UK: Following an assessment by the British Standards Institute, United Merchants plc, the UK’s largest merchant co-operative and leading clearing house for the trade industry, has been awarded ISO 14001 certification for Environmental Management.
This voluntary achievement demonstrates Unimer’s dedication to environmentally responsible business practices. All Unimer’s merchant and supplier members can be confident that the organisation not only complies with environmental laws and regulations, but also adheres to documented processes and procedures to implement, maintain and improve its Environmental Management System
“We take a very serious approach towards the impact of our activities on the environment,” said marketing manager Suzanne Millward. “As concerns about global climate change grow, an increasing demand is placed upon to ensure that our processes and systems are demonstrably respectful of the environment. The ISO 14001:2004 certification is evidence of our commitment to continually improving our environmental performance. Combining this with our recent ISO 9001 certification shows our commitment to pursuing world-class service offerings in meeting and exceeding our member’s needs."
Certification for ISO 14001:2004 means that Unimer undertakes waste management through recycling initiatives, practices smart consumption of energy and materials undertakes better use of natural resources, has adequate processes in place to manage environmental issues that might arise and undertakes continual improvement to minimise harmful effects on the environment caused by its activities.
Ms Millward, who manages the implementation and adherence to the ISO standards at Unimer, concludes: “We are very proud of our accreditation, as this certification has only been achieved by just over 1% of UK businesses. This prestigious award is supported by the Government and recognised worldwide. By establishing a commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle waste and to efficiently use energy, we are taking an important step toward preserving the environment. We have set high targets for further improvement and are passionate about making a difference."
