Focus on resource efficiency to save

Using resources efficiently is often understood as a basic business premise: production wastage equates to lost profit and to lost opportunity. But climate change and the depletion of the world's natural resources have forced a re-appraisal of what resource efficiency means to businesses.

Andy Hartley is programme director for Resource Efficiency Yorkshire (REY). He is also chair of ReMaDe Network UK. Mr Hartley built his career in the glass industry and set up the GlassAction forum for glass reprocessors and established partnerships between the glass industry and bodies such as WRAP, LARAC and Defra. 

Governments and consumers are demanding that businesses assess their use of resources not just from a profit perspective but also from the perspective of impacts on the environment and communities.

The term resource efficiency now covers a range of operational areas far wider than production; it includes materials, design, procurement, energy, water, and people.

The recently introduced Climate Change Bill has committed the UK to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. All eyes are now on the business community to see how it will respond to this driver for change. Consumers are certainly on message and waiting to see what resource efficiencies the organisations they deal with will deliver.

Forward thinking businesses are using the new broader concept of resource efficiency to create organisations that are leaner, cleaner, more competitive and more profitable. Organisations that will be fit to compete in the government's planned for low carbon economy. Organisations that reflect the aspirations and expectations of the people they serve.

REY will be working with businesses from across Yorkshire and Humber to make sure they have access to the knowledge, skills, equipment and funding they need to introduce resource efficient practices and policies throughout their organisation and supply chain. We believe resource efficiency offers a win-win solution to economic, environmental and social challenges.

In my view, we can all profit from better use of resources. Being a Yorkshire pragmatist I have to say that carbon sense makes commercial sense.