Author: Futures Supplies

A glittering evening of food festivities and entertainment brought together South London’s environmental stars to celebrate their outstanding achievements.

Recognising how organisations are reducing costs through energy, water, waste and transport saving by drawing on a network of specialist partners to provide expert advice, Futures Supplies & Support Services Ltd, trade suppliers of washroom, janitorial and cleaning products, was delighted to be  recognised by scooping a Gold Envibe Award for the third consecutive year.

Envibe, a government funded organisation, was set up to help businesses improve their environmental efficiency through a network of support organisation and recognises companies through a tiered award scheme to identify environmental excellence and good practice.

To qualify for the Gold award, Futures Supplies had to provide hard evidence of its environmental and community activities, continual improvement as well as undergoing site visits and achieve reduction targets in relation to energy, waste, water and transport usage.

Managing Director of Futures Supplies, Mandie Kemp commented, “To get the balance of a truly informative event mixed with the opportunity to network and share ideas with other likeminded organisations made the evening truly enjoyable. We were delighted to be recognised for yet another year of progress and hard work on our environmental and CSR project with a ‘Gold Award’ for the third consecutive year – truly an outstanding accolade and firm recognition for all the staffs’ efforts”.

Futures Supplies, through its initiatives promoting sustainability and positive CSR to all companies as well as within its own organisation, has had a proven positive impact on society and local community, inspiring other businesses to get involved.

With its already green credentials, winning formula and proven track record, Futures Supplies has successfully positioned itself in the market place as a company that cares with a strong service ethos differentiating it from other businesses.

Recognising how organisations are moving forward with viable environmental and sustainable technology solutions, Futures Supplies and Support Services Ltd, trade suppliers of washroom, janitorial and cleaning products, was up against some stiff National competition when it successfully scooped the 2007 Environmental and Sustainable Technology ‘Green Marketing Award’.

The 2007 EAST Awards, a black tie Gala Dinner event hosted by Lord & Lady Palmer was held in the Cholmondeley Room at the House of Lords, and were open to entries from both the Private and Public sectors and the event brought together environmental leaders and industry providers of products and services to celebrate their environmental innovation and how organisations are moving forward with viable environmental and sustainable technology solutions.

Judged by a panel of senior industry insiders headed by David Lemon, Environment Industries Commission, Futures Supplies was delighted to collect the ‘Green Marketing Award’ in recognition of its successful marketing influence encouraging not only customers, but also suppliers and their local community in the importance of ‘green’ issues. 

The company successfully illustrated its environmental contribution in enabling its clients to reduce their environmental impact through product availability and performance, in-house environmental auditing and management along with innovation and customer service.

The judges commented that they had a hard time judging the awards this year as there were so many great sustainable entries and judging from a standard criteria they finally arrived at the justified clear winners in each category.

Tracey Holden of Futures Supplies commented, “This award was important to us because it recognises that the company’s influence over others in relation to environmental issues really matters”.

Futures Supplies, through its initiatives promoting sustainability and positive CSR to all companies as well as within its own organisation has had a proven positive impact on society and local community, inspiring other businesses to get involved.

With its already green credentials, winning formula and proven track record, Futures Supplies has successfully positioned itself in the market place as a company that cares with a strong service ethos differentiating it from other businesses.

 

South London Company Futures Supplies & Support Services Ltd, not only received a ‘Big Tick’ reaccreditation in this year’s npower ‘Business Impact on Society Award for Small Companies’, but it was also highly commended in the category of ‘Impact on London by a Small Company Award’ sponsored by the LDA.

At the recent London and South East regional champagne reception at City Hall, over 300 high level business attendees saw Futures Supplies, independent trade suppliers of washroom, janitorial and associated cleaning products pick up the coveted awards.

Futures Supplies were short listed as ‘an exemplar company who have had a significant impact in London and South East’ and had to present its application to a high-powered panel of judges. Bringing their entry to life, the company had to provide hard evidence of the impact of its programme and illustrate how its business operations link to BITC’s three commitments.

