Viridian recognise that the majority of our packaging might well end up in someone's bin and for this reason, Viridian use recycled cardboard boxes and biodegradable void fill. The only parts of our packaging that cannot be recycled are the fragile tape and documents holder but all the other parts could be re-used by the customer, if they also wish to cut down their carbon footprint.
Viridian have joined up with Green Office Week who hold an event once a year, with lots of great tips about being green in the workplace. For more information on this, please visit: http://www.greenofficeweek.eu
Viridian aim to improve the management of the building's water, energy and materials by re-using and recycling as much as possible. This includes recycling our kitchen waste and cardboard from deliveries, printing on 100% recycled office paper and re-using/recycling our toner and inkjet cartridges.
Viridian Environmental Policy
Viridian has a strong commitment to minimising the company’s impact on the environment. Viridian want our company to truly bring health and wellbeing to everyone it touches and that includes the planet. Realistically, no business can claim to be 100% environment friendly, as all businesses have some sort of impact on the environment. Viridian aims to minimise that impact and, additionally, gives funds to environmental, and other, charities to promote health and wellness.
Viridian was named as Best Buy in the Ethical Consumer magazine review of vitamins in April/May 2000.
PRODUCTS
Viridian aims to source as many certified organic ingredients as possible. Viridian grow all the herbs for our organic tinctures and organic ointments here in the UK to minimise food miles. Organic certification is through the Soil Association.
Viridian are opposed to the wholesale influx of genetically modified ingredients into the food chain without proper testing or public consultation. Viridian products are guaranteed non-GM. Viridian also guarantee non-irradiated.
Our products are all 100% active ingredients without any added artificial chemicals, additives, colourings or flavourings.
PACKAGING
Recycling the Viridian way is an old-fashioned idea. Simply return your empty Viridian bottle to the health food store where you bought it and you will receive 25p refund. The health food store will send your bottle for recycling. Viridian bottles are made from darkened glass as this is the best way to protect the nutrients inside from light and air. Viridian believe it is our responsibility to take care of the environmental implications of this kind of packaging and that’s why Viridian offer the 25p cash reward for bottles returned to the health store of purchase.
Viridian cardboard boxes are used to transport goods around the country. The boxes are made from 90% recycled materials. In order to keep the strength of the boxes, the outside layer of paper is from managed forests. Viridian do not use any plastic chips or styrofoam packaging materials to protect the goods during transportation. Our purpose-designed boxes are tailored to fit our bottles and very little additional paper/cardboard protection is required. These boxes are frequently returned to our warehouse via our sales team and re-used.
OFFICE POLICIES
Viridian are aiming for a paper-free office to minimise all paper use where possible and welcome communications, including orders, sent by e.mail. All Viridian stationery is from 100% recycled paper.
All photocopier, printer and fax paper is 100% recycled paper. Waste is kept to a minimum, but all waste is recycled through Daventry District Council’s recycling scheme. The fax and printer toner cartridges are recycled through Hewlett Packard’s Planet Partners recycling scheme. All paper toiletries products used in our building are from recycled materials and our cleaning materials are environment-friendly.
Our electricity is now supplied via Ecotricity, the green power company that invests in renewable power sources.
CARS
Unfortunately, the nature of a company involved in direct sales is that Viridian need to get our sales representatives into the health food stores. Viridian run a fleet of cars and the sales representatives organise their journey plans to minimise their annual mileage.
Viridian encourage staff to choose hybrid cars and currently two of the five cars are hybrids.
CHARITY DONATION
This environmental policy is in sympathy with Viridian’s commitment to charity donation. Viridian cares for you and for others at the same time. Every Viridian bottle sold generates funds for a selection of environmental, children’s and other charities.
By the end of 2010, £100,000 will have been donated. The exact charities are chosen by our health food store stockists, using a voting form each year.
Environmental charities that have benefited from Viridian’s charity donation programme thus far include: Friends of the Earth, RSPB, Pesticide Action Network, the Woodland Trust, Trees for Cities, the Orangutan Foundation and more.
So not only do you care for your health and your family’s health, you also help make a difference in your global community.
Viridian is constantly reviewing its environmental policy and is striving to further reduce the company’s impact on the environment.