(+44) 01747 858100 DEXTRA GROUP BRANDS PRODUCTS CONTROLS & SYSTEMS CASE STUDIES SUSTAINABILITY BLOG CONTACT DEXTRA GROUP'S COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT DOWNLOAD PDF Dextra Group has been fully committed to manufacturing in the UK for over 40 years, never shifting its emphasis from the importance of producing high quality lighting products on home soil whilst delivering an industry leading service to its clients. The company’s ongoing commitment to ‘Made in Britain’ and its continued investment in the finest manufacturing equipment available have all helped it to boost the UK economy, promote home grown innovation whilst reducing its carbon footprint with the increased provision of local jobs. Dextra Group have been able to achieve these targets even though other companies have been turning to cheaper foreign imports in order to retain margins at the expense of their core values and more importantly the environment. Dextra Group are already an existing Carbon Trust Accredited Supplier, however as the largest privately owned lighting manufacturer in the UK, recognise its role as an industry leader and ambassador in doing more. Dextra Group, with its employees, are committed to minimising the environmental impacts of its manufacturing operations. Specialising in the design and manufacture of lighting products, both standard and bespoke, from its purpose-built factory in North Dorset, Dextra Group provide a full recycling service to all of its clients in line with current WEEE legislation as a registered AATF. Over 95% of the equipment and products collected by Dextra Group are recycled or reused ensuring that harmful chemicals such as mercury are disposed of correctly. Not only does this reduce the quantity of landfill created it also reduces the energy required to produce future materials. Virtually all recycling collections are made by Dextra Group vehicles on a ‘back load’ meaning that instead of returning from a delivery with an empty load, lorries returning to the factory will stop off and make a collection. This effectively halves the amount of carbon pollution caused by the transportation of end of life luminaires. To further reduce the company’s environmental impact and carbon footprint, Dextra Group have embraced green energy in its manufacturing process. The installation of solar panels by Ineco Energy on the roof of its manufacturing plant are generating the power for both operational functions and manufacturing equipment. Ineco Energy are a long-standing partner of Dextra Group and trusted by many businesses for commercial solar PV systems. Further benefits are achieved as the energy produced by the panels is used to charge the selection of existing hybrid and electric vehicles owned and operated by the company. EXPORT SELF CONSUMPTION TOTAL GENERATION UNIT 17 52.72 182.42 235.14 UNIT 18 103.78 118.58 222.36 UNIT 23 66.55 106.01 172.56 223.05 407.01 630.06 2020 Onsite Solar Generation (All figures in MWh) Dextra Group are continually striving to source the most innovative, energy efficient and sustainable equipment for its manufacturing processes. A major machinery investment upgrade brings energy and efficiency gains. Upgraded Box on Demand equipment that utilises slot and tab features negates the need for tape usage and enables boxes to be reused and recycled providing great savings and environmental benefits. OUR COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT Despite all of the great innovation adopted by the company Dextra Group recognises that some CO₂ will unavoidably be released into the atmosphere as an indirect result of its manufacturing and business operations. In 2018 Dextra Group’s owner, Rupert Martin initiated a number of carbon offsetting measures on an estate in Exmoor which included changes in existing habitat management and a comprehensive tree planting scheme in order to reduce the companies carbon footprint. What is carbon offsetting? Carbon offsetting is the action of compensating for CO₂ emissions created during the manufacturing process by initiating and participating in schemes designed to make equivalent reductions of CO₂ in the atmosphere elsewhere. Exmoor Working with DEFRA, Natural England and other stakeholders, the Estate across its 900 acres is working hard to offset carbon and create a ‘carbon bank’. Implementing changes to the management of the land benefits existing habitats whilst creating new ones, resulting in a thriving, sustainable and diverse estate. Pro-active management of these habitats, together with the establishment of new woodlands has provided significant enhancement to the environment which includes the capture and increased storage of carbon. Trees and other plants absorb CO₂ during photosynthesis. One tree grown to maturity in open space can absorb approximately 1 tonne of CO₂ over its lifetime. A forest covering many acres can effectively lock up CO₂, creating a “carbon sink”. The existing woodland and planting scheme on Exmoor is managed in conjunction with DEFRA and Natural England and all calculations are monitored, assessed and verified via an independent consultant. In 2018 through the enhanced management of the existing habitats Carbon Storage over the estate was increased to 59,367 tonnes with a further Annual Carbon Sequestration Gain of 896 tonnes. By 2021 following the inclusion of the estate in a Countryside Stewardship scheme and a substantial self-funded tree planting programme carbon storage increased across the estate to 61,287 tonnes with an increased Annual Carbon Sequestration Gain of 911 tonnes. Our plans for the future? In 2022 the estate is aiming to establish a further 10 hectares of new woodland with projected figures for increased carbon storage and carbon sequestration by 2028 of 61,499 tonnes and 955 tonnes respectively. As the new and existing woodlands grow we will see the real benefits with carbon figures increasing for both storage and sequestration. By 2050 with no further changes carbon storage will increase to 64,139 tonnes with an Annual Carbon Sequestration Gain of 1,131 tonnes. VIEW FULL DETAILS Minimising our environmental impact Dextra Group is proud to have achieved ISO 14001:2015, ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018 SSIP accreditation. ISO 14001:2015 confirms that Dextra Group’s management systems meet the highest of international environmental standards. In June 2019, parliament passed legislation requiring the government to reduce the UK’s net emissions of greenhouse gases by 100%, relative to 1990 levels, by 2050. Doing so would make the UK a ‘net zero’ emitter. Net zero refers to achieving a balance between the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere. CO₂ is seen as the largest contributor to climate change. DEXTRA GROUP PLC ARE COMMITTED TO: Operating the business in a manner that prevents pollution and minimises the risk to the environment, employees, customers and the community at large; Conserving resources and minimise emissions and wastes; Protecting the environment; To design and manufacture luminaires that are as energy efficient as possible, with fewer luminaires required on projects so that power consumption is reduced; To continually develop, via our own R&D department, sensors and control systems that further reduce energy consumption by reducing output via presence detection or natural daylight presence. HOW CAN YOU HELP? Most importantly, you should first minimise your carbon footprint. Plan your lighting scheme using the most energy efficient solution that is practical for your application. Use automatic controls that take advantage of daylight ingress and use presence detection. Such controls offer the added benefit of extended luminaire life. You should also consider the effect on the environment of producing the luminaires. Dextra Group luminaires have a negligible effect on the environment during their production as the CO₂ per luminaire is offset by Dextra Group and the manufacturing environment is certified ISO 14001. DEXTRA GROUP About Careers Awards & Accreditations Latest New Financing OUR BRANDS Dextra Group Dextra Lighting Dexeco Dexretail Dexreco Dexsor LEDex LEDextra GET IN TOUCH Dextra Group Plc, Brickfields Business Park, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 4PX UK Tel: (+44) 01747 858100 Email: enquiries@dextragroup.co.uk SUBMIT AN ENQUIRY Copyright © 2021 Dextra Group Plc., Brickfields Business Park, Gillingham, Dorset, SP8 4PX, UK. Registered in England. Registration No. 1380089. Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy - GDPR | Cookie Policy | Gender Pay Reporting | Modern Slavery Statement | Staying Covid-19 Secure We use cookies, just to track and manage visits to our website. ACCEPT COOKIES What are cookies?