In addition, as part of the tendering process, many private sector organisations are following suit and demanding proof that organisations have an externally verified environmental management system in place.

Click here for additional support.

Businesses may also wish to consider entering environmental awards for business, such as the VIBES awards or the Scottish Business in the Community, Environmental Leadership Award, both of which are sponsored by Zero Waste Scotland.

Verification criteria

In larger organisations, senior management approval may be required for this action. Once completed, the evidence required would be a scan of the relevant certificate.

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Assign senior manager responsibility

Senior managers tend to be the key decision-makers in an organisation. Assigning the responsibility to operate more efficiently to someone at this level will allow them to use their influence to drive change throughout an organisation and ensure any proposals are discussed at all levels.

Resource Efficient Scotland can help you engage with your management. To find what advice and support is available, please contact one of our resource efficiency advisers on 0808 808 2268 or click here.

Verification criteria

Permission from relevant parties within your organisation would be required to make this change to a senior management role. As evidence for action completion, a scan of the change to the job description signed by relevant parties would be required (confidential information may be redacted.)

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Become an exemplar in resource efficiency

Many organisations in Scotland have already benefitted from showcasing their environmental achievements with the help of Resource Efficient Scotland. This not only offers the opportunity to highlight your environmental credentials to potential customers and partners, but also allows best practice to be shared throughout your industry and improve Scotland’s performance as a whole.

Organisations who select this pledge action will be contacted by Resource Efficient Scotland to work together in the development of a case study to be used at www.resourceefficientscotland.com.

Click here to learn more about exemplars of resource efficiency.

Businesses choosing to become an exemplar, may also wish to proceed with the opportunity to join our free Green Network for Businesses, which gives you a plaftorm to showcase your resource efficiency improvements to other businesses in your area.

Verification criteria

You must have exemplary environmental performance in a number of different categories. To verify that this action has been completed, a case study developed in conjunction with Resource Efficient Scotland would be required.

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Benchmark resource use

Benchmarking is a great way to let you set the level you wish to reach; to understand what competitors have achieved and to set new goals for your business and your staff.

Resource Efficient Scotland has a variety of case studies to read which can help you benchmark your business against others. Click here to view them.

Also, visit the Resource Efficient Green Town for more ideas for benchmarking here.

Verification criteria

As a prerequisite for this action, you must be able to get access to utilities and/or transport data.

Baseline data for energy, waste, water or transport would be required as evidence that this action has taken place, preferrably in spreadsheet format.

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Collaborate with other organisations

Joining forces enables businesses to achieve economies of scale and get better deals from suppliers and contractors, as well as offering contracts which will benefit all parties. This will reduce the environmental impact of each organisation as the travel and other associated impacts will be shared between the other businesses.

Resource Efficient Scotland can help you collaborate with other business in your area. To find what advice and support is available, please contact one of our resource efficiency advisers on 0808 808 2268.

Verification criteria

A report outlining the actions taken and their impact will be required as evidence that this action has been completed.

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Community litter pick

We commit to organising and/or supporting a minimum of one litter pick per year, working with the local community e.g. community groups or schools (if appropriate). This will help us to demonstrate our corporate social responsibility by minimising any litter impacts of our business on the community in which it operates. Actions may be evidenced by photographs of the litter pick/event; number of bags of litter and recyclate collected; staff and community involvement.

Verification criteria

You must perform a risk assessment before undertaking this activity. A report outlining the actions taken and their impact will be required as evidence that this action has been undertaken.

This action covers

• Waste

Construction building information modelling

This action covers

• Raw materials

Construction designing out waste project

This action covers

• Raw materials

Construction site assessment

This action covers

• Raw materials

Develop a Litter Prevention Action Plan

We commit to developing a Litter Prevention Action Plan for our organisation and to contribute to the development of the Community-level plan covering our area. By developing a plan and taking action to prevent our operations / staff / clients from producing litter, we will demonstrate our commitment to our local community, the environment and help to bring about long-term behaviour change in relation to littering and flytipping. Templates, a list of suggested actions and a dedicated Litter Mentor are available to help you develop an Action Plan. More information can be found by emailing [email protected] or [email protected] .

