Brent Cross "blazes trail" on green issues

9:31am Sunday 18th May 2008

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Brent Cross shopping centre is one of the greenest companies in the country, according to a survey by a national newspaper.

The 32-year-old centre is "blazing a trail on the environmental front", says The Times, which places it 33rd in a table of the 50 most environmentally sound companies in the UK.

Top in the table, published today, is manufacturing firm JC Atkinson and Son, followed by construction company Carillion.

Workers at Brent Cross, a Hammerson/Standard Life development, gave the centre an overall green score of 87 per cent, and 79 per cent said that the organisation's commitments were "serious".

More than three quarters of staff said they "embrace environmental matters", and the same amount said they receive training and regular updates on environmental matters from the company.

General manager Tom Nathan said the shopping centre had achieved its position in the table from two specific policies brought into effect in 2006: community involvement and environmental awareness.

"We are a mature lady of 32 years so we're not naturally built for green. But we have always had a special conscience, and have always tried to be part of the community, such as giving talks to local groups, partnering up with the police, planning initiatives with the PCTs and citizen advice bureaus etc.

"The entire Brent Cross team is engaged in this process, with all staff expected to do at least one community exercise a year and managers expected to do at least six.

"Alongside this, we have also tried to develop ways to behave in a more environmentally sensitive way. We are definitely not a paragon of virtue, but we just want to do our bit. We are very committed to this."

Steps taken so far include a waste management system that will ensure that 70 per cent of the annual 3,000 tons of refuse produced by the company is recycled or composted by the end of 2008, and a two-week campaign during London Sustainability Weeks last year to raise awareness of climate change.

To tackle consumer waste, new recycling bins will be fitted around the centre over the next few weeks.

The company has also installed 9,000 energy efficient light bulbs, which save enough energy to power 200 houses for a year, and new energy saving light fittings have replaced strip lights in the multi-storey car park. Since 2006 all electricity has come from green resources provided by Scottish Power.

Future initiatives include installing sensor-operated taps in bathrooms to save water and putting plug points in the carpark for electric vehicles.

The centre is also dedicating a week from June 2 to raise green awareness, which will include environmental displays, promotions and talks.