Our Sustainability Policy is based upon the following principles:
- To comply with, and exceed where practicable, all applicable legislation, regulations and codes of practice.
- To integrate sustainability considerations into all our business decisions.
- To minimise the environmental impacts of all our activities and to help our clients to do the same.
- To ensure that all staff are fully aware of this Policy and are committed to implementing and improving our environmental performance.
- To make clients and suppliers aware of this Policy and encourage them to adopt sound sustainable management practices.
- To review, annually report, and to continually strive to improve our environmental performance.
In order to put these principles into practice we will:
- Regularly review the environmental impact of our activities, and work to reduce it using the best practice techniques;
- Regular review of relevant legislation and regulations which impact us;
- Maintain a program of continual improvement in environmental performance incorporating suitable measurement and monitoring mechanisms;
- Involve all who work within and for the company in our environmental and sustainability program, and provide necessary training to enable them to discharge their responsibilities;
- Work with key suppliers to encourage them to develop environmental best practice, and;
- Improve resource efficiency (including our use of water, energy, and raw materials.)
We aim to achieve this by:
- Maintaining green or low carbon energy sources for our office and transport activities.
- Avoid physically travelling to meetings etc where alternatives are available and practical, such as using teleconferencing, video conferencing or web cams, and efficient timing of meetings to avoid multiple trips. These options are also often more time efficient, while not sacrificing the benefits of regular contact with clients.
- Reduce the need for our staff to travel by supporting alternative working arrangements, including home working, etc.
- Reduce the energy consumption of office equipment by purchasing energy efficient alternatives and ensuring sound maintenance and housekeeping.
- Purchase electricity from a supplier committed to renewable energy.
- Seek to maximise the proportion from renewable energy sources, whilst also supporting investment in new renewable energy schemes.
- Plant 1 tree for every tonne of carbon produced by our Head office operation
- Minimise our use of paper and other office consumables, for example through the introduction of technological solutions, and identifying opportunities to reduce waste.
- Ensure reuse or recycling of all office waste, including paper, computer supplies and redundant equipment.
- Ensure that timber furniture, and any other timber products, are recycled or from well-managed, sustainable sources and are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified.
- Take part in local community environmental initiatives such as beach cleans, tree plant schemes, etc.
- Source services and products locally wherever possible and purchase Fair-trade and/or organic beverages.
- Encourage Subcontractors, Suppliers or Designers that we employ to reduce their carbon footprint.