*Approved Design Consultancy announces Planet Positive Certification for third year after sustainable practice provides huge cost savings *

Approved Design Consultancy have recently announced that they are embarking on a third year of sustainable practice certification, because the improvements have been vast, particularly their cost savings.

The benefits of sustainability are beginning to show for a number of businesses. Whether it’s their brand enhancement, new business wins, social responsibility, or simply cost savings, we’re hearing more and more about the benefits of sustainable business practice.

Adam Melrose, Principle Consultant at Approved Design said: “Without question becoming Planet Positive Certified has helped reduce our operating costs. This has been mainly in the form of paper use, fuel consumption for company cars via a minimum and maximum performance specification, electricity consumption and the amount of waste which goes to landfill.”

Since 2010, Approved Design has reduced its carbon footprint by 15% per employee (1.13 tCO2e per employee) despite expanding to a second office during the second year of certification. Approved Design has therefore achieved significant savings in both carbon and costs, aiding the rapid growth of the company in the last year.

Commenting on becoming Planet Positive certified, Adam Melrose commented: “It is important to Approved Design Consultancy to be Planet Positive Certified as we take our environmental responsibilities very seriously. We are committed to reducing our impact on the environment each year to help reduce the adverse effect that this may have on the natural world and its eco systems which many communities rely on to survive.

“We are positive when carrying out our part in helping reduce the demand on non renewable sources and un-sustainable materials, this will help our future generations enjoy the same quality of life that we know and love today.”

The future reductions the business have committed to making include reducing its total business footprint by 5% per annum in order to meet UK targets recommended by climate change (2008) of reducing by 42% by 2020.

They will also implement a carbon reduction programme internally to spread awareness. At the Headquarters in Cannock, Approved Design is in the process of assessing the viability of solar panels to reduce the amount of electricity used in future business operations.

The Approved Design team have encouraged employee engagement with the certification process, which Planet Positive advises as an important step to reaching the set target of at least 5% in the first year.

The suggestions for improvements made by Planet Positive have prompted the company to introduce a company car policy to ensure a minimum performance standard in relation to CO2 emissions, MPG and engine size.

Adam Melrose said: “We’re also investigating the possibility of installing solar PV cells on the roof of the building to help reduce our demand on the national grid, and produce our own supply of electricity.”

Steve Malkin, CEO of Planet Positive comments:“Planet Positive is delighted that the Approved Design Consultancy are taking an important step towards improving their sustainability even further. Approved Design are a company that are really trying to improve their sustainability, not just because of the obvious business benefits, but because they really want to help the environment and reduce emissions. Planet Positive firmly believes that businesses can be socially responsible and sustainable, and still be successful.”