Sustainability Efforts
Sustainability isn't just essential for the future of science but the world in which it happens. Here at Caltag, our environmentally conscious practices highlight our commitment to reducing our environmental impact by making considered choices in our daily operations, partnerships and logistics.
ISO 14001 Certification
Caltag Medsystems Ltd. are certified to the ISO 14001:2015 standard.
ISO 14001 is the international Standard for Environmental Management Systems (EMS). For Caltag, our ISO 14001 certification incorporates the "services of sourcing, manufacturing and distribution of life science reagents".
Our ISO 14001-compliant EMS is utilised in all areas of our business, including monitoring our suppliers' environmental and sustainability practices, recording our carbon emissions from equipment energy consumption, travel and courier company usage and reducing our landfill waste contributions.
Product Packaging
Distributing life science reagents from around the world to customers across the UK and Ireland inevitably requires a significant amount of packaging. Given the sensitive nature of these reagents, ensuring they are properly protected in transit is essential.
So, can we protect the products while also protecting the planet?
We believe we can!
At Caltag, we've chosen to source our insulated packaging from Woolcool®, a UK-based pioneering packaging company.
Woolcool®'s patented technology, utilising natural sheep's wool, replaces the need to use harmful non-biodegradable microplastic-filled expanded polystyrene (EPS) boxes, without compromising on insulating ability.
We also reuse packaging received from our suppliers when sending products on to our customers.
By giving perfectly functional packaging a second use, we help conserve resources and reduce unnecessary waste without compromising on the protection of products.
When we reuse packaging, we'll put a small sticker (pictured right) on the box to indicate we're making the most of existing materials in that shipment.
Waste & Recycling
Whilst we make every effort to minimise our waste output, inevitably we do end up with items that we cannot repurpose in-house. However, we utilise multiple recycling schemes to ensure as little as possible ends up in landfill:
- General Recycling
- Soft Plastics
- Mixed Plastics
- Food Waste
Batteries, Coffee Pods, Printer Cartridges, Medication Blister Packs & more – all recycled separately
We also utilise a company here in the UK that collects and refurbishes broken and old tech equipment for free. Once refurbished and data responsibly destroyed, they sell the equipment for business and personal use to support local charities.
Emissions Reporting & Reduction
As part of our ISO 14001 accreditation, we have begun to monitor and report our greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) to form a baseline figure of carbon emissions for our business.
By measuring our emissions, we can identify where improvements can be made, set meaningful objectives and take practical steps to reduce our environmental impact.
Our newly created Carbon Reduction Plan outlines how we aim to reduce our carbon footprint in the years to come and we are in the process of creating plans to become a net zero company and strive to meet the 1.5°C-aligned carbon reduction target.
Resource Usage Management
Waste management doesn't only apply to packaging and office supplies. It also applies to how we use energy and other valuable resources across our business.
At Caltag, we aim to be as energy efficient as possible by managing our lighting and heating usage and reducing unnecessary water consumption across our laboratory and office facilities. By using these resources responsibly, we can help minimise waste and preserve valuable natural resources.
In our increasingly digitalised world, we also recognise that digital processes require energy and contribute to our overall environmental footprint. We therefore aim to reduce unnecessary energy consumption across our digital activities by:
- Using energy-efficient computers
- Turning off equipment when not in use
- Link sharing instead of attaching documents in internal emails
- Routine inbox clean-outs to minimise server load
- Digital document workflows to reduce paper usage
My Green Lab Ambassadors
At My Green Lab®, they are igniting a global shift toward environmentally responsible scientific research by helping labs to reduce their environmental impact.
Our in-house manufacturing scientists are certified My Green Lab Ambassadors and play an important role in helping us make sustainable choices in our lab, ensuring all areas of our business are championing such efforts.
Climate Risk and Product Life Cycle Assessment
At Caltag, we are committed to considering both the risks that climate change may pose to our business and the environmental impacts associated with the products we supply.
Our climate risk assessment helps us identify potential physical and operational risks associated with a changing climate, allowing us to consider appropriate measures to improve our resilience and support business continuity.
We also recognise the importance of considering a product's environmental impact throughout its life cycle - from the sourcing of raw materials to manufacturing and transportation, and usage and disposal. By assessing our products' life cycle, we can identify opportunities to reduce environmental impacts, make more informed decisions and encourage more sustainable practices across our business network.