When Abbey Petkar, launched Magenta Security Services back in 1998, sustainability wasn’t necessarily on everyone’s radar, unlike today with climate change now being a topic that can no longer be ignored by businesses.
Back then our focus was on making a difference and revolved around improving our environmental impact and, dare we say it, to gain a competitive edge. Interestingly, we discovered some of our customers wanted to work with eco-friendly companies. This prompted us to start our research, with the ultimate goal of transforming Magenta Security into a carbon-neutral company.
During our first steps, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle became our motto. We developed a culture within our organisation that focussed on the advantages of sustainable practices. We encouraged our team to share ideas on where improvements could be made to reduce our carbon footprint.
We made good progress after focussing on resource usage, particularly in waste reduction, such as paper, water and increased recycling efforts. This resulted in us being granted BSI (British Standards Institute) ISO 14001 certification. We were the first security company to have achieved this standard throughout Europe.
We then focussed on our fleet of company vehicles. As electric cars were quite expensive and their driving range was limited, we opted for more efficient vehicles with smaller engines, resulting in reduced fuel consumption.
We also decided to replace our vehicles from every two years to every four, to reduce the carbon footprint in the manufacturing process.
We started to introduce electric vehicles into our fleet when their driving range increased. We are still making progress in phasing out the use of our petrol vehicles, we’re aiming to be fully electric by 2025.
When we purchased our offices in Hounslow, we looked at ways we could reduce our energy consumption, investing in the latest technology in terms of lighting and heating.
The installation of solar panels on our office roof was the answer. It was a big investment; over time it reduced our energy consumption by around 75%. To put it in real terms, our annual energy bill was in the region of £16-18K, we managed to reduce to between £4-5K, it was a big difference, the investment started to pay off.
Of course, the figures are different now. However, we’ve taken advantage of our solar panels by not only reducing our heating and lighting cost, but they also now provide the power to charge our electric vehicles.
Even though energy costs have increased, we still benefit from significant savings and sell the excess energy we produce from our solar panels to the national grid. It’s a win-win situation, not only are we helping to protect the planet, but we’re also saving £’s at the same time.
Technology has played a part in our sustainability focus. For example, our security guards are now closely monitored remotely using GPS (Global Positioning System). Previously our supervisors would have to drive to customer sites for courtesy visits and performance reviews. Using technology not only enables us to lower our carbon footprint, but our guards are now managed more effectively and receive immediate support when needed.
Earlier this year, we announced the launch of our exclusive state-of-the-art solar powered CCTV cameras. Not only are they an excellent monitoring tool but help to reduce our customers’ energy consumption. They provide a dual benefit, enhancing security while aligning with our commitment to sustainable practices.
Over the years we’ve worked hard to continuously improve our sustainability practices, it’s now become a natural and integral way of operating the business. It’s a journey that doesn’t end, it just evolves into finding new methods for advancement.
Along the way, we’ve achieved a couple of significant accolades in addition to our BSI ISO 14001 certification:
There is always work to be done. Our ultimate goal is to achieve carbon neutrality without offsetting by 2025.
If you are just starting your journey to reduce your organisation’s carbon footprint, it can feel daunting but by taking small steps you can pave the way for change.
We recommend focussing on the practical, realistic changes you can make. Here’s some examples of the things we’ve done over the years:
Impactful change can evolve from small beginnings, you might remember the saying, “from small acorns, mighty oaks grow.”
We work closely with various agencies such as ‘Carbon Footprint’ and ‘Business Declares’. They help us to keep abreast of new developments and enable us to keep a close eye on our carbon footprint.
As we’re committed to sustainability and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), we work closely with ‘B Lab’ who help us provide a holistic approach to our CSR projects.
Abbey Petkar, our MD, is a passionate and knowledgeable advocate for environmental protection. He actively wants to help organisations embrace sustainable practices. He believes businesses should work together to build a healthier environment.
Why not arrange a chat with Abbey, he’d be only too happy to offer his expertise and support. To arrange a meeting, call our 24-hour helpline 0800 772 3786 or simply click on this link.
We look forward to assisting you on your sustainability journey.
Magenta Security provide award winning security services throughout the UK. We are in the top 5% of ACS approved contractors and were the first security company in Europe to be awarded ISO 14001 for our environmental management systems.
