Market Report: Green Zone

Is your policy in place?

Hirers can differentiate themselves from competitors and win customers by introducing environmentally aware procedures throughout their businesses.

Far from regarding their environmental management responsibilities as a burden, hirers should see them as an opportunity to highlight good practice, raise their profile and win business. This is over and above the positive benefits that arise from conserving resources and protecting our planet.

So says Will Leftwich, Managing Director of the consultancy Will Leftwich Associates (WLA), which advises hire companies on management issues, particularly businesses that are undergoing changes such as expansion or acquisitions. His previous industry experience includes having been Director of Health & Safety, Quality and Environment at HSS.

"The typical hire company should be addressing these issues in much more depth," he says. "There is a genuine risk of seeing such matters as solely a large-scale challenge, leaving it to politicians and pressure groups to tackle issues like global warming. However, we should all be focusing on the 'local' differences we can make. Hirers can recycle materials and products associated with running their businesses, like packaging, oil and tyres, as well as addressing the issues affecting any company, such as ensuring heating systems are fuel efficient and that energy wastage is avoided.

"However, hirers can do more, such as pro-actively installing equipment washdown facilities that recycle water and ensure safe dispersal of contaminants. Consultants like us can undertake 'aspect and impact' reports analysing business practices and possible improvements. For example, a company might be spoiling its local environment and annoying neighbours by running and testing equipment in their yards at unsocial hours. Addressing such issues leads to greener work practices and can help to create a positive business image.

"Similarly, hirers can explore other logistical aspects such as optimising delivery routes, maintaining vehicle fleets and replacing them regularly to benefit from new environment-friendly technologies. And this sort of scrutiny should also apply to the hirer's actual equipment fleet. Just as companies, and their customers, choose items according their Health & Safety benefits, they should assess products in terms of their green credentials. Many suppliers are making significant technological advances in this area and they should be applauded. Hirers should highlight these features in their catalogues and promotions."

Will Leftwich believes that hirers could play a key role. In the same way that they helped create demand for solutions that reduced levels of HAV on hand-held machinery, they could encourage manufacturers to adopt a labelling system showing a product's green characteristics, similar to that used by white goods suppliers to reflect energy usage.

He also stresses the importance of maintaining dialogue with customers. Not only will this enable hirers to learn about their customers' interest in greener working methods, they can also inform them about how they are tackling the problem within their own organisations and offering new equipment and solutions.

"Virtually all hire businesses will have Health & Safety and customer service policy statements in place - but how many can honestly say they have an environmental policy?" asks Will Leftwich. "Yet this is exactly what more customers will be asking them for. We have people in our team who can advise on issues like energy usage surveys, reducing carbon footprints of buildings and vehicle driver training for fuel efficiency. We will also develop the information on green topics on our web site over the coming months."

"Green issues, and the ways in which hirers respond, could be the next business differentiator, following on from issues like quality, customer service and Health & Safety. By embracing this challenge, hirers can show themselves as pro-active and responsible. We have come a long way since the days of the Which? 'dire hire' reports, and by focusing on the green agenda, our industry will again demonstrate its maturity." •

T 0121 242 5196
W www.wlassociates.co.uk

Executive Hire News › Archives › September 2008 › Market Report › Is your policy in place?

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