Scottish Leather Group Renews £3M Water Saving Deal

Water retailer Business Stream has been awarded a new three-year water supply contract with the Scottish Leather Group worth over £3M.

Edinburgh-based Business Stream has been working in partnership with the company, the largest manufacturer of leather in the UK, since the Scottish market opened in 2008.

Under the new agreement Business Stream will provide water and wastewater services across the company’s Scottish estate. The water expert will also work closely with the Scottish Leather Group to build on its water efficiency activities to date and provide trade effluent support.

Scottish Leather Group is committed to producing low carbon leather by reducing its energy use and eliminating waste through efficient resource use. Its efforts have been recognised externally, with the company securing a number of international accreditations and awards; most recently winning the Sustainable Business accolade at the 2019 Scottish Herald Pioneer Awards.

Dr Warren Bowden, Group Sustainability and Innovation Director at Scottish Leather Group stated: “It’s fantastic to be working with a water retailer that understands and supports our sustainability ambitions. Over the years we have worked hard to reduce our water use to half the European industry average and we will continue to work with Business Stream to identify greater environmental and operational efficiencies.”

Jo Dow, Chief Executive, Business Stream, commented: “We have developed a strong partnership with Scottish Leather Group and worked closely with them to support their sustainability goals. We’re delighted that this partnership is continuing and we are looking forward to helping deliver further environmental and financial benefits for the company.”

Scotland’s non-domestic market, which covers all premises across private and public sector organisations, opened to competition in April 2008. Since then, Business Stream customers have saved more than £242M in discounts and water and energy efficiencies and over 43 billion litres of water. To further support its water efficiency efforts, the retailer has launched its ambitious pledge to help its customers reduce their water use by 20% and in September 2019 became the first water retailer to be awarded the Waterwise Water Efficiency Checkmark for its offices in Edinburgh.

About Business Stream

• Business Stream is the largest operator in the Scottish non-domestic water market. Headquartered in Edinburgh, it also has offices in Glasgow, Worthing and Bradford, and employs over 400 members of staff.
• The Scottish retail water market opened in 2008. The English retail water market, which opened in April 2017, has paved the way for over 1.2 million businesses and public bodies in England to now also be able to choose their water supplier.
• Business Stream acquired the non-household customer base of Southern Water in preparation for the opening of the English retail water market.
• On 1 October 2019, Business Stream acquired the customer base of its competitors Yorkshire Water Business Services (YWBS) and Three-Sixty, both part of the Kelda Group, doubling its market share.
• Since retail competition was introduced to Scotland in 2008, Business Stream has saved businesses and public sector organisations more than £242 million and helped them conserve over 43 billion litres of water.
• The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Scottish Water with its own board and independent management team. It was formed in 2006 with the goal of providing a first class service for business customers on the opening of the competitive market.

For more information, visit business-stream.co.uk.