Shields ranks 1st for the sixth consecutive year in Environment Index
For the sixth consecutive year, Shields Environmental again demonstrated environmental leadership by ranking first in Business in
The Community's Environment Index scoring 98.2%. The Index benchmarks corporate environmental responsibility. It assesses the extent to which environmental responsibility is integrated throughout an organization, and provides a benchmark for both environmental management and performance in impact areas material to the business. It is widely recognized as the leading benchmark of corporate environmental engagement.
The Index also offers tools to measure progress and drive continuous Improvement while providing credible, independent and comparable information to stakeholders.
Companies invited to participate in the Index include: FTSE100 and
FTSE250 (excluding Investment Trusts); non-FTSE listed Business in the
Community national members; and sector leaders from the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. 178 companies participated in the Environment Index.
Click to view the full press release.
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Shields Environmental Impact Award 2005
Businesses across the UK are being invited to enter the Shields Environmental Impact
Award 2005. The award is presented to both large and small companies in recognition for
achieving positive environmental impact through their operations and activities. Sponsored
by Shields Environmental Plc in association with the Institute of Environmental Management
and Assessment, this award is one of Business in the Community's Awards for Excellence &
the most prestigious corporate responsibility awards in the UK.
Rigorously assessed and independently assured, the Awards have become a powerful vehicle
for identifying, celebrating and sharing good practice. Entrants from previous years have
said that developing a submission creates a valuable resource of information, providing
evidence of impacts and stakeholder endorsement that can be put to good use for a variety
of reports and communications.
The closing date for entries is 11 March 2005. Companies that demonstrate a high standard
of excellence in the way they integrate environmental practices will be awarded a 'Big Tick'
at special events throughout the UK. In 2004 there were a record nine recipients of this
prestigious endorsement logo from across the country, representing a variety of business
sectors. The strongest entry from one large and one small company will be honoured as an
"Example of Excellence" at a gala dinner in the Royal Albert Hall on 5 July 2005.
Previous winners of the Environmental Example of Excellence have included Shields
Environmental Plc, Liftshare.com, Beacon Press, 3M and B&Q.
Gordon Shields, Founder and Chairman of Shields Environmental Plc, explains why the
company is pleased to sponsor this year's Award: "We believe this award will continue to
challenge companies, large and small, to demonstrate the positive initiatives they are
undertaking with regard to their impacts on the environment. At Shields we believe we are
entering a business era where innovative companies can create environmental initiatives that
build customer loyalty, support growth and are positive for the environment."
The winning entry in 2003 from Shields Environmental Plc was the Fonebak initiative -
the first mobile phone recycling scheme to comply with all existing and forthcoming
environmental legislation. In its first year of operation, Fonebak resulted in over 1 million
phones re-used to provide affordable communication in developing countries and over 100 tonnes
securely recycled. Having developed its high-tech facilities on derelict land in an area of
high unemployment in Essex it is now one of the largest technology employers in the area.
Russell Foster, Chief Executive of the Institute for Environmental Management and Assessment,
comments: "It is my privilege, on behalf of IEMA, to be associated with this award. There has
never been a more important time for companies to take a responsible stance over their
commitment to the environment. Businesses should take the opportunity to demonstrate that
commitment to others by submitting their approach to best environmental practices throughout
their organisation for an external award."
MEDIA ENQUIRIES TO: Daianna Rincones on 020 7566 6628 or email
daianna.rincones@bitc.org.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS Business in the Community is a unique movement in the UK
of over 750 member companies. Our purpose is to inspire, challenge, engage and support business in
continually improving its positive impact on society.
Together, our member companies employ over 15.7 million people across 200 countries. In
the UK, our members employ over 1 in 5 of the private sector workforce.
Membership of Business in the Community is a commitment to action and to the continual
improvement of the company's impact on society. Our members commit to:
- Integrate responsible business practice throughout their business
- Impact through collaborative action to tackle disadvantage
- Inspire, innovate and lead by sharing learning and experience.
Further information about Business in the Community can be found at the website
www.bitc.org.uk
CASE STUDIES Case studies are available on all 138 companies awarded
a 'Big Tick'.
HOW TO ENTER Information on how to enter the awards is available from our
web site, www.bitc.org.uk/awards, where you will
find information on categories and criteria, and be able to download an application pack.
KEY DATES
December 2004 - February 2005: Entrant workshops
11 March 2005: Closing date
4-8 April 2005: Assessment
9-20 May 2005: Judging
May - June 2005: Regional events
5 July 2005: National Gala Dinner
6 July 2005: Launch of Opening Doors
July - December 2005: National roll out of Opening Doors
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New Build in Purfleet Essex Gets Solar Funding
Shields Environmental plc of Purfleet, Essex is at the forefront of solar power technology
as the company gets funding for an innovative solar energy project.
Energy Minister, Mike O'Brien announced today that seventeen new solar power projects
throughout the UK were chosen for funding worth £1.4 million, out of total Government
funding of £40m for solar.
