Policy aims

We endeavour to:

• Comply with and exceed all relevant regulatory requirements.
• Continually improve and monitor environmental performance.
• Incorporate environmental considerations into business decisions.
• Increase employee awareness of this policy and provide training to ensure that we meet it’s requirements.

Policy priorities

Paper

• We will minimise the use of paper in the office.
• We will reduce packaging as much as possible.
• We will seek to buy recycled and recyclable paper products.
• We will reuse and recycle all paper where possible.

Energy and water

• We will seek to reduce the amount of energy used as much as possible.
• Lights and electrical equipment will be switched off when not in use.
• Heating will be adjusted with energy consumption in mind.
• The energy consumption and efficiency of new products will be taken into account when purchasing.

Office supplies

• We will evaluate if the need can be met in another way.
• We will evaluate if renting/sharing is an option before purchasing equipment.
• We will evaluate the environmental impact of any new products we intend to purchase.
• We will favour more environmentally friendly and efficient products wherever possible.
• We will reuse and recycle everything we are able to.

Transportation

• We will reduce the need to travel, restricting to necessity trips only.
• We will promote the use of travel alternatives such as video/phone conferencing.
• We will make additional efforts to accommodate the needs of those using public transport or bicycles.
• We will favour more efficient and less-polluting vehicles and maintain them rigorously to ensure ongoing efficiency.

Maintenance and cleaning

• Cleaning materials used will be as environmentally friendly as possible.
• Materials used in office maintenance or refurbishment will be as environmentally friendly as possible.

Waste and recycling

• We will re-use as much waste material as possible.
• Waste materials which cannot be re-used will be recycled wherever this is feasible.
• We will only use licensed and appropriate organisations to dispose of waste which cannot be reused or recycled.

Our environmental management system

We have developed an Environmental Management System (EMS) to ensure we meet the requirements of this policy. Our EMS is accredited by Small Business EMS. Our accreditation is maintained through an annual audit carried out independently by Small Business EMS.
 
We will update this policy at least annually in consultation with staff and other stakeholders where necessary.