ORGANISATIONS across the north have the opportunity to publicly demonstrate their commitment to better environmental practice with the launch of the 2021 NI Environmental Benchmarking Survey.
It is a self-disclosure exercise which helps organisations to measure and improve their environmental impacts, benchmark themselves against others and be recognised for green leadership.
Run by Business in the Community NI, the process asks organisations (large and small) to submit information relating to everything from how it is minimising and re-using resources, to how it communicates sustainability issues in an engaging way to customers. They are then scored and ranked, allowing comparisons with other sector peers and leading Northern Ireland businesses.
More than 100 organisations took part in 2020, with Spirit Aerosystems taking the overall top performer spot and ReCon Waste Management achieving the highest ranking among small business submissions.
BITCNI managing director Kieran Harding said: “Our survey acts a catalyst for continuous improvement and typically we see companies improving their scores over time.
“It isn’t a competition, but a way to encourage organisations to identify and address areas for improvement. and recognise those organisations that are demonstrating their commitment to environmental improvement.”
Environment minister Edwin Poots said: “The survey is well established as a helpful tool providing local businesses with proof of their green status.
“It also plays a key role in helping local businesses to embrace the advantages of innovation in environmental management, encouraging them to be more sustainable and support the delivery of a low-carbon circular economy, to help tackle climate change.
“With a new economic reality following EU transition, Brexit, and recovery from the impact of Covid, it is now more important than ever for business and government to work together to build back better and in a responsible way.”
Participating in the survey is free of charge and open to organisations from all sectors and sizes in Northern Ireland. The deadline for submissions (details at www.bitcni.org.uk/niebs) is Wednesday June 30, with the results due to be revealed in November.