Shields Environmental plc will benefit from the funding to develop a Photovoltaic (PV)
system on a new building which will include 100 staff and a new redeployment and recycling
centre. The PV system will generate eight per cent of the electricity, which the new
building is expected to consume.
Shields Environmental plc provide asset management solutions for the telecommunications
industry, for which part of their service includes redeployment and recycling. The company
works closely with the Purfleet Industrial Estate to implement environmental improvements to
the local area, and the Shields Environmental Office plays a significant role in the community
in encouraging best practice.
This announcement round will support medium to high (5-100kWp) scale solar electric
power installations under the Government's Major Photovoltaics (PV) Demonstration Programme.
Mike O'Brien said:
"This announcement places the East of England among the pioneers embracing innovative
renewable energy. Solar power could become one of the main renewable energy sources for future
decades. This latest round of successful applications is proof of its growing appeal
throughout the country.
"Exciting and innovative projects like the one at Shields Environmental plc in Purfleet,
Essex, will help take us a step closer to achieving our renewable energy target of 10% of
electricity by 2010 and into the decades beyond.
"The ultimate potential that solar offers, even in our climate, is substantial. It is
therefore important to maintain a position whereby the East of England and all of the UK can
take advantage of the technology as the market develops. To that end, the Government has
committed over £40 million to supporting solar projects throughout the UK."
Notes for editors
- Kilowatt peak (kWp) is the maximum power output on a sunny day. Under UK conditions
1kWp of PV cells could be expected to produce around 750 kW hours of electricity in a year.
The average household uses 3,000-3,500 kW hours. Thus a 2kWp system might meet about half of
household's demand.
- Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, announced the £20m
First Phase of the Major Photovoltaics Demonstration Programme (MDP) on 26 March 2002.
Prior to that the Government had supported the Domestic and Large-Scale PV Field Trials,
providing £4.7m to develop 500 solar powered homes and a further £4.2m for 12
solar powered public buildings. The first round of funding under the £20m programme
supported 8 projects (Press release 01/08/2002), 19 were approved in the second round
(27/11/2002), 18 projects supported in the third round (10/03/2003), 21 in the fourth round
(10/6/03), 12 in the fifth round (22/09/03), 16 in the sixth round (12/12/03), 16 in the
seventh round (18/03/04) and 24 in the eighth. On February 12 2004 Mr Timms announced a
further £5 million funding for the PV MDP, taking the total budget to £25
million, which should enable 2-3 extra rounds to be run in 2004/05. On 15 September, a
further £6m was announced to enable the Programme to run for a further year to
March 2006.
- Further information about the Major PV Demonstration Programme can be found at
www.solarpvgrants.co.uk or on 0800 298 3978.
- The Energy White Paper - Our energy future - creating a low carbon economy -published
in February 2003, increased funding for renewable energy projects to £350 million
over four years. Copies of the White Paper can be found at
www.dti.gov.uk/energy/whitepaper/index.shtml
Issued on behalf of the Department of Trade & Industry by GNN East. For further
information please contact Kelly-Jo Logan, GNN East, tel: 01223 372791.
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Shields Environmetnal wins prestigious Business in
the Community's Award for Excellence 2003
14/07/03: Shields Environment’s Fonebak Scheme has triumphed over 14 entries
to win the Business in the Environment category of the Award for Excellence 2003,
sponsored by National Grid Transco. The Award was presented as part of Business in
the Community's Awards for Excellence at a gala dinner on the 10th July, attended
by over 1000 senior business leaders, community partners and MP's.
The Business in the Environment Award for Excellence recognises innovative
environmental performance integrated into a company's sustainable development strategy,
delivering proven business benefits. The Award is part of Business in the
Community's Awards for Excellence in corporate social responsibility.
Announcing the Awards, Stephen Timms, Minster for CSR said: "Businesses do not
operate in a vacuum, they depend on the support of their employees and the local
community for their continued success. Corporate Social Responsibility brings very real
advantages to business by benefiting all stakeholders which in turn has a direct impact
on business performance and public perception. The Examples of Excellence represented
here are proof of that."
Fonebak is the latest solution developed by Shields Environmental in consultation
with their clients. Shields Environmental offers the first nationwide mobile phone
recycling scheme in the world, which has the endorsement of all major Network Providers
and the Government in its domestic market place. In the first year of operation, this
resulted in over 1 million phones re-used to provide affordable communication in
developing countries and over 100 tonnes securely recycled. This equates to savings of
over 250 tonnes of potentially hazardous landfill.
Gordon Shields, Chairman and Founder of Shields Environmental comments:
"The success of Fonebak and our Network Infrastructure services have proved Shields
Environmental can deliver on all aspects of Corporate Responsibility while producing
demonstrable financial returns for Clients shareholders. I am delighted this has been
recognised through Business in the Community's Awards for Excellence.
These services not only exceed clients legal responsibilities and provide secure
risk management, they return considerable revenues that many of our clients use to fund
their Corporate Social Responsibility activities. I am so pleased for all our clients,
who have put aside competitive pressures to jointly support the scheme and our
employees who have worked so hard to create and implement the software systems,
develop the network of processing centres and firmly establish our global remarketing
capabilities.
