Booker Spalding: 2019 Environmental Management Award Winner

Booker Spalding has won the Excellence in Environmental Management Award at the 2019 Enviro-Mark Solutions Awards in Auckland.

The makers of corporate uniforms began their sustainability journey nearly 20 years ago when the privately-owned business started to focus on its impact on the environment.

Booker Spalding CEO John Maurice says, “We’ve always been interested in the environment and how what we do impacts on the world around us. We started to get enquiries about corporate sustainability in the early 2000s and we decided we needed to really make sustainability a pillar of our business. We wanted an environmental certification programme to keep ourselves on track and to take actions that actually had an impact, so we started working with Enviro-Mark Solutions.”

Booker Spalding

In the years since, Booker Spalding has worked its way up to achieving Enviro-Mark® Diamond certification, the highest and most challenging level of certification for a business to achieve for their environmental management system from leading environmental certification provider, Enviro-Mark Solutions. Booker Spalding designs, sources and delivers uniforms, and the certification covers its physical business operations.

According to Enviro-Mark Solutions judges, the team at Booker Spalding has a smooth functioning, mature environmental management system that has shown continuous improvement over the years.

Enviro-Mark Solutions Chief Executive Dr Ann Smith commends Booker Spalding’s efforts.

“Booker Spalding is dedicated to ensuring it has a high-quality environmental management system by achieving Enviro-Mark Diamond certification. This means the team is fully aware of potential environmental impacts of their business operations, continually assessing their activities, and have embedded a culture of environmental performance improvement in their business. Enviro-Mark Solutions is delighted to announce that Booker Spalding has won the Excellence in Environmental Management Award.”

Maurice says that many small energy saving initiatives contribute to a sustainable business function overall. In its latest reporting cycle, Booker Spalding reduced electricity consumption by 6%, and reduced petrol use by 6% compared to the previous year. In addition, it also succeeded in redirecting 94% of its waste to recycling.

Booker Spalding first achieved certification in the Enviro-Mark programme in 2006. Since then, it has followed an annual review cycle to audit and improve – looking for opportunities for positive change across the business.

“We’ve looked at our computer disposal, refrigeration, lighting and heating, petrol use, water use and a range of other areas that impact the environment,” says Maurice. “We are always updating our targets and making changes. ‘Measure and improve’ is our motto for managing our environmental footprint.”

Booker Spalding has de-commissioned diesel heaters and reduced plastic use. Obsolete garments never go to landfill and are instead recycled.

“We’re also focused on procurement and improving the sustainability of our supply chain,” says Maurice. “We also ask our local suppliers what they do and then we give them an internal rating. This helps us view how they are going and where we can support them if necessary.”

Maurice says that if businesses today don’t understand their impact on the environment, they will have to re-consider their place in the market and how they will be perceived in the future.

“Customers need to have confidence in you and your business,” he says. “Enviro-Mark certification shows that we aren’t just telling a story— it gives credibility to what we say.”

For more information:

Enviro-Mark Diamond logoToitū enviromark diamond certification

Toitū enviromark diamond certified organisations have all the components of an ISO 14001 system in place. They have internal systems to ensure that their plans and policies are followed and to identify any opportunities for change and improvement. They have top management involvement in managing the EMS and its continuing stability.

To achieve Toitū enviromark diamond certification, an organisation:

  • Controls all important documentation to ensure only the most up to date versions are being used;
  • Has an internal EMS audit programme in operation, ensuring expected outcomes are occurring as planned;
  • Periodically has top management review the performance of the EMS;
  • Formalises the roles and responsibilities for people working for and on behalf of the organisation;
  • Communicates appropriately both internally and externally;
  • Ensures appropriate training is given to people working with the EMS;
  • Documents all procedures relating to managing the system (both system and operational procedures);
  • Has a good system for managing problems (non-conformities and opportunities for improvement);
  • Sets objectives and targets for driving improvement and has programmes in place to meet those targets;
  • Develops, implements and tests environmental emergency plans;
  • Identifies and evaluates their significant environmental issues arising from activities, products and services;
  • Actively monitors their ongoing compliance with New Zealand legislation and ensures they are aware of any changes to obligations;
  • Produces an environmental policy statement;
  • Understands the scope of their EMS (i.e., are there any parts of the organisation that need to be excluded from the EMS and why);
  • Exhibits no non-compliances with New Zealand’s applicable health and safety and environmental legislation.