• The Northern Ireland Environmental Benchmarking Survey assesses an organisation’s environmental management and performance, to benchmark it against sector peers and leading Northern Ireland organisations
• Small businesses with fewer than 25 employees can take part in the reduced version Small Business Survey
• The Survey – run by Business in the Community NI – is a way for organisations to measure progress, drive improvement and publicly demonstrate their commitment to better environmental practice

The 2020 Northern Ireland Environmental Benchmarking Survey is now open for submissions. Both the Survey and the small business version are recognised as positive influencers, helping organisations to measure and improve their environmental impacts and publicly demonstrate their commitment to better environmental practice.

The Survey is organised by responsible business network, Business in the Community Northern Ireland (BITCNI), a member organisation that engages and supports businesses to tackle some of the biggest issues facing society.

The process asks an organisation to complete an online self-disclosure form, submitting information relating to everything from how it is minimising and re-using resources, to how it communicates sustainability issues in an engaging way to customers. Organisations are then scored and ranked, allowing comparisons with other sector peers and leading Northern Ireland businesses.

Over 100 organisations took part in 2019, with Bombardier taking the overall top performer spot and McCormack Demolition achieving the highest ranking amongst small business submissions.

Kieran Harding, Managing Director, BITCNI: “The Survey acts a catalyst for continuous improvement, encouraging firms to reduce their environmental impacts year-on-year. Consistency is key for development and typically we see companies increasing their scores over time through continued Survey participation.

“The Survey isn’t a competition, it’s a way to encourage organisations to identify and address areas for improvement, but it’s also a way for us to recognise those organisations that are taking action and willing to demonstrate their commitment to improvement.

“The questions are reviewed and updated every year to ensure that it stays relevant and challenges participants. This year we’ve added a new climate emergency section that focusses on greenhouse gas emissions.”

The Survey is sponsored by Moy Park and supported by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).

Declan Cunningham, Head of Sustainability and Risk Management, Moy Park, explains: “Moy Park is committed to sustainable practices which minimise our environmental impacts and make a positive contribution to the environment and the way people live. Corporate responsibility is a major focus for our organisation and we are extremely proud to have received ‘Platinum’ status in the Survey for the last seven years.”

Environment Minister Edwin Poots MLA said: “The Northern Ireland Environmental Benchmarking Survey is well established as a helpful tool providing local businesses with proof of their green status. By helping organisations to analyse their environmental management and understand their impacts, the Survey plays a key role in encouraging local organisations to be more sustainable.”

Participating in the NI Environmental Benchmarking Survey or the Small Business Survey is free of charge and open to NI organisations from all sectors. The deadline for submissions is Tuesday 30 June 2020.

Visit www.bitcni.org.uk/niebs for more information or to register your interest.

The results will be revealed at an event on Thursday 26 November 2020.