Energy
We aim to reduce our energy usage wherever possible, whilst at the same time utilising alternative, less carbon intensive energy consuming equipment. In August 2009, Boots UK launched an awareness campaign aimed at reducing energy use in its retail stores through embracing a few simple daily actions. The awareness campaign continues to evolve as different ways and ideas of saving energy are introduced to employees.
The campaign releases information to remind colleagues of their energy usage, including providing information promoting energy awareness on the retail store intranet site, distributing posters containing information and advice and providing an e-learning training programme that communicated the importance of reducing our carbon footprint.
Additionally many businesses in our Pharmaceutical Wholesale Division have made great strides in 2010/11 educating employees of the importance of energy saving initiatives.
For the year ended 31 March 2011*
CO2 Emissions from energy
By division
for the year ended 31 March
| 2011*
Tonnes | 2010
Tonnes |
| Health & Beauty | 242,285 | 239,648 |
| Pharmaceutical Wholesale | 30,013 | 31,460 |
| Contract Manufacturing & Corporate | 21,032 | 24,814 |
| 293,330 | 295,922 |
Overall Group CO2 emissions from energy decreased, with reductions in Pharmaceutical Wholesale and Contract Manufacturing & Corporate, which were partially offset by an increase in the Health & Beauty Division due to new store openings in our International Health & Beauty businesses and enhancements in data capture.
In Vitre, where BCM’s French factory is situated, the local council came up with the idea of sharing heat energy between town buildings. The aim was to create a hot water loop to heat the local swimming pool and the future central cooking area for the community hospital and schools using heat energy generated by the town incinerator.
As BCM’s factory is situated between the town incinerator and the swimming pool, the local council asked BCM France to join this venture so a heating system was created using a series of pipelines, linking the incineration plant with BCM France and then the local swimming pool.
BCM France now receives heat energy from the incinerator, which is used to heat its office areas. By using the heat energy generated by the incinerator, BCM France estimates that CO2 levels will significantly reduce its carbon footprint in the future. The benefit for the incinerator is that the waste product smoke it produces is cooled by being passed along the loop and used by other businesses and thus when released into the air it is less damaging to the environment.
Once again, Boots UK took part in Energy Saving Week. The aim of the campaign is to help employees learn how they can reduce their carbon footprint and show how significant savings can be made in money, energy and time. At the Boots UK support office in Nottingham, messages were broadcast each day of the week culminating in an event to bring these messages to life to educate our people about energy management not only in the workplace, but linking this with energy management at home. This approach helps to embed the practice of responsible energy use as a way of life, rather than it being simply something that is required in the workplace.
BCM’s UK factory operation has made large steps over the last three years in delivering on its responsibilities, particularly in the area of energy reduction.
Over this period energy usage within the UK manufacturing site has reduced by over a third, which is a great performance given that production volumes within the factory has increased over this period.
The success lies in improved processes but also in the development of an ‘energy reduction’ mindset. The team have worked hard at tackling steam, electricity, water and compressed air usage by continually looking for ways to reduce energy used. An example of this is the introduction of inverter drives which reduce the amount of time a piece of equipment runs for and also optimises the amount of energy that machinery uses whilst running.
For the year ended 31 March 2011*
Back to top