This is the touching story of a woman who, while battling a long-term illness, found herself alone as a patient in the oncology ward at University Hospital Galway (UHG). Elohim, our dedicated contract manager, learned that she had no family in Ireland. Without hesitation, he began visiting her regularly, offering companionship and support during each of his shifts. Watch as Elohim shares his story, embodying our purpose to create healthier, safer communities today, for a better tomorrow.
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WATCH: Purpose Hero – Marilyn Haddington
As our colleague, Marilyn carried out her duties at Dinnington Interchange, she noticed a man in distress and took action. What happened next revealed the true meaning of quick thinking and compassion in the face of an emergency.
LISTEN: Purpose Hero – James Wellesly Cole
On a cold January night around 11:00 p.m., James was just starting his shift when a call came in from security. A young woman, barefoot and in pyjamas, was seen wandering near the power station. As James got closer, he noticed she had visible signs of self-harm. What happened next was far from ordinary…
Ethical Procurement and Sustainability: A Q&A with Gurjeet Parmar, Group Procurement Manager at Bidvest Noonan
We sat down with Gurjeet Parmar, our Group Procurement Manager, who joined us in 2023 and is based in our London office. Since joining, Gurjeet has made a significant impact, and today, she is an integral part of our excellent procurement team.
Gurjeet brings a wealth of experience to her role, having worked with a diverse range of companies, including large, well-known multinationals. We were keen to hear about how she incorporates Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles and promotes diversity within our supply chain, alongside her contributions to our thriving procurement team.
What does ethical procurement mean to you, and why is it important for companies?
Ethical procurement is fundamentally about ensuring that the goods and services we purchase are sourced in a way that respects human rights, supports fair labour practices, and protects the environment. It’s a holistic approach that integrates social, economic, and environmental considerations into our procurement decisions.
For companies in the UK and Ireland, it’s more than a legal obligation; it’s also a moral one. It’s about avoiding harm and actively contributing to positive change.
We need to make sure that our supply chains are free from exploitation and that we’re supporting practices that contribute to a better world. Beyond preventing the exploitation of people, we also have to ensure that we prevent the exploitation of the planet to protect the environments we all depend on.
It’s the right thing to do, and it’s good for business. It enhances our reputation and builds trust with customers and stakeholders, who increasingly demand that businesses operate responsibly and ethically.
You mentioned preventing the exploitation of both people and the planet. How can we ensure that child labour and modern slavery don’t exist in our supply chains?
We take a very proactive approach. First, we conduct thorough due diligence and regular audits of our suppliers. This helps us to identify and address any risks of child labour or modern slavery. We also do random checks and have very strict onboarding processes to make sure our suppliers know what’s expected of them. Beyond preventing the exploitation of people, we also have to ensure that we prevent the exploitation of the planet to protect the environments we all depend on. This means advocating for sustainable practices throughout our supply chain.
Can you share some of the new or ongoing initiatives that you’re working on to make your procurement more sustainable?
There are so many exciting initiatives happening across our business, it’s on everyone’s agenda, and the pace of positive change is truly incredible. To mention just a few, we’ve introduced a range of products like biodegradable detergents and hand towels made from recycled materials. We’re also reducing our carbon footprint by designing smaller packaging, which allows us to transport more products in fewer shipments. I’m sure many people know about the amazing technologies our innovation team has helped us introduce that enable us to reduce emissions and cut our consumption of resources such as energy and water.
Another significant initiative is our programme for recycling old uniforms. We partner with suppliers to convert these uniforms into usable materials, preventing waste and supporting our commitment to sustainability. These efforts are just a glimpse of the many ways we’re working to minimise our environmental impact and promote responsible resource use throughout our operations.
How do you encourage diversity and inclusion among your suppliers?
A diverse supply chain is crucial for fostering innovation and ensuring fairness. Our Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) team has done outstanding work in driving this initiative forward. We’re hosting Diversity Supplier Days to engage with suppliers from various backgrounds, including those owned by women, minorities, veterans, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities. We’ve set specific targets to increase the number of diverse suppliers we work with, and we’re committed to supporting them long-term. It’s about creating an inclusive environment where all voices are heard and valued.
Finally, what advice would you give to other companies looking to begin their journey to ethical procurement practices?
