Sustainability

Our overall environmental priority is for our operations around the World to minimise their environmental footprint. Each business has an Energy Champion at a local level who is responsible for monitoring energy use, waste streams, recycling and emissions to air, water and land. They also continuously look for innovative ways to reduce energy consumption.

We monitor our global energy use. During the 2017 calendar year, we saw a significant reduction in the Group Carbon Footprint to 9,604 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (“tCO2e”) from 11,666 tCO2e in 2016. This was due to several factors, including a general improvement in energy efficiency, and the disposal of our Superconducting Wire business in November. This business consumed more energy than our other manufacturing sites.

We also strive to minimise our waste outputs and ensure that as little as possible goes to landfill. Several of our sites are now “zero waste to landfill” where waste is recycled either directly e.g. cardboard, metals, wood, paper and food, or indirectly for non‑recyclable general waste that is sent to waste sites where it can be used to produce energy.

• Oxford Instruments consumed globally 16.73GWh of energy in 2016/17. The Company’s measure of energy efficiency was 45.15MWh/£million revenue compared to 58.75 MWh/£million revenue in the previous year.
• Oxford Instruments is a full participant in the UK Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme (“CRC”) and purchases carbon allowances to cover its UK energy use as required. For the 2015/16 year 3,681 carbon allowances have been purchased to cover the year’s carbon emissions.
• As part of the UK Companies Act 2006 (Strategic Report and Directors’ reports) Regulations 2013, Oxford Instruments has a mandatory duty to report greenhouse gas emissions as tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (“tCO2 e”). The Company’s measure of carbon emissions is tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per £million of revenue. This year the carbon emissions figure is 18.17 tCO2 e/£million revenue.

Greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions

Oxford Instruments is a global business with operations in many parts of the world. It has been monitoring energy use and carbon emissions since 2008. Emissions from 17 company sites are monitored and are reported in the chart above. Some small sales offices where energy consumption is less than 0.01% of the Group’s total energy consumption are omitted. The amount of recorded hydro‑fluorocarbons is below 5kg globally and has therefore not been included in the figures.

Emissions

Emissions from purchased electricity, fuel for heating or process purposes (gas and oil) and fugitive emissions from process gases are reported in tCO2 e.

Intensity ratio – greenhouse gas

The Company’s declared intensity ratio for greenhouse gas reporting is tCO2 e per £million of revenue. With revenues for the year at £348.5 million and the total emissions of carbon dioxide equivalent of 6334 tonnes, this gives an intensity ratio as follows:

In addition to the mandatory greenhouse gas reporting, the Company also makes a voluntary report to the Carbon Disclosure Project (“CDP”) on its emissions. The CDP is an international, not‑for‑profit organisation providing a global system for companies to measure, disclose, manage and share environmental information.

In accordance with its Energy and Environmental Policies the Group is committed to improving its energy efficiency and we continue to invest in energy reducing technologies such as LED lighting at our sites. We are investigating the feasibility of installing solar photovoltaics at our sites where there is a proven benefit.