We’re delighted to announce that Davies has achieved the highest accolade of Green level accreditation from Investors in the Environment (iiE).

The accreditation formally recognises our commitment to promoting environmentally friendly initiatives and reducing their carbon footprint. Green is the highest level awarded.

iiE is an external environmental accreditation scheme created to help businesses assess and reduce their environmental impact by implementing an environmental management system. It includes high-level audit criteria being met, and setting reduction targets, followed by an ongoing auditing process

The Davies Green Group was established in February 2017 by a group of keen members from the practice’s clinician, nursing, maintenance, reception and kennel assistant teams. Davies was the first UK veterinary practice to achieve accreditation from iiE and was awarded Silver level accreditation last year.

Some of the practice’s sustainability highlights over the past year include:

• A proactive and pragmatic approach to making meaningful environmental gains that carry significant financial, reputational, and social benefits.
• The practice has shown that it is on target toward decreases in all resources in 2019. This is supported by substantial actions that are in progress and Green Group planning.
• Communication at Davies is very strong, with good levels of staff engagement, advice to customers on lower-environmental impact pet care, and active influencing of the veterinary sector through in-depth knowledge sharing on how to make practices more sustainable.
• A ‘Green pack’ has been produced for Davies’ houses with environmental policy information, recycling and energy conservation tips.
• Investment has been made in low carbon technology, such as air source heat pumps, use of outdoor drying lines to reduce need for tumble dryers and Otex washing machines.
• Stock control of drugs, elimination of nitrous oxide, and introduction of lower-flow use of anaesthetic gases, which are higher impact greenhouse gases, have been introduced.
• PVC materials have been avoided where possible and replaced with products that don’t contribute to air pollution during incineration.

This year Davies also reached the shortlist for the Institute of Environmental Management Sustainability Impact Awards for the ‘Best Team’ for 2019. These prestigious national awards attract high calibre entries from national organisations of all sizes.

In addition Davies’ sustainability lead Ellie West, European Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia at Davies, achieved a Best Green Champion award at the iiE awards ceremony in April this year.

Ellie West, said:

“Achieving iiE Green level is a magnificent achievement and has truly been a team effort across Davies. We are inspiring so many others with everything we are doing too, and I am very humbled by the enthusiasm everyone shows. Many thanks to everyone at Davies for the continued support for this initiative; now we have achieved Green we need to make sure we maintain it through demonstrating continual improvement against the criteria.”

For more information on Davies’ sustainability initiatives and access to resources for Vet Professionals and Pet Owners:

Click here to visit the sustainability section of our website.