Dan Hills, Operations Manager, who presented the company’s application and collected the award said, “It is a great achievement and testament to the efforts of the whole company in its collaborative actions to address and support young people through its CRS programme and drive forward its environmental project. To be recognised with these prestigious accolades can only be seen as a great step forward in encouraging and inspiring other businesses to get involved and act in a socially responsible way.”

Now in their tenth year, the awards are run by Business in the Community, a unique movement in the UK of over 750 member companies whose purpose is to inspire, engage, support and challenge business in continually improving its impact in the community.  In association with its Media Partner, the Financial Times, the ‘Big Tick’ awards are the most prestigious Corporate Social Responsibility awards in the UK.

Futures Supplies is an independent supplier of washroom, cleaning and janitorial products who recently launched Ecover ecological products, available on its website www.futures-supplies.co.uk as part of its green initiative. The company believes that its commitment to staff development, CSR and green initiatives have successfully positioned it in the market place as a company who cares.

 

Recent winner of the prestigious South London ‘Business of the Year’ award, Futures Supplies & Support Services Ltd is pleased to launch its travel branding for its on-going commitment to transport and travel sustainability and savings.

The same design agency which last year created its new corporate identity being rolled out through all its corporate stationery, brochures and company newsletters has produced the new logo, which will be launched with immediate effect. 

It will be used in conjunction with promoting the company’s travel initiatives through its e-communications and website, www.futures-supplies.co.uk, encouraging more sustainable travel both within Futures Supplies business, its personnel, suppliers, customers, visitors and the community as a whole.

Futures Supplies & Support Services Ltd has been working for the past three years with its local transport partner, Seltrans to devise a company travel plan, one of the first companies in Croydon to do so and the new logo will be used as the main promotional tool for the plan. Part of the plan includes car sharing and encouraging staff biking to work by installing a shower in the company premises. 

Out of a small team of staff, over 30% now bike to work following the company purchasing bikes and have also replaced two company vehicles with Toyota Prius Hybrid cars. The Prius was voted Europe’s most eco-friendly vehicle, received best fuel economy award as well as car of the year award in 2005.

The Prius offers a solution to reducing environmental impact by reducing emissions, promoting cleaner fuels and reducing vehicle impact as well as saving money in reduced fuel bills, vehicle licence fees and insurance.  The Prius is also Congestion Charge exempt making it a sound investment for business and the environment.

As part of its on-going commitment to protect the environment, Futures Supplies has become CarbonNeutral by measuring the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with its business, reducing them where possible at source then offsetting unavoidable emissions by supporting sustainable forestry projects and renewable energy through an independently audited and verified process.

Futures Supplies is an independent supplier of washroom, cleaning and janitorial products who recently launched Ecover ecological products, available on its website www.futures-supplies.co.uk as part of its green initiative. The company believes that its commitment to staff development, CSR and green initiatives have successfully positioned it in the market place as a company who cares. 

Futures Supplies continues to lead the way and prove its commitment to the environment by not only gaining certification in all five phases of the environmental standard BS8555 but by also gaining certification to the International Environmental Standard BS.EN.ISO 14001:2004.

Launched in 2003, BS8555, was introduced to help SME’s to achieve ISO14001 by taking a phased approached to implementing an EMS. The phased EMS implementation approach used by BS8555 and piloted through Project Acorn breaks down the process of installing a formal EMS into five levels.

As part of a pilot initiative through the Cleaning and Support Services Association and funded by DEFRA, Futures Supplies attended a number of workshops delivered by environmental consultants, White Young and Green before completing all five phases in a record time.

Subsequently, the independent supplier of washroom, cleaning and janitorial products then completed its certification of ISO14001, therefore making a powerful statement about its environmental credentials and impacts.

Through delivering its targets and objectives set out in its environmental policy, Futures Supplies has been working closely with its customers and suppliers to encourage their Environmental practices, ways of recycling and making sure they are controlling and improving the company’s Environmental performance.  As a result, Futures Supplies now recycles over 73% of its waste and has made considerable financial savings in addition to implementing water, energy and transport saving initiatives.