Verification criteria

This action will be evidenced by the submission of a completed Litter Prevention Action Plan and the associated approval email.

This action covers

• Waste

Develop environmental policy

An environmental policy is a written statement outlining your organisation’s commitment to managing the environmental impacts of its operations. By developing an environmental policy, you’ll gain a better understanding of how your organisation impacts on the environment, and what you can do to reduce these impacts. It is a great way to improve the way you manage your resources and achieve cost savings.

Advice on how to develop and share an environmental policy, together with example policies you can learn from, is available here: http://www.resourceefficientscotland.com/content/key-task/develop-and-share-an-environmental-policy

Verification criteria

Your organisation must have an environmental policy to make pledge. If you don’t have one already, you need to make it one of your pledge actions.

As evidence that this action has been undertaken, a scan of your environmental policy signed by senior management or a link to the document online would be required.

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Host student placement

Hosting a student gives valuable experience to the next generation of resource efficiency professionals and provides a link for your organisation to these highly skilled students and graduates.

Many universities in Scotland operate a work placement link-up as part of their degree courses and are always looking for new organisations to partner with. Alternative programmes exist such as Bright Green Partnerships http://www.brightgreenplacements.org.uk.

Verification criteria

You must be able to accommodate a student within your organisation.

A scan of an employement contract (including job description) signed by relevant parties would be required as evidence that this action has taken place (confidential information may be redacted).

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Improve energy efficiency

Reducing your energy consumption will lead to direct cost savings through lower energy bills. The first stage of identifying what savings you may be able to make is to undertake an energy audit. Information on how to do this can be found at http://www.resourceefficientscotland.com/content/key-task/conduct-an-energy-audit

If you think your business could achieve more than 5% or that it would be difficult to achieve, then why not create a new action and specify the target you feel is more appropriate?

More help: Increase Building Fabric Thermal Efficiency / Improve your Processes

Verification criteria

For implementing physical changes, you must have permission to carry out work in the building. This can be linked to the benchmark and target setting Pledge actions.

Written confirmation that you have carried the actions out will be required as evidence.

This action covers

• Energy

Improve EPC rating

The Energy Performance Certificate rating of a property is given by taking into account the energy efficiency and carbon footprint of the property. The factors taken into account to provide an overall score for an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) include insulation properties; heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system and fuel type; services (such as lighting); and the use of renewables. Therefore, to improve your score, you will need to become more energy or carbon efficient in one of these areas.

Guidance on improving specific areas can be found at http://www.resourceefficientscotland.com/content/key-task/increase-building-fabric-thermal-efficiency / http://www.resourceefficientscotland.com/content/key-task/reduce-your-lighting-bill

If you think your business could improve by more than one band, then why not create a new action and specify the target you feel is most appropriate?

Verification criteria

In order to select this action, your organisation must already have an EPC.

A scan of successive EPCs showing improvement of least one rating point would be required as evidence that this action has taken place. Assessments must be carried out by an organisation other than Resource Efficient Scotland.

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials

Improve recycling rates

Recycling is the processing of used and waste materials into new products. Most materials can now be recycled. The Waste (Scotland) Regulations require all organisations in Scotland to segregate paper, card, glass, plastics and metal at source for separate collection by 1 January 2014. At the same time, the increasing Landfill Tax often makes recycling a more commercially attractive way to deal with waste.

By recycling waste and diverting it from landfill, you can help reduce your organisation’s waste management costs. It will also help you comply with the Waste (Scotland) Regulations.

Resource Efficient Scotland’s website offers guidance on how to set up a recycling system http://www.resourceefficientscotland.com/content/key-task/set-up-a-recycling-system

If you think your business could achieve more than 5% or that it would be difficult to achieve, then why not create a new action and specify the target you feel is more appropriate?

Recycle on the Go is an established brand for labelling bins in public places.

