Annual Report and Accounts - Hemscott IR

Environmental Report
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2012
Introduction
In 2012, we were awarded Retro Expo’s Outstanding
Achievement Award in recognition of the positioning
work we have done to ensure we take advantage of the
low carbon construction economy. We have set targets
for 2020 and have invested to improve our analysis of
our supply chain carbon opportunities and liabilities.
The environmental impact of all group activities is
included in this report.
Process improvements and outside influences
Management systems
The Group’s certified Environmental Management System
now covers BSS and PTS, but does not yet fully cover
Toolstation or businesses not wholly owned by the Group.
The strategic management of our environmental
approach was improved in 2012 by adopting key
environmental metrics and targets out to 2020. We
regard responsible operations as both important and
financially prudent. Our zero waste to landfill ambition
has been transposed to a 2017 target. By 2020, we
expect to reduce our carbon dioxide intensity by 48%.
The effect of the law
What we do, and how we do it, is partially a response
to regulatory drivers. We estimate that it costs us
£2.2 million in direct fees to comply with current
environmental regulations. We have increased our
direct advocacy and interest in industry bodies like the
Construction Products Association (CPA), British Retail
Consortium (BRC) and the Green Building Council (GBC)
so we can help achieve better regulation.
Opportunities from environmental regulation such as
The Green Deal, which officially launched on January 28
2013, have yet to materialise – however, we expect this
to build gradually as consumers become more informed.
Travis Perkins and our Green Deal Provider Partner,
Toriga, were among the first organisations to create an
approved Green Deal Plan. The Travis Perkins Toriga
Green Deal proposition will allow customers to gain
access to this growing market opportunity as it develops
over the coming years.
The effect of stakeholder views
In 2012, excluding regular support for our contractor
customers tendering activities and routine dialogue
with WWF, CPA, BRC, GBC or our own environmental
advisory bodies, we spoke to approximately 200 people
or organisations about our environmental approach.
Regrettably, 28 of these (30 in 2011) were complaints.
We recognise that from time to time conflicts can arise
with neighbours, or we will have supplied materials
customers regard as lacking environmental credentials.
On each occasion we seek to listen, react and agree
changes where possible.
Encouragingly, we had a positive engagement with
investors in 2012 about our environmental approach
and this has improved the level of disclosure in this
report. Wherever possible, we now include absolute
levels of emissions or consumption and an indicator
stating the level of measured versus estimated data.
Our strategic priorities, themes and objectives
are formally reviewed regularly against solicited
or unsolicited commentary we receive about our
environmental approach along with the feedback from
our Non Executive Environmental Advisory Panel. We
believe this makes our approach more effective and
closer to stakeholder expectations.
What we report
For the 2013 calendar year we will report under the
proposed Green House Gas mandatory reporting rules
and restate comparatives to ensure consistency. For 2012
data we reviewed the calculations of our metrics, which
are produced by combining measured, estimated and
extrapolated data, but did not materially change them.
We have increased our content of environmental
information on the Web and in other publications and
have continued to have this report and its contents
verified by Lloyds Register of Quality Assurance. A copy
of the verification statement is downloadable from the
Travis Perkins plc. environment web pages.
Buying Responsibly
Timber and timber products
In 2012, we estimate that 90% by value of the timber
and timber products purchased by the Group was from
certified well managed or controlled forests.
Over 85% of the timber data comes from our central
sales records, with the remaining estimated.
All centrally purchased major timber product groups
are either fully certified or a plan for full certification
is underway. By Q2 of 2013, all materials we import
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