EMS Expands Into Green Facilities

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2016 has been a period of rapid expansion for EMS. As the company continues to grow, we have made a strategic decision that all future capital investments must be environmentally friendly, which extends to both company vehicles and future offices and warehouses.

Having recently secured additional warehouse and office space in Park Royal, London, we have worked closely with developers to ensure our premises harness low-carbon technologies and practices, keeping running costs low and minimising the environmental impact.

Here are some of the key features of our new site:

  • Solar PV panels for electricity generation. Any excess energy is fed back to the electrical network, for use elsewhere on the grid. The system is expected to produce 30-60% of EMS’ power requirements.
  • Solar thermal, air and ground source heat pumps to distribute hot water throughout the premises.
  • Presence sensors on all water and lighting units. These utilise LED technology to reduce power demand by an average of 40%.
  • Tanks that harvest rainwater instead of a ground-based water supply, to minimise mains water usage.
  • Energy monitoring systems. With them, we can break down our consumption data into a live information feed, which helps us identify where waste can be prevented.
  • Electric charging points for staff and company vehicles.
  • A BREEAM building certification that classifies the facility as ‘Very Good’. We’ve also achieved a high EPC rating of B.

Since our new office and warehouse space became fully functional in Autumn 2016, we’ve received some fantastic feedback from our staff and stakeholders. By combining eco-friendly facilities with an inviting work environment, we aim to maintain our reputation as a leading provider of global relocation services in the UK and worldwide.

Our solar PV roof panels, energy dashboard (6,000kg of CO2 saved!), electric car charging unit and “Cycle to work” encouragement

 

We Need You For Our Palliative Children’s Care Partnership

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EMS is proud to have partnered with Noah’s Ark, a children’s hospice in North London that cares for babies, toddlers and adolescents, many of whom have complex terminal illnesses. As a global relocation services provider, we are perfectly placed to support the hospice’s cause, while adding value to our customers.

Noah’s Ark treats children from five Northern and Central London Boroughs, as well as the district of Hertsmere. The hospice attends to the physical and emotional wellbeing of any child in the region, alongside their family members, who are often struggling to cope with the illness themselves.

We’re committed to giving more resources, exposure and fundraising opportunities to the hospice, helping to extend their reach and influence in the North London area.

How our involvement began

The initiative was born out of EMS staff members, who noticed that many items weren’t being used after we shipped them to a new address. Our clients were keen to donate to charitable causes, but faced logistical barriers to doing so.

Some of these included the price of small shipping orders, non-explicit guidelines, and lack of a clear moving solution for unwanted furniture/appliances. To address such roadblocks, EMS staff are working beyond their typical hours – unpaid – to distribute donations for Noah’s Ark. Clients can contribute the following items:

  • Skirts, suits, t-shirts and shoes, as well as jackets and trousers
  • Ornamental glass/chinaware
  • Complete games and puzzles (no missing pieces)
  • Kitchenware
  • Entertainment systems e.g. consoles, DVD players, TVs, tablets
  • Unlocked phones

All of these goods will be delivered and installed free of charge. Some will form part of the hospice interiors, whereas others will be sold at three charity stores run by the organisation. Profits are unanimously put towards its upkeep.

Get in touch before your next EMS relocation hire: we’ll guide your donations to the right place. Aside from knowing you’ve helped those in need, this option has limited impact on the environment. That’s because we ship all gifts in bulk, as opposed to doing it piecemeal with smaller batches. It also brings down your relocation shipping allowance to a safe limit.

However, we can’t accept gas bottles, particularly large or degraded furniture, white goods (fridges, freezers, dryers and washing machines) or televisions with an analogue aerial. Please bear that in mind when seeing what you can spare.

For more information about Noah’s Ark and the amazing work it does in the North London region, visit www.noahsarkhospice.org.uk. If you would like to donate to the hospice during your relocation, just let us know.

EMS Awarded FIDI Faim Accreditation

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Since its establishment in 2005, EMS has been committed to delivering a quality service. Our ethos has always been to ‘do the right thing,’ which means abiding by the rules that affect both us and our customers, in the UK and globally.

Compliance is something we take very seriously at EMS, which is why we have regular external audits conducted by FIDI and BAR. In October, we were again awarded with FIDI FAIM accreditation, as a top performer with zero non compliances following an independent audit conducted by EY.

This demonstrates our ongoing commitment to compliance, as part of our policy standards of Corporate and Social Responsibility (CSR), Anti-Bribery & Corruption, Privacy and Service Level Agreements.

Dedicated to compliance

The comprehensive audit conducted by EY covered all aspects of EMS’ operations, and confirmed that our organisation currently has zero non-conformities. As a result, we have been awarded FIDI Faim accreditation for another three years, alongside the BS8564 accreditation we already hold.

This puts us in the top tier of competitors and suppliers in the global relocation marketplace. The FIDI hallmark for integrity, quality and co-operation in the industry gives our customers and partners confidence that every move is compliant with industry standards on CSR, Anti-Bribery, Corruption, Privacy and Service Level Agreements.

Privacy of data is particularly relevant as we head into 2018; the incoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will place newfound emphasis on protecting the data of those moving from one country to another. At EMS, we only hold that information for as long as we need it, and strictly control access so that only authorised people can access passport information, addresses, history and more.

Continually pushing for improvement

Despite our outstanding performance in external audits, we don’t rest on our laurels at EMS. We maintain compliance through a range of checks and balances, including training that ensures all staff members can uphold the same high standards. This is monitored by our strong operational management team, who work hard to create a positive environment where people can listen to one another and follow up on actions.

We also regularly look for ways to improve on our compliance measures, which is why we’re currently in the process of reviewing our IT standards and installing a new IT system that will further strengthen our processes. In doing so, we ensure that EMS continues to rank in the top tier of global moving companies, and retains the trust of our clients.

We take pride in our transparent approach to compliance. Each email that you receive from an EMS staff member will have a link to these policies on the signature strips. You can also view our compliance policies on our website.