Owen Mumford’s Environmental Steering Group (ESG) began in 2014 and was initially tasked with focussing on energy, given the significant costs and carbon emissions resulting from the industrial processes required in manufacturing products.

Since it’s conception the ESG has reported many successes, starting with its ‘Power Down’ campaign. This campaign saw Owen Mumford deploying Carbon Trust posters around its sites to encourage behavioural change to switch off unused electrical equipment.

More recently, Owen Mumford partnered with the social enterprise Low Carbon Hub, and signed an agreement, which required the installation of solar arrays (solar panels) on both the Woodstock and Chipping Norton sites. With this, Owen Mumford is set to avoid 66 tonnes of CO2 every year by using the clean energy for its business operations.

100kW’s of solar array went live in January 2016 on the Cotswold site followed by a further 41kW set up at Woodstock in March. Greg Webster, Environmental Steering Group, Owen Mumford commented on the installation, “The benefits of this initiative have a wider community impact. The nature of the Low Carbon Hub business model means that Owen Mumford will also be de facto supporting the roll-out of community renewable energy to schools, church halls and community centres across Oxfordshire. This deal has the potential to reduce Owen Mumford’s carbon emissions by an estimated 1,320 tonnes during the life of the 20-year agreement term.

Whilst the solar arrays themselves are great news for saving money on electricity costs and reducing emissions, unfortunately we cannot feasibly supply all of the company’s electricity needs from onsite installations. Therefore, from November 2016, Owen Mumford has signed an agreement enabling the vast majority of our externally sourced UK electricity needs to be supplied from 100 per cent renewable sources for the life of the contract. Based on the recent ESOS (Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme) audit of Owen Mumford’s energy and transport based emissions, this has the potential to reduce its total carbon emissions in the areas surveyed by a very significant amount.”

External audits such as ESOS take place in combination with regular internal energy audits and will ensure that Owen Mumford continues to reduce unnecessary energy usage. Owen Mumford is proud to meet its Corporate Social Responsibility head on and demonstrate leadership towards a zero carbon future as envisaged in the COP21 Climate Agreement (negotiated in Paris last November).

Keep up to date on all of Owen Mumford’s latest news via: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+