BRE has been ranked 35 in the Sunday Times list of the best 60 ‘green’ companies in the UK. The newspaper said BRE is helping the construction industry to develop innovative green buildings. It also provides consultancy, testing and research services, as well as training in fields such as energy assessment.
But it’s not just working in the field of green construction that has led to BRE’s place on the list. The company was also found to practice what it preaches on environmental issues. BRE has set goals for itself, including an 11% reduction in electricity use and a 19% decrease in gas consumption by 2012. It also wants to reduce CO2 emissions from employees commuting to less than one ton per person annually.
To this end, every fourth Tuesday, employees get a free breakfast if they cycle to work and car sharing is rewarded with parking space allocation. Employees are also encouraged to use public transport or share a car, and there are facilities for those who cycle or run to work.
“Competition for places in our top 60 has been intense and the quality of entries very high,” said the competition organisers. “Only those organisations demonstrating the highest environmental standards, with workforces wholly engaged and in tune with their green initiatives, have made it onto the list.”
Only in its second year, the Sunday Times Best Green Companies awards set out to identify and celebrate the achievements of British businesses that are striving to improve their environmental performance.
