MTAB’s environmental policy – what we want
MTAB’s business concept outlines the importance of caring for the objects that we handle and that care also features in our approach to the environment. MTAB has been active in its environmental work for many years, and in 2009 the board drew up guidelines for an increasingly proactive focus to be introduced gradually into the organisation.
Our environmental work has a strong emphasis on prevention, with our staff constantly informed about and trained in environmental issues so that they can carry out their work responsibly.
Much of today’s environmental work is governed by legislation. We are naturally committed to keeping ourselves up to date with this and other requirements. We do this in dialogue with the authorities, customers, suppliers and others. We also keep abreast of the latest issues, problems and solutions in the environmental field.
All our decisions and activities are to be based on the precautionary principle of the Swedish Environmental Code, which means that where doubt arises, a decision will be taken in favour of what appears to be the best environmental choice, even if there is a lack of scientific evidence.
Our service of transporting unpacked goods and positioning them on site means that we also take care of and sort used packaging for recycling. We offer total solutions that meet suppliers’ producer responsibility. In this work, we want to continue as an engine of progress in dialogue with our customers, so that we can meet the most stringent of environmental standards.
Our ongoing environmental work
Vehicles
We choose the best possible vehicles from an environmental point of view. Today, that means Euro 5 engines for heavy vehicles, whose emissions are considerably lower than earlier models. 2009 saw us purchase our first biogas fuelled truck.
Fuel
We buy the diesel that is currently available on the market, the Swedish fuel grade MK1. This is free from sulphur, which means that emissions of sulphur dioxide are no longer a problem for goods vehicles. In spring 2009, the vehicles stationed in Malmö started switching to RME.
Tyres
The tyres we buy are free from highly aromatic (HA) oils. The reason for avoiding HA oils is that they contain high levels of carcinogens and environmentally damaging polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH).
Waste sorting and electronics recycling
We sort and compact waste items generated by our activities. This includes used packaging, electronics and so on that are no longer required by our clients. Many of our shipments involve unpacked goods, which means that we unpack the customers’ products before transporting them. As part of our work with unpacked goods, we handle and recycle all used packaging. We have also developed services that allow us to take on the producer responsibilities of our suppliers and customers.
Computers, photocopiers and AV products
Environmental requirements have formed part of our purchasing process for many years.
Chemical products
We buy Nordic Swan ecolabelled cleaning products. In Stockholm, we rely on the cleaning products used by the contractor that handles our office cleaning. These cleaning products all come from the company Sonett, whose products are ECO-certified in Germany, www.ecogarantie.com. Their criteria are considerably higher than those of the Nordic Swan ecolabel.
Packaging
This includes plastic, paper, cardboard and wood. All wood products purchased are FSC labelled and all plastic is PVC-free. This also applies to tape.
Paper products
All paper products with printed text are sourced from a Nordic Swan ecolabelled printer. This is also true of toilet paper and paper towels.
Food
We buy in food items such as coffee, tea, cheese and bread for our break rooms. Where possible, we choose organic and fairly traded products.
Our environmental work for 2011
Global Compact
In order to show our commitment to global environmental responsibility, we have chosen to sign up to the UN’s Global Compact programme and its ten principles which, as well as the environment, also address human rights, labour law and corruption. Global Compact was launched by Kofi Annan around five years ago to encourage international companies to take social and environmental responsibility for their activities. See: www.unglobalcompact.org
Vehicles
For many years now, we have been choosing the best possible vehicles from an environmental point of view. Since 2008, we have been recording our trucks’ total emissions, to show how our vehicle emissions are dropping year on year. This work also involves all our staff being trained in eco-driving. This applies both to trucks and cars.
Waste sorting and electronics recycling
In our work with unpacked goods, waste handling and recycling, we have developed services that allow us to take on the producer responsibilities of our suppliers and customers. We will be continuing and intensifying this work in the future.
Purchasing
We are going to prioritise renewable raw materials in all our purchasing. When purchasing goods we will try, in the first instance, to buy those that are environmentally classified or ecolabelled (KRAV organic, Nordic Swan, Good Environmental Choice, Fairtrade). To a large extent we already do this, for example for fuel and tyres, but we will be focusing on this even more.
Training and internal information
In our drive to intensify our environmental work, our employees are a crucial factor. During 2009, we will therefore be running an information and training project focusing on our environmental programme, as well as more general Swedish environmental objectives and the Swedish Environmental Code. In 2009, we will also be attempting to draw up specific environmental requirements for all our occupational groups.
Property management
We realise that our premises in the form of warehouses and offices constitute a considerable burden on the environment. We will be setting both external and internal requirements to bring down that burden. This will apply primarily to the consumption of electricity, heating and water.
Follow-up
In order to remain proactive and preventive, we are carrying out a broad analysis to identify how environmental issues as a whole impact on MTAB. We will also be looking into the effect our business has and how this can be minimised, as well as creating a template setting out the procedure for annual follow-ups.