Leading public services provider Amey has been named as one of the UK’s most sustainable and responsible businesses – after improving its performance every year since 2002.
The firm scored 91 per cent in a rigorous assessment of its working practices to secure a gold ranking in Business in the Community’s (BITC’s) 2010 Corporate Responsibility Index (CRI). It is the UK’s leading voluntary benchmark of corporate responsibility.
Amey performed above the average for support services companies in almost every area studied – including corporate strategy, community management and climate change.
The full results of the CRI are published in the Financial Times Responsible Business supplement.
Keith Sexton, HSEQ Director at Amey, said the company has secured the gold rating after taking on board judges’ feedback from last year’s event – when it was ranked Silver - and implementing new initiatives.
Amey made a series of improvements to achieve the gold rating this year. These include the launch of the Amey Foundation – where £100,000 has been set aside to ‘match fund’ the charity efforts by staff. In addition, Amey can provide one paid day off per year for employees to carry out charitable or community works.
Amey also took steps to reduce its carbon footprint. With 80 per cent of emissions generated by transport, the firm provided more fuel-efficient vehicles for staff, helping them to benefit from lower CO² tax bands, and made further significant investments in video conferencing facilities to minimise travel. In addition, the firm is working with its car supplier to plant a tree for every new vehicle it leases out.
“The fact that we have made real changes within the business to improve our rating year-on-year proves just how determined we are to be a responsible business,” said Keith.
“For us, looking after our own people, the communities in which we work and the environment is a fundamental part of success in business.
“Reducing our carbon footprint not only helps protect the environment but also helps us make our business as efficient as possible.”
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