Green Business Initiative – Why Being Green Can Help You into the Black

Keiron Phillips - OCLR

What is Green Business Initiative?

Project to drive resource efficiency prevention in SME’s Provision of support/tools to small business Number of elements/projects within GBI GBI aims to influence behaviour and generate outcomes Outcomes should be measurable

Overall Goal is show businesses examples of what can be done and help them to do it!

Resource Efficiency 101 !

“Resource Efficiency”

What it is:

Elimination & Reduction Reuse of Materials or Products Repair of Products Reduced “Hazardousness” eg

Substitution (RoHS, Deco-paints, REACH)

Part of the eco-efficiency paradigm (conservation of All natural resources incl. Materials, Water & Energy)

Common sense: “Waste Not, Want Not”

What it is not (??):

It is not Recycling It is not Centralised Composting It is not Energy from Waste It is not Diversion from Landfill

Ethos of Green Business Initiative

Emphasis on user friendly-ness, relevant content Holistic view (waste/energy/water) Integrated with other prevention projects (e.g. SMILE), linked to

other delivery groups (e.g. Local Authorities, Enterprise Ireland, IBEC, Sectoral organisation etc.)

Recognition that businesses are profit motivated

Whats in it for me?

Ray – “I've done everything I've been asked to do. I didn't understand, but I've done it.  I haven't once asked what's in it for me.”

Shoeless Joe – “What are you saying?”Ray – “I'm saying, ‘What's in it for

me’?" Kevin Costner – “Field of Dreams”

What’s actually in it for the business?

Increase profit through decreasing waste handling and disposal charges, reduced energy and water bills, more effective use of raw materials

Access to specialist help Been “seen to be green” within sector and local community Legislative compliance Recognised award scheme for successful participation

GBI needs to help SME’s to recognise the advantages, and provide the tools to realistically realise them!

Some Current Projects within GBI

Greenbusiness.ie Green Hospitality Award Packaging Waste Prevention Project

“Greenbusiness.ie”

“Greenbusiness.ie”

Focal point of tools and resources Waste/Water Audit Tools Spreadsheet and link to “Energy Map” (SEI Tool) Telephone/e-mail help lines Site visit and individual report tailored to individual business Legislative guidance in “non-legalese” terms Funding summary Links/news etc

Public face and “brand” to GBI Operated by SKM Enviros Consulting Ltd Entirely confidential!!

What has Been Achieved to Date

Operational for around 1.5 year C. 330 companies using the tools C. 60 Resource Efficiency Assessments carried out to date C. €1.6m of savings identified (C. €27,000 per business) Generally main changes are in how companies do thing,

main cost is staff re-training Not capital expenditure in “big pieces of kit”

What do I need to Do?

Case Study 1

In a food processing factory visited by greenbusiness staff, it was discovered that ingredient containers were not emptied completely on delivery, leading to a loss of 112.5 tonnes of ingredient per year.

By improving their working practices to ensure all ingredients are removed could potentially save the business €112,500 per annum with no investment required.

Case Study 2

A Dairy processor used large amounts of water for use in cooling during the process. This condensate is discharged through their on-site effluent treatment plant. By making some minor engineering changes, this water could be re-used on site saving around €200k p.a.

Green Hospitality Award

Over 125 hotels, including most chains (c.30% of Irish bedstock) Radisson Blu adopted the scheme as its own Environmental

Standard Benefits of project 2009 included: (c. 100 properties)

C. €1000 per room per year saving to hotels 30,000,000 kW energy €4.8m p.a. in 2009 >6000 tonnes waste 312,000 cubic metres of water saved 7000 tonnes of CO2 saved

14:1 return on EPA investment Now moving into small hospitality businesses

Green Hospitality Programme – Award Winners

Green Hospitality - Testimonials

“The hotel has been a member of the GHA since 2007. We have reduced waste by c. 25 tonnes per annum and have reduced energy consumption which saw our costs remain static even whilst unit prices increased, whilst increasing our business levels.”

Fiona O’Shea - General Manager, Castletroy Park Hotel, Limerick

“Since joining the Green Hospitality Awards we have reduced our waste going to landfill by 75%, installed a woodchip Boiler which has reduced our Carbon Emissions as well as reducing our heating & hot water costs by 50% and have changed over 60% of our bulbs to Low Energy Bulbs, fitted dispensers in all of our bathrooms for Soap, Shampoo and Shower Gel and changed all of our shower heads to low flow to reduce our water flow.”

