SUSTAINABILITY

BEGINS AT HOME

Our dedication to sustainability is not just a business imperative; it is a moral responsibility to ensure that our actions contribute positively to society and the planet. We place sustainability firmly at the core of our strategic vision and ensure that it is a driver in all of our business decisions. 

We believe a truly sustainable future is characterised by continuous improvement, collaboration, and innovation, but we also recognise that the journey may not always be linear. With the aim to be progressively transparent about the impact of our business, we are committed to publishing an annual sustainability report to provide a comprehensive overview of business-wide sustainability management at SLS. 

View our Sustainability Reports below:

 

 

If you would like to learn more about our more recent progress towards sustainable and responsible business practices, please get in touch with our Sustainability Manager.

 

1510 TREES

We planted 1510 trees.

FIRST FEMALE BOARD MEMBER

We appointed our first female board member.

NEW CARBON REDUCTION PLAN

We developed a well-informed carbon reduction plan.

 

1960 KG COLLECTED

We collected 1960kg of pipette tip boxes from customers thanks to our Plastic 2 Purpose scheme.

 

BRONZE ECOVADIS RATING

We received a Bronze Ecovadis rating.

 

4.11 TONNES

We diverted 4.11 tonnes of waste from landfill in 2023, 1.56 tonnes recycled.

 

SUSTAINABILITY ATTRIBUTES


See our full range of products with sustainability attributes.

We recognise that determining the sustainability of products you bring into the lab is a difficult and often complex process; there are currently many different approaches on how more sustainable products are marketed.


Faced with such complexity, it is often easy to embrace ‘green’ or ‘sustainable’ icons or narratives. But you can often be faced with the question of how or why they deserve this ‘eco’ status.

At SLS, our aim is to provide comprehensive information about the products we sell and enable you to make the most well-informed choices as possible. Therefore, our sustainability attributes align to the following principles:

-          specific to individual products

-          evidence-based using primary data from our suppliers, and

-          aim to include as much information as possible about the entire product lifecycle

This approach will enable you to make more conscientious choices which align with your lab or organisation’s sustainability strategy.

Our attributes are defined by the five stages of a product lifecycle: from raw material, to manufacture, packaging and distribution, use in the lab, and disposal (or end-of-life)

Raw Materials

Manufacture

Packaging and Distribution

Use

Disposal

A product receives an award/icon if it meets one or more of the criteria under that lifecycle stage. By viewing a product online or in any forthcoming marketing material, you can use these icons to straight away determine how that product performs from a sustainability perspective throughout the stages of its lifecycle.

To understand why a particular product has received an award, you can click on the sustainability tab of that product and there will be a list of criteria specific to that product from the list below:

Raw material:

-          Made using more than 80% recycled or renewable material

-          Made using material with a reduced environmental impact, e.g. a refrigerant with a low GWP (Global Warming Potential)

-          Designed to reduce the use of raw materials

 

Manufacture:

-          Made in a facility which runs on >90% renewable energy

-          Measures were in place during the manufacture of this product to reduce energy consumption

-          Measures were in place during the manufacture of this product to generate less waste

-          Measures were in please during the manufacture of this product to reduce water usage

-          Aligns with the principles of green chemistry

 

Packaging/distribution:

-          Manufactured in the UK or Ireland

-          Country of origin has an Environmental Performance Index (EPI) greater than 60

-          Plastic-free packaging

-          Reduces the need for packaging

-          Packaging return scheme offered for this product

 

Use:

-          Product contributes to a reduced energy consumption

-          Product contributes to a reduced water consumption

-          Product reduces or replaces the need for consumables

-          Built to last – minimum 5-year warranty, and spare part-servicing available

 

Disposal:

-          Product is recyclable (excludes packaging). A recycling or repurposing scheme is offered for this product.

-          A feature of this product enhances its biodegradability.

 

It is important to note that these attributes do not provide quantitative carbon metrics for the product lifecycle.

For information or advice on how you can improve sustainability in your lab, contact our Sustainability Manager Lucy Moore - lcmoore@scientific-labs.com. 

 

 

TIPS FOR A

SUSTAINABLE LAB

Centrifuge tubes

Glass centrifuge tubes

Pipette tips

Volumetric (bulb) pipettes or graduated if Class A
accuracy is not required. <1mL - use microsyringe with
repeating despenser attachment

Weighing boats

Weighing papers or glass boats, FSC certified paper or weighing boats

Tubes & bottles

Substitute glass wherever possible

Labs consume three to five times more energy than the equivalent sized office

Other Considerations

Estimated life span of product

Origin of product

Water consumption

Disposal/removal of product

Packaging and disposal thereof

Recyclability

INDEPENDENT

CASE STUDIES

We commission independent case studies, carried out by Green Light Laboratories, looking into different sustainable issues within the laboratory

If you have an idea for sustainable case study - please speak to your local SLS representative

Examples of case studies include:

SERVICE & REPAIRS

SLS

SUSTAINABILITY

We believe in looking at our own impact on the environment and continuously work to look for ways in which we can lessen it through alternatives and innovation. Watch the video below to find out more.



CERTIFICATES

AND POLICIES

We take our CSR very seriously and this not only covers our sustainability goals, but other areas including human rights, equal opportunities, modern slavery, environmental and waste management.

If you have an idea for sustainable case study - please speak to your local SLS representative

If you can't find the document you are seeking please contact us.

Environmental Policy Statement
Corporate Social Responsibility Policy
Equal Opportunities Policy
Waste Management Policy
REGO Certification
SLS Sustainability Policy
WEEE Compliance Certificate
Carbon Reduction Plan