“I am delighted that Futures Supplies has had the flexibility to work at its own pace to achieve both BS8555 and ISO14001. Everyone in the company has had their part to play in achieving these certifications but all credit goes to the company ‘Green Champion’ Andrew Hills who has worked incredibly hard to ensure these were achieved in an incredible short space of time,” says Mandie Kemp, Managing Director.

Since achieving these certifications, Futures Supplies continues to find innovative ways of tackling sustainability and has launched Ecover ecological products, available on its website www.futures-supplies.co.uk as part of its green initiative.

The company has been trading for over 12 years and believes that its efficient management, strong financial controls, commitment to staff development, CSR and green initiatives have successfully positioned it in the market place as a company who cares and stands out as a thriving, fun to work for business with a strong service ethos differentiating it from other businesses.

Britain is to be the first country in the world to set standards for offsetting schemes aimed at neutralising the environmental impact of greenhouse gas emissions in order to give consumers confidence that the schemes work.

Through a series of media briefings DEFRA has announced its support of voluntary carbon offset and a ‘consultation’ around the standards that should be applied with a view that voluntary carbon offset is a good thing and should be encouraged.

Managing Director, Mandie Kemp said ‘We are dedicated to protecting the environment and as part of this commitment we have become CarbonNeutral by measuring the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with our business, reducing them where possible at source then offsetting unavoidable emissions by supporting sustainable forestry projects and renewable energy through an independently audited and verified process’.

Sufficient progress can only be made if organisations and individuals decide to ‘own’ the problems associated to climate change and act accordingly. Futures Supplies believes that whilst it is critical it is not enough just to reduce carbon emissions through better energy management and targets. It is a fact that we still have to drive cars and use energy as part of the commercial process and therefore until technology can provide more answers to reduce or eliminate emissions, offsetting offers a responsible best practice model of dealing with unavoidable emissions.

A base line assessment of Futures Supplies carbon footprint, carried out by CarbonNeutral has been aligned with the company’s strategy, that through a combination of direct emission reduction and indirect offsetting the net greenhouse gas emissions associated with their business are ZERO.

Enterprising business, Futures Supplies swept the board at the recent South London Business Awards collecting not one, but three prestigious awards.  At the ceremony held in a giant marquee on the pitch at Selhurst Park, home of Crystal Palace Football Club, the company walked away with not only the Customer Service and Small Business Award.  It was also awarded the overall winner of night as ‘South London Company of the Year’.

The unique and inspiring evening representing the cream of South London businesses and attended by over 400 leading business people was hosted by Capital Gold DJ David Jensen who announced the winners in a total of eight award categories.

 The winners were selected by a high-powered panel of judges headed by Phil Walker, Director of the Royal Bank of Scotland who commented, “Mandie Kemp is an excellent ambassador for South London business. Her company, Futures Supplies & Support Services impressed the judges and she has been awarded three trophies including South London Company of The Year, the highest accolade proving that excellence can be achieved in all areas of business.”

Office Supervisor, Andrew Hills who collected the awards said, “We knew we were finalists in three award categories before the event but to collect not one but three awards including the main accolade on the night was a total surprise.”

Futures Supplies is an independent supplier of washroom, cleaning and janitorial products who recently launched Ecover ecological products, available on its website www.futures-supplies.co.uk as part of its green initiative.

The company has been trading for 12 years and believes that its efficient management, strong financial controls, commitment to staff development, CSR and green initiatives have successfully positioned it in the market place as a company who cares and stands out as a thriving, fun to work for business with a strong service ethos differentiating it from other businesses.

 

With an ethos to deliver service, quality, value and reliability through innovation and technology whilst tackling long-term sustainability, Futures Supplies & Support Services Ltd, independent distributors of washroom and cleaning products, has recently added Ecover products to its range.

Recognising the trend towards minimising pollution and more awareness of the impact of how cleaning products impact on individuals and our surrounding, Futures has listened to its customers who want a sparkling washroom but don’t want to fill the environment with petrochemicals and chlorine to achieve that gleam.

