At Lok’nStore, we are working hard to create an environmentally sustainable business for all our customers, our colleagues, local communities, and the wider environment.

We are always searching for new ways to improve our efforts to reduce our environmental impact and we produce an annual report on our impact which can be found here. Below are some of the ways in which we are making a real difference:

Waste Reduction Initiative

The Lok’nStore Environmental Committee identified there was an opportunity to reduce the quantity of waste produced and to improve the accuracy of waste reporting. Data showed that every site had a bin collection each week even though a sample of stores showed that several bins were being collected half full. A reduction in collections and the greater awareness the project brought around waste generation resulted in trial stores successfully operating on the reduced collections. As a result of this success, a new fortnightly collection programme has been rolled out to all stores and was fully implemented by the end of summer 2021. The impact of this will be felt in 2021–2022. In the year ending 31 July 2021, we have reduced waste from 135 to 98 metric tonnes, a 27% decrease in total waste across the portfolio. We aim to reduce waste reported by a further 33% in the coming year, a total of 60% reduction in waste with all stores operating on a fortnightly collection. There has been a positive impact on colleague and customer engagement throughout the process. Store teams are conscious of both what is being regarded as waste and the quantity of waste being produced.

Electricity

100% of the electricity we use at Lok’nStore is from renewable sources.

More and more of our electricity is self-generated via our solar panels. Alongside self-generation, we purchase electricity from 100% renewable sources – and have been since 2005.

Solar panels on the roof of a LoknStore building.

Solar panels

All brand new Lok’nStore storage centres have solar panels installed as standard.

In addition to this, when revisiting our existing facilities for refurbishments, we aim to retrofit solar panels where possible. Where solar panels are already installed at Lok'nStore, 84% of the electricity generated is used by the centres themselves with the remaining electricity being exported back to the national grid for others to use.

By 2025, over 50% of Lok'nStore facilities will have solar panels installed.

Parking area outside LoknStore building.

Electric car charging

We are installing electric car charging points at all-new centres.

At every new centre we are opening, we are installing electric charging points with designated parking bays. We are pleased to say that customers can use these charges for free whilst accessing their storage unit (and the power always comes straight from the solar panels on the roof or renewable sources).

Padlock and keys.

Retail products

We are removing single-use plastic from our products and services.

As of July 2021, we have removed 75% of single-use plastic from our packaging, we aim to remove 100% in due course. A key way we are doing this is by changing the packaging from plastic covers to 100% recyclable cardboard covers. The products inside are staying the same great quality but now no longer require single-use plastic protection.

Another area we have focused on is providing environmentally friendly alternatives to popular packaging materials, such as paper tape rather than the usual plastic packing tape. View our Box shop to see more.

Waste

Total waste generation decreased as the total number of centres increased.

Total waste generated by Lok’nStore decreases year on year as the total number of open centres increases. This decrease is seen across both general and recyclable waste. With new green policies within Lok’nStore, centre colleagues are more aware of what waste is being generated and take measures to ensure waste is recycled where possible.

Exterior of LoknStore building.

Creating wild habitats

Areas of biodiversity are created in new centres.

When building a new storage centre we leave areas behind and around the side of the building for trees, wild-growing flowers and insects. Flowers in these areas will help the local wildlife thrive and encourage pollinators to visit.