Chris Culleton - Purchasing Manager, Ferrycarrig Hotel, Co Wexford

“With the Greening Hospitality Awards it was easier to see where we could cut costs with waste, water and energy using the benchmark workbook and comparing industry averages. Our waste costs are down 20% and we were given a contact to locate water leaks which will save us in the region of €25,000 annually.”

Simon Mooney - Deputy General Manager, Killashee House Hotel and Villa Spa

National Waste Prevention Programme Projects

Packaging Waste Prevention Programme:

NWPP Sponsor Repak Awards for Packaging Minimisation Outline Programme developed by EPA with Repak Programme launched 14 March 2007 Prevent and Save Seminars Funding pledged from NWPP and Repak (€200,000 pa) Include case studies, training, workshops, research, design

awards, communication/education projects etc They can come and help you reduce your packaging www.preventandsave.ie

Case Study 3

Diageo Baileys

Diageo Baileys prevents almost 53 tonnes of cardboard (over 900 trees) and 378 tonnes of glass (1.2 million glass bottles) every year thanks to the innovative industrial design of its new bottle introduced in 2004.

Eircom

With broadband sales increasing significantly, eircom investigated ways to reduce the packaging of its broadband product without reducing its effectiveness but all to meet the increasing demands for the product. It prevented a significant 15 tonnes of cardboard reaching the market (over 250 trees) by reducing the amount of cardboard required by 15%. It used one material instead of two and also reduced the amount of ink used.

What is on offer

Greenbusiness.ie Free, but more required from the business, can be up to €5000 worth

consultancy support, suit medium, to larger businesses

Green Hospitality Award Paid membership, specifically for larger hotels & contract caterers,

quite involved, award recognised by Fáilte Ireland

Packaging Prevention Project If packaging a significant issue, can provide detailed help

Summary

Tools/support provided so businesses can help themselves

Emphasis on profit, payback times and user-friendliness

When it comes to prevention, what’s good for business, is good for the environment

Not a briefcase full of money, more a set of directions

National Waste Prevention Programme

For More See:

www.nwpp.iewww.greenbusiness.iewww.ghaward.iewww.preventandsave.ie

Thank You

k.phillips@epa.ie

Green Hospitality Award

203 members to date, target of 220 for 2010 138 hotels, including most chains (c.30% of Irish bedstock) Radisson Blu adopted the scheme as its own Environmental

Standard 27 Contract caterers (including Campbells (Aramark) and

Sodexho) Including Ebay, Dell, Paypal, Bord Gais contract catering

18 Bed and Breakfasts 20 others

Golf clubs, hostels, attractions etc.

Green Hospitality Award

Benefits of project 2009 included: (c. 100 properties) €4.8m savings made my members in 2009 C. €1000 per room per year saving to hotels 30,000,000 kW energy >6000 tonnes waste 312,000 cubic metres of water saved 7000 tonnes of CO2 saved

14:1 return on EPA investment Now moving into smaller hospitality businesses

Green Hospitality - Testimonials

“The hotel has been a member of the GHA since 2007. We have reduced waste by c. 25 tonnes per annum and have reduced energy consumption which saw our costs remain static even whilst unit prices increased, whilst increasing our business levels.”

Fiona O’Shea - General Manager, Castletroy Park Hotel, Limerick

“Since joining the Green Hospitality Awards we have reduced our waste going to landfill by 75%, installed a woodchip Boiler which has reduced our Carbon Emissions as well as reducing our heating & hot water costs by 50% and have changed over 60% of our bulbs to Low Energy Bulbs, fitted dispensers in all of our bathrooms for Soap, Shampoo and Shower Gel and changed all of our shower heads to low flow to reduce our water flow.”

Chris Culleton - Purchasing Manager, Ferrycarrig Hotel, Co Wexford

“With the Greening Hospitality Awards it was easier to see where we could cut costs with waste, water and energy using the benchmark workbook and comparing industry averages. Our waste costs are down 20% and we were given a contact to locate water leaks which will save us in the region of €25,000 annually.”

Simon Mooney - Deputy General Manager, Killashee House Hotel and Villa Spa

Greening Wexford Festival Opera

Working with WFO to “green” Opera House and supply chain Opera House saved over €4000 through Greenbusiness visit Opera House joined Green Hospitality Programme 23 business joined GHA Programme (Hospitality) 16 Businesses joined €concertive Programme (non-

hospitality) Success due to :-

Buy in from Festival Opera Funding + support from EPA Full-time Project Officer + skilled support Willingness of businesses to pitch in