Who are Burdens?
Burdens Limited are the UK's leading supplier of civil engineering and building materials to the infrastructure, environmental and industrial markets. Burdens product range spans more than 80,000 lines, from gas and water pipelines to environmental management systems such as rainwater harvesting.
A better way to do business
Nowhere is the environmental impact from society more visible than in the buildings and infrastructure that helps sustain that society - building structure and performance, energy management, the supply of potable drinking water, the collection, treatment and disposal of waste and our energy and transport needs.
Operating from a national network of depots and occupying a market leading position in the supply of civil engineering and infrastructure products, Burdens plays a strategic role in the communication, education, supply and delivery of environmental building materials, services and sustainable technologies
Our ambition is to enable all our customers to deliver sustainable construction with confidence and increase their competitive advantage and promote long-term profitable growth by working in partnership.
Burdens are committed to removing barriers to developing sustainable construction systems by investment in:
- Green technologies
- Research and development
- Product selection and testing
- Training and skills development
- Stock holding
- Supply chain management
- Knowledge and impartiality of advice
- Lobbying and participation in industry forums
- Understanding and recognising legislative and commercial drivers
- Reducing Burdens’ own impact on the environment
Growth through shared values
The values of the business are clearly visible within the shareholding structure of the Group. The founder of the business, Wilfred Thomas Burden, gifted a substantial proportion of his shareholding to create the Burdens Charitable Foundation (BCF). Today the interests of the BCF coupled with that of the founding families, secures the independence of the Group.
Burdens Charitable Foundation holds 46% of the shares in WT Burden Ltd (the parent company of Burdens), the Burdens family 15%, and current and former management and employees 39%. Unlike many foundations of equivalent size, BCF has chosen not to employ marketing organisations or fund raisers, preferring instead that all of its income goes to selected causes.
Today, all employees are given the opportunity to acquire shares in the business via the employee share scheme - the Burdens Share Incentive Plan.
The majority of WTB’s annual profits are re-invested in the business to support the ongoing growth from which employees, communities and business partners benefit.
Of the remaining profit, by far the biggest single amount is distributed to causes selected by trustees of BCF, not infrequently in conjunction with employees. Some of BCF’s contributions include building and staffing a school in sub Saharan Africa for orphaned and abandoned blind children, supporting hospices providing palliative care for terminally ill children in the UK and supporting voluntary rescue services by providing a purpose built classroom for community awareness of water safety on the dangerous River Severn. BCF registered charity number is 273535.
With Burdens Environmental we can all find a better way to do business.
