Environment
The importance of observing and promoting good environmental practice has become more apparent as the debate on the effects of climate change has continued. We have identified the principal areas relevant to our environmental footprint as energy usage, waste recycling, paper sourcing and usage, and transport. Key initiatives here include the following:
- We continue to pursue policies to reduce energy usage in the workplace. During 2007 our principal UK office, Ludgate House, once again participated in the 100 Days of Carbon Clean Up campaign to reduce carbon emissions and achieved a reduction of 79 tonnes of CO2 over the period. During the year Ludgate House also switched its electricity supply to green energy which contributed further reductions, resulting in a total saving of 353 tonnes of CO2 in Ludgate House.
- Recycling initiatives are in place at the majority of UBM’s offices. Items recycled include paper, cardboard, glass and aluminium. During 2007 we exceeded our target of recycling more than 60% of all waste at Ludgate House and our offices in Preston and Tonbridge achieved recycling rates of 75% and 57% respectively.
- “Green office” initiatives have been introduced throughout the business and staff orientation programmes include office environmental awareness training.
- Paper sourcing and usage continues to be an area of focus for our individual divisions and their suppliers. Generally, we seek to use less paper in the workplace through measured directives and introducing cultural change, for example by email reminders and double-sided document printing. CMPi’s magazine titles are now printed on oxybiodegradable paper.
- Both internally and externally, we communicate increasingly by electronic means, through our website and by using webcasts. We have taken advantage of new legislation on e-communications introduced by the Companies Act 2006 and have invited our shareholders to enable us to communicate with them more quickly and effectively through electronic means rather than by paper.
- Once again UBM, in conjunction with Digital Links International, donated IT equipment to enable around 5,000 people in the developing world to access Information Technology for the first time. During 2007 the computers and IT equipment were reused to encourage Ugandan girls to study Science, to transform education in Tanzania, and to help NGOs in Kenya.
Environmental Policy and Objectives
As a leading market information
company we recognise that we have a role to play in ensuring that
we manage our environmental impacts. We also recognise our
role in communicating good environmental practice outside our
company.
Our environmental policy is based on four goals:
1. We will seek to integrate the identification and management of environmental issues within our everyday business practices.
2. We will give full consideration to the management of our key environmental impacts.
3. We will strive to ensure that environmental improvements go hand-in-hand with reduced costs and increased efficiency.
4. Where appropriate, we will use our position as a leading market information company/organisation to promote good environmental practice through our products and services.
In fulfilling our environmental policy we have set ourselves the following objectives:
1. To ensure that we identify and communicate good environmental practice throughout UBM’s business.
2. To regularly review our policy regarding the use of recycled paper within our businesses.
3. To identify and monitor our energy usage with a view to setting reduction targets.
