Scottish businesses urged to make resource efficiency pledge

The SECC venue in Glasgow, which is one of the locations for the upcoming Commonwealth Games, has become the first venue to make the ‘Resource Efficiency Pledge’.

This has been backed by the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games organising committee which will act as an ambassador to promote the pledge to the Scottish events sector. The scheme is being delivered by Zero Waste Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government.

The scheme asks businesses to pick between three and six actions to complete over the course of 12 months, ranging from engaging staff to help cut energy use to implementing efficiency measures in businesses processes.

The SECC has pledged to improve recycling rates and energy efficiency and will also be focusing on staff engagement to ensure becoming more efficient with resources is a team effort involving all employees.

According to Zero Waste Scotland, this will also contribute to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games’ commitment to deliver a sustainable Games’ as the SECC campus will be the Games’ largest precinct venue, hosting judo, wrestling, gymnastics, boxing, netball, weightlifting and powerlifting, and will be the main media hub for the world’s press.

More than 70 additional businesses, including Glasgow Airport and Standard Life, have also signed up and will be announcing which Pledge actions they will be taking forward soon.

SECC safety, health and environmental manager Alan Cuggy said: “We are delighted to be the first venue to sign up to the Resource Efficiency Pledge as it will provide both the inspiration and motivation to enhance our environmental performance in what is a competitive and challenging business.”

Businesses can sign up to the Pledge online at pledge.resourceefficientscotland.com.Businesses will receive certificates and marketing materials to promote their involvement, and after 12 months can receive a bronze award for completing their chosen actions, and move on towards achieving silver, gold and platinum over subsequent years.

The Pledge is a key action in the Scottish Government’s Safeguarding Scotland’s Resources programme.

Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead commented:”The Resource Efficiency Pledge is an excellent scheme which can help businesses across Scotland save money while reducing their environmental impact by using water, energy and raw materials more sustainably.”

Liz Gyekye