|
BIS IS GREEN AND SUPPORTS GREEN
Operating in a sustainable way is high on the BIS agenda. Within our organisation, we are constantly striving to achieve a responsible balance between the financial aspects of managing a business, and social and ecological considerations. In brief, we are concerned for people and our surroundings, while ensuring the necessary profit is achieved. Three pillars remain central in all this: people, planet and profit.
Sustainability is increasingly becoming integrated within our business management approach, our growth strategy and all day-to-day activities. As part of this, we are constantly seeking new, innovative strategies so that we can take responsibility for people and the environment. BIS has so far introduced the following measures to ensure we operate sustainably. Click on the topic for more details about the measures adopted.
Explanatory text for each measure:
ICT Environmental Foundation registration
The BIS group is a member of the ICT Environmental Foundation, a foundation which is dedicated to collecting used ICT equipment separately from other waste and processing it in an environmentally friendly way. BIS has also adopted a package of measures in line with the AEEA (Scrap Electrical and Electronic Equipment) guidelines issued by the ICT Environmental Foundation. Under these guidelines, equipment must be manufactured in accordance with defined standards which ensure optimal capacity for it to be dismantled for reuse and material recovery. The measures which BIS has adopted are continuously assessed and optimised to ensure minimal environmental impact.
Reduction in industrial waste
BIS aims to reduce industrial waste as far as possible, and has a clear company policy in this respect. As an example of this, the company uses only sustainable and recyclable office supplies, and the use of (cardboard and plastic) cups is frowned upon. Filing unnecessary hard copy archives, and printing of e.g. e-mails without reason, is not part of this policy.
Waste processing by Van Gansewinkel
In addition to processing ICT & AV waste in an ecological fashion, BIS also separates its other waste, and has agreed a contract for this with Van Gansewinkel. This organisation is a symbol of integrated waste services and reliable environmental solutions in eight European countries, and is a specialist in collecting, transferring, recycling and processing all types of waste. In addition to in-house industrial waste processing, BIS ensures that the packaging material for solutions we provide to customers is removed by the engineers and separated before being passed to Van Gansewinkel.
Cycle plan
Cycling is good for people and good for the environment. Cycling keeps people fit, improves their resistance and promotes overall well-being. And the environment benefits too because employees who cycle of course leave the car at home. BIS therefore offers staff the option to take part in the national cycle plan, which encourages people to cycle to work. With a total of some 220 employees who mostly live close to BIS locations, this project has proven to be a success which is benefiting BIS as a company, our employees and the environment.
Environmental policy as a criterion in the selection of suppliers
As a market leader in audiovisual and ICT solutions, BIS is constantly seeking suppliers that deliver added value for the customer. Before BIS signs a contracts with a new supplier, the new supplier must meet a series of key criteria, including having a sustainable ecological policy and responsible HRM policy. Only where suppliers can clearly define how they meet these criteria will BIS continue to work with them. This means BIS is able to guarantee its customers socially responsible solutions.
Footnote to e-mails
To draw BIS employees’ and other business associates’ attention to the fact that printing e-mails has environmental consequences, a footnote has been added to our e-mail templates which questions whether the e-mail needs to be printed
Use of “green” lighting
BIS has five offices and a total of more than 220 work stations. Each of these work stations is lit using “green TL lighting”. This lighting consumes 60 per cent less energy, resulting in an enormous reduction in the company's C02 emissions. As well as reducing CO2, emissions of toxic sulphurous vapours are decreased.
Member of STIBAT
Batteries are often provided with the equipment BIS supplies (e.g. for remote controls, wireless equipment etc.). To ensure that batteries containing toxic materials are disposed of in an environmentally responsible way, the BIS group is a member of STIBAT (batteries foundation). STIBAT aims, in implementing the targets set by the government, to prevent environmental pollution and to improve environmental performance with regard to collecting and recycling batteries. This is done with respect to relevant legislation and regulations.
Hybrid lease options
People all over the world are aware that using a car places an enormous burden on the environment, and that cars cause a large proportion of CO2 emissions. Because BIS is an organisation where mobility plays an important role, and we cannot simply stop using cars (even though we want to reduce CO2 emissions as far as possible) we offer employees who are entitled to a lease car the option to choose an environmentally friendly car. A ‘hybrid’ car has the benefit that petrol consumption is heavily reduced, which decreases CO2 emissions by some 25 per cent. In addition, employees benefit from lower taxation.
Environmentally friendly solutions
As well as striving within our organisation to find the best ways to help in any way to improve the environment, we also offer our customers the opportunity to operate in an environmentally friendly way. We achieve this by offering ecologically responsible solutions. For example, BIS offers the market several types of video conference systems which encourage working from home and remote meetings. This makes travelling by participants in meetings redundant, which reduces CO2 emissions. It’s not just BIS video conference systems which help to improve the environment; control systems where one single switch can turn off all the equipment in a building, as well as our advanced information distribution systems – which make it unnecessary to print information – are further examples of the many environmentally friendly solutions available from BIS.
|
