In the UK, XPD Dealer groups, Officepoint, OfficeStar and SimplyOffice have all achieved ISO 14001 accreditation. ISO 14001 is an internationally recognised standard for an organisation’s environmental sustainability.

David Fenn, CEO of the British Accreditation Bureau, said: “Today, it’s no longer sufficient for organisations to merely claim their ‘Green’ credentials. Credibility demands a properly verified strategy and commitment to environmental sustainability: that's where ISO 14001:2004 comes in.”

Fenn continues: “We are delighted to have been working with the XPD Dealer Groups on their Green Day events, the Go Green catalogues and now the awarding of their ISO 14001 accreditation.”

In order to comply with ISO 14001, OfficeStar, Officepoint and SimplyOffice each had to undertake a comprehensive ‘Environmental Review’ for each site and as a result of the review, demonstrate the following:-

• Commitment from their management board to an ‘Environmental Action Plan’.
• Awareness and conformity to all related legal obligations. 
• Procedures and practices in place to promote continuous improvement.
• Internal Auditing with Management Review.

Steve Robinson, director of merchandising, comments: “The decision to go for ISO 14001 was more about a belief that this is the ‘right’ thing to do.”

“It’s been a very worthwhile process that has taught us a lot about how we interact with our environment. As well as the obvious environmental benefit, there also appears to be a potential for long-term financial benefits as a result of implementing the action plan. Whether you believe what you hear about the causes of global warming and our ability to influence them, the reality is that with approximately 70 million people extra on the planet each year, we are eating through our natural resources at an alarming rate and Officepoint, OfficeStar and SimplyOffice have decided that achieving ISO 14001 is their way of demonstrating the commitment to a greener future."