Flat Glass Business - Environmental Policy
Pilkington produces quality flat glass products primarily for the building and transport industries. These products make an important contribution to improving living standards, to people's safety and well being, and to the conservation of energy world-wide.
We are a signatory to the ICC Charter for Sustainable Development. We will spread environmental best practice throughout the Group and in partnership with others around the world. We will implement certified Environmental Management Systems to ISO 14001 in all our glass melting and manufacturing operations.
In particular we will:
- As a minimum, comply with all the requirements of relevant environmental legislation in the countries in which we operate and the requirements of organisations or other programmes to which we subscribe.
- Ensure that all employees are aware of their environmental responsibilities and are given the resource and support necessary to meet them.
- Ensure that employees, contractors and others working on our premises comply with appropriate environmental requirements.
- Encourage co-operation with our customers and suppliers to facilitate good environmental practices and to promote the efficient use, reuse, recovery and recycling of glass and other materials involved in glass manufacture and processing.
- Encourage the more efficient use of natural resources by promoting the use of our products in both buildings and vehicles.
- Ensure that we appropriately consider and respond to environmental issues during research, design and development of our products and processes around the world.
- Ensure that our activities are regularly monitored to enable us to reduce the effect of our business on the environment as a whole; efficiently utilise natural resources, reduce releases to the environment, encourage the re-use and recycling of materials and live in harmony with local communities.
- Work with governments, regulatory agencies, the scientific community and responsible organisations, to develop and encourage business practices that move us towards the common aim of sustainable development.
- Ensure that any environmental liabilities associated with our past operations are managed appropriately, and that plans are in place to efficiently deal with any emergency situations which might arise from past or current operations.
- Ensure that our operations pursue an environmental programme of continual improvement that sets, monitors and reviews the achievement of meaningful environmental objectives and targets.
Throughout our businesses we are committed to providing a high level of safety and protection for our employees, customers, neighbours and the natural environment.
Stuart Chambers - Group Chief Operating Officer
November 2007