The company is recognised internationally as one of the most efficient and progressive sugar manufacturers in Europe. This has been achieved in part through an investment programme of around £1billion (at 2000 prices) in the last two decades to improve raw material and energy usage efficiency, as well as leading technology in water and gas treatment to raise environmental standards.

The company has reduced energy requirements per tonne of sugar produced by 40%. Emissions to atmosphere from boilers have, therefore, also been drastically reduced.

Focus has also been placed on raising Safety, Health, Environment and Quality standards. British Sugar was the first UK food company to adopt the ISO9001 quality assurance standard, followed by certification to the Environmental standard ISO14001. The company was the first in the world to gain certification to the Health and Safety standard OHSAS 18001 from Lloyds Register Quality Assurance.

More than 75 per cent of a sugar beet is water, which requires treatment before being returned to the environment. British Sugar has extensive treatment facilities including aerobic and anaerobic digestion. Methane (biogas) is recovered from the digesters and this non-fossil fuel is used to fuel boilers.

Water used to transport the beet into the factory is re-used approximately 20 times before treatment and release, thus reducing freshwater requirements.

Annual environmental audits and improvement targets have dramatically reduced water usage at factories. A reduction in water usage of 40 per cent has been achieved. 

Where there is no food contact - for example in external wrappings - papers and boards which are used contain substantial proportions of recycled paper fibres. Indeed, one grade is made from totally recycled fibres.

Working in partnership with our sugar hauliers there is a focus on efficient use of fuel making full use of satellite tracking technology and telemetrics.