You could also sign up to the Every Can Counts programme to encourage drinks cans recycling in your workplace and make this part of your Pledge.

Verification criteria

For physical changes, you must have permission to carry out work in the building. This can be linked to the benchmark and target setting Pledge Actions.

Written confirmation that you have carried the actions out will be required as evidence that the action has taken place.

This action covers

• Waste

Join sector agreement

There are several voluntary agreement schemes operating in the UK that enable organisations to make a public commitment about reducing their waste or becoming more resource efficient. The benefits of such commitments are:

• the opportunity to publicly highlight your organisation’s environmental credentials;
• further support to cut costs, prevent waste generation and reduce carbon dioxide emissions;
• create a support network and vehicle for change;
• improve competitiveness, and
• help obtain buy-in from senior management.

There are six such schemes available to interested Scottish organisations. They are the Courtauld Commitment, the Federation House Commitment, the Hospitality and Food Service Agreement, Scotland’s Resource Sector Commitment and the Carrier Bag Commitment.

The following links can provide information on each agreement:

• http://www.wrap.org.uk/content/courtauld-commitment-3
• http://www.fhc2020.co.uk/fhc/cms/
• http://www.wrap.org.uk/content/hospitality-and-food-service-agreement-3
• http://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/ResourceCommitment
• http://www.carrierbagcommitment.org.uk/

Verification criteria

Your organisation must be in a sector where there is a relevant voluntary agreement. For larger organisations, you will need to get senior management sign-off.

As evidence that this action has been completed, an updated membership roster or email showing acceptance into voluntary sector agreement would be requested.

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Lease electric vehicles

Electric vehicles are powered solely by on-board batteries or fuel cells. The new generation of electric cars has a range of between 80 and 100 miles on a full charge. This is sufficient for the commuting and daily driving patterns of many people. The vehicles must pass the stringent safety testing that applies to all cars and, in terms of overall performance, they will be suitable for normal use including motorway driving.

Potential buyers will understandably have many questions that they want to be answered before committing to the purchase of an electric car. For free, impartial advice to help you decide if a plug-in vehicle could be appropriate for you, call one of our Transport Advisers on 0845 602 1425 or email [email protected]

Verification criteria

You will need to get senior management sign-off before selecting this action.

As evidence that this action has taken place, a scan of lease documentation would be required.

This action covers

• Energy

Litter prevention

We will keep the land on and surrounding our premises free of litter as far as is reasonably practical. For example we will undertake litter monitoring and clearance where required; arrange or provide adequate bins for use by our customers, including facilities for the disposal of cigarette ends; and comply with Duty of Care requirements to ensure that our waste and recycling doesn’t become litter. Actions may be evidenced by, for example: weekly monitoring sheets, waste transfer notes, site visits, staff awareness of litter issues.

Verification criteria

A report outlining the actions taken and their impact would be required as evidence that this action has taken place.

This action covers

• Waste

Measure and Monitor Food Waste

Measuring and monitoring your food waste is the first step to understanding how much food you waste and where it comes from. Once this is understood, you are in a better position to know how to prevent this waste. It also provides you with a baseline to monitor progress against.

Resource Efficient Scotland offers free one-to-one training to help set up a food waste monitoring process within your business. To find out about the advice and support that is available, please contact one of our resource efficiency advisers on 0808 808 2268 or email [email protected]

Verification Criteria:

To verify that this action has taken place, submission of your collated waste data would be required, preferably in a spreadsheet format.

This action covers

• Waste

Plan resource efficiency actions

Producing an action plan is a key step in ensuring an organisation can effectively improve its resource efficiency and save money. An action plan allows tasks to be prioritised based on cost and potential savings, and will ensure all tasks have been sufficiently resourced. This helps to ensure that investment in improving resource efficiency will be as effective as possible.

To help your organisation form its own action plan, you can use The Savings Finder developed by Resource Efficient Scotland http://savingsfinder.resourceefficientscotland.com

Verification criteria

A table outlining actions, who is responsible, when they need to be completed would be required as evidence that this action has taken place.

