We know that everything we do has an impact on the environment. Wherever possible we would like our value creation within BCB to be as substantiable as possible. Our social responsibility is a key part of our strategy and goals going forward. We are members of the MoD`s corporate covenant and employ veterans and reservists. We are an equal opportunities employer. We monitor our anti-slavery policy. We support many local, national and international charities and worthy causes. Especial homeless charities locally; see our newsletters.
BCB has been certified since 1995 to ISO:9001, quality standard and more recently ISO:14001, environmental standard. However, we firmly believe the ethos of sustainability must go beyond certification and should be embedded throughout BCB.
As part of our design, which leads into manufacture, marketing and then selling, we believe the environment and sustainability impact should be considered throughout this process. From inception to production, use and disposal; from cradle to grave. That is why we set about, with Cardiff University in 2013 to design a new eco friendly solid fuel we call FireDragon, to replace the nasty poisonous fossil fuel, Hexamine. The British Army and a lot of other environmentally conscious consumers especially campers, are now making the change to our new Eco fuel; FireDragon. Other European forces are starting to make the move also. This has helped to reduce their carbon footprint substantially. We are now looking to promote this into the larger consumer market as BBQ lighters and home firelighters as part of our corporate responsibility to help save the planet. We know there is no planet B.
Over the years now we have been reducing plastic and excess packaging throughout our business and for all of our products where possible. We also greatly believe in re-shoring i.e. buying and manufacturing as much as possible here in Britain; closer to the end user. Hence where we can, we have expanded our manufacturing capability in Britain. Being British made, helps to ensure the quality (right first time), reduces the transport and long supply chains and also helps confirm the product is made in a socially responsible manner.
There are many other ways we are looking to engender the culture of environmental awareness throughout our products and processes including eco-friendly sustainable point of sale, packaging, electric vehicles, improved building insulation, cutting our energy use, reducing suppliers packaging to us, using biodegradable materials wherever possible, tree planting and looking to use carbon credits from our eco-fuel – just a short overview of some of the ideas we are doing and pushing.