Sustainability Policy

It is the aim of BTO to demonstrate an ongoing commitment to ensuring our work is conducted in an environmentally sustainable manner. We will follow best practice advice and seek to identify realistic goals.

Our objectives:

  • Maintain a Sustainability Working Group, drawn from employees across the organisation, to work with and support management and all employees with our shared responsibility in this area. The group currently meets quarterly to review and continually strive to improve our environmental sustainability performance.

  • Provide opportunities for staff, volunteers and trustees to engage with and contribute to achieving BTO’s sustainability objectives.

  • Ensure our staff are aware of our sustainability policy, and that the actions and decisions they make on behalf of BTO integrate sustainability.

  • Ensure our volunteers, funders, partner organisations, suppliers and event venues are aware of our sustainability policy, and encourage the actions and decisions they make in relation to BTO to integrate sustainability.

  • Through our choices of equipment, working practices and individual behaviour, we will work to reduce the amount of energy we use. We monitor energy and water usage and set targets to reduce the amount used.

  • Aspire to make sustainable and ethical procurement choices and influence the sustainability of suppliers through the purchasing and provider choices that we make. 

  • Prioritise sustainability with any external contracts and partnerships.

  • Support the use of environmentally friendly transport wherever possible, within business constraints, encouraging staff to use public transport for all long-distance travel in the UK, to minimise air travel, and the use of cars, especially on journeys with single occupants.

  • Encourage staff, volunteers and visitors to BTO offices and BTO events to decrease the number of single occupant cars through a car sharing document, a cycle scheme, cycle safety advice and supporting working at home and remote meetings. As well as providing visitors with details of public transport and options for car sharing.

  • Source our food for meetings and events locally and with a minimal environmental impact (e.g. no meat, reusable or zero packaging, local produce).

  • Monitor waste being sent to landfill from BTO, and produce targets for waste reduction through reducing packaging on the products we purchase, and providing additional disposal options on premises (e.g. composting, terracycle).

  • Manage the grounds, garden and nature reserve at the Nunnery headquarters in a sustainable manner.

  • Prioritise creation of a road map to achieving net zero before the Government's 2050 deadline.

For any further information on the BTO's Sustainability Policy please contact Hazel McCambridge.

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