My advice would be to start with clear policies and standards and make sure everyone in your supply chain understands and adheres to them. Regular audits and open communication are key to maintaining these standards. Also, look for ways to support sustainability and diversity in your procurement practices. It’s not just good for business but also for the community and the planet. And remember, it’s an ongoing process—there’s always room for improvement.
Bidvest Noonan installs ‘world-first’ airport waste recycling solution at Birmingham
Bidvest Noonan has been appointed as Birmingham Airport’s (BHX) new waste contractor to help the two-terminal building fulfil its sustainability strategy.
Working in partnership with The Green Block, our business has installed a mobile segregation unit (MSU) at the airport – the UK’s third-largest airport outside London.
The unit, which enables the separating, washing, compacting, baling, weighing, and electronic tagging of waste through sorting and segregation processes, will allow the airport to achieve higher recycling rates. The MSU also reduces contamination of recyclable materials, and since being installed, has prevented 264 tonnes of waste from going into non-recyclable general waste.
The MSU will also give data insights into the breakdown of waste for individual on-site partners and specific areas, to allow targeted improvements across the airfield. The airport is the first worldwide to implement an MSU solution.
Tom Denton, Birmingham Airport’s Head of Sustainability, said: “Birmingham Airport is committed to improving recycling rates, focusing primarily on reducing and reusing waste, then recycling wherever possible. Our sustainability strategy sets out our waste, supply chain and circular economy commitments, and we are always determined to find innovative ways to reduce our environmental impact.”
“The MSU installation is facilitating much more efficient segregation of our recyclable materials, with real-time data breakdown allowing us to drive that all-important behavioural change needed to see continual improvements in waste reduction and disposal best practice.”
Deane Arnold, Terminal Operations Manager, said: “Prior to the implementation of our new waste solution, our recycling figures off-site were averaging between 50% to -55%. Recognising the opportunity to enhance this rate, we embarked on a collaborative effort involving our Operations, Procurement, and Sustainability departments… Just four months into the implementation of this initiative, we have witnessed a significant surge in our recycling rates. In February, our recycling rate reached 68%, and in March, it soared to an impressive 83.2%.”
Keith Middleton, Managing Director, Transport, at Bidvest Noonan, added: “Our partnership has proven that through collaboration and a focus on innovative solutions, we can achieve significant advancements in sustainability. We believe our partnership will inspire others and lead to greater environmental progress across our industries.”
Bidvest Noonan’s Altius VR onboards 1,600 officers in phase one
We are delighted to announce the launch of our VR training programme, Altius, with more than 1,600 security officers onboarded for phase one of the programme. Altius see security officers train in virtual environments using VR headsets. These environments are perfect replicas of their actual workplaces, each recreated from real settings with advanced 3D camera technology.
The training immerses officers in highly realistic simulations where they are challenged to resolve a wide range of security issues, developing their skills, and honing their reactions in a low-risk environment. Through the creation of vivid deeply engaging experiences, Altius aims to close the gap between training and the real world.
The officers are using VR headsets, which have been designed by Meta to be lightweight, ergonomic highly performant. The headsets and their accompanying wireless handheld controllers are shipped to our sites, enabling officers to access bespoke immersive training where they work. This means the programme can scale to tens of thousands while the company can measure performance down to the individual level, pinpointing specific aspects of training an officer needs help with, and ensuring each officer can get the best possible outcome.
There is robust evidence supporting the effectiveness of VR training. According to a PwC study, VR not only enhances participant confidence by up to 40% compared to traditional methods but also achieves significant cost savings and greater emotional engagement when scaled. Learners complete training four times faster and are substantially more focused and inclusive post-training.
Raj Pradhan, Operations Director and Altius lead said “our Altius programme delivers an unparalleled learning experience and unmatched results. We have found that our officers are eager and excited to participate. They emerge from their training with more skills and confidence than can be achieved through conventional classroom and online approaches. Our programmes have been carefully designed to ensure our officers have all of the skills they need to perform at the highest levels and we are very impressed with the improvements we have seen in officers who have completed the programme.”
Liz Cummins, Managing Director “this technology is enabling us to close the gap between the training room and real-world situations. We are excited about the difference it is making for our people and the benefits it is delivering for all the customers who adopted it. We believe that in the coming years, more companies in our industry will develop and deploy VR training programmes and this will substantially improve security and service quality across the industry.”