need to reflect on the future of the workplace and to identify changes
which meet employees’ new needs – such as the demand for a more
hybrid way of working – while also ensuring that workplace strategies
continue to deliver on sustainability goals.
As companies reconsider the future of the workplace, the emphasis
on carbon footprint must remain a priority. Fewer people in o ices, online
22 JULY 2021
meetings and less commuting will help reduce carbon emissions
but other factors such as an increase in ventilation and the need for
social distancing could adversely impact carbon performance.
Having supported organisations when workplace occupancy was
dramatically reduced, the focus has now shi ed to how FM providers
can continue to provide strategic guidance and services which support
new ways of working while also considering the long-term approach. In
the race to net zero, the use of gas boilers for heating, the potential for
renewable generation and the requirement to decarbonise are issues
which organisations need to address and FM companies are ideally
placed to advise. Through consideration of the asset management
strategy and the whole life cost of a portfolio, FM professionals must
develop a long-term strategy to ensure cost e ective actions are
prioritised to optimise carbon performance.
The FM industry has the expertise to act as consultants as well
as to deliver services and, additionally, a growing number of FM
organisations are making their own net zero commitments and, by
doing so, will help to support their customers’ carbon reduction goals.
Everything we do has an impact on our carbon footprint and so it is
critical that FM experts work in partnership with their customers and
supply chain to support the UN Global goals and the Paris Agreement
Treaty on climate change.
WASTE MANAGEMENT SECTOR’S VIEW
NATHAN GRAY, HEAD OF SUSTAINABILITY, RECONOMY
One thing the pandemic has certainly
done is to highlight both the fragility
and resilience of the human race. We
have seen how acting collaboratively
can have a positive impact on global
situations which seemed, at times,
to be out of our control. Spending
more time outside in parks, gardens
and the countryside has also given
many people an even greater
appreciation for the natural world
and our environment. My hope is that
as we start to look to life a er the
pandemic, we will be able to harness
these sentiments to bring about large scale and meaningful change.
So, what does this mean for retailers looking to re-engage their
environmental and sustainability strategies? For many, waste, recycling
and resource management has understandably not topped their
list of priorities over the last year. Their focus has been on survival
and finding ways to trade. As long as any waste they produced was
collected and managed without incident, that was enough.
Things are starting to change however, and we are seeing businesses
refocusing on leveraging the environmental and commercial benefits
of developing a more sustainable business model for the future. This
is perhaps unsurprising when you think a saving equivalent to one per
cent of turnover can be brought about from waste minimisation alone.
For many, a sensible starting point is to understand where they stand
a er these most challenging of times. The establishment of a new
baseline underpinned by accurate and up-to-date data is a key part
of this process. Whilst this may seem like a time-consuming exercise,
there are tools, which can make life far easier.
These tools require some relatively simple waste management data
in order to help evaluate an organisation’s baseline, CO2e and their
climate impacts (Scope3) of their current waste services. They do this
by classifying the waste management processes employed as either
a positive figure (Renewable - reuse and recycling) or negative (Non-
Renewable landfill / energy from waste). The objective is to support
companies in working towards Zero Waste and limiting climate change
to 1.5°C by 2030.
As these tools are normalised, users are able to input and aggregate
data for single or multiple sites to better understand performance
over their entire estate. In doing so, they are able to identify areas
of opportunity and develop a clear roadmap, with intermediary
measurement points, to ensure progress.
This information can then be used to implement what we have
identified as the five key steps to circularity:
Analysing where you are
Reviewing your processes
Communicating change
Collaborating with your supply chain
Introduce innovations
We must not lose sight of the potentially devastating impacts of
climate change and resource scarcity. Indeed, now is the time we
should be trying to harness the heightened sense of awareness and
save money. It is impossible to plan a route to any destination without
first knowing where you are. Only by doing this will you be able to
define and prioritise the actions that need to be taken and measure
your progress over a period of time.
FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICE’S VIEW
NICK FALCO, PRODUCT & TECHNICAL DIRECTOR AT MECHLINE
DEVELOPMENTS
Disposing of food waste
generated by catering operations
can be costly in terms of both
transportation and landfill
charges—and so a sustainable
approach to minimising and
managing end-of-life food,
which can help organisations
reduce their carbon footprint, is
essential.
As the Mechline Food Waste
Reduction Programme outlines,
the ultimate aim has to be to
prevent food waste in the first place Every catering operation will of
course produce some food waste – but transporting and disposing of
end-of-life food to landfill is the most costly and least environmentally
friendly option. Even transporting food waste for recycling contributes
to carbon emissions. Operators should always choose the best
economic and environmental solution to reprocess end-of-life
food for each site, factoring in numerous considerations including
transportation costs, carbon emissions and pollutants.
Do you have a question that you’d like
answered by the FMJ Clinic?
Email: sara.bean@kpmmedia.co.uk
FM CLINIC
Nathan Gray
Nick Falco
ADVICE & OPINION
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