Critical for the management of the environmental performance of supply chains, BES 6001 focuses on responsible sourcing.
H+H, the UK’s largest manufacturer of aerated concrete blocks, is delighted to have achieved the much sought after “excellent” ranking under BES 6001 framework for responsible sourcing.
This standard requires manufacturers to demonstrate their compliance with and oversight of many aspects of environmental and sustainability performance, including energy efficiency, environmental stewardship, water management and ethical business practices.
Not only does the manufacturer need to demonstrate its own performance but, critically, it needs to demonstrate that its own supply chain is also committed to continuous environmental improvement. This will be achieved by continuous oversight of suppliers’ certification to recognised environmental, quality and health and safety standards.
This certification is a clear demonstration of collaboration throughout the supply chain – something which is essential if overall carbon reduction and broader environmental standards within the built environment are to be met. Many of the major housebuilders, for example, have committed to stringent carbon reduction targets, but can only achieve these if their suppliers are equally focused.
Graham Sargeant, Development and Management Systems Manager at H+H sees the importance of this supply chain pressure: “This type of certification considers the supply chain as a whole, which makes complete sense. The degree of collaboration required for H+H to achieve its Excellent ranking sits very comfortably within our overall strategy to be “partners in wall building” and it is a way of working that needs to be embedded throughout the industry.
“Never has there been as much focus on sustainability environmental standards and never has the need for this focus been so evident. As an industry we have to work together. Environmental improvement is no longer a “nice to have” – it is essential.”
Organisations demonstrate compliance with BES 6001 with their level of achievement ranked as: Pass, Good, Very Good and Excellent. Organisations are re-examined annually, ensuring that there is no slippage in their performance and this process ensures that each organisation keeps both its own processes and those of its suppliers under continual review.