OUR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Wood and Disney's environmental impact

Our commitment to the the next generation

The core business ethos of Wood and Disney is to :

Help our clients Build Better Futures for the next generation

Central to that goal is building a greener, sustainable future for our children and generations beyond. That's why our drive to reduce our environmental impact, manage a socially responsible business which helps both our staff and clients reach their full potential and to run and support our clients in building businesses that are financially sustainable and resilient, is so important to us. Sustainability: Environmental, Social and Financial, is at the heart of Wood and Disney's business beliefs.

Our commitment to the Environment

As a small business in the service sector in the UK, Wood and Disney are committed to minimising our environmental impact and operating in a sustainable manner. We recognise the importance of environmental protection and are taking steps to reduce our carbon emissions, conserve resources, and promote waste reduction.

Wood and Disney are committed to:

Reducing our carbon emissions: We will measure our carbon footprint and set targets for reduction. We will implement measures to reduce our energy consumption, such as using energy efficient appliances, switching to renewable energy sources, and promoting sustainable travel practices.

Conserving resources: We will conserve water and other resources by implementing efficient practices, such as using water-saving fixtures and appliances, and recycling and composting.

Promoting waste reduction: We will reduce waste by implementing recycling and composting programs, purchasing recycled products, and minimising packaging.

Raising awareness: We will raise awareness of environmental issues among our employees and customers through training, communication, and engagement initiatives.

What progress have we made so far?

It all sounds great on paper but how are Wood and Disney living up to their green pledges?

Reducing our carbon emissions:

Buildings have been re-insulated to obtain EPC ratings of A and A+. (The Granary, where Wood and Disney is based, was only 6 points short of an A+ on a scale of 25 points).

Heat pumps have been installed in all buildings and all gas boilers decommissioned. Hot water is produced on the back of heat pump and heat is rejected in summer months.

142 kW of solar panels have been installed for on-site electricity generation.

All electricity is purchased from renewable sources via national supplier.

Wood and Disney have gone a step further. We've made sure that not only our office space and systems put the environment first but also that our on-line presence is environmentally friendly. Our website has been verified as being hosted by using green energy by the Green Web Foundation.

LED lighting used throughout Lodge Park.

Electrical vehicle charging points have been installed to encourage EV usage. Peter Disney the CEO of Wood and Disney, has switched to using an electric vehicle to get to work, charged at home by renewable sources and his own generated solar panel system.

Bike store and showers to allow people to refresh after cycling to work.

Fitness centre and social culinary space created to encourage people to remain at Lodge Park during the day. The staff at Wood and Disney are keen users of the on-site gym. Some staff members go first thing in the morning and others go as a group after work. This facility has not only reduced our individual environmental impact by reducing travel emissions but is also proving to be of huge benefit to our health and general well being, as well as a great social and team building asset.

Biodegradable cleaning products made from plant-based materials that break down naturally, unlike traditional cleaning products that often contain harmful chemicals, are used at Lodge Park Business to helping protect the environment and reduce its impact on the local ecosystem.

Creating a "green" environment with over 100 trees planted in the last 5 years and 250 linear metres of hedgerows at Lodge Park.

Conserving Resources:

Water fountains have been installed in all tea stations to reduce the amount of single use plastic bottles used at Lodge Park.

Cups and china in all tea stations and kitchens to reduce (eliminate) as much as possible single use items. (E.g. no paper cups etc).

Wood and Disney started moving to a paperless office in 2003. This investment in technology has resulted in a dramatic drop in the amount of paper and stationery we use. In 2003, we spent £24,000 annually on stationery. In the last financial year our stationery spend had fallen to £530. Our investment in a paperless office has not only had a huge environmental benefit in terms of resource conservation and reducing waste, it has also had significant business benefits with no lost files and immediate document recovery.

Promoting Waste Reduction:

Waste recycling (general waste, mixed recycling and cardboard) points are in all buildings. We estimate that 50% of our waste is recycled.

By running a paperless office, Wood and Disney, have significantly reduced the amount of waste paper produced as documents are exchanged via our secure document exchange, Citrix Sharefile, and email. Accounts are no longer posted to clients but are made available on our document exchange. Tax and VAT returns are uploaded directly onto the HMRC website.

Raising awareness:

The senior management of Wood and Disney are frequent attendees at environmental business symposiums and share what they have learnt with their our own team members and on our blog features on the environment and sustainability.

The progress Wood and Disney have made to date is just the start of our environmental journey. We are committed to being an environmentally responsible business and will continue to strive to reduce our environmental impact and to help and support our clients on their own journeys to build a greener, sustainable future for the next generation.

Environmental Blogs

Environmental Standards and Certification for Small Businesses

by James Disney MSc Environmental Consultancy • 14 Dec, 2021

An introduction to the primary standards and certifications available for small businesses to prove the environmental credentials of your business.

A quick guide to Climate Change and associated terms

by James Disney MSc Environmental Consultancy • 30 Nov, 2021

An introduction to the technical terms related to climate change, defined and their relevance to your business explained.

Is working from home always the greenest option?

Is it really greener to work from home?

by James Disney MSc Environmental Consultancy • 18 Nov, 2021

The "green" credentials of home working are not always as clear cut as they at first seem ....

Find out more about how you can make a difference and join Wood and Disney in becoming part of the Green Business Revolution...

Check whether your website is eco friendly

Wood and Disney have had a representative sample of 101 pages of our website checked to make sure that our website is green. The goal is to minimise the CO2 emissions of each page of your website to below 1 gram. Wood and Disney averaged 0.22 grams per page.

The Eco Friendly Web Alliance will check the CO2 emissions of your website for free >> The Eco Friendly Web Alliance

Check whether your website is green hosted

Wood and Disney's website has been verified as being green hosted. By that we mean that website hosting business uses renewable energy to run its systems. The Green Web Foundation is an independent non-profit that tracks how much of the internet runs on green energy.

You can check the green energy hosting credentials of your hosting supplier for free >> The Eco Friendly Web Alliance

Sustainability is about more than just environmental responsibility

The three pillars of sustainability are :

Environmental sustainability
Social responsibility
Financial or Economic sustainability

Business in the Community is the UK’s largest and most influential responsible business network dedicated to building a fairer and greener world together, supported by His Majesty The King for over 40 years. Their goals are to:

Working fairer – to help everyone reach their full potential.
Working greener – to accelerate climate action.
Working together – to continually improve business and to deliver impact at pace and scale.

You can find out more about on the Prince's Responsible Business Network website >> Business Community Network

Other useful sources of information

Essex Climate Action Commission:

The Essex Climate Action Commission is an independent body set up by Essex County Council to advise on how best to tackle the climate challenge and become a net zero emissions county. >> Essex Climate Action Commission

Federations of Small Businesses:

General advice and tips on how to start your business journey to sustainability >> Federations of Small Businesses