Throughout the first half of the year, and with the guidance of Eshcon Environmental Consultants, Pentagon has invested significant time, resources, and financial commitment into the development and implementation of a bespoke Environmental Management System (EMS).
pentagon plastics
The scope of the EMS covers the entire Pentagon Group, including Pentagon Plastics Ltd and Pentagon Tooling Ltd, which operate from neighbouring sites on Blatchford Road, Horsham. The project had been in development for some time, driven by increasing customer demand for ISO 14001 certification and a growing focus on environmental responsibility across the manufacturing sector.
Recognising the scale of the project and the extensive legislative compliance requirements involved, Pentagon partnered with fellow Gatwick Diamond Business member and local environmental consultancy, Eshcon, to provide specialist guidance throughout the process.
The initial phase of the project involved a comprehensive scoping exercise, reviewing all areas of the business and its manufacturing processes. This was followed by extensive data collection, including the collation of historical compliance records, a detailed review of energy performance, and the creation of a comprehensive Environmental Aspects and Impacts Register. This register now serves as the foundation for the company's ongoing programme of continuous environmental improvement.
An internal Environmental Management Committee was then established, bringing together Directors, Managers, Team Leaders, Engineers, and Manufacturing Operatives. This cross-functional team ensures representation from across the organisation, providing valuable insight into Pentagon's operations while encouraging collaboration and shared responsibility for environmental performance.
As part of the project, Pentagon also reviewed and enhanced its Environmental Policy to better reflect the organisation's strengthened commitment to managing and minimising its environmental impact, while clearly demonstrating this commitment to customers, employees, suppliers, and other stakeholders.
Together, these elements enabled the successful development and implementation of the overarching Environmental Management System, which has now been operating across the business for several months. The first internal EMS audit was completed in June and has successfully identified further early opportunities for further improvement, helping to strengthen the system ahead of external certification audit, due later into the year.
An imminent Management Review Meeting will firmly establish the key environmental objectives and performance indicators (KPIs) that will guide the business moving forward with particular areas of focus including reduced consumption electricity, setting of carbon targets and managing waste.. These measures will be monitored by both the Environmental Management Committee and the Senior Management Team to track progress, drive continual improvement, and further reduce the environmental impact of Pentagon's manufacturing operations.
The implementation of the EMS marks a significant milestone in Pentagon's sustainability journey and demonstrates the company's long-term commitment to environmental responsibility, operational excellence, and meeting the evolving expectations of its customers and stakeholders. The team are excited to be sharing this positive journey with the wider workforce as the organisation comes together as a whole to deliver a greener company future.