Wiltshire finds it easy being green

Sodexo provides school catering, cleaning, caretaking and facilities management services to 200 council-owned sites across Wiltshire. The recent independent audit of these services has led to the re accreditation of the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System. Since June 2001, Sodexo has been working closely with Wiltshire Council to develop objectives and ensure compliance on a number of issues related to the environment. Initiatives include reducing road miles and CO2 emissions from delivering food and cleaning supplies, changing working routines to save electricity in offices and the appropriate recycling of waste. A recent example of the organisation's commitment to the environment is 'one stop delivery'. Over two years, food and cleaning deliveries to schools have been cut from three times a week to just one, with all food, cleaning materials and disposables being delivered at the same time. This initiative has resulted in almost 5,000 fewer deliveries with a saving of 44,000 road kilometres and over 30,000 kilograms fewer CO2 emissions to the atmosphere. To achieve this accreditation, Sodexo had to comply with a number of international standards set by the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System at over 200 units across the county, including schools, administration buildings and libraries. Alan Bowley, Sodexo's contract director for Wiltshire Council, said: "All too often this type of accreditation and business activity is not given the due credit that it deserves. The audit scrutinises the procedures and practices carried out by our teams and a lot of time and effort was put in by the 300 staff who ensured the upkeep and ongoing development of the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System. I commend everyone who has contributed to this success which will help to ensure a cleaner and better environment."