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Re-use of materials from construction activities

The construction industry generates thousands of tonnes of waste, often in raw materials that could be re-used. We will take part in the construction material exchange to share unwanted materials with others, and source materials from the exchange when possible.

For more information about the construction material exchange visit http://cme.resourceefficientscotland.com

Verification criteria

As a prerequisite for this action, your organisation must take part in construction activities.

As suggested evidence for this action, you could become a registered user of the Construction Material Exchange and re-use some construction materials.

This action covers

• Raw materials
• Waste

Reduce Food Waste

Reducing your food waste will lead to savings not only in reduced waste uplift costs, but also by hidden costs such as raw material purchase, staff time, energy use and transport. The first stage of identifying what savings you may be able to make is to undertake a food waste audit. To find out about how to receive a free food waste audit, please contact one of our resource efficiency advisers on 0808 808 2268 or email [email protected]

If you think your business could achieve more than 10% or that it would be difficult to achieve, then why not create a new action and specify the target you feel is more appropriate?

  Verification Criteria:

To verify that this action has taken place, written confirmation that you have carried the actions out will be required as evidence. Where available, this should be supplemented with a copy of your food waste audit, photos of new equipment, and monitoring data revealing the percentage decrease of food waste achieved.

Reduce materials consumption and wastage

The construction industry is an intensive user of materials and generates significant waste. We commit to measuring our use of materials and reducing our consumption.

To help, Resource Efficient Scotland have develop a resource management framework tool which is available from our website

Verification criteria

For the implementation of physical changes, you must have permission to carry out work in the building.

This can be linked to the benchmark and target setting Pledge actions. Written confirmation that you have carried the actions out will be required as evidence that this action has taken place.

This action covers

• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Reduce raw material use

There are various techniques that can be used to help you look objectively at your methods of manufacturing or how you deliver services so you can identify resource efficiency and cost-saving improvement opportunities. These include waste mapping, mass-flow analysis, calculating mass balance and process yields, and process optimisation. Information on these techniques can be found at

http://www.resourceefficientscotland.com/content/key-task/improve-your-processes

If you think your business could achieve more than 5% or that it would be difficult to achieve, then why not create a new action and specify the target you feel is more appropriate?

Verification criteria

For the implementation of physical changes, you must have permission to carry out work in the building.

This can be linked to the benchmark and target setting Pledge actions. Confirmation that you have carried the actions out will be required as evidence that you have completed this action.

This action covers

• Raw materials
• Waste

Reduce transport emissions

A reduction in transport emissions will usually be accompanied by a reduction in fuel costs, and vehicle wear and tear. Areas to target when attempting to reduce transport emissions include alternatives to travel, improvement in vehicle efficiency, increased use of public transport and fuel efficient driving.

Details on what support is available can be found on the Energy Saving Trust website http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/scotland/organisations/Transport

If you think your business could achieve more than 5% or that it would be difficult to achieve, then why not create a new action and specify the target you feel is more appropriate?

Verification critiera

For the implementation of physical changes, you must have permission to carry out work in the building.

This can be linked to the benchmark and target setting Pledge actions. Confirmation that you have carried the actions out will be required as evidence that this action has taken place.

This action covers

• Energy

Reduce water use

Due to the energy intensity of water supply and wastewater management, water prices have risen steadily over the last 10 years and are likely to continue to mirror increasing energy prices. When managed correctly, water and wastewater reduction initiatives will help to reduce your utility costs. Identifying ways to reduce your water use may also highlight opportunities to improve processes that have been missed by other resource efficiency initiatives

Some common areas to reduce water use can be found at http://www.resourceefficientscotland.com/content/key-task/make-quick-water-savings

More detailed guidance on the development of a full water minimisation programme can be found at: http://www.resourceefficientscotland.com/content/key-task/implement-a-water-minimisation-programme

Water consumption can often be reduced easily, quickly and cheaply. Therefore, it is recommended that you create a new action with a higher target. Many businesses have achieved savings over 20% with no or low-cost measures. If you think your business could achieve this or that 5% would be difficult to achieve, then why not create a new action and specify the target you feel is more appropriate?

