A sustainable approach
May Gurney's stated goal of 'Being the best' construction and support services company is accelerating its progress in working with customers to develop more sustainable ways of doing business.
Ian Findlater (left), Group Business Development Director, says: "Increasingly we are working with our local authority customers to help them deliver their sustainability agendas, which are being driven by central government targets, legislation - and rapidly rising public expectations."
2007 was the year when sustainability moved to the heart of May Gurney's business with some notable achievements.
In October, the River Witham Flood Defence Project in Lincolnshire, carried out by May Gurney on behalf of the Environment Agency, won the prestigious Best Practice category at the BCI Awards. The judges cited the use of more than one million used tyres as lightweight embankment strengthening material as 'impressive - with a strong chance of take up on other projects' (see pic above).
And just a few weeks later the company was awarded a Green Apple Award for its approach to environmental issues when designing and constructing 9km of pipeline in Devon for South West Water.
"We are working with our local authority customers to help them deliver their sustainability agendas"
Ian Findlater, May Gurney |
May Gurney is also partnering Norfolk County Council in a recently launched scheme under which the county's residents are being encouraged to recycle old cooking oil, which will be purified and converted into clean, renewable energy.
The company is also working with the same authority successfully pioneering a new waste management strategy on highways projects, which is achieving cost savings of 1.5% - simply by treating waste as an opportunity rather than a burden.
Internally, May Gurney carried out a highly successful Environment Champions pilot scheme at Head Office, which, among other achievements, delivered a 28% reduction in waste sent to landfill. As a result of this success, Environment Champions is being rolled out across the company during 2008.
Ian Findlater concludes: "We are making good progress in putting sustainability at the core of our business, and reflected in everything we do - but it's an ongoing process.
"Norfolk County Council is determined to develop the county into an exemplar of best practice - a place where 'green' businesses thrive and aspire to be. As one of the major companies in the county, we want to be part of that process and make our contribution to a more sustainable future - both locally and nationally."
Click here to read more about May Gurney's approach to sustainability and environmental issues.
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