Sustainable Steel

WHAT WE BELIEVE IN

Sustainability

Capital has been working diligently on its sustainability agenda for many years, starting back in 2008 with registration to ISO 14001 the environmental management standard; long before it was the norm. We have worked across the industry on sustainability initiatives, partnering with major customers, co-ordinating activities with our key suppliers and speaking on public platforms.

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Sustainbility Governance

Our Sustainability Strategy

Sustainability is a difficult topic. What precisely do we mean by it ? How might we define it? How do we – as individuals and collectively – contribute toward it (or indeed, inhibit it)? From Capital’s perspective, sustainability means this:

Ensuring business continuity and the reduction or elimination of negative environmental and social impacts of our business activities, so that future generations will have adequate resources to meet their needs. This includes employees, customers and the wider bio-diverse environment.

26 MONTHS

Climate Positive Workforce

1254 T

Of Carbon Reduction

16,692

Trees In Your Forests

Our Sustainability goals

HOW WE'LL DO OUR BIT

Reducing Carbon

We’re just about to embark on a full carbon footprint calculation, concentrating on our scope 1 and 2 emissions (i.e. those we have most control over). Our aim is to be Net Carbon neutral by 2030 for our own activities, though this is likely to come sooner. Our steel suppliers are also working toward the goal of Net carbon neutral, with estimations varying between 2030 and 2050 subject to government assistance.

Electric Fleet

We’ve shifted the majority of our fleet to electric. The policy decision to move to electric was taken in 2021 during the throes of the pandemic. It is clear that society has to move to more sustainable modes of transport and we have invested in infrastructure that supports this, with 75% of our vehicles electric or hybrid. If you are a client visiting our site, you are welcome to replenish your vehicle free of charge.

Conserving Materials

We conserve as much physical material as possible, siphoning sub-standard material for non-prime use, reusing packaging materials at every opportunity, and significantly reducing our consumption of timber pallets through careful pallet design and extensive reclamation. In 2021, we saved 100 tonnes of timber in this manner, reducing our wood purchases by 17%.

Encouraging Biodiversity

Using a combination of natural and historical features, we have built a biodiversity garden to support local wildlife. The garden is tucked away on the Southern edge of our site, bordered by the former colliery walls and our Bay 9 unit. Here, foliage tumbles from the hillside above and beehives nestle among planters made from reclaimed timber and a recently created pond. We are very fortunate to work in such a beautiful valley and this is our contribution to its sustainability.

Solar power

When the sun shines brightly, we take around 35% of our power from the photovoltaic panels on our roof - and we intend to take much more. The Solar power helps drive our machines, power our cars and lower our costs. With a roof that extends for over a quarter of mile, we had a clear opportunity to do the right thing.

Supporting the local community

Capital Coated Steel has a long history of both employing within and working with, our local community. We see it as part of our responsibilities; a great relationship with your local community provides dividends for individuals, families, employees and the wider social community. It’s an investment in all of our futures and part of our environment, social governance.

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HOW DO WE DO THIS IN PRACTICE?

In our case, it means tackling the things that you can and chipping away at those that you cannot. Within our control are activities such as advising the right products to our customers, power generation, the maximisation of vehicles (with its obvious financial and environmental benefits), the modes of transport we encourage our staff to use, the amount of ancillary products that we use and the environmental schemes that we support.

OUR COMMITMENTS

We have fed directly into industry bodies such as ECCA (European Coil Coating Association) through membership and representation on environmental panels. We have consciously moved our fleet toward 100% electric. We reclaim and reuse packaging materials and drive out unnecessary waste. We have invested heavily in solar panels with plans for further expansion. We have partnered with Universities and learned about Eco-design and industrial symbiosis; all of these activities helped us move forward.

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Capital Coated Steel HQ, picture shows warehouse set against blue sky

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CONTINUALLY EVOLVING

We wouldn’t pretend to be consummate experts in sustainability nor to say that we have completed our journey. But we can honestly say that we are always learning and acting accordingly, and we hope to share that insight with you.

Sustainability In Action

CC Sustainability ANH3704 — Checking the health of the bees

CC Sustainability ANH3884 — Using power - generated by solar panels

Supportlocalcom (1) — Supporting the local community

CC Sustainability ANH2643 — Solar panels on the roof

Powered by zero emission clean energy 24/7

Our 510kW solar array works in tandem with clean energy contracts