Carbon Reduction Plan
Our Commitment to
Achieving Carbon Neutral
As a digital transformation company, we are experts in working with our clients to implement operating models and innovative technologies that maximise the benefits of remote working to deliver positive operational, socio-economic, and environmental impacts. This is something we implement within our own operating model.
Although our carbon footprint is already relatively low, we’re committed to delivering continued improvements in our operating practices, both within the UK and overseas, to reduce our negative environmental impact even further. The Government have set a target date of 2050 for organisations to achieve a Net Zero Carbon Footprint. At Issured, we do not intend to wait until then and this plan sets out what we will do in order to achieve our own goal of a Net Zero Carbon Footprint by 2030, thus contributing to the wider global effort to combat climate change.
About our plan
In developing this plan, we have considered where we, as an organisation, produce our emissions, what creates most of our emissions, and where
we can therefore prioritise change to make the biggest possible impact
to reduce these.
What we have already implemented
We continually review and implement changes to our working practices that have reduced our carbon footprint. These changes are summarised as follows:
Moved Premises
Our business address is within energy efficient premises with the minimum floor space to facilitate effective operations, reflecting our move to remote working and commitment to the environment.
Remote Working
Provided all Issured staff with the necessary IT equipment for remote working. This has significantly reduced staff attendance at the Issured offices. (Reduced from an average of 2 – 3 times weekly to 3 – 4 times per month).
Printing Restrictions
Introduced a policy of only printing when strictly necessary. This has reduced the amount paper and orders for paper in the office.
Reduced Overseas Travel
Reduced overseas travel to only that which is absolutely necessary and cannot be carried out by remote means, through our own innovative secure technology. Any overseas travel must be approved by the Operations Board, where environmental impact forms part of the overall risk assessment.
Cloud Computing
Moved all our corporate IT to Cloud-Based services, removing our on-premises servers, delivering energy costs and reducing the amount of office space required.
MeaConnexus
Developed and implemented our own secure video/interview capability, MeaConnexus, where engagements with clients on sensitive issues can be conducted with confidence. This has reduced the requirement for travel both within the UK and overseas.
Monitored Deliveries
Deliveries from suppliers are managed, monitored, and coordinated to reduce the frequency of deliveries and reduce the associated carbon footprint.
Remote Configuration
Configuration of enabling IT for both staff and our clients is carried out remotely through our service desk wherever possible reducing the need to travel for IT support to almost zero.
Recycling Materials
Strict re-cycling policy of all waste materials where possible.
Recycling & Donating
Re-cycling of legacy IT equipment. For example, donation of laptops to Schools.
Public Transport
All staff are encouraged to utilise public transport for unavoidable travel, with the use of private transport only used if necessary and pre-authorised.
No Company Vehicle
To support our commitment to using public transport we have sold our company vehicle.
Our baseline
In producing this plan, we’ve considered where we can improve our carbon emissions through assessing our:
Source 1
Direct gas emissions from sources/assets
controlled by Issured.
Source 2
Indirect gas emissions associated with
our energy use.
Source 3
Other emissions associated with the
conduct of our business.
*
Financial year 20/21 showed a sharp decrease in our carbon emissions for the office environment. Like many companies during the pandemic, the restrictions at their height had a significant effect on this. We have now initiated how we can capture the footprint from more home-working, which is something that will be introduced in our updated plan.
This explains the increase in the office measurements from FY 20/21 in FY 21/22 when the restrictions were eased.
Continual Improvement
We are determined not to return to the pre-pandemic ways of working and are committed to continually
reduce our source 1, 2 and 3 carbon footprints. To achieve this, we will:
Renewable Sources
Work with the building freeholder to agree the supply of electricity from 100% renewable sources to eliminate our source 2 emissions.
Reduced Emissions
Work with our suppliers so that we understand their environmental impact to assess and establish ways to reduce emissions.
Remote Working
Provide health and wellbeing support to all our staff, further supporting remote working.
Performance
Continually assess our performance and seek innovative ways to reduce our emissions.
Certified Sources
Purchase goods and services from certified sources wherever possible.
Offset our Emissions
Identify ways to offset our emissions.
Identify Home Emissions
Measure and capture working from home emissions.
The effect of this will see our year on year overall carbon emissions continue to reduce in FY 24/25:
Off Setting Our Emissions
We recognise that, as an organisation, it’s inevitable that we will create emissions and to achieve Net Zero, we need to seek ways to ‘pay back’ to the environment. In order to achieve this, we’re working with recognised organisations to purchase carbon offsetting credits and by April 2030, we aim to match or exceed our carbon emissions.
To help in offsetting our carbon emissions during 2024/2025 we will be planting hedgerows. Research shows that 1-metre length of well-managed dense hedge will mop up the same amount of pollution that a car emits over a 500-mile drive.
Hedgerows play a significant role in reducing the rate of climate change, through carbon storage. A new hedgerow may store 600 – 800 kg of CO2 equivalent per year per km, for up to 20 years. Furthermore, through carbon storage. A new hedgerow may store 600 – 800 kg of CO2 equivalent per year per km, for up to 20 years.
Hedgerows bring additional benefits in providing a rich habitat for wildlife. Over 100 priority species utilise hedgerows for a variety of reasons such as for shelter, food, or navigation. Birds and small mammals’ nest in hedges, bats use hedgerows as foraging grounds and reptiles hide in the margins associated with hedgerows.
Our aim is to plant 100m of hedgerows prior to the end of this financial year.
Sign Off
This plan and its implementation has the buy in of all Issured staff and has been produced through staff engagement. The plan has been approved by the Issured board of Directors and Senior Leadership team at the Operations Board.
Reflecting our commitment to addressing our environmental impact, measures are in place to ensure our policies and plan are inclusive of all staff and are supported by robust governance structures.
The environmental manager provides performance updates to the Operations Board on a quarterly basis.
Approved and Signed
E. Keogh
Director
