An interview with Reds10

Conversations with our clients – Reds10

Modular construction company, Reds10, have recently partnered with Plannet Zero to reach operational carbon neutrality through the One Two Zero programme. Click here to find out more about One Two Zero. 

Reds10 provide clients with a full turnkey service to design, finance, build, equip, operate and hire amazing healthcare, education, defence, accommodation and work spaces. They focus on customer experience and building performance, meaning they provide better, faster and more affordable solutions with less carbon, including using modular, offsite build.

Sam Hook, Business Development Assistant at Reds10, talks to Plannet Zero’s Head of Partnerships, Nicola Steen.

Hi Sam. Please could you tell me what made you think about your carbon footprint?

It’s a growing issue both within our industry and in wider society, so I think it’s quite difficult in the current climate not to think about your carbon footprint. Certainly, with what we do, it seems irresponsible and almost impossible not to have that in mind. Also, as well as our emphasis on sustainability and wanting to go green, the change in Government procurement policy last year was a turning point in the way we approached it. No longer could we think about it and keep it in mind, we had to keep it at the forefront and really put a plan together to make sure that we were doing everything we could to reduce our carbon footprint. So the general cultural shift, the awareness being raised, people discussing it, talking about it, was how it became a far more integral part of how we are going to go forward.

So that was last summer. How has your thinking changed over the past few months, since you’ve been working with Plannet Zero and gone through the One Two Zero programme?

Having now undergone the One Two Zero process, our thinking about carbon has just increased. Our understanding of terminologies, understanding what net zero means, what operational carbon neutral means – our thinking is different. Now I know more; I’m no longer a little bit ambiguous or confused as to what I should be doing.  So there’s more clarity about carbon reduction and what we are trying to achieve. I am also just seeing it in more things: so now when someone explains to me how process works in the business, I’m not just thinking about how that affects my work and how that affects the company’s finances, but I am also thinking about the carbon impact of that process and whether or not that can be changed.  It’s brought carbon into that tier of thinking; carbon is in every process you do – and I’m now aware of that and it’s on my mind a lot more and how we can change our processes to improve that.

Are there specific things you’ve taken from working with Plannet Zero?

I’ve got now got a much clearer picture about waste. I always knew it would be a big factor but not quite how large! We now are working with two separate waste management companies and we are working on developing holistic site waste management factory audits. That is the first key area we’re really trying to tackle. Realising how much more can be done to improve our waste management process is a key take away from the process so far.

It’s really nice having this new emphasis. Internally, some other colleagues have taken an interest in what we’re doing.  We have fortnightly meetings to discuss how we can better improve our office. We’re thinking of having a meat free Monday and we’re running some training courses in February on business, personal and office practices.  We have a carbon consultant we typically use from an engineering perspective who do all sorts of other aspects of sustainability. We have had a good emphasis on making our buildings sustainable and I think now that’s shifted and to being more hands on to making the whole business sustainable – and I’m looking forward to seeing the results.

You must have had reaction from customers and clients and suppliers. Could you talk a bit about that please?

Reactions have been overwhelmingly positive – as you would and should expect. Every single person we tell about the steps we are taking to going carbon neutral and how this is now a key part of how we’re looking to run our business going forward, it is never received badly, it is always received as making complete sense. People always seem to be keen to get on board; obviously the actions after those reactions – whether or not they put that into action and join us on the journey – is yet to be proven and that’s more a case of time.

Thanks very much, Sam.