Managing our incredible biodiversity in the face of enormous challenges!
The delicate interwoven reliance of our environment has never previously experienced the combined pressure of exploding human population and climatic change. Planet Earth is habitable and human life possible by our biodiversity providing oxygen, food and water. Further human demands for natural materials that provide us with energy and materials for the modern lifestyle are pushing this delicate balance to the limits!
As a mindful organisation, we operate conscious of the fact that we should all ensure we have an environmental responsibility wherever practical. Providing unique medtech solutions for healthcare products that fit with this desire and is very challenging. Over the last twenty years Pentland Medical have made considerable changes to our approach in support of environmentally aware practice, whilst continuing to offer commercially attractive unique solutions.
- Travel: Supporting our customers sales and training needs across the UK is simply not always possible by public transport. Hence all employees in the field are supplied with Tesla electric cars, acclaimed for reduced fossil fuel emissions. Even Tesla recharge points are powered wherever possible from renewable energy source. Using electric cars we emit only 0.192t of a month, in comparison to a modern petrol car at 0.598 tonnes, meaning our vehicles emit nearly one third less! All office based staff support our eco-friendly travel approach by reaching work on foot. What’s better, the route to our Edinburgh Office is surrounded by fantastic parks and walking routes to be explored on the way to work and lunch breaks.
- Plastic free products: We are proud to support the fight against Covid-19 with Virimask™. This is not simply another plastic or cotton based throwaway product for personal protection. Virimask™ is designed for life time use by the individual user. Made from TPE this Long life product reduces the need to panic buy disposable plastic products when faced with a crisis such as Covid-19. Packaging and delivery reductions also reduce the carbon footprint. The filters are designed for 60 hours use and come with envelopes for disposal, they can also be incinerated with other contaminated clinical waste. This provides a unique solution offering the best possible protection from pathogenic threat whilst reducing environmental impact.
- Technology at work: Our team work flexibly across a number of different sites in the UK. Prior to lockdown, we already operated Go-To-Meeting teleconferencing. Successfully implementing smart technology whilst maintaining strong team ethic and rapport means we have been able to significantly reduce unnecessary travel. It is our aim as we transition out of lockdown to continue using technology with creativity. We also use Webinars frequently to promote our unique solutions and support our customers.
It may be lockdown has made many more businesses that they can operate more responsibly through these technologies. That said we are acutely aware that personal contact is crucial in both mental wellbeing and quality of interaction. We will resume our regular team meetings as soon as possible. This is not only an opportunity to develop the team spirit but also an opportunity to socialise. We usually include some social activity when we meet. The March meeting had scheduled voluntary work on cleaning the environment. Unfortunately, lockdown led to cancellation of the meeting.