Verification criteria

For the implementation of physical changes, you must have permission to carry out work in the building.

This can be linked to the benchmark and target setting Pledge actions. Confirmation that you have carried the actions out will be required as evidence that you have completed this action.

This action covers

• Water

Set senior management agenda

Discussing resource efficiency at senior management meetings will ensure your organisation approaches the subject in an integrated and cohesive manner. This will allow people in all areas of the organisation to understand their role in and the reasoning behind any future actions.

Resource Efficient Scotland can help you set your senior management agenda. To find what advice and support is available, please contact one of our resource efficiency advisers on 0808 808 2268 or click here.

Verification criteria

As a pre-requisite for this action, seek permission to add items to management meeting agenda.

A digital copy of a meeting agenda from more than one meeting would be required as evidence that this action has taken place (confidential information may be redacted).

Set targets to reduce resource use

In order to reduce resource use, it is necessary to measure how resources are currently being used in your organisation by conducting an audit of how resources are being used. This could include looking at energy, water or raw materials usage within your organisation and looking at where savings could be made.

As an example, for information on conducting an energy audit, please click here

Verification criteria

As a pre-requisite for this action, you must be able to get access to utilities and/or transport data. This can be linked to the benchmark Pledge action.

A document explaining your choice of Key Performance Indicator (KPI) and target choice would be requested as evidence for completing this action.

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Share experience across the business community

Learning from the experiences of other businesses is a valuable way of avoiding unexpected pitfalls and making sure things are right first time. We will work with Resource Efficient Scotland to share best practice amongst businesses in Scotland.

For further information please contact one of our resource efficiency advisers on 0808 808 2268.

Verification criteria

As evidence that this action has been completed, a report outlining the actions taken and their impact would be required.

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Take the Keep Scotland Beautiful: Clean Up Scotland Pledge

Clean Up Scotland is the mass engagement campaign building community pride and making Scotland the cleanest country in Europe. We are assembling a national coalition of support challenging individuals and organisations to take responsibility for the quality of their environment.

You can demonstrate your committment to reducing waste and removing litter by agreeing to take the Clean Up Scotland Pledge. We need 1 Million people to take action because together we can do more! Click here to learn more and Pledge.

Verification criteria

You must perform a risk assement before undertaking this activity.

A report outlining the actions taken and their impact would be required as evidence that this action has taken place.

This action covers

• Waste

Add resource efficiency to job descriptions

Resource efficiency is often the sole responsibility of interested individuals in an organisation. This can result in the required work being carried out only when time is available, which can mean many initiatives lose their momentum and are eventually forgotten.

Verification criteria

Permission from relevant authorities within your organisation may be required for this action. Once complete, a scan of the change to job description signed by relevant parties would be required as evidence for action completion (confidential information may be redacted.)

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Create a working group

The skills to identify which areas require improvement and where efficiency savings can be made may already be present in your organisation. Staff in each department will have an in-depth understanding of their own processes and should, therefore, be engaged to identify efficiency actions. The working group can further identify those actions that are most likely to be successful, who may require further training and the best way to manage any changes.

For further information visit http://www.resourceefficientscotland.com/content/key-task/set-up-a-green-team

Verfication criteria

You may need to get senior management sign-off for a budget for group activities.

To verify that this action has been undertaken, a list of members, minutes of meetings/ meeting dates and agendas would be requested.

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Develop a car-share scheme

Car sharing can save your employees money through reduced fuel and maintenance costs. It will also reduce pollution from car emissions, reduce congestion and can contribute to a happy, more sociable workforce.

We will develop a car share plan which will facilitate staff to share transport, encouraging them to travel together and reduce the number of individual car journeys.

Verification criteria

A report outlining the actions taken and their impact would be required as evidence for this action.

