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RMD Kwikform (RMDK) has been awarded the international environmental standard ISO 14001 for its UK operations, as part of a wider drive to further improve its overall sustainability performance.
Following a rigorous assessment, RMDK’s UK sites have been accredited for ISO 14001, the world’s most recognised environmental management system. Helping deliver regulatory compliance and illustrating the ability to meet supplier requirements, the accreditation demonstrates that RMDK has considered all aspects of its UK business, including procurement, storage, distribution, product development and manufacturing, to help reduce its impact on the environment.
RMDK has implemented a range of measures to help achieve the accreditation. These include outsourcing waste management to a reputable supplier, which uses a wide range of nationwide waste contractors to help keep mileage low, ensuring waste is disposed of in a safe and sustainable way. Intelligent software has been integrated onto forklift trucks at branches, lowering CO2 emissions by regulating speed, preventing trucks from idling, and identifying and reporting any faults immediately, so they can be swiftly dealt with. RMDK’s waste streams have also been segregated, and the company is providing training to staff on how to manage a chemical spill.
Other environmental improvements include the use of recyclable paper cups at hydration stations, the installation of LED lighting throughout office spaces and warehouses, a take-back scheme where any electrical waste is passed to a third party for either further use or to be recycled, and the option of plug-in hybrid models for those with company cars.
The IS0 14001 accreditation is the latest achievement in a long-term strategy to further boost the company’s sustainability credentials moving forward. Other initiatives include a commitment to eliminating single-use plastics from the business by the second half of 2022, a plan to replace diesel forklift trucks with low-emission electric alternatives, and providing environmental awareness training from IEMA (Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment) to branch managers. The organisation is also continuing to adopt smarter working practices that reduce the impact on the environment, such as working remotely when possible, and will prioritise working with other companies that value and place sustainability at the heart of their operations.
Luke Morley, UK Health & Safety Manager at RMDK, said: “We are delighted to be awarded the ISO 14001 accreditation, which covers our sites in Glasgow, Weatherby, Skelmersdale, Barking, Exeter, Cardiff and Aldridge, including our head office, and 278 employees in our UK business. The certification is the latest achievement in an on-going plan to lower our CO2 emissions, champion greener ways of working, and reduce our impact on the environment.
“ISO 14001 represents an important milestone for us, and we will continue to implement measures that further improve our environmental performance and pave the way for a more sustainable future.”
For more on RMD Kwikform, please visit www.rmdkwikform.com
