Holyrood Backs Scheme for Resource Efficiency in Business

The Scottish Parliament has become the latest organisation to take part in the national Resource Efficiency Pledge scheme. The Resource Efficiency Pledge is led by Resource Efficient Scotland, a programme of Zero Waste Scotland, which works with businesses to help them reduce both their running costs and carbon emissions.

By making the Pledge, businesses can choose a number of actions that will help to reduce their use of energy, water and raw materials, and also provides a way to demonstrate they are environmentally responsible.

The Scottish Parliament will be an official Resource Efficiency Pledge Ambassador.

As an Ambassador, the Scottish Parliament will work with businesses to promote the scheme and support them to make savings. In doing so the Parliament has committed to:

• Embedding resource efficiency in its own operations
• Actively contributing to achieving a low carbon economy for Scotland.

David McGill, Scottish Parliament Assistant Chief Executive said:

“The Resource Efficiency Pledge is a chance for the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body to build on its already ambitious environmental targets. Our plan to reduce our carbon footprint by 42% by 2020 from the baseline year of 2006 is on course to be achieved and the carbon management plan continues to deliver reductions in our carbon emissions.”

Marissa Lippiatt, Head of Resource Efficient Scotland said:

“I’m delighted that the Scottish Parliament are becoming Ambassadors for the Resource Efficiency Pledge and supporting us to reach businesses across the country. The Pledge helps businesses to save significant sums of money on their running costs, cut their carbon footprint and show off their green credentials all in one easy step.”

Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, said:

“By committing to resource efficiency, organisations can take simple steps to reduce their material and energy use, save money and help the environment. I hope that the Scottish Parliament will inspire others to adopt these techniques which will help to minimise the use of vital resources.”

More information on the Resource Efficiency Pledge and the support available from Resource Efficient Scotland can be found at www.resourceefficientscotland.com