This action covers

• Energy

Engage staff about energy efficiency

While new equipment such as better lighting or more efficient boilers will save your organisation money, there will always be wasted energy due to staff behaviour. Therefore, it is vitally important that any energy efficiency measures are backed up with a staff engagement campaign. This will not only ensure staff are aware of their responsibilities to be more resource efficient, but it will also encourage them to provide feedback and their own ideas.

Resource Efficient Scotland can help you engage with your staff. To find out about the advice and support that is available, please contact one of our resource efficiency advisers on 0808 808 2268 or email [email protected]

Verification criteria

To verify that this action has taken place, a staff engagement campaign plan would be required.

This action covers

• Energy

Engage staff about food waste prevention

While new equipment such as better ovens, vacuum pack machines or fryer filtration systems will save your organisation money, there will always be wasted food due to staff behaviour. Therefore, it is vitally important that any food waste prevention measures are backed up with a staff engagement campaign. This will not only ensure staff are aware of their responsibilities to be more resource efficient, but it will also encourage them to provide feedback and contribute their own ideas.

Resource Efficient Scotland can help you engage with your staff. To find out about the advice and support that is available, please contact one of our resource efficiency advisers on 0808 808 2268 or email [email protected]

Verification Criteria:

To verify that this action has taken place, a staff engagement campaign plan would be required, supplemented by photos and materials where appropriate.

This action covers

• Waste

Engage staff about recycling

The most important part of successfully implementing a recycling strategy in any organisation is to change staff behaviour. To achieve this in the long-term, it is crucial an effective staff engagement campaign is implemented. This will not only ensure staff are aware of their responsibilities to be more resource efficient, but will also encourage them to give feedback and their own ideas.

Resource Efficient Scotland can help you engage with your staff. To find out about the advice and support that is available, please contact one of our resource efficiency advisers on 0808 808 2268 or email [email protected]

Verification criteria

To verify that this action has taken place, a staff engagement campaign plan would be required.

This action covers

• Waste

Engage staff about resource efficiency at home

By helping staff become more resource efficient at home, they will be able to better understand the benefits through reduced utility bills and further financial savings. This should then help them appreciate how your organisation can benefit from transferring these behaviours into the workplace.

Resource Efficient Scotland can help you engage with your staff. To find out about the advice and support that is available, please contact one of our resource efficiency advisers on 0808 808 2268 or email [email protected]

Verification criteria

To verify that this action has been undertaken, a staff engagement campaign plan would be required.

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Engage staff about water efficiency

While new equipment such as improved machinery or push-button taps will save your organisation money, there will always be wasted water due to staff behaviour. Therefore, it is vitally important that any water efficiency measures are backed up with a staff engagement campaign. This will not only ensure staff are aware of their responsibilities to be more resource efficient, but will also encourage them to give feedback and their own ideas, thus improving future campaigns.

Resource Efficient Scotland can help you engage with your staff. To find out about the advice and support that is available, please contact one of our resource efficiency advisers on 0808 808 2268 or email [email protected]

Verification criteria

To verify that this action has been undertaken, a staff engagement campaign plan would be required.

This action covers

• Water

External training

Resource Efficient Scotland runs several free training events every year. Each one has a specific focus in the areas of energy, water and waste. The benefits of the training events are not just limited to the training material itself. The opportunity to engage with the Resource Efficient Scotland expert advisers and to learn what other businesses have done can prove invaluable in improving your organisation’s resource efficiency.

To find out about planned events, please contact one of our resource efficiency advisers on 0808 808 2268 or check our website here http://www.resourceefficientscotland.com/search?f%5B0%5D=type%3Aevent

Verification criteria

Confirmation of attendance at a Resource Efficient Scotland (or other external training) event including name of attendee(s) and date of the event. If this is not an event run by Resource Efficient Scotland, then a report summarising the event would be requested.

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Hold a resource efficiency day

A resource efficiency day is a useful way of increasing employee awareness of the issues and potential benefits of using resources more efficiency.

Verification criteria
Please note you may need to get senior management sign-off for a budget to allow such an event to take place. A report outlining the agenda for the resource efficiency day and the impact of the event would be required as evidence that this action has taken place.

