Russell Roof Tiles (RRT) has taken a significant step closer to its Net-Zero target having achieved Planet Mark certification. The company’s ambition is to be a leader in sustainable and environmental practices.
In January Russell Roof Tiles announced its commitment to becoming a Net-Zero business by 2040.
Planet Mark is a sustainability certification that provides businesses the support to understand their impact on the planet whilst helping to build transparent and trusted businesses in terms of sustainability progression. The Planet Mark Business Certification is an internationally recognised sustainability certification for business acknowledging continuous progress, encouraging action, and building an empowered community of like-minded individuals.
As part of the commitment to Net-Zero 2040, RRT’s major focus is on direct emissions (Scope 1 & 2) and the reduction of fossil fuel use, energy efficiency, maximising renewables and procuring green energy. This is a process of continual improvement and refinement with all its three manufacturing sites sharing knowledge and initiatives in its own internal ‘race to zero’.
As part of the Planet Mark certification RRT is working hard towards its sustainability goals by reducing its total carbon per employee. One of its first targets being to reduce carbon by 5 per cent from its current figure of 18.6tCO2e per employee. The total carbon footprint calculation figure includes emissions from purchased electricity, transmission and distribution losses, natural gas, fuel, waste, and business travel.
As part of its work with Planet Mark, Russell Roof Tiles is supporting the partnership with between the sustainability certification company and climate change charity, Cool Earth. RRT has now protected an acre of rainforest in association with Cool Earth. Even though it’s thousands of miles away, protecting the rainforest is essential in tackling climate change, as well as bringing wider benefits for society, cultures, and biodiversity. Cool Earth’s work is centred around empowering local communities to help keep rainforest standing. As the planet’s global safety net, protecting the rainforest is the smartest, most positive climate action there is.
Rainforest trees lock in a quarter of the world’s carbon emissions and generate moisture, which travels around the world, and accounts for a fifth of the planet’s fresh water. Rainforests also protect over six million species of plants and animals (with many still undiscovered), forming an ecosystem which is essential to our survival.
The company started its sustainability journey over 10 years ago and Russell Roof Tiles’ long-term ambition has always been to reduce emissions that damage the environment and improve its operational efficiency, whilst strengthening its wider communities. To continue delivering its commitment to minimise its carbon footprint RRT has introduced a number of initiatives across the company and supply chain this year to further reduce its environmental impact in the future.
Ultimately greenhouse gas emissions will become a key performance area within its supply chain, with delivery partners and in product design. Its Energy & Emissions strategy roadmap sets out key projects, targets, and milestones that it is working towards in order to achieve Net Zero.
Daniel Hancox, Business Support Manager is heads up RRT’s Zero task force, he comments “We’re delighted to reach another major milestone in our Net Zero journey with the support of Planet Mark. We were the first British roof tile manufacturer to achieved an “Excellent” rating for responsible supplier sourcing and have also signed up to the SME Climate Hub, which is a government initiative aimed at getting SME businesses in the UK on the path to Net Zero.”
RRT has also achieved gold status with the Supply Chain Sustainability School, which is a multi-award-winning initiative that represents a common approach to addressing sustainability within supply chains.
Russell Roof Tiles is a leading independent pitched roof tile manufacturer supplying products for the top housebuilders and high-profile social housing and commercial projects. The company produces thousands of tiles every week that are used on roofs across the UK, for all of the UK’s premier housebuilders, architects and developers.
www.russellrooftiles.com