Environmental Sustainability Policy

Vision

The NRC is committed to being a sustainable and environmentally friendly organisation in response to the climate emergency.

Sustainability for the NRC means meeting our users’ needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

The NRC aims to reduce its carbon footprint and to implement and pursue methods which will help to promote an awareness and understanding of sustainability and the environment in both staff and visitors.

The NRC has a duty to help prepare future generations with the knowledge and skills to manage the world’s resources wisely. Staff and visitors are encouraged to demonstrate an active interest in and concern for sustainability and the natural environment. The NRC aims to inspire staff and visitors to recognise their role in safeguarding the future of the planet.

The way the NRC workplace is managed and maintained should provide an example to staff and visitors of how to respect and care for the environment sustainably.

Wherever possible staff and visitors should be encouraged and expected to adopt sustainable practices.

The NRC manager and sustainability champion will aim to enable staff and visitors to understand and respect their environment, both inside and outside of work, and live and work in a sustainable way.

Specific policy aims:

1. To minimise the procurement and use of non-sustainable resources (which includes new builds and refurbishment of existing buildings).
2. To reduce the NRC’s carbon footprint by 5 per cent each year (while accommodating necessary business growth).
3. To encourage sustainable procurement, waste minimisation and recycling.
4. To raise staff and visitor awareness of sustainability and key environmental issues.
5. To develop relationships to promote environmentally sustainable behaviour.

NRC visitors are:

• encouraged to minimise use of paper
• encouraged to minimise waste
• encouraged to make use of the NRC recycling facilities
• encouraged to turn off taps
• encouraged to consider travelling to the NRC using sustainable methods
• encouraged to use re-useable cups

NRC members of staff are:

• asked to appoint a sustainability champion to lead on the issue
• asked to prioritise sustainable procurement
• asked to use electronic devices or online resources where possible instead of paper
• asked to use double-sided photocopying wherever possible
• asked to use the paper bins to recycle all paper
• asked to ensure that both sides of paper are used before it is recycled
• asked not to print documents unless it is necessary
• asked to ensure that all electrical and electronic equipment is turned off after the last use of the day where safe and possible
• asked to monitor energy consumption in their place of work
• asked to recycle PPE, batteries and waste in the relevant labelled bins
• asked to recycle other materials used in the workplace where possible
• encouraged to consider repair or reuse of equipment before considering recycling
• asked to ensure redundant computer and other equipment is recycled by an authorised contractor where possible

In addition to this,

• NRC waste is automatically recycled at depot
• NRC electricity and water is supplied by companies with environmental credentials
• The centre has an EPC green B rating
• Staff reuse and recycle post bags, elastic bands, frame bags, frames, bubble wrap etc.

Objectives

The NRC team commits to:

• completing the ABDO Sustainability Self Assessment and updating it six monthly and sharing progress with the team at the monthly meeting.
• ensuring our supply chain has responsible ethical and social responsibility for the provenance of our products over the next 12 months,
• recycling plastic contact lenses from our contact lens examinations and assess how this is going in six months.

Reporting

We will report our performance on the NRC website and update quarterly.

The sustainability champion will liaise with team on improvements we can make, what is and what is not working and actions to take.

Did you know…

In addition to this, at the NRC:

• Waste is automatically recycled off site
• Electricity and water is supplied by companies with environmental credentials
• Staff reuse and recycle post bags, elastic bands, frame bags, frames, bubble wrap etc.
• The NRC has an EPC green B rating