Big Interview

The whole company is learning about bees. Based on the belief that no idea is too small to make a difference, their Malvern site has become home to a thriving bee colony, to help improve local diversity and hopefully produce their own honey. Software engineer and green champion Clare Fenwick-Hyde explains: “Having bees might not be necessarily measurable in terms of what’s good for the company. But we all know their importance in the food chain -- after all, if there are no pollinators, there’s no food!” Malvern Panalytical is determined to help shape a greener future. They aim to reach net zero emissions in production, premises and energy use by 2030, and extend this to their value chain by 2040. At local level, they’ve already hit the ground running. Most of their main locations now have a Green Team comprising of volunteers and colleagues from various departments - engineers, scientists and manufacturing staff - headed by a Green Champion with the autonomy and budget to make meaningful change. Since starting their dedicated net zero journey, everyone in the company has been motivated to make those small changes that make a really big difference: from switching monitors off, turning heating down and using reusable mugs; to finding out what each team needs in terms of energy and where efficiencies can be made.

There’s an e-bike loan and purchase scheme, a pool of EV cars with free charging points, and competitions for colleagues who commute by bikes. The latest green news is shared regularly, and colleagues have access to the Giki Zero app, offering handy hints on everything from sustainable travel, food and waste to investments and finance. By showing so much commitment and enthusiasm, the company was a deserved winner in the ‘Excellence in Sustainability’ category at this year’s H&W Chamber Awards. It is now in the running for the Planet Saver - Green Business of the Year category at the British Chambers Business Awards and has applied for a Queen’s Award for Sustainability. Taking a science-based approach has certainly paid off says Isla Buchanan, a member of the Sustainability Steering Group. “We have been committed to sustainable good practice from our first ISO14001 audit in 2007, by building a

Software Engineer and Green Champion, Clare Fenwick-Hyde Isla Buchanan, Sustainability Steering Group member Global Sustainability Director, Erica Kostense

The company site is home to a bee colony.

framework which validates our work in environmental management. “Since then, it’s been steady, continuous improvement. In 2020, an external company carried out an audit to establish a validated baseline for our net zero journey; from there we drew up specific targets to make measurable improvements, and we’ve never looked back.” Erica Kostense, the new Global Sustainability Director, agrees. “Sustainability is absolutely embedded throughout the company now, thanks to the hard work of colleagues like Clare and Isla and all the green teams. My role is to build on the great groundwork already laid and be a central point of contact providing even more strategy and direction to the business.” While uncertainty undoubtedly pervades the UK economic outlook, Erica is adamant that the focus on sustainability won’t waver. “That would be a missed opportunity and a risk in itself. We must stay relevant and be very much aware of how the world around us is changing. “It’s important to stay attractive as an employer. We are all mindful of the costs we make and try to be smarter in our energy use without compromising our values. There are many positives to be found, and we are totally committed to protecting and developing our sustainable values. “We are measuring our global carbon footprint, and everyone is contributing to this effort. Bringing all that passion and knowledge together is crucial to create the ‘bottom up’ effect which really makes a difference.” Clare agrees: “Having volunteers from all corners of the business has picked up details that might otherwise have been overlooked, for example, our production team have offered invaluable insights into improving recycling and waste management. Another suggestion from a team member resulted in an initiative saving thousands in energy costs, by introducing variable speed controls on our air handling units.” Just recently, Malvern Panalytical held their first sustainability forum in partnership with other like-minded businesses. Clare explains: “A recently retired employee from the Environment Agency presented compelling information about the local impact of climate change in terms of things like flooding and drought, which was a real eye-opener. “But we can achieve so much with the support of our neighbours; for example, lobbying the council for better cycling infrastructure. Or we can set up a car sharing scheme among all the businesses with a bigger pool of people. The feedback was great, and it’s looking very promising.” Erica concludes: “Building even closer alignment with our clients and suppliers is also a big part of our sustainability journey. We are all important in shaping our journey to a greener future.” More details are at malvernpanalytical.com.