Being ‘green’ and environmentally friendly is now an expected business policy for all companies no matter the sector in which they reside. Put simply, this is because an increasing number of clients have become more and more aware of the need for sustainable resources and the detrimental impacts pollution has on the environment.
It’s fair to say that some security companies ‘woke up’ to the green movement a long time ago while others still lag far behind to this day.
A great many of the decisions about whether to ‘go green’ are formulated in the Boardroom or by an influential CEO. Indeed, commitment from the top is still one of the most critical factors that will determine an organisation’s stance on green issues.
It’s certainly an area of growing importance for our clients so it’s vital to make sure we not only meet their security requirements but also their overall Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) requirements into the bargain.
‘Going green’: what does it really mean?
So what exactly does ‘going green’ mean in the real world?
Why is it so important to make sure that CSR is central to business strategy?
And what can businesses do to improve their own green credentials?
To set the answers to these pivotal questions in context it’s useful to examine some of the key elements of the green movement as a whole and, by way of example, we’ve embraced several of the key concepts involved here at Magenta Security Services.
For instance, we’ve always taken pioneering steps to promote green improvements as part of our wider policies because, as I mentioned previously, it’s very much the case that CSR, sustainability and environmental issues are increasingly important to clients.
Since 2001, when Magenta Security Services became the first security guarding company to achieve ISO 14001:2004, we’ve continually improved upon our environmental practices and we are now considered the leader in the industry’s drive to be environmentally friendly.
We’re extremely proud to be a carbon neutral company – and proud to have been the first security company in the UK to go down this route. We have a fully operational fleet of LPG vehicles, had have recently made a significant investment in state-of-the-art electric cars.
In essence, we try to live by the mantra: ‘Reduce, reuse and recycle’. These elements combine and sit firmly within our own company’s CSR policy.
Resource reduction extends beyond electricity
In terms of our ‘Reduce, reuse and recycle’ policies we do strive to use practical methods for not only reducing the amount of waste we generate but also reusing the waste. As an example, we converted equipment used across our sites to low voltage and low energy systems and invested in environmentally-friendly lighting systems throughout our offices. This initiative alone has achieved a 50% reduction in Magenta’s electricity costs.
The overrriding aim here was to reduce energy usage by 35% come the end of 2012, but we’ve already beaten this target and we’re now expecting to achieve a 75% reduction in energy use.
Our longer term goal is the installation of solar panels on the roof of our headquarters. Alongside energy storage, this should almost negate our need to draw electricity from the grid.
In the last 12 months, resource reduction at Magenta has extended beyond electricity with a GB pound 25,000 investment in digital systems, allowing the creation of a paperless office. This will save more than 250 reams (125,000 pages) each year.
Importantly, our recycling efforts are measured, in turn enabling us to state with confidence that we’ve saved hundreds of trees.
Finally, regular training sessions with staff members ensure that they’re fully aware of – and can contribute to – the ongoing development of green policies. Such awareness also filters through to our clients so that they too understand Magenta’s environmental progress and can see our desire to improve and help the security industry as a whole.
Instigating and driving green policies
Instigating and driving green policies and procedures isn’t something that can be achieved overnight.
To initiate company-wide understanding, commitment and support a top down approach to the objectives is of paramount importance. Staff at all levels of the organisation must be involved and given the opportunity to ask questions and provide thoughts and feedback to the managing director or Board of Directors.
To assist other companies within the security sector improve their own environmental credentials we have shown them what can be achieved by offering free advice and consultation services. They can then benefit in the same way that we have done.
Looking to the future, the experience gained through the introduction of electric vehicles will be shared with the industry to see what benefits they can offer, and whether it’s a viable option.
‘Going green’ leads to new business
How do we know our commitment to the environment is being truly successful?
Well, our recent successes in winning new business contracts can be attributed, I believe, to our track record of top quality security guarding services balanced by our environmentally friendly standards, CSR strategy and other accreditations.
For example, in 2007 we were awarded the contract to provide security services to the Royal Parks – a contract awarded by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which who praised our environmental initiatives (which led to the contract being renewed in 2009 and again in 2011).
And, alongside winning other ‘green’ awards, in 2012 we’ve been nominated for the fourth year in a row for the Environmental Initiative of the Year Award at the Security Excellence Awards – a category we won back in 2009.
Strategic approaches to CSR
Critics of green policies often make the claim that ‘going green’ is bad for business in the commercial sense because green solutions cost more money, but this view is very short-sighted. More efficient use of paper, electricity and fuel should all lead to lower expenditure, but needs to be weighed up against the elements that will be more expensive for reasons that include resource availability, increased research and development costs.
Careful balancing of the mix, however, should still realise an overall saving – particularly if there’s a top down strategic approach to CSR rather than a haphazard one.
Sustainability, though, is not just a ‘green message’. Better business practice comes first and foremost. Measuring a company’s performance and managing its impact undoubtedly drives benefits to the business because doing what you do in the knowledge that your actions generate a positive response is a winning strategy: economically, socially and environmentally.
Significant savings and results can be achieved through smarter working practices and adopting such policies. This also secures market advantages.
Ultimately, ‘going green’ should no longer be considered a necessary evil foisted upon the business world by the environmentalists. Instead, it should move to centre stage of any business strategy.
Abbey Petkar is managing director of Magenta Security Services
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