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Invest in secure bicycle storage for staff

A business that promotes cycling will benefit from a healthier, more productive workforce and will find it easier to promote further sustainable travel initiatives in the business. We will ensure staff have secure storage for bikes, and where possible provide changing facilities for cyclists.

Resource Efficient Scotland can help you engage with your staff. To find out about the advice and support that is available, please contact one of our resource efficiency advisers on 0808 808 2268 or click here.

Verification criteria

For physical changes, you must have permission to carry out work in the building.

A report outlining the actions taken and their impact would be required as evidence that Pledge Actions have taken place.  

This action covers

• Energy

Promote the use of public transport

Not only does using public transport save money, but by letting someone else concentrate on the driving means individuals can work or rest en-route, and arrive fresher and better prepared.

Tools, advice and assistance in travel planning are available at http://www.transportdirect.info and more information is available here

Verification criteria

A report outlining the actions taken and their impact would be required as evidence that this action has taken place.

This action covers

• Energy

Reward resource efficiency creativity

Rewarding employees for innovation will encourage all areas of the workforce to consider where savings can be made. Employees understand their working areas and practices better than anyone else, so they are often in the position to have ideas that no one else would have thought possible.

Verification criteria

As a pre-requisite for this action, you may need to get senior management sign-off for a budget for reward.

A report outlining the actions taken and their impact would be required as evidence for this action.

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Set up a green team

Developing a green team can provide you with valuable support for the implementation of your resource efficiency improvements. Organisations that have successfully developed green teams and used them to accelerate their resource efficiency improvements have provided the following tips.

•  Successful green teams comprise people from different departments and levels of seniority. This helps to ensure that ideas are varied and dynamic.

•  While people with specific/desirable skills and experience may be available to you, the main attribute you need from green team members is enthusiasm.

•  Team members do not have to be ‘green’. Indeed, those who understand the commercial imperative of resource efficiency can be powerful in motivating others to act who have similar attitudes.

For further information visit http://www.resourceefficientscotland.com/content/key-task/set-up-a-green-team

Verification criteria

As a pre-requisite to this action, you may need to get senior management sign-off for a budget for green team activities.

As evidence that this action has taken place, a list of members, minutes of meetings, meeting dates and agendas would suffice.

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Staff induction programme

Ensuring staff are aware of their environmental responsibilities from the outset will prevent the formation of bad habits, which can be difficult to change once in place. Further benefits include the prevention of costly errors such as the contamination of waste streams or the misuse of equipment.

Induction training needs to be dynamic, focused and easily remembered. New employees are normally bombarded by new systems and other forms of training. So, it may be best to introduce your resource efficiency programmes by detailing incentive schemes, key activities and potential areas of responsibility for new staff.

Resource Efficient Scotland can help you implement a staff induction programme in your business. To find what advice and support is available, please contact one of our resource efficiency advisers on 0808 808 2268 and visit our website to see our staff toolkit

Verification criteria

You will need to get agreement from HR on how resource efficiency fits into the existing induction programme.

A formal induction document/checklist showing that resource efficiency is included would suffice as evidence that this action has been undertaken. Details of training materials delivered as part of induction would also be useful.

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Staff training sessions

Training sessions are a useful way of increasing staff awareness of any environmental initiatives and commitments being undertaken by your organisation. Increased awareness will improve buy-in as staff will understand the reasons behind what they are asked to do. In turn, this will increase ownership of any actions and, therefore, the chances of success.

Resource Efficient Scotland can help you implement staff training sessions in your business. To find what advice and support is available, please contact one of our resource efficiency advisers on 0808 808 2268.

Verification criteria

You may need to get senior management sign-off for a budget for training activities.

As evidence that this action has taken place, a list of training sessions including date, audience and topic of training session would be required. Please note complete list of attendees would not be necessary.

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Develop a sustainable procurement policy

You can gain a lot by improving your own internal processes. However, exerting influence beyond your own operations and into your wider supply chain will maximise resource efficiency and environmental benefits. Reaching beyond the boundaries of your own operations and working closely with your supply chain can help your organisation identify cost savings and environmental improvements.

