Environmental Initiatives
APS founder Robert Creemers is passionate about New Zealand and the environment. This is embodied in the environmental initiatives undertaken by APS which aim to reduce our environmental footprint and increase our positive impact.
Reducing our Footprint
Our environmental initiatives to reduce our footprint include improving efficient use of resources and the minimization of landfill and toxic waste, through recycling and partnerships with Green Gorilla and Resene.
We are working with our suppliers to eliminate the use of materials containing red list chemicals which are harmful to the users, pollute the environment and accumulate in the food chain.
Our CO2 emissions for our vehicle fleet will be reduced with the transition to suitable hybrid and eventually electric vehicles.
In 2019 Toitū Envirocare measured our carbon footprint and we achieved our goal of being certified carbon zero by 2019 and we are on track to reach our goal of being triple carbon positive within 5 years.
Having a framework to drive behavior changes in our company is crucial, as is measuring the effects of these changes. In the next few years, we will be working towards ISO14001 certification. ISO 14001 is a standard that sets out the requirements for an environmental management system. The aim of the standard is to improve an organisations environmental performance through more efficient use of resources and reduction of waste.
Increasing our Handprint
Our handprint, or the positive impact we have on the environment includes 4 conservation properties covering forestry, native bush regeneration, and re-establishment of wetlands with over 200,000 trees planted and pest control efforts on these properties achieving over 2500 kills to date.
Our most recent addition is a large rural grazing block in Raurimu which will provide both recreational and training facilities for APS employees and their families.
Change
Changing the culture within our company is a challenge but we did it starting in 2004 with attitudes and behaviours around health and safety so we know we can do it this time. The culture outside the company however is more difficult to change. From an industry perspective, the environmental message is where health and safety was 15 years ago.
By partnering with APS you are choosing to partner with a company who takes into account and attempts to mitigate the environmental impacts of our activities.
“We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.”
Native American Proverb