Belco has developed an environmental management system (EMS) that is consistent with an internationally recognised standard.

As a result the company has become the first in Bermuda to be ISO 14001 certified.

Belco CEO Vincent Ingham said: "Congratulations on this outstanding achievement go foremost to senior vice-president Michael Daniel, who leads the EMS team, along with EMS coordinators Wendell Richards and Jessica McClure, and Corrinda Liyanage, Shelly Leman and Matt Thompson of our Environment Business Centre, as well as to everyone else who has supported this effort across the company."

He added: "This is a big step for us with far-reaching implications, and it is an accomplishment of which we are justifiably proud. That said, our work is only beginning. Looking forward, we must now ensure that we produce continuous improvement with respect to how we interface with the environment, and allow this to become an integral part of our daily work practices and corporate culture."

Belco's EMS establishes and records performance with respect to the environmental impact of the company's activities, products and services, including use of paper and toner in the offices, as well as measures in the Central Plant and for crews working in the field. The EMS standards go over and above meeting the requirements of Bermuda's environmental laws and regulations.