Last updated: [03/26]
We recognise that our activities and operations can have an impact on the environment and our local community. We’re committed to taking steps to reduce our environmental impact and promoting sustainable practises across all our operations. This Environmental Policy sets out our guiding principles and objectives for our efforts to protect the environment.
Environmental Policy Principles
Our Environmental Policy will be guided by the following principles:
1. Continual Improvement: We are committed to continually improving our environmental performance by setting meaningful objectives, reducing our environmental impact, and promoting eco-friendly attitudes and behaviours.
2. Compliance: We will comply with all relevant environmental legislation, regulations, and best practises that apply to our operations.
3. Prevention of pollution: We will take measures to prevent, minimise, and control the pollution generated by our operations and services.
4. Resource efficiency: We will promote the efficient use of natural resources, reducing waste and energy, and minimising our carbon emissions, water usage, and waste.
5. Community engagement: We will work with stakeholders, employees, volunteers, donors, partners, and the public to increase awareness of environmental issues, promote sustainable practises and impact positive change.
Objectives
We aim to achieve the following objectives:
1. Carbon neutrality: We will measure our carbon footprint and work to reduce our carbon emissions by promoting sustainable energy use, transport practises, and reducing waste.
2. Waste reduction: We will minimise the production of waste materials and maximise diversion from landfill. We will promote the use of reusables & recycling and responsible disposal of any hazardous materials.
3. Sustainable Procurement: We will promote sustainable procurement practises by collaborating with suppliers who meet our sustainability criteria and source eco-friendly and ethically produced products.
4. Sustainable activities: We will promote sustainable practises across our programmes and services by engaging in activities and projects that conserve resources, protect biodiversity, and support sustainable development goals.
5. Community engagement: We will promote sustainable practices, raise awareness, and engage with our stakeholders through training, education and other communication initiatives.
Implementation and review
We will implement the Environmental Policy by promoting a culture of environmental responsibility throughout our organisation. We will provide the necessary tools, training and resources required to assess and improve our environmental performance. We will review our policy regularly to ensure that it remains relevant and drive our environmental impact reduction journey.
Environmental and sustainability statement
Property
- We will use our strategic asset management principles to consider energy conservation when assessing the future viability of properties.
- We will consider energy efficiency when procuring new properties to purchase or lease.
- Where possible we will ensure that any planned maintenance works will use the opportunity to improve boilers, controls, insulation, LED lighting.
- We will consider the use of renewable energy sources where appropriate and where they are financially viable.
Facilities management
We will encourage staff and people we support to:
- recycle and re-use where appropriate.
- use less plastic and more natural products.
- reduce the use water where possible and provide water butts in gardens where appropriate.
- use less chemicals and more natural products where appropriate.
Procurement
- We will consider environment and sustainability in the selection of suppliers.
- We will encourage the use of local businesses where appropriate.
- We will specify environmentally friendly and sustainable materials where appropriate.
