Sustainability
Quest Joinery are conscious of and care deeply about the impact on our environment and local community in all that we do.
Our approach to sustainability goes beyond box ticking.
We care about our people, our communities and our environment and commit to long-term initiatives that are fundamental to our collaborative and responsible culture.
Our commitment to sustainability is underpinned by our FSC ® and ISO14001 certifications.
Environment
When sustainably sourced, timber is one of the most renewable products on the planet. As manufacturers of this truly renewable resource, we understand why the regrowth of forests is so important. Timber is a natural, responsible resource and has huge environmental benefits when forests are well managed; that’s why we use FSC Chain of Custody certified timber.
FSC ®
The Forest Stewardship Council ® aim is to raise the standards of forest management and create openness in the timber supply chain. It is an international organisation dedicated to promoting responsible management of the world’s forests and the people and wildlife who call them home. The FSC is recognised by WWF as the “hallmark of responsible forest management”.
Reducing CO2 Emissions
We do this in a number of ways including:
- Using less materials and packaging and minimising deliveries
- Procuring locally sourced materials
- Investing in energy efficient technology and transportation
- Reducing waste
Responsible Supply Chain
FSC ® tracks certified timber from the tree in the forest, to the processing plant, to the depot of our suppliers, to us and to the final customer. Quest Joinery and our suppliers are annually audited against the FSC’s set method of working and hold a current FSC Chain of Custody Certificate.
Training
The environmental awareness of our team is integral to our environmental performance. We hold annual workshops, inclusive of every team member to ensure our team understand how their activities, the materials and products they use and create impact upon the environment. They are encouraged to bring forward suggestions for improvements and promote more sustainable environmental practices within our workplace.
ISO 14001:2015
Quest Joinery’s environmental management system is underpinned by our ISO14001:2015 certification. This ensures:
- Enhancement of environmental performance;
- Fulfilment of compliance obligations;
- Achievement of environmental objectives.
Waste Minimisation
Quest Joinery is committed to good practice to minimise waste and several procedures are in place to manage waste effectively.
Design
Waste minimisation and resource maximisation for our manufactured products is considered and incorporated at the design stage. Design has a decisive role to play towards waste minimisation, by reducing the number of components used and using the most environmentally efficient way to manufacture.
Procurement
Excellent planning means we order the correct amount of materials right first time, avoiding a surplus of unused material. Our materials are stored safely and securely to prevent damage.
Prefabrication
Where there is repeatability in manufacture, waste is reduced due to the controlled environment and standardised processes. Prefabrication in our factory gives us this control and ensures our many recycling opportunities are utilised.
CNC Nesting
This strategy is used at Quest to optimally fit numerous manufacturing parts to a single sheet of raw material. The required quantities are automatically and efficiently arranged using part geometry from CAD files to output CNC code. This utilises as much of the material as possible.
Packaging
Packaging is reused where possible and the amount of packaging used is minimised.
Logistics
A logistics plan at early project stages ensures that deliveries are managed efficiently and the flow of materials from supplier to workshop and site runs smoothly, minimising deliveries and lowering our CO2 emissions.
Community Involvement
Building strong relationships within the local community is something we are extremely proud of. Working with local schools we promote careers in joinery and construction to local students and provide tours of our factory for those keen to start a career in our specialist industry.