Further information about working with your supply chain is available at http://www.resourceefficientscotland.com/content/key-task/work-with-your-supply-chain

Verification criteria

A report outlining the actions taken and their impact would be required as verification that this action has taken place.

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Implement a re-use policy

Where waste cannot be prevented, the most cost-effective measure is to re-use the items rather than recycling them. This not only avoids disposal costs, but also the purchase of a replacement item.

Sometimes, items may need cleaning or fixing before they can be re-used. If you can’t re-use an item, but someone else can, they might take it away for free or even pay you for it. For example, some companies will buy old wooden pallets they can clean, repair and then sell on. Others pay for old IT equipment or second-hand furniture.

Resource Efficient Scotland can help you implement a re-use policy in your business. To find out about the advice and support that is available, please contact one of our resource efficiency advisers on 0808 808 2268 or click here for more support

Verification criteria

You should check with your procurement department and those who will use the re-used equipment to see if your solution is acceptable to them.

A scan of rthe e-use policy document signed by relevant parties would be required as evidence that this action has taken place. The policy should be also be made available to staff and public.

This action covers

• Raw materials
• Waste

Implement an asset register

An asset register is a way of recording all the assets your organisation owns. As well as being a useful accounting tool, the asset register can help your business be more resource efficient. By formally recording all assets in a business, it is possible to avoid double purchasing, that is the purchase of an item that may already be present in another department. The register can also be used to keep track of the lifespan of products. This may identify potential areas to improve procurement practices or areas of your organisation that can still use assets that are no longer suitable for the original purpose, this is especially relevant for IT equipment and furniture.

Resource Efficient Scotland can help you implement an asset register in your business. To find out about advice and support that is available, please contact one of our resource efficiency advisers on 0808 808 2268 or click here for more support

Verification criteria

You must have access to procurement information within your organisation.

A scan of an asset register documentation or screenshot of asset management system would be required as evidence that this action has taken place.

This action covers

• Waste

Initiate a supply chain management plan

You can gain a lot by improving your internal processes. However, exerting influence beyond your own operations and into your wider supply chain will maximise resource efficiency and environmental benefits. Reaching beyond the boundaries of your own operations and working closely with your suppliers can help your organisation identify cost savings and environmental improvements.

Further information to develop a supply chain management plan is available here http://www.resourceefficientscotland.com/content/key-task/work-with-your-supply-chain

Verification criteria

You must be in position where it is possible for you impact on your organisation’s supply chain.

A scan of the supply chain management plan signed by relevant parties would be required as evidence (confidential information may be redacted).

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste

Make available electric vehicle charging points

This will encourage staff to purchase their own electric vehicles, thus improving the environmental credentials of your business.

To inform the wider roll out of infrastructure as mainstream electric vehicles come to the UK, the Government is supporting the ‘Plugged-In Places’ programme. The programme offers match-funding to consortia of businesses and public sector partners to support the installation of electric vehicle recharging infrastructure in lead places across the UK.

Verification criteria

You will need to get senior management sign-off. You must have permission to carry out work in the building.

Scan of the purchase order or grant documentation for charging point would suffice as evidence for this action to have taken place.

This action covers

• Energy

Train procurement staff

Training procurement staff will help them to understand the true cost of any decisions they make and explain why they should take the full lifecycle of purchases into account. This is something that is often not considered and may be costing businesses more money than alternative options – either from increased energy consumption or through increased disposal costs. Many businesses have drastically reduced their waste and energy bills by successfully training procurement staff. Examples include procuring more energy efficient equipment and avoiding of packaging waste.

Further information about working with your supply chain is available here http://www.resourceefficientscotland.com/content/key-task/work-with-your-supply-chain

Verification criteria

You must perform a risk assement before undertaking this activity.

A report outlining the actions taken and their impact would be required as evidence that this action has taken place.

This action covers

• Energy
• Water
• Raw materials
• Waste