Improving the way we manufacture and operate
Since 1998, Rolls-Royce has been setting and publicly reporting on challenging targets for the environmental performance of its operations.
Significant progress has been made at all our production facilities. Since 1998, the energy used in our facilities has reduced by 11 per cent in absolute terms and our total greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent, whilst our turnover has increased by 59 per cent. Total energy consumption, including product test, reduced by 14 per cent over the same period.
We have also seen significant reductions in waste generation. Our Group waste recycling rate has been reduced by the recent sale of two business units but the underlying rate (excluding foundry sand from just two locations) is 68 per cent.
All these improvements have been supported by our investment in new state-of-the art facilities which take account of best practice in environmental matters.
More details of the company's Health, Safety and Environment performance can be found in a separate report available on request from the Health, Safety and Environment Department.
| Rolls-Royce has significantly exceeded its targets in all but one area: | ||
| Our targets1 | Target | Achieved |
| Reduce energy consumption for manufacturing operations and location support2 | 9% | 30.8% |
| Reduce the production of solid waste2 | 8% | 21.3% |
| Reduce the production of hazardous liquid waste2 | 7% | 25.2% |
| Increase the proportion of solid waste sent for recycling by the end of 2006 | 55% | 48.9% (68%)3 |
|
1 2004-2006 from a 2003 baseline 2 Normalised by financial turnover 3 Underlying rate excluding waste foundry sand |
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Rolls-Royce recognises the importance of effective HS&E management within the global supply chain. We expect suppliers to implement appropriate HS&E management systems comparable with the requirements of ISO14001 and OHSAS 18001 and encourage them to gain third-party certification. In the past few years we have developed a significant programme of engagement with, and support to, our suppliers. This has included:
- the provision of HS&E resource materials;
- visits to selected suppliers in the UK, Bulgaria, Romania, China, Taiwan and Mexico; and
- workshops in the UK and North America.
Case study
Indianapolis - longer life machine coolant
Like many engineering companies, Rolls-Royce
uses large amounts of coolant in metal machining
activities. In our facility at Indianapolis, a widely
used soluble machine coolant is gradually being
replaced with an updated coolant. The older fluid
had a sump life of one to two weeks, whereas the
replacement coolant has demonstrated a sump life
of up to three months.
This change is significantly reducing the amount of liquid waste sent off site for treatment/disposal (over 50 per cent in some machines).
