Sustainability policy

Inclusivity – Aim to involve all sections of society, especially those groups not previously engaged in sustainability initiatives.

Health & Wellbeing – Aim for your operations to contribute to a happy, healthy workforce and public.

Responsible Sourcing – When procuring products and services, consider the following:

  • Do you really need it? [Procure items that are necessary, otherwise rent or reuse]
  • Where does it come from? [Use local suppliers and products with low transport miles]
  • Who made it? [Use suppliers who guarantee to meet minimum fair labour, fair trade & environmental conditions. Favour suppliers that exceed these standards]
  • What is it made of? [Use sustainably certified materials]
  • What is it wrapped in? [Minimise the use of disposable packaging and non-recyclable materials]
  • What will happen to it afterwards? [Reused, fully recycled or responsibly recovered e.g. by composting or energy recovery]

Supporting the Local Economy – Use and utilise local suppliers, materials and contractors and aim to increase circulation of the Bristol Pound by paying for goods and services with them as a preference.

Food and Drink – When buying (or procuring for sale) food and drink, favour local suppliers, seasonal produce, organic produce and fair trade products. Promote the supply and use of free drinking water over plastic bottled beverages.

Waste Minimisation – Aim to reduce, reuse, recycle or responsibly recover all waste. Aim to send zero waste to landfill and where possible eliminate the use of single use plastics.

Energy – Minimise the amount of energy (electricity, gas etc) used for the same end result. Use energy efficient low power equipment and appliances. Increase energy supplied from renewable sources and decrease use of fossil fuels wherever possible.

Travel & Transport – Encourage walking, cycling and use of public transport to move around the city, reducing car miles and increasing car occupancy where car journeys are unavoidable.

Mitigation – Where operations have an unavoidable negative impact on the environment, attempt to mitigate this by investing in approved environmental schemes that have a Net Positive impact.