Experian hosts Workshop for Improved Environmental Performance

The growing importance of a business’ environmental performance was the subject as Experian opened its doors to a number of small and medium sized firms for a new training initiative.

Developed by the East Midlands Development Agency, and delivered by Loreus, the Workshop for Improved Environmental Performance is aimed at helping companies design a system to manage their environmental performance in line with the national standard BS8555.

Opening the session, Wilson Hogg, Global Director Facilities Management said: “Loreus has helped Experian to get started. We are not sitting here in judgment because it is an ongoing process and we are working to ensure that environmental standards become embedded in the fabric of our business.”

The training programme – estimated to be worth £4,000 to each company – has been fully funded by EMDA, helps  entrants to reach the 3rd stage of the BS8555, one of the steps on the way to international environmental standard ISO 14001.

During the day, all of the businesses were given an introduction to the programme and invited to undertake an exercise to perform an analysis of their business, write action plans, and even write an environmental policy.

Rachel Doar, Experian’s new Environmental Officer, said: “Through partnership with Loreus we are helping SMEs to work towards a recognised environmental accreditation.  When we buy from these suppliers we can be confident that they meet Experian’s environmental criteria.”

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GPC

GPC supplies Experian with cabling infrastructures to support the corporate network, client equipment and telecommunication

They are a business local to Nottingham, set up in 1990 as a one man operation and a turnover of £30,000. Experian selected them to supply their services in 1996 because they proved themselves to be reliable, flexible and able to provide a quality service in the timescales needed

Since then the relationship has strengthened and deepened. GPC now provides not only cabling infrastructures, but also advice and consultation on projects. The business has grown and flourished as a result of the steady and improving service they provide for Experian and they are now turning over £600,000 and have a staff of 6. Each year we reassess their service and so far, we have had no problems in renewing their contract, and indeed this year they attained certification to BS 8555 in line with Experian’s environmental awareness incentive and requirement for suppliers.

GPC’s MD Geoff Putnar commented:  “We’re not complacent, we know how important Experian has been to our growth but we now have a client base to be proud of and a wider range of services we can offer. However, the relationship with Experian has helped us get where we are today. It has been a good example of supply chain management because we’ve always been stretched, their standards are very high, but we’ve had fair and open treatment and as a result have been able to compete with other organisations much larger and more global in nature.”

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