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Your security provider says it takes the environment seriously. There is a policy in the proposal, an electric vehicle on the website and a commitment to reducing emissions.
These commitments matter to your organisation too. Emissions associated with delivering your security service can form part of your wider carbon footprint, so your supplier’s approach can affect progress towards your own environmental goals.
You should not need to understand carbon accounting to assess its claims. A few straightforward requests can help you establish what is happening in practice.
An environmental policy sets out intentions. To understand the results, ask for a recent emissions summary comparing the previous and current figures.
It should identify the periods covered, explain what is included and describe what caused any reduction.
Perhaps the provider replaced diesel vehicles with electric models or reduced electricity consumption. Alternatively, it may have completed fewer journeys because it was servicing fewer sites.
Knowing the reason helps you judge whether its operations are becoming more efficient. A short explanation alongside the figures should make this clear.
For buyers of mobile patrols or alarm response, an electric fleet is relevant only if those vehicles will help deliver their service.
Ask for written confirmation of the vehicles normally used at your premises, including the replacement arrangements.
A simple fleet breakdown can support a claim about electric vehicle ownership. If the provider says most patrol journeys are electric, a mileage summary should substantiate that.
This connects the environmental benefits described in the proposal to the cover you are buying.
Radios fail. Batteries need replacing. Uniforms wear out.
If your provider says it reduces waste, ask how usable items are repaired or reused, and what happens to the rest.
A recent collection record or waste contractor’s report should help demonstrate how discarded materials were handled.
Branded uniforms also need controlled handling to prevent misuse. Ask how clothing is collected and prepared for reuse, recycling or secure disposal.
These records give you a practical example of the provider’s waste arrangements working beyond the office recycling bin.
ISO 14001 concerns the systems a company uses to manage its environmental responsibilities. Certification does not, by itself, prove a particular reduction in emissions or waste.
Ask for the current certificate, checking that it names the business you are appointing and covers the relevant activities.
For a carbon neutral claim, request the supporting certificate or verification statement, including the period and operations covered.
This may involve carbon credits used to offset emissions the business still produces. The provider should explain how much it has reduced through operational changes and what it offsets. Where credits are used, request confirmation that they have been used exclusively against its emissions.
Environmental commitments should remain visible after the contract starts.
Agree to receive a short annual update showing progress against the commitments made, together with the next steps. Choose measures relevant to your service, such as fuel use, electric patrol mileage or equipment reuse.
Where information covers the whole business rather than your contract, that distinction should be clear. If a target has been missed, the update should explain why and what action will follow.
This gives you a manageable way to review performance without creating another reporting burden.
Magenta Security was the first security company in Europe to achieve ISO 14001 certification for its environmental management systems.
Its environmental measures include Carbon Neutral+ certification through Carbon Footprint Ltd, electric vehicles and solar-generated electricity used for charging at its head office. The company also uses energy-efficient systems and digital reporting to reduce paper consumption, supported by a Carbon Reduction Plan reviewed through its environmental management system.
When discussing your requirements, you can explore which measures apply to your premises and request the relevant supporting documentation.
At your next security review, choose one environmental claim from your provider’s proposal and ask: “Can you show us what you have achieved?”
The response should help you assess whether its commitments deserve weight in your renewal decision – and whether its approach supports your organisation’s priorities.
Contact Magenta Security on 0800 772 3786 to discuss your security requirements and the evidence behind its environmental commitments.
Magenta Security has held NSI Gold accreditation and BSIA membership for more than 25 years and ranks among the top 5% of SIA Approved Contractors in the UK. Established in 1995, the company directly employs its security officers and supports every contract through its 24/7 National Control Room, £10 million public liability cover and 100% money-back guarantee (subject to contractual terms and conditions).
