Shredall SDS Group Case Study

In 1997, Lloyd Williams founded the second mobile shredding company in Europe: Shredall SDS Group.

It didn’t take long for the group to become the trusted name for all-things information management, from document scanning and storage to shredding and recycling.

Today, the family-owned company spans England and Scotland with:

• 70+ employees

• 2 operational sites

• 6 offices

…not to mention an impressive array of NQA certifications (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and ISO 27001).

In 2022, Shredall SDS Group branched into sustainability verification with PAS 2060.

Going for gold with PAS 2060

The environment is at the core of Shredall SDS Group’s business operations.

Handling document shredding for clients, recycling huge amounts of office paperwork – all of the company’s actions have an environmental impact.

That’s why Shredall SDS Group has been on a mission to become carbon neutral over the past few years. Some of its many efforts include:

• Switching to zero-carbon, 100% renewable electricity

• Recycling 100% of the paper shredded

• Installing LED lighting in the document storage depots

• Offsetting 1,240 tonnes of CO2 emissions via overseas wind and hydropower projects

…with PAS 2060 verifying that the company’s hard work is paying off.
 

Here’s what Shredall SDS Group says about striving for PAS 2060:

“With PAS 2060 requiring evidence of on-going environmental reductions, not just carbon offsetting, we felt this standard was a cut-above other standards.

Achieving carbon neutrality has been a long-term goal of ours, building on our ISO 14001 certification and carbon reduction plans.”



Shredall SDS Group now holds a whopping 5 NQA certifications and verifications!

Trusting NQA since 2002

Shredall SDS Group knew its PAS 2060 verification would be through NQA from the very start.
 

“We have a long relationship with NQA, having started our journey in 2002 with our first certification, ISO 9001.

Since then, we have added ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and ISO 27001 – so it made sense to bring PAS 2060 on board through the same trusted independent third-party certification body.”

Did you know? Expert support and guidance are just a few reasons clients choose NQA.

Preparing for PAS 2060 verification

Given the technical nature of PAS 2060 (not to mention their existing ISO standards), Shredall SDS Group knew to come prepared.

• Nominating a PAS 2060 verification project lead:

  • Shredall SDS Group’s Compliance Manager & Data Protection Officer, Carole Woolhouse

• Meticulously reading through the PAS 2060 verification guide

• Seeking advice from NQA’s Sustainability Assurance Manager, Amber Dixon

• Drawing on the UK Environmental Reporting Guidelines:

  • Greenhouse gas conversion factors (spreadsheet)

  • ONS greenhouse gas emissions intensity (dataset)

“The main challenges we faced along the way were adapting current systems and processes to ensure accurate and reliable outputs. This was very much a team exercise, drawing on the skills of our Data Analyst with support from the accounts department.

We’re proud of how far we’ve come and the milestones that we’ve achieved.”

With preparation now complete, it was time for the next stage: PAS 2060 verification.

An NQA assessor’s expert touch

Richard Walsh was the NQA assessor verifying Shredall SDS Group’s commitment to carbon neutrality.

The company praised Richard for his supportive and knowledgeable demeanour during the verification process – something the team can take forward and apply to their next assessment.



What has Richard said about Shredall SDS Group’s PAS 2060 verification?

“I would like to congratulate Shredall SDS Group for the diligent manner in which the company’s carbon footprint was drawn up and for the commitment to retain this status going forward.

It was a pleasure to work with the Shredall SDS Group team on this verification process, and as the lead verifier, I look forward to working with them again in 2023.”

NQA enjoys nothing more than approving a client. In this case, for PAS 2060 verification!

The difference PAS 2060 makes

Shredall SDS Group has achieved a 16% carbon footprint reduction since PAS 2060, with its carbon-neutral status recognised by customers and employees alike.

However, the efforts don’t stop there.

Just some of the projects on the near horizon include:

• Refining the ISO and PAS management systems

• Getting more team members on board with the environment

• Reducing Scope 3 emissions involved in the supply chain

  • Scope 3: emission sources not owned or controlled by Shredall SDS Group but which the company indirectly affects

Shredall SDS Group has already made a huge difference, with plenty more to come!

Final thoughts from NQA

Shredall SDS Group is a fantastic example of an SME that does it all: an effective business model, carbon neutrality, and a significant ISO package valued by the business and clients.

NQA is confident the relevance of sustainability will only continue to grow, with clients like Shredall SDS Group staying ahead of the game with PAS 2060.

You can read more about Shredall SDS Group's environmental commitment on its website here.

Interested in sustainability? Visit our PAS 2060 page or get in touch with NQA today.


Download a PDF version of Shredall SDS Group's case study here.