E4environment Ltd proudly marked its 25th year in business in January this year. This milestone is a testament to the company's resilience and dedication, especially considering the early days when environmental concerns were often seen as optional luxuries. Directors, Dr Mandy Stoker and Deb Cairns-Stoll reflect on the changes in business over the past 25 years.
When E4environment was founded in 1999, the focus was primarily on waste management and renewable energy, particularly wind farms. The journey was challenging, with planning applications for wind farms taking up to five years and facing organised protests and widespread myths. Despite these hurdles, we successfully worked on over 100 wind farm planning applications. Today, the UK boasts over 30 GW of installed wind capacity, contributing to 20% of the nation's electricity generation.
Waste management has also seen significant changes. Early on, planning applications for new waste transfer sites were met with resistance, sometimes even personal attacks. However, the landscape has evolved, with today's waste sites being highly engineered and regulated subject to strict regulatory requirements. Increased regulation alongside increased business engagement has seen waste to landfill drop from 50 million tonnes in 2000 to 1.76 million tonnes in 2023.
We have played a role in getting waste infrastructure in place through our planning and permitting work while also supporting businesses individually to find ways to reduce the waste they produce and then to finding ways for it to be re-cycled or re-used.
Green Schemes and Future Goals
E4environment has always been at the forefront of providing digital solutions to support individual businesses understand and meet legal requirements cost-effectively. Current schemes like Sustainable Leaders in Business and Sustainable Leaders in Sport continue this legacy, with new initiatives like Sustainable Agriculture in development.
Despite the progress made, there is still much to do. Global energy-related CO2 emissions reached a record high in 2023, and wildlife in the UK has significantly declined since the 1970s. We remain committed to setting goals to reduce emissions and help others do the same, striving to leave the world a better place for future generations.
Our journey over the past 25 years highlights the challenges and triumphs of advocating for environmental sustainability. As we look to the future, our commitment to reducing environmental impact and promoting sustainable practices remains unwavering.
In recent news, we were named as a 2025 finalist in the Best Small Business category by the Shropshire Chamber of Commerce. This is a proud moment for us, although we didn’t claim the trophy, this does reflect the dedication, innovation, and resilience of the entire E4environment team.