Setting environmental actions and targets for a business

Why a business should set environmental actions and targets

Setting action plans helps businesses to:​

• plan ahead
• identify roles and responsibilities
• set timescales
• identify any financial implications
• reflect on achievements​

Members and leaders of the eco active business network have signed up to improve the environmental performance of their businesses.  

We believe in step by step improvement, so we ask you to set and deliver at least 2 new actions per year. 

Identifying environmental actions or targets

Each year one environmental action or target​ must focus on reducing carbon emissions or energy use. The second action can be from another environmental area, for example:

• waste
• water
• transport
• biodiversity
• procurement
• community involvement
• education and awareness or staff training

Environmental actions should be integrated within the business plan. This will make sure: 

• everyone is aware of what you are doing
• it becomes normal behaviour​
• it is not seen as an added extra​​

The eco active business network are offered training and events to help identify and meet targets.

Upcoming eco active business network training and events

These events are in-person and are only open to eco active business members. You must book a free ticket before the event.

Ideas for actions to reduce carbon emissions or energy use

Understanding when and how a business uses energy is the first step in reducing energy use. Eco active have developed a free energy monitoring excel spreadsheet that could help you record what you are using.

We provide regular training on monitoring, email ecoactive@gov.je to find out more.

Eco active business energy monitoring spreadsheet

Eco active case studies

Biodiversity: Pollinator patch 

A local office has converted their outside area into an urban garden, with a pollinator patch and bug and bee hotels. This could be an action for any company with an outside space, or a company could sponsor a community pollinator patch.

Eco active case study for pollinator patches

Energy: Monitoring use and staff culture

Before you can set reduction targets you need to understand current energy consumption. The case study also shows how they use their data to influence behaviour change in their staff to bring about reduction.

Eco active monitoring use case study

If the business doesn't currently monitor resource use such as energy or water this would make an ideal action.

Energy: LED lighting

Lighting typically accounts for 15% of an office's energy use. The case study on LED lighting shows the energy savings that a local company achieved by installing LED lighting into their office.

Eco active case study on LED lighting

Energy: insulation and boilers

A range of refurbishments have been made to a residential care home. These have increased energy efficiency and comfort for the residents. The improvements made would be relevant to many other commercial buildings as well as private homes. 

Eco active case study for insulation and boilers

Transport: Using technology to reduce carbon emissions

A business has introduced technology to streamline their delivery service. This reduces their carbon footprint and costs for customers.

Eco active business case study on using technology to reduce carbon emissions

Procurement: Sustainable purchasing

How renting equipment reduces waste and carbon emissions.

Eco active business case study on sustainable purchasing

Ideas for transport and travel actions and targets

Develop a work place travel plan

Before you can take any action to change the way staff and clients travel, you need to understand what happens at the moment. The most effective way to do this is through creating a workplace travel plan. 

Once a plan is written, it needs to be reviewed each year to reflect the changes in your business. The plan will help you to identify changes you can make that will make it easier for people to change the way they travel.

Watch the GoJ's eco active travel plan on YouTube.

Encourage active travel

Active travel includes cycling, running and walking or other active modes of travel. It means you are using your own energy rather than relying on fuelled vehicles. 

There are lots of benefits for active travel, including:

• reduced costs
  
• improved physical and mental health
  
• improved fitness
• lower carbon emissions
• becoming more environmentally friendly

Travelling for businesses

There are changes you can make to help the business reduce the costs of travel. COVID-19 has helped businesses to rethink travel and find different ways of doing businesses that don't involve as much travel. 

For example:​

• developing teleconference facilities
• planning routes
• combining journeys
• having pool bikes
• using lower engine size vehicles
• using electric or hybrid vehicles
• making sure your vehicles have proper maintenance
• providing driver training
  
• incorporating travel policies into wider company policies

eco driver training

Eco driver training is available to members and leaders of the eco active business network. 

Eco driving does not involve making any changes to vehicles instead it is a driving style that reduces fuel bills, cuts carbon emissions and lowers accident rates. Adopting Eco driving can reduce a vehicles miles per gallon (MPG) by up to 15%. 

Watch the GoJ's How to Drive Eco Active guide on Youtube.

Apply for eco driver training

Ideas for waste and recycling targets

Carry out a waste audit

Before you can take any action to reduce your waste or change how you dispose of it you need to understand what happens at the moment.

The most effective way to do this is by carrying out a waste audit.

Once you have carried out your waste audit you can then identify the changes that you cane make. Tips for reducing, reusing and recycling your waste are available. To find out what can be recycled visit the recycling finder. Waste audits should be carried out regularly to reflect the changes in your business. Once you have done this you can then look at how to reduce your waste, reuse it or recycle it.

Watch the GoJ's Eco Active Waste Audit guide on YouTube.

Plastic Free Jersey

Jersey has been certified by Surfers Against Sewage as a Plastic Free Community. To retain this certification we need businesses, schools and other community organisations to continue to remove or significantly reduce single use plastics. Visit Plastic Free Jersey to register the business or find out more on the Plastic Free Jersey webpage.

Reducing the risk of negative environmental impacts

Some business activities have a negative impact on the environment. You need to understand which business activities are high risk. You can manage risks better by adding environment impacts to risk assessments. It is important that your staff know what the risks are and what they need to do to meet business requirements.