More than 116 tonnes of paper has been recycled by an environmentally friendly West Midlands and Shropshire based solicitors, saving almost 2,000 trees and 350 cubic yards of landfill in just four years.
FBC Manby Bowdler, which has offices in Shrewsbury, Telford, Bridgnorth, Wolverhampton and Willenhall, contracted Shropshire’s WN Security Shredding in 2010 to collect its thousands of kilos of confidential waste paper and since then has become the Shifnal-based firm’s ‘greenest’ client.
The 116,550 kilos of paper collected from the firm over the past four years has saved 1,980 trees and 348 cubic yards of landfill, thanks to the waste being recycled into Thirst Pockets kitchen roll and Nouvelle toilet roll.
This also amounted to saving 44,288 gallons of oil, 466,200 kilowatts of electricity and 815,850 gallons of water.
FBC Manby Bowdler was presented with an official certificate recognising its eco-friendly credentials by Diane Gardner, managing director of WN Security Shredding.
In its 25 years collecting and shredding confidential waste, the family-run firm has recycled more than 25,000 tonnes of paper, saving almost half a million trees, 75,000 cubic yards of landfill, 9.5 million gallons of oil, 100 million kilowatts of electricity and 175 million gallons of water.
“When you consider how long we have been in business, for one company alone of the thousands we have worked with to have saved 0.5 per cent of that huge total is just amazing,” said Mrs Gardner.
“We have been working with FBC Manby Bowdler for four years now and were delighted to name them our official ‘greenest’ client, with almost 2,000 trees saved through their confidential waste being recycled into toilet and kitchen roll.
“In their first year alone we collected 35,790 kilos of paper from them, saving 608 trees.”
Beverley Collinswood, finance manager for FBC Manby Bowdler, said recycling formed an important part of the firm’s comprehensive corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy and therefore they wanted to ensure they worked with a supplier who understood that ethos and aims.
“We are delighted to have forged a successful partnership with WN Security Shredding on this basis and have worked in partnership with them to reduce the firm’s carbon footprint,” she said.
“Being named WN’s ‘greenest’ client is a fantastic achievement for everyone at the firm as we all work towards minimising our impact on the environment.”
WN Security Shredding was set up by the Gardner family in 1989, initially at small premises in Hadley, Telford, before moving to their current home in Shifnal 20 years ago.
In 2007, Mrs Gardner’s son Scott joined the business, after leaving his previous job as a software developer.
Mrs Gardner’s husband Dennis, while now semi-retired, also remains part of the business and Scott’s fiancée Chantelle Price joined the team in early 2014.
They also have four additional employees collecting and shredding the waste paper.
“We have and always will be a family-run business and I truly believe that is a big part of our success,” added Mrs Gardner.