Sustainability

In 2004 we invested £4.5 million in re-designing our Abertillery facility, a process that involved a fundamental rethink of our approach to the environment and led us to introduce new processes. As a result, superior insulation properties and fire retardant features improve energy efficiency and risk management. The condensation from steam, our main power source, is reclaimed and recycled back into the system. We do not use Chlorofluro Carbons within our refrigerant systems.

Performance targets
As part of our ISO 140001 certification programme, we have set the following environmental targets:
- Reduce electricity consumption by 2% year on year (per kg output) by January 2012
- Reduce gas consumption by 5% year on year (per kg output) by January 2012
- Reduce diesel consumption by 2% year on year (miles travelled) by January 2012
- Reduce water consumption by 2% year on year (per kg output) by January 2012
- Reduce volume of trade effluent discharged by 2% year on year (per kg output) by January 2012

Recycling is a top priority for us
We have introduced a treatment plant that allows waste water to be partially cleaned before it enters the drainage system. All hand-wash and hygiene stations are equipped with controls that reduce water. Two hundred and fifty tonnes of cardboard and 75 tonnes of steel are sent for recycling each year. Eighty percent of all our transit packaging is reusable.

Several initiatives involve Tillery Valley working in conjunction with suppliers to reduce food miles. When returning from customer delivery trips, for example, our drivers arrange to collect goods from suppliers' premises to reduce disruption to infrastructure and help reduce fuel consumption and vehicle emissions.

Our latest venture has seen a significant reduction in waste sent to landfill and all food waste is now sent to a local composting site. Plans are well under way for the same company to handle more of our waste stream and will include plastics, cardboard and other packaging waste being incorporated into the process.

Efficient deliveries - reduce carbon emmissions
All new and replacement vehicles are Euro 5 compliant and offer the best in current vehicle technology. Such is the impact of these new vehicles our logistics team have estimated that at current annual fleet mileage we will save in excess of 950 tonnes of carbon emissions each year. We have vehicle performance targets that are in line with industry standards (12 MPG for rigid HGVs and 10 MPG for tractors) and use them to monitor our operational efficiency.

View the Tillery Valley sustainability brochure and our environmental policy.

Find out more about our approach to Corporate Citizenship.