The award recognises Shields Environmental and our clients as a prime case study
of how businesses can balance their aspirations for growth with care for the environment
and society."
The Business in the Community Awards for Excellence, now in their fifth year, are the
most prestigious awards for corporate responsibility in the UK. In association with the
Financial Times, sponsored by the Department of Trade and Industry, supported by
ScottishPower, Company of the Year 2002 and assured by AccountAbility, they encourage
companies to measure, continually improve and communicate their positive impact on society.
The judges also awarded The Scottish Nappy Company Highly Commended status. The
Scottish Nappy Company provides a weekly home delivery service of fresh cotton nappies,
the collection of soiled ones and their subsequent laundering in West Central Scotland.
To date the company has prevented about 65 tonnes of nappy waste going to landfill.
Three other finalists all received the Big Tick which demonstrates the measurable impact
that an organisation has had on the environment and society, and they are BT, Carillion
and Yell.
Jim Haywood, Director of Business in the Environment comments:
"The Fonebak scheme is a true example of excellence. The increasing sale of mobile phones
has made safe and environmentally sustainable disposal a major issue. Shields
Environmental have managed to combine inspiration, innovation and business vision to
provide a valuable service which is also a good business enterprise. Indeed, all of
this year's BIG TICK companies have shown real innovation and the case studies demonstrate
how successful companies are placing the environment at the heart of what they do."
Full case studies of the winner and finalists can be found at www.bitc.org.uk/awards
For more information please contact: Jenny Singleton, Communications Manager for
Business in the Environment at Business in the Community on 020 7566 8705 or
email jenny.singleton@bitc.org.uk
- ends -
The Business in the Environment Award for Excellence 2003
Example of Excellence: SHIELDS ENVIRONMENTAL
Shields Environmental offers the world's first nationwide mobile phone recycling scheme,
to provide affordable communication in developing countries and equating to savings of
over 250 tonnes of landfill.
Judges Quote: "When faced with a difficult business challenge they responded with
an innovative solution showing strong leadership to the mobile sector and generating
revenue whilst protecting the environment.
PR Contact: Kathy Woodward
Tel: 01708 684000
Highly Commended: THE SCOTTISH NAPPY COMPANY
The Scottish Nappy Company was established to reduce landfill through minimising
the "disposable" nappy mountain.
PR Contact: Fraser Hutchison
Tel: 01563 851161
Notes for Editors
The Awards for Excellence are the most prestigious UK awards recognising responsible
business practice. They promote a better way of doing business by encouraging companies
to measure, continually improve and communicate their positive impact on society.
National finalists are awarded the BIG TICK impact endorsement mark. The Examples of
Excellence and those awarded as Highly Commended will be announced at the gala dinner
on July 10.
Business in the Environment is the business-led campaign for corporate environmental
responsibility of Business in the Community.
Business in the Community is a unique movement in the UK of 700 member companies.
Our purpose is to inspire, challenge, engage and support business in continually improving
its positive impact on society.
Together, our member companies employ over 15.7 million people across 200 countries.
In the UK, our members employ over 1 in 5 of the private sector workforce.
Membership of Business in the Community is a commitment to action and to the
continual improvement of the company’s impact on society. Our members commit to:
- Integrate responsible business practice throughout their business
- Impact through collaborative action to tackle disadvantage
- Inspire, innovate and lead by sharing learning and experience.
Further information about Business in the Community can be found at the website
www.bitc.org.uk and www.bitc.org.uk/environment
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Shields
Announces World Recycling Support Programme and Hosts The
Nigerian Business Times
7 July 2003: Shields has announced a recycling support program
to aid the creation and development of recycling programmes
in developing markets to provide a solution for end-of-life
phones. The first two programmes will be rolled-out in Nigeria
and Romania later this year. To support the initiative, Adebola
(Bola) Ogunnefun, a journalist from The Nigerian Business
Times, has been visiting Shields. Bola has toured Shields
facilities and met clients to gather information about mobile
phone recycling to share with the public in his home country.
Bola said, “It has been a great learning experience.
Protecting the environment is becoming more critical in Nigeria
and as the number of mobile phones increases in Nigeria we
will be ahead of the game in providing an end-of-life solution
through Shields Environmental.”
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O2 CSR
Report Published and Highlights Shields Environmental
7 July 2003: O2 has published its first report on Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR) and has highlighted Shields Environmental
and Fonebak as examples of environmental best practice. Shields
is working closely with O2 to help minimise environment impact
through the recycling and reuse of mobile phones. For more
information or a copy of the O2
CSR report, click
here. Shields is featured on pages 6-7, 33-34 and page
45 of the report.
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DTI
Awards Shields ‘Big Tick’ for Excellence
12 May 2003: The UK Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
formally presented Shields with its Big Tick mark. The mark
can only be used by companies that have reached a measurable
standard of excellence illustrating their position as an ‘Example
of Best Practice’ in the field of corporate responsibility.
Stephen Timms, Minister of State for Energy, E-Commerce and
Postal Services presented the award to Shields.
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