Achilles is adding to its sustainable procurement services by bringing a world class carbon footprinting program to supply chains in the UK Utilities Sector.
The program complements Achilles’ growing suite of services designed to help industries effectively manage their risks around issues like corporate responsibility and climate change.
The program will be deployed through Achilles’ unique collaborative industry model initially to the UK utilities industry in 2008 but with a roll out to other sectors who want a practical and cost effective solution to this issue.
Sector Director for CSR at Achilles Paul McNeillis commented: “Several major brands in the Utilities Sector have shown leadership by measuring and managing their own carbon footprints. Now they want to get their suppliers lined up on the same mission to really make a difference to climate change. If each buying organisation rolls out the program to their top 50 suppliers they could amplify their positive impact in reducing carbon emissions many times over.”
The scheme is entering its pilot phase in April with full roll out to the UK Utilities sector in the summer and is being endorsed by a set of leading Utilities including Anglian Water, Scottish and Southern Energy and United Utilities. These Utilities will be rolling out the programme to their suppliers in order to improve and reduce carbon emissions within the supply chain. Jo Horton, United Utilities and Chair of the Achilles Carbon Footprint Steering Group observes “We will be seeking suppliers who are making the same commitment as ourselves to the measurement, reduction and management of their carbon emissions”. Interest from both buying organisations and suppliers has been high with companies already committing to sign up as early adopters of the scheme.
The Achilles program will allow companies who measure and manage their carbon footprints through the program to obtain an accredited certification to share with their customers, investors and stakeholders. By harnessing the efficiencies of the Achilles community model companies will measure and certify their emissions once a year and then share the results many times with all of their subscribing customers.
Achilles searched hard before identifying Landcare Research, a crown research institute in New Zealand, as the technical partner for this program. Landcare Research met all the criteria specified by our industry customers” explains Frances Darton the programme manager. “They have a program operating in New Zealand under the carboNZero brand, that is built on scientific excellence, proven track record of implementation and that is deployable via the Achilles supply chain community model. It also helps that they share the collaborative values and sustainability aims as Achilles.”
Achilles serves over 500 buying organisations in 8 sectors and more than 23 countries, with a community of more than 35,000 suppliers so the potential to make a difference to climate change as this scheme rolls out across new sectors and geographies is considerable.
The contract to licence the Landcare program to Achilles was signed in March.
For further media information only, please contact:
Carmen Molina
Marketing Director
Tel: +44 (0) 1235 838053
Email: carmen.molina@achilles.com
The Achilles Group, headquartered in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK, identifies, assesses, and monitors suppliers on behalf of major organisations worldwide. We build and support buyer-supplier communities in many industry sectors, creating unique and powerful global networks. Our services for sustainable procurement help create opportunities for business and reduce risk in the supply chain. www.achilles.com
Landcare Research - Landcare Research is New Zealand's foremost environmental research organisation specialising in sustainable management of land resources optimising primary production, enhancing biodiversity, increasing the resource efficiency of businesses, and conserving and restoring the natural assets of our communities. www.landcareresearch.co.nz