Bank wins Outstanding Achiever Award with Green Tech
Each year, the performances of audited and accredited iiE members are measured against one another to determine the highest achievers of the accreditation scheme. Scoring is based on a combination of their iiE assessment score, effort through innovation and engagement, and corporate social responsibility or social impact. Cambridge & Counties Bank’s outstanding performance on greenhouse gas reduction, investment in green technology, and their engagement with staff and local community projects set them apart in the 2020 iiE Awards.
Top stats
- 32% reduction in carbon emissions for building energy and staff travel
- Electricity usage slashed by 44%
- Water usage reduction of 16%
Improvements are actively being made on sustainability in Cambridge & Counties Bank’s environmental policy, using the policy to drive change and make improvements. The environment has been proposed as an agenda item for executive meetings and senior management are more engaged with driving sustainability throughout the organisation. There is an outstanding review process in place, demonstrated through impact assessment before and after a project.
“We’re always looking for ways to build on our environmental credentials and have been very successful in reducing our environmental impact to date. We have done this while offering very competitive lending and deposit products and exceptional customer service. It also means that our customers and staff alike can rest assured that we take proactive steps to monitor our impact on the community and will continue to set an example for other UK businesses and banks.”
How did they do it?
There is no one-size fits all approach to organisational sustainability, but attention to detail and investment in future-proofing technology that both save money and resources will be important. The bank measures and monitors its key resources and sets targets to reduce them through specific action planning measures.
The bank achieved excellent energy reductions through investing in efficient lighting and sensor systems, and phased out natural gas from their heating system through the use of heat pumps. Targeting reduced printing helped the bank cut printing by 4%, as well as reducing the amount of ink purchased and used. To further reduce water, they installed low-flow urinals which can save tens of thousands of litres of water each year.
In terms of travel, Cambridge & Counties Bank have now provided five electric vehicle (EV) charging points for site users. They are also involved with the Leicester Smart Go scheme, subsidise train tickets and use car park management strategies to encourage use of EV’s or train journeys.
For a number of years, the bank has run extensive community projects through volunteering in support of the arts and those in need. Green champions at Cambridge and Counties Bank are also part of the iiE mentorship network, and regularly network with other members to share their learnings and inspiration.