SHB are one of the only vehicle hire companies with workshops and logistics in the country to hold three BSI accreditations 9001 Quality, 14001 Environmental and 18001 Health and Safety simultaneously.  As a company we are working with the Energy Savings Trust and ESOS on our total carbon footprint and target reductions plans for 2019. We collect and monitor all resource use data by each individual depot so initiatives and improvements can be made locally and as a whole for SHB.

At SHB we recognise the importance of sustainability particularly given the vehicle hire industry for which we belong to. We believe that it is imperative to reduce our carbon footprint at every opportunity. We continuously review our overall impact in everything we do in a very high carbon industry.

Our depots are always actively looking at ways in which they can improve their carbon footprint ensuring the aspects of our Environmental Policy are being applied. Last year we saw a reduction in the usage of electricity and water per hire/wash across the company. For the period January to March 2018 the amount of electricity used per vehicle hire was 74kw, compared to the period September to December 2018 which was 50kw per hire. Similarly water usage per wash was 0.43 m3 in January to March 2018, whereas by September to December 2018 it was 0.21 m3 per wash.

SHB has a number of state-of-the-art wash bay facilities across its depots that allow for the recycling of water when valeting a vehicle. This has seen significant reductions in the amount of water used across the business. We have also installed LED lighting in the Head Office workshop, Romsey, to help reduce the carbon footprint of our buildings. We are monitoring the reduced energy consumption levels and will roll this initiative out to all 16 depots nationwide. We are also in the process of installing Smart Meters and half-hourly meters throughout all depots. These meters will allow us to closely monitor energy levels and ascertain spikes in demand and why they are occurring.

Our environmental targets for 2019 focus on our usage of electricity and water per hire/wash and other resources. Our targets are as follows: 

• We would like to be using less than 70kW of electricity per vehicle hire
• We want to be using less than 0.25 m3 of water per wash
• Reduce our output to landfill percentage and increase our landfill diversion percentage
• Maintain our 14001 and ensure ongoing legal compliance
• Reduce or maintain our environmental impact
• Carry out spillage control toolbox talks and other environmental issues annually
• Work to decrease our logistic and staff fuel use by 5%
• Reduce our company car carbon output
• Report to ESOS
• Reduce the average CO2 levels of the rental

We work to be more sustainable for SHB and our clients through:

• Our fleet age replacement programme to take advantage of modern clean engines
• The introduction of more electric and sustainable vehicles
• Utilising new vehicle technologies such as stop start engines, higher mpg, euro 6 etc.
• Regular pro-active maintenance ensuring vehicles are running at their optimum levels
• Recycling mechanical and bodywork parts to save on unnecessary wastage
• Use of mobile maintenance to reduce a vehicles need to travel and downtime
• Use of multi-drop route planned transport so we are not burning fuel inefficiently
• Development and use of more multi use vehicles to reduced vehicle numbers
• Strict procedures and processes which are audited in line with our BSI accreditation and in line with the environment
• Sustainable improvement plans
• Constant review of the market and future technologies and customer requirements
• Safe and sustainable management of our depots
• Staff training to recognise areas that could need improvement in their area of the business

Our Environmental policy outlines our main responsibilities in regards to sustainability and how we will enforce and assess the policy across the company. We minimize waste and recycle where we can at each of our depots; this includes separating waste such as batteries, oils, filters, rags and more. We also utilise telematics to ascertain transporter driving styles for example, breaking too harshly, and will be collating all the information from the reports to devise and implement a driving training plan to ensure that the vehicles are driven as efficiently as possible, therefore reducing our emission levels further. Going forward we will be looking at new ways in which we can further assist the environment by reducing our carbon footprint.

To ensure we adhere to our policy at all times we have audited procedures in place that have been clearly laid down in the Management Manual and communicated to ensure our day-to-day operations meet the Environmental aspects detailed in the policy. Performance is reviewed at our Senior Manager Meetings and we consistently make improvements based on our results through the business as we implement corrective and preventative actions where necessary. We also utilize these meetings to keep updated on industry best practices implementing any changes where we feel it is necessary that we have a positive impact on the environment going forward.

Our HSQE Manager and external consultant carry out regular planned audits in all depots against our policies and risk assessments ensuring to ensure they comply with our regulations. They then create reports monitoring our performance across the company implementing action plans where needed. David and his team manage and monitor all of SHB’s sustainability, quality and environmental systems

SHB takes pride in working with its customers and its local communities and actively seeks to support initiatives and goals in the local areas, such as community projects, recruitment and work drives across our 16 UK depots. Our depots are managed by local people whose families are part of the local community so we actively get involved to assist, where we can, with improving the quality of life and the impact SHB has on the area for the positive. Within our company we have a Corporate Social Responsibility Policy which is embedded in our business and lists how we align our activities with the expectations of our customers in relation to our economic, social and environmental impacts.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD - SHB ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

On the 2nd July 2019 Enterprise Rent-A-Car UK announced its acquisition of SHB Hire.  From 1st April 2020 SHB Hire was formally integrated into the Enterprise business, under the banner of Enterprise Flex-E-Rent, in the process creating one of the UK’s largest and most diverse commercial vehicle rental businesses, with a combined fleet of more than 45,000 vehicles.

Customers of the combined entity will benefit from even greater choice, the most flexible funding options and state-of-the-art technology platforms, in addition to the exceptional customer service they have come to expect.

The further diversification of the Enterprise Flex-E-Rent business is a key part of Enterprise’s commercial vehicle strategy. Enterprise has extended vehicle choice across both daily and long-term rental to enable customers to access more types of commercial vehicles, from a broad range of vans to large haulage units as well as specialist temperature-controlled trucks and accessible minibuses.

The acquisition takes the combined Enterprise Rent-A-Car UK fleet to more than 120,000 vehicles, which includes small and medium-sized cars, SUVs, 4x4s, electric vehicles, hybrids, prestige cars, vans, and HGVs. Depending on the vehicle, these can be accessed from an hour, a day, a week, a month or for much longer. The company also operates the UK’s most extensive network of 470 branches.

For further information visit www.flexerent.co.uk or www.enterprise.co.uk

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