29 Dec 2022
Small animal hospital is latest in the UK to receive the Green award in the Investors in the Environment national accreditation scheme.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
Members of the Willows team (from left): Cathy Bowen, business relationship manager; Vicky Maund, head of nursing services; David Hindley, facilities manager; Jon Wray, clinical director; and Samantha Macdonald, marketing manager.
A small animal hospital has earned recognition for its efforts to create an environmentally friendly workplace.
Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service in Solihull has received the top Green award from the Investors in the Environment (iiE), the national accreditation scheme for businesses working to reduce their carbon footprint.
The highest accolade goes to companies that have made significant reductions in energy use and waste and boosted efficiency, recycling and sustainability.
Willows, owned by Linneaus, had just invested £35,000 in a deluxe compressor and oxygen generation system, and received the green standard a year after hitting the silver award.
Among its other efforts, all lighting has switched to LED units and waste reduction has included a switch to more single-use items – including washable hats. That has saved 4,000 surgical hats going to landfill.
Electricity use is down 8%, fuel use is down 7% and recycling is up by 12%, with the hospital creating 14 tonnes of recycling a year.
David Hindley, facilities manager at Willows, has helped lead the ongoing eco-friendly work as part of the hospital’s Green Giants group. He said: “We’re all absolutely delighted to have achieved this prestigious Green award from the iiE and I’m over the moon the team’s hard work and dedication to creating a more environmentally friendly hospital has been recognised.
“As part of our commitment to the environment, our Green Giants group is continually looking at how we can reduce our carbon footprint.
“The most recent action was the investment in a state-of-the-art oxygen generator system, which will enable us to not only reduce our carbon footprint courtesy of no longer requiring a HGV delivery up to four times a week, but it will also support the future-proofing of our hospital by ensuring we are no longer reliant on external suppliers for deliveries of oxygen.”
Toby Gemmill, managing director at Willows, said: “We are very happy to have been awarded Green status by iiE, their highest award for environmental advances in business.
“Well done to Dave, our Green Giants and the whole team for driving this. To achieve such a successful outcome has taken a truly united effort, with every member of the team playing their part to earn this recognition.”