Ecover are the world’s leading manufacturer of ecological cleaning products with over 25 years of experience using innovative formulations to tackle the toughest problems.  It is the UK’s and the world’s biggest selling ecological cleaning brand with more than 100 solutions for a diversity of cleaning applications from every day cleaning, offices, schools, caterers and local authorities.

Developing and producing efficient cleaning products in the world’s first ecological factory built in 1992 in Belgium, Ecover is the leader in the ecological cleaning sector in over 20 countries worldwide. The range of products, all of which have 100% recyclable packaging have been developed to minimise pollution and environmental impact and are based on plant and mineral ingredients from nature. Unlike many petrochemicals based products they do not contain toxic, allergenic, mutagenic or carcinogenic ingredients, which make them safer for cleaning staff, office staff, customers and the environment.

Futures Supplies is offering a selection of products from Ecover’s Consumer, Techno and Professional range all of which are available to purchase through Futures 24/7 online shopping website www.futures-supplies.co.uk. Ecological products from an ecological factory delivered by a responsible company committed to the protection of the environment and future generations and to delivering natural products for people who care.

“The products are truly competitive, priced against the major brands and showing a responsibility of our business to customers and staff alike. Ecover products offer a real alternative to other conventional brands”, says Mandie Kemp, Managing Director, Futures Supplies & Support Services Ltd.

“I am delighted that Ecover and Futures will be working in partnership and leading the way to bring a more natural alternative in cleaning products to the business world.” says Steve Mitchell, Sales Manager at Ecover UK Ltd.

Futures Supplies, a CarbonNeutral company, has recently received a host of ‘green’ awards and recognition for its commitment to tackling sustainability and has been recognised for its customer service excellence by achieving CHSA ‘National Distributor Service Excellence Awards’ consistently since 1997. It is BS EN ISO 9001:2000 and BS EN ISO 14001 certified. 

Not a day goes by when we don’t wake up to a headline that involves the environment or the doom and gloom of the inevitable impact that climate change will have on us all.

Global warming, greenhouse gases, recycling, climate change, carbon emissions, environmental legislation, sustainability are but a few of the phrases that we have all become familiar with in recent months.

It is almost at the point of hysteria that we all accept that we are fast depleting the earth’s resources and the end of the world is nigh. Whether we like it or not it will not be long before rooftops are littered with wind turbines and solar panels and light bulbs are too dim to read by.

Is anyone looking at the hard practical facts? Do the politicians have any idea what they are in fact talking about as they rush to compete with each other in the great global rush to save the planet? Unfortunately, recent debates expose much of the science upon which the green politicians base their campaign is unproven.

We are all aware that if China, currently undergoing its great industrial revolution, continues to build power stations at its present rate of five a week, within just a few years it will be omitting more greenhouse gas than has ever been produced in the history of the human race.

However doing nothing is not an option. Climate Change is without doubt the most serious threat facing mankind today and compelling evidence that our climate is changing is widely accepted and human activities are without a doubt contributing to global warming.

What do we mean by ‘Climate Change’? Blamed for everything from the lack of snow at Christmas to the ravages of hurricanes, climate change is the effect of the shifts in climate and their impact on the earth. In recent years, models of the impacts of climate change predict widespread changes to weather patterns as well as increased temperatures, which will impact on us all.

It matters not if you believe that man is inducing climate change or not because Britain is to become the first in the world to introduce legally binding targets for reducing carbon emissions. They must fall by between 26% and 32% by 2020 and 60% by 2050 with a new average car emission target of 130G of CO2 per kilometre by 2012 and electricity to come ‘largely or wholly’ from low or zero carbon sources including wind, solar wave and nuclear.

Measures have already been introduced to limit greenhouse gas emissions produced through the use of energy in business. These include increased fuel, energy and carbon taxes already in place in the UK so it makes sense to reduce usage through improving efficiency.

The cost to businesses of not responding to climate change is potentially significant.  However by acting now and forward planning, cost in both financial terms and time can be reduced significantly.

There has never been a better time to take advantage of Grants, Enhanced Capital Allowance schemes along with free advice from the numerous organisations springing up in this whole new ‘Green Industry’.

Where to start I hear you ask? Our business philosophy has always been to do one thing every day that makes a difference – that adds up to a lot of things and ultimately helps drive continuous improvement within our business along with listening to what our customers want and believe me the customer wants green.

Stop making excuses, engage your staff and customers and do one thing today even if it’s just segregating your rubbish to recycle, setting your printers to double sided or switching of those lights that you don’t really need and save money at the same time!

Futures Supplies has always been environmentally aware, personally I have always felt a responsibility to the planet and future generations. The company has had an environmental policy and an informal Environmental Management System in place since 2004. This was recently formalised with the help of the Defra funded scheme run through the Cleaning & Support Services Association (CSSA). We have subsequently been able to simply address the formal documentation of an EMS and put in place targets that are meaningful, measurable and achievable, further improving our environmental performance and impact on the environment.

The flexibility of the Acorn approach has enabled us to work at our own pace and substantially improve our competitiveness in the market place and I would highly recommend this no nonsense common sense approach.

There is never a better time to start than today, here we go I hear you sigh something else to do along with the HR, Health and Safety and the rest of the legislation and red tape in which we all as businesses struggle to keep on top of but ask yourself – don’t we all have a responsibility to safeguard our planets resources for our children our children’s children and future generations? Lets face it doing nothing is not an option.

In this year’s prestigious ‘Business In the Community Awards’ in association with the Financial Times and sponsored by the Department of Trade and Industry, South London Company Futures Supplies & Support Services Ltd is delighted to have received the widely recognised ‘Big Tick’.  The company demonstrated that through leadership and interrogation of corporate responsibility, it is improving its business and its overall impact on society – in the marketplace, the workplace, the environment and the community.

Futures Supplies, independent trade supplier of washroom, janitorial and associated cleaning products is one of only five companies short listed as a London and South East finalist in the category of the ‘Impact on Society for Small Companies Award’, in association with the Institute of Directors. Futures has been recognised with a ‘Big Tick’ for its commitment to its community, charity and environmental projects whilst tackling long-term sustainability and evolving to meet the ever challenging and demanding face of business.

The Awards for Excellence 2006, in association with its Media Partner, the Financial Times are the most prestigious Corporate Social Responsibility awards in the UK.  Rigorously assessed and independently assured the awards are powerful benchmarks of good corporate practice. The Awards, which are now in their ninth year, are run by Business in The Community, a unique movement in the UK of over 750 member companies whose purpose is to inspire, engage, support and challenge business in continually improving its impact in the community.

Finalists had to present their entry to an independent high level judging panel in May and Futures Supplies was presented with its regional ‘Big Tick’ at the London and South East regional awards champagne reception celebration on the 12^th June.

Regional finalists now go forward to the ‘National Examples of Excellence’ Awards to be announced at the Gala Dinner on 12^th July in the presence of HRH The Prince of Wales who is the president of Business in the Community. 

Futures Supplies was founded and established over ten years ago in 1995 by Managing Director, Mandie Kemp and provides a totally environmentally sensitive supply for the perfect washroom. Based in South London, Futures Supplies supply to numerous contract cleaning companies, financial institutions, corporate headquarters and prestigious Commercial buildings.

Futures Supplies are BS.EN.ISO 9001:2000 accredited in line with its ethos to deliver service, quality, value and reliability. Futures has a proven track record and focused approach to supplying quality products with the added value of service excellence having achieved ‘Distributor Service Excellence’ awards consistently since 1997.

“We are proud to have been recognised as a sustainable, responsible business and for our impact on society, business is not just about the bottom line but about putting something back into the community. I hope our success will inspire and encourage other small businesses to give support and become involved in the regeneration of their local community and consider their influence beyond the workplace as we have”, said Mandie Kemp, Futures Supplies Managing Director.