Sustainability

Sutcliffe Play’s commitment to sustainable manufacturing is nothing new and has been a mainstream design consideration since we first started designing and manufacturing play equipment back in 1990.

Responsible manufacturing, a sustainable UK supply chain and the purposeful use of sustainable raw materials has always been embedded into our philosophy and will continue to be so. Through our continued efforts we strive to achieve our target of being carbon neutral by 2040.

Responsible
Manufacturing

As part of the company’s ISO 14001 Environmental Management System we are committed to operating our purpose-built manufacturing facility in West Yorkshire to be clean, safe, and energy efficient.

With our main supply marketplace being here in the UK our central location brings additional environmental benefits as greenhouse gas emissions generated through the transportation of finished goods is significantly reduced, every mile matters!

Sustainable
Supply

Working with our supply partners we maintain a sustainable supply chain of raw materials from various UK sources and manage the distribution of our finished goods with the aim of minimising the environmental and social impact of our operations.

Promoting our own environmental and social practices with our partners allow the supply chain to operate in a way that protects natural resources, reduces waste and pollution, and promotes the continual progression of our suppliers towards carbon neutrality.

Earth friendly materials

Using recycled and recyclable materials within our design and manufacturing processes dramatically helps us to become more environmentally friendly without sacrificing the quality of our play equipment. Metal, be that our mild steel or aluminium, panelling constructed from HPL and our plastic covers and detailing are all highly recycled and recyclable and can be used repeatedly without losing any of their beneficial material properties.

Manufacturing this way, using these recycled materials, is an easy way for us to boost our environmental performance and deliver a sustainable product direct to our customers.

Rubber and timber are two of the world’s most widely used natural materials and both are used within our manufacturing facility, rubber being the main raw material used to mould our swing seats and timber the construction material for our Orchard and Treetops timber ranges, are all supplied from sustainable sources.

Timber being FSC and Rubber extracted from Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPNSR) approved farms.

Corporate awareness

Our Environmental Policy recognises the need to protect the environment, manage and continually improve upon the positive and negative effects which our activities, products and services have on our environment.

To achieve this, whilst maintaining an economically viable business we will:

Implement measures to prevent pollution
Promote waste minimisation by preventing, recycling or finding other uses for waste
and by-products
Divert waste from landfill by using Energy from Waste facilities
Reduce emissions to a minimum by managing effective manufacturing operations
Conserve natural resources by promoting
the efficient use of resources and energy throughout the company’s operations

To continually raise awareness, we will:

Educate staff so that they can carry out their activities in an environmentally responsible manner
Develop mutually beneficial relationships with suppliers and sub-contractors so that we all recognise our environmental responsibilities
Set SMART targets in accordance with company strategy to improve our environmental performance

To fulfil our compliance obligations, we will:

Meet or improve upon relevant legislative, regulatory, customer and stakeholder requirements
Consider environmental issues in the decision-making process
Monitor and review our environmental performance

Our carbon footprint has been evaluated and monitored bi annually using the Carbon Trust Footprint Calculator (www.carbontrust.com). The Carbon Footprint Calculator is specifically designed to help UK based SMEs measure their corporate emission footprint following GHG Protocol Guidance.

Sutcliffe Play is an accredited member of Made In Britain Green Growth Programme.

Where we
are now...

We are committed to reducing the impact that our business has on the environment through assessing and improving our environmental performance.

With a 35% reduction of carbon emissions achieved over the past 3 years we strive to be carbon neutral by 2040.

Emissions Reduction

Reduction in the emission of carbon dioxide from the manufacturing process incorporates both small local level initiatives as well as the larger more strategic improvements.

In 2017 the company started to switch its fleet of vehicles to either fully electric or at minimum PHEV, significantly reducing the carbon generated from the essential need to mobilise our customer-facing staff.

The management of local resources such as switching off lights, screens, machinery and heating when not in use and using smart timer switches to remove human intervention, prevent unnecessary usage.

We have reduced our gas consumption by 30% by making changes after a review undertaken in early 2022, of the heating and appliances used to support the manufacturing and
offices buildings.

Our electricity is from a 96& renewable source that is certified by an EU Guarantee of Origin to prove the power comes from a renewable source.

Under the 2005 Fuel Mix Disclosure Regulations our energy provider confirms that 96.3% of the electricity procured is from sources which include Wind Turbines, Solar Panels and Hydro Power Schemes.

Reducing emissions

The emission reductions made at our manufacturing site, the ethos of local raw material supply and with our mobilised staff being carbon efficient, are all a reflection in the low kgCO2e rating of the products that we produce.

Eco-friendly delivery

Consideration should also be given to the environmental impact of transporting the goods beyond the manufacturing site. Road and sea haulage are one of the largest emitters of kgCO2e.

Governments throughout Europe, including
our own, are now focusing on reducing this large scale emitter of harmful GHG attributed to damaging both the environment and the direct health of the population.

To our customers, Sutcliffe Play brings the added environmental benefit as all our haulage transportation is Euro 6 compliant and travelling just a short distance from the site of manufacture to your door.

Carbon footprint

Our carbon footprint has been evaluated and monitored bi-annually using the Carbon Trust Footprint Calculator (www.carbontrust.com).

The Carbon Footprint Calculator is specifically designed to help UK based SMEs measure their corporate emission footprint following GHG Protocol Guidance, including direct emissions from fuel and processes (Scope 1 emissions) and those emissions from purchased electricity (or Scope 2 emissions) for the assets they operate.