While opposition leaders and green activists argue that the Government’s desire for a 60% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050 doesn’t go far enough, it’s a start point. It might have helped to have interim targets, but that doesn’t mean we can’t set our own.
The year 2050 sounds a long way off and the target seems easy until we examine our businesses closely and realise that it’s going to take more than just a few energy efficient light bulbs to comply.
The question being quietly whispered in darkened corners of the security industry is whether or not we should be affected by all of this? By changing our processes and tools we will surely risk the integrity of secure systems? Is it actually possible to be both green and secure and, if so, there must surely be a changeover period when errors and chinks in the armour could show themselves?
Security must not be aloof
Yes, we should be affected. Yes, we will be affected and, in my opinion, we risk our integrity by standing aloof and suggesting that we could be beyond looking at green issues.
As an industry, security must move with the times and maintain the trust of its clients. It is a fact that they want greener security suppliers underpinned by a sound corporate social responsibility strategy. If that forces us to make changes, we should embrace them.
We must not view green issues as a plague set upon us by a vengeful Government. After all, Labour’s own green policies have been woefully lacking. Instead, we should look to the wider implications. For the socially conscious, it’s quite clear that exhaust fumes lead to smog and asthma, pesticides beget contaminated water and our dredging, damming and changing of natural water courses has certainly not helped drain flood water over this strangest of summers.
There are, of course, solid commercial reasons for being green and embracing corporate social responsibility. From the sales point of view, many larger corporates – and, in particular, public bodies – are required to demonstrate such credentials by suppliers at the very start of the tender process. Those without need not apply.
There are also the savings to be considered. More efficient use of paper, electricity and fuel will all lead to lower expenditure. This does need to be weighed up against the few elements that will be more expensive due to resource availability and increased research and development costs, but careful balancing should see an overall saving (particularly if there is a top down strategy in place).
What do we do next?
In an effort to offer some thoughts on ways to be greener, it’s easier to steer away from advice to each individual sector of the security industry. Instead, I’ll focus on the core elements of the ‘green mix’ and how best to achieve them, all the while adhering to the ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ mantra.
First, we must consider the different elements of our business, which for the sake of simplicity will be split into administration and operations. The former category is largely the same for all and includes everything from accounts through to marketing, sales and management. In terms of operations, we each have our own skills and specialities including guarding, CCTV, IT and barrier control.
When thinking about ‘going green’, the natural instinct is to think of our operational specialities. While this is a laudable stance, it’s far more sensible to begin with the administrative elements of our businesses. They are easy to change as so many other companies in other industries have been there before us. Let’s not forget that streamlining for green reasons leads you through a process that will improve your business overall.
The ‘dirty man’ of Europe
As a nation, we have consistently ranked among the bottom three for recycling in the European Union, and ‘enjoy’ a reputation as the ‘dirty man of Europe’.
Without even touching the operational elements of our business, we can start to make a huge difference by ensuring we recycle everything: paper, card, plastic, cans, ink toner and, in particular, packaging. Almost anything can be recycled through some scheme or another, and if a supplier constantly sends you items packaged in un-recyclable materials, threaten to boycott them.
Unfortunately, even the simple task of recycling has inherent security risks – no-one can have missed the stories of the High Street banks throwing out client statements and information. The simple solution is to use one of those firms offering a secure recycling service. They are reasonably inexpensive and offer a fantastic service, visiting your site(s) and destroying all secure and confidential files under the watchful eye of a company officer.
Areas to be ‘broken down’
There are also many elements of operational equipment that can be broken down into their component parts and recycled once they’ve served their purpose. However, why put something beyond use that others may benefit from? Computers, for example, can be passed on to local schools.
CCTV equipment and alarms can also be recycled. Worn out security officer uniforms may even find a home among the charity donation schemes sending clothes to the developing world.
All of a sudden, then, we find ourselves shifting up a gear on the environmental scale and talking about reuse rather than recycling.
The next step, however, is where a real difference occurs reduction. By using less, we are impacting less on natural resources and doing the least harm to the environment.
A few thoughts. Security companies ought to reduce their use of stationary. How about a shift towards a paperless office? Invoice clients online, write more e-mails and fewer letters. Ask the bank for online statements.
Transport and travel? One of our biggest green policies has been the change from petrol/diesel vehicles to LPG, which has taken time and expense. Has it made a difference? Yes. Without that change it is unlikely we would have won the Royal Parks contract, which had nothing to do with our ability to perform as a security firm and everything to do with the client’s green agenda.
Car sharing schemes, the use of public transport and clear identification of which staff are closest and therefore most appropriate for each job should also be considered. Use alternative and renewable energy suppliers and change office lighting to low voltage.
On the operational side, make sure CCTV systems, barrier controls and alarm systems all employ the latest, low energy technology. Tell staff to switch off monitors and computers when they aren’t in use (the standby mode on most appliances uses 90% power).
All of these measures save as much in money as they do on carbon emissions.