Sustainability policy
This policy seeks to ensure that Culture for Climate Scotland (CCS) applies the principles of sustainability in all that it does. Its purpose is to define how CCS will work to promote sustainability throughout its work and applies to all of CCS’s work.
Our approach to sustainability
CCS will seek, through both our work and the way in which we undertake it, to promote sustainable development, as defined by the Brundtland Report, of the arts and cultural sectors of Scotland and the wider world.
Our focus is on environmental sustainability, which invariably has strong connections with social sustainability and, to a lesser extent, economic sustainability. Accordingly, we aim to achieve very high standards of environmental sustainability throughout our work. This applies both to the services we provide to others, the way in which we ourselves operate and to anyone working or volunteering with us. The action plan below sets out the key areas of work and how we will approach them. The policy is fully supported and welcomed by all employees and has been agreed by our board of trustees.
Our action plan
CCS’s action plan encompasses the different areas that we will work across to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. Our actions will be reviewed each year based on our reporting for the previous 12-month period in order to inform how we develop our action plan for the following year.
Actions will fall under the following headings and these areas will help CCS to monitor and reduce our emissions.
Governance
CCS recognises the importance of commitment and engagement with our policies and procedures across the whole organisation, from board and staff.
- Overall responsibility for the implementation of this policy lies with Creative Carbon Scotland’s director and trustees, who will review this policy on a bi-annual basis.
- To ensure that we are meeting the aims and the spirit of this policy we will:
- Discuss and review how well we are implementing this policy, and adjust our practices and action plan where necessary.
- Assess any significant new or revised policies and procedures for their impact on environmental sustainability.
- Embed environmental sustainability into our development plans.
- Ensure our employment practices and procedures are consistent with the aims of this policy.
- In their work with the company, all staff members and short-term contractors are required to use the procedures and policies defined in our internal Protocols folder.
- Members of staff will be shown how to access the system as part of their induction procedure.
- All short-term contractors will be provided with copies of the policies on their engagement by CCS.
- If this policy conflicts with our Equalities policy, the Equalities policy will override it.
- All staff and trustees have a responsibility to ensure that their own actions are consistent with the spirit as well as the contents of this policy. We understand that this policy needs to be made understandable to, and embraced by staff, suppliers, partners and trustees.
Utilities
The use of utilities generates greenhouse gas emissions. In order to reduce emissions from this area we need to understand our usage and be proactive in making savings wherever possible.
- We will record and report our utility use (electricity, gas, other fuels, water). This will be based on estimates derived from figures supplied by the building manager of Thorn House together with estimates of our usage while working remotely and at home.
- All electronic equipment should be switched off when not in use. At the end of the working day, the last staff member to leave the office should check equipment to ensure that all monitors are switched off, unless otherwise labelled.
Waste
Waste results in greenhouse gas emissions. CCS is committed to minimising waste as much as possible by monitoring the waste we generate and actively seeking ways to reduce this.
- We will record and report our waste. This will be based on estimates derived from figures supplied by the building manager of Thorn House together with estimates of our waste while working remotely and at home.
- Printing will be kept to a minimum. Double-sided printing and multiple pages per sheet are to be used whenever possible to minimise paper and ink usage, and documents and correspondence will only be printed when strictly necessary.
• All staff are expected to use available recycling facilities where they are working. Thorn House recycling can take food waste, paper, cardboards, glass, plastic bottles and cans. Other forms of recyclable plastic should be taken home to recycle in domestic collections. Domestic collections should be used for any waste generated through home working.
• For events and meetings, all staff are expected to use reusable or compostable items such as cups, crockery and cutlery to avoid the use of single use disposable items.
Procurement
CCS recognises the impact of supply chains on sustainability and wishes to make informed choices when making purchases and seeking partners.
- All staff, freelancers, volunteers and board members will follow the guidance in the Procurement policy when making purchases.
- Sustainability will be included as a factor in decision making alongside price. Higher cost items may be chosen if they are more sustainable.
- Long-term partners or suppliers of goods and services over £1,000 will be asked to provide their environmental policy as part of the tendering process and will be supplied with our Procurement policy as required.
- We will work with our suppliers and partners to encourage them to apply the same principles in their own procurement, using their environmental sustainability policy as a criterion for procurement or partnership where appropriate.
Travel
Travel is often required as part of CCS activity and it is important for us to understand the emissions generated as a result of this activity so that we can plan effectively for future delivery alongside reducing our emissions.
- We will record and report our business travel. All employees, freelancers, volunteers and board members will be required to record all company travel in claimexpenses.com, which will be used to provide emissions reports. Anyone who doesn’t have a claimexpenses.com account can ask the administration officer to guide them as to how to proceed.
• All staff, freelancers, volunteers and board members should follow guidance in the Travel and Subsistence policy when travelling on company business.
Digital
CCS recognises the greenhouse gas emissions that are generated through digital activities. Through greater understanding we will be able to manage our content and storage to reduce these emissions.
- We will improve understanding and measurement of digital emissions including those from our file storage and cloud services in addition to our website so we can accurately assess our emissions and make informed plans on how to reduce this figure going forward.
- All staff will maintain efficient digital filing systems, ensuring files can be located easily and multiple duplicate files are not saved on online storage.
- Web content and social media posts will be considered in their use of images and/or video files to minimise emissions whilst maintaining maximum impact.
Audience
Emissions generated by audiences engaging with activity are an important aspect to acknowledge. By gathering data on audience behaviour, it is possible to understand and then influence them to make more sustainable choices.
- All events must include data gathering around audience travel to inform reporting and future planning in this area.
- Event planning and preparation must include information around sustainable travel to encourage audiences to make sustainable choices.
Green team – staff roles and responsibilities
The green team encompasses all staff members, including and freelancers or interns, highlighting that everyone has a responsibility for the organisation’s sustainability practices. Staff are expected to be engaged and informed in CCS’s approach and to consider sustainability in the co-ordination of all activity undertaken.
The green team’s remit addresses all areas of work – including programme, communications, management, events, funding and office practices.
Green team duties are a part of all job descriptions and staff will be allocated sufficient time to complete any actions.
Each month, staff team meetings have a theme and every third meeting will have a green theme, resulting in four green meetings each year. Notes/minutes of the green team discussions will be included in the team meeting minutes.
Responsibilities
All staff members are expected to contribute to the following commitments:
- Attend green team sessions as part of staff meetings.
- Develop, implement and monitor the progress of the Carbon Management Plan and reporting on it to Creative Scotland.
- Measure/calculate Culture for Climate Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions produced by:
- Using office facilities (both at Thorn House and any hotdesking or homeworking), to include waste, water and energy consumption.
- Travel, measured through www.claimexpenses.com.
- Digital emissions resulting from the CCS website, file storage and cloud services.
- Procurement by CCS.
- Audience travel to events hosted by CCS.
- Provide Culture for Climate Scotland’s carbon emissions data for Creative Scotland’s annual carbon reporting by the date required (led by the senior operations manager).
- Supply emissions data to the board and to the director for inclusion in the annual accounts.
- Develop, implement and monitor the progress of the adaptation plan and reporting on it to Creative Scotland.
- Report to the board on progress, including on delivery of the Carbon Management Plan and Adaptation Plan submitted to Creative Scotland, through the activity report included in the board papers.
- Consider how sustainability can be expressed or promulgated in other areas of CCS’s work and implement changes or improvements as appropriate.
- Develop and review the CCS Sustainability policy annually.
- Annually review all CCS policies and procedures to ensure they are consistent with our greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts being minimised.
- Ensure sustainability is included in new staff induction.
- Promote our activity widely, including via the Green Arts Initiative to encourage and enable action by others.