Environmental Policy
Mission statement
We at Elite Rugs recognise that we have a responsibility to the environment beyond legal and regulatory requirements. We are committed to reducing our environmental impact and continually improving our environmental performance as an integral part of our business strategy. We regularly review our operating methods and if needs be; we will make changes when and where we can. We will encourage customers, suppliers and other stakeholders to do the same.
Responsibility
All employees have a responsibility in their area to ensure that the aims and objectives of the policy are met.
Policy Aims
We endeavour to:
- Comply with and exceed all relevant regulatory requirements.
- Continually improve and monitor environmental performance and impact on the environment.
- Continually improve and reduce environmental impacts by being as sustainable as possible in all processes.
- Incorporate environmental factors into all business decisions.
- Increase employee awareness and training.
Paper
- We have minimised the use of paper in the office by cutting down items that we can avoid printing. The printable items we are now not printing include; customer orders within the office, supplier information, supplier catalogues and documents that can be held on our server.
- We have reduced packaging as much as possible and the large majority of the packaging that we buy in is made from recycled paper.
- Where possible we seek to buy recycled and recyclable boxes.
- We use paper made from 100% recycled paper for packaging in boxes.
- We will reuse and recycle all paper, boxes and packaging wherever possible. We encourage our customers to do the same by offering for their order to be packed sustainably in the Checkout.
In our online checkout, we offer our customers the opportunity to opt for their order to be sustainably packed. By selecting the option to have your order sustainably packed we will try to do one or more of the following when packing your order:
- Reuse or recycle a box that has been used for goods from our suppliers***
- Reuse or recycle the packaging that has been used for goods from suppliers***
- Use boxes and packaging made from sustainable or recycled materials.
*** Reused or recycled boxes and packaging will have been used before. The reused boxes may look untidy in their appearance and may have non-Elite Rugs logos, excess tape and stickers or labels on them but please let us assure you that your order will still be packed up just as well as if it was in a brand-new box.
Plastic
- We are doing our very best to minimalise plastic packaging as much as we possibly can.
- Any plastic waste in our office and warehouse is recycled.
- If an order has to be sent in a postal bag then we ensure the postal bag is made from recycled materials. The Postal Bags we buy are made from 95% recycled materials.
- If using bubble wrap then we will use it sparingly, without compromising the safety of our customer's orders.
Energy and water
- We will always seek to reduce the amount of energy used as much as possible.
- Lights and electrical equipment are always switched off when not in use.
- Heating is adjusted with energy consumption in mind.
- The energy consumption and efficiency of new products and appliances are considered prior to purchasing.
- All lights throughout our office and warehouse are low energy LED.
Office supplies
- We will evaluate if the need can be met in another way.
- We will evaluate the environmental impact of any new products we intend to purchase.
- We will favour more environmentally friendly and efficient products wherever possible.
- We will reuse and recycle everything we are able to.
Transportation & Delivery
- We only part-deliver/ part-dispatch orders if we are asked to by a customer or really have to.
Maintenance and cleaning
- Cleaning materials used are as environmentally friendly as possible.
- Materials used in any office refurbishment will be as environmentally friendly as possible.
- We will only use licensed and appropriate organisations to dispose of waste.
Air Conditioning
- We do not use air conditioning systems in our office or warehouse.
Monitoring and improvement
- We comply with and exceed all relevant regulatory requirements.
- We will continually improve and monitor environmental performance.
- We will continually improve and reduce environmental impacts.
- We will incorporate environmental factors into all business decisions.
- We will actively increase employee awareness through training.
- We will review this policy and any related business issues at our monthly management meetings.
More about our sustainable packaging option in the checkout
From now on in our online checkout, we are offering every customer the option to have their order sustainably packed. By selecting the option to have your order sustainably packed we will try to do one or more of the following when packing your order
- Reuse or recycle a box that has been used for goods from our suppliers***
- Reuse or recycle the packaging that has been used for goods from suppliers***
- Use boxes and packaging made from sustainable or recycled materials.
- If using Postal Bags then they will be made from 95% recycled material.
Here’s a little information about the materials used when selecting the Sustainable Packing option:
Boxes:
Reused or recycled boxes and packaging will have been used before. The reused boxes may look untidy in their appearance and may have non-Elite Rugs logos, excess tape and stickers or labels on them but please let us assure you that your order will still be packed up just as well as if it was in a brand-new box.
Bubble Wrap:
Some of the items may still have to be packed with a little plastic bubble wrap, if we choose to use bubble wrap then it is only because bubble wrap is required to ensure the safety of your order. If using bubble wrap then we will use it sparingly, without compromising the safety of your order.
Postal Bags:
Sometimes we may have to use a postal bag for the delivery of your order. If using Postal Bags, then they will be made from 95% recycled material and are recyclable at most recycling centres.
In Box Packaging:
At Elite Rugs we refuse to buy plastic air cushion packaging, plastic air bag packing, polystyrene or foam packing. If any of these types of packing are ever used in the packing of an order leaving our warehouse, then they are reused from a supplier delivery. We only buy Kraft Paper for our in box packing and this is made from 100% recycled paper and is fully recyclable.