ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

INTRODUCTION AND POLICY

Syli is committed to playing a full and active part in helping protect the planet through the way we work, how we produce and consume, how we manage our resources, and through the example we can set for others. We are committed to addressing emissions associated with our work and actively working towards sustainability. We expect every member of our team to embody this commitment in their work.

As a start-up we have the opportunity to capitalise on our newness to ensure we create an organisation that strives towards a climate positive way of operating from the outset, as well as embedding an ongoing commitment to achieve further incremental change for the better year on year.

To us, sustainability means operating in such a way that we meet our present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own and there are eight environmental impact factors that we are mindful of as an organisation.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT FACTORS

  1. Climate change / carbon emissions: we will reduce our carbon footprint and make low or no carbon choices wherever possible, including in our transport choices.

  2. Health and safety where we work: wherever we go to work in-person, our work will  not negatively impact health and wellbeing within the communities we visit and we will ensure we have any necessary environmental permits, and undertake any reporting that is required.

  3. Pollution prevention: if we might add to any type of pollution through our work, be it air, water, soil, or noise pollution, we’ll take responsible action to avoid, reduce, and manage these impacts including following safety guidelines for any hazardous substances. 

  4. Resource efficiency: “In our current economy, we take materials from the Earth, make products from them, and eventually throw them away as waste – the process is linear. In a circular economy, by contrast, we stop waste being produced in the first place”. (Ellen MacArthur Foundation). This means reusing, repurposing, repairing and/or recycling items whenever possible and reducing our energy consumption wherever we can.

  5. Waste management: whether its food, paper, or something else, we look for ways to avoid creating waste and dispose of unavoidable waste responsibly.

  6. Sanitation: should our work ever potentially impact environmental cleanliness we will find alternatives that remove or reduce that impact and act promptly and responsibility if we do cause an environmental cleanliness issue.

  7. Protecting flora and fauna: we are mindful of our impact on plants and animals of all species, and especially the most vulnerable. We strive to avoid choices that negatively affect wildlife.

  8. Animal welfare: our actions as a business must not cause harm to animals.

We are committed to respecting and upholding these eight impact factors in our activities; however we also recognise that to work in a safe, effective, and sustainable way we sometimes need to compromise and make decisions that are not fully compatible with our environmental ideals. For example, sometimes a suitable supplier or product simply is not available, or there isn’t a viable alternative to air travel. In each case we will consider our needs as a business in the context of the options available to us and the likely environmental impact and make an informed and balanced decision.

WHO DOES IT APPLY TO?

All Syli CIC’s employees and anyone else working for Syli CIC, including consultants, contractors, volunteers, interns, casual and agency workers.

IT IS NOT PART OF YOUR EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT

Although you are required by your contract terms to comply with all [name of business] policies, this policy is not part of your employment contract. We, Syli CIC, may amend this policy at any time.

WHO TO CONTACT IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION

Questions about this policy can be raised with your Line Manager in the first instance. Syli’s Executive Directors have overarching responsibility for ensuring this policy is implemented and are available to answer questions your line manager can’t resolve.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

Everyone is responsible for showing concern for and awareness about our environmental impact and Syli staff are expected to carry out their duties mindful of their legal and moral responsibilities to planet conservation. This includes:

  • Complying with all environmental regulations and integrating recognised best practice into our everyday operations and taking a proactive approach to future requirements and developments.

  • Taking active and informed steps to plan work in a way that can reduce our carbon footprint and other environmental impacts.

  • Implementing our environmental objectives.

FEEDBACK AND REPORTING

You are expected to do the following:

  • Let us know if any aspect of our Environmental Policy and Guidelines aren’t being implemented so we can find out what steps we can take and what support might be needed to increase its reach and impact.

  • Report environmental impact incidents – which must be reported immediately to your line manager or the Executive Directors.

  • Tell us if you become aware that anyone in our supply chain, or other key stakeholders such as clients, partners, sponsors or similar, are acting in a way that conflicts with this policy and guidelines.

OUR ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

At Syli we uphold sustainability practices across all our processes and operations and ask our suppliers, partners, and other stakeholders to join us on the journey. We support and ensure our work contributes to the success of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with practices that we adhere to.

AWARENESS OF IMPACT

We will use recognised and credible tools to measure, monitor, and analyse our carbon footprint so that we can take meaningful steps to reduce our emissions.

CARBON FOOTPRINT

Our overall climate goal is a just transition and keeping temperature rise to 1.5 degrees. We can help achieve this through acting responsibly and through our work enabling global citizens to make informed choices about the actions they can take for meaningful and sustainable action on climate change.

  1. We will select and use robust tools for measuring and tracking our carbon footprint to ensure we are accurately able to understand our impact.

  2. We will implement actions to reduce our year on year carbon footprint with a goal to achieve net zero as soon as possible.

  3. We will look to either offset our carbon footprint as an interim measure where we are not able to reduce or remove it yet in the move towards net zero; such as through tree planting, carbon capture, or supporting the development of climate friendly energy projects.

  4. Our  budgets, proposals, and fees will include the cost of carbon offsetting associated with that piece of work.

STAFF TRAVEL

We recognise that Syli’s work necessitates some international staff travel and while our approach is to limit high emissions travel wherever possible it is important that when it is necessary we do it in the least environmentally harmful way possible.

  1. We can substantially reduce our carbon footprint from travel by limiting overall staff travel for business and events.

  2. Our employees will take responsibility to weigh the purpose and outcomes of their planned air travel against its carbon emissions and travel should always be seen as the exception, rather than the rule.

  3. All travel will be booked using our approved process in order to track emissions.

  4. When flying is necessary, staff will choose low-carbon routes and select low-carbon planes and airlines where possible.

  5. Air travel will be avoided for all journeys where a low-emission transport alternative (train, boat etc) will take 6 hours or less.

  6. Employees will opt for low- carbon options for on-the-ground travel and accommodation (e.g. hotels with established environmental policies, and public transport).

  7. Employees will only expense vegetarian and vegan food when travelling for business.

STEPS TO IDENTIFY IF BUSINESS TRAVEL IS ESSENTIAL

Before commiting to travel on behalf of Syli, work through the following questions to identify if travel is essential.

  1. Can the same outcomes be achieved by working remotely? Can you use video conferencing and/or other available collaboration software?

    • Example: If everyone will just be sitting around a table looking at spreadsheets on  their own laptops this could be done remotely just as easily.

    • Example: if a large group will come together for training