Europa has carried out a large amount of work in the environmental field over the last seven years and progressed a number of initiatives during 2010. This has been completed through the use of ISO 14001 and equipping our staff with the knowledge and tools to understand and reduce their impacts. We have developed new management processes and operational tools for staff which quantifies environmental impacts and demonstrate to clients where cost savings and environmental impact reductions can be made.

We have rolled out a management training programme which has allowed senior and middle management to understand their roles within the Environmental Management. Additionally, three toolbox talks were completed in 2010 focusing on sustainable development, ISO 14001 and energy management. Due to business acquisitions our vehicle fleet has also undergone significant change with a large increase in vehicles. We have looked at reducing CO2 emissions as part of our vehicle replacement policy. Furthermore, we have continued to work with our clients, offering green solutions including energy management and rain water harvesting.

During 2010 Europa has continued to develop waste management strategies where we have budget responsibility and successfully implement waste strategies which conform to the waste management hierarchy in accordance with the Waste Strategy for England 2007. This strategy has enabled a number of our sites to consistently reach above 80% recycling rates. At our own offices and through staff engagement, we have undertaken a large amount of work to ensure that these opportunities for improvement are brought into our own sites, with the segregation of waste at the point of creation and a move to waste minimise, through double sided printing and increased electronic processes.

One initiative has been the purchasing of a wormery for our Manchester office which takes food waste and generates plant food and compost for the internal planting around the office. Overall we have reduced waste to landfill by 16% and we aim to see this further reduced next year, as we focus on initiatives for food waste and develop new partnerships with waste providers.

In 2010 Europa continued to take part in the Mayday network event hosted by HRH The Prince of Wales, which has been set up to provide business in the UK with focus to develop a low carbon economy. Europa reported back to the network on its progress and has joined the Sustainable Leadership Programme Taskforce to determine new and innovative ways to ensure that UK business possess the correct skills to move forward sustainably.

We are working with our staff, to help focus them on the carbon dioxide emitted both during their working hours and at home. This education has taken the form of 'in house' newsletters, memos, intranet information, and manager training and toolbox talks.

We also developed and released the first part of our 'Small Green Steps' program aimed at providing staff with information on what Europa is doing and the ways their actions at work can reduce environmental impacts. The continual commitment of management has also seen the appointment of a dedicated staff member for sustainability and environmental issues at a group wide level. The Company was also successful in winning three Green Apples awards for environmental performance in furniture recycling management for the banking industry and waste management at a shopping centre in Norwich.

Through 2011 we will continue with our efforts to identify all opportunities to develop education opportunities and to drive further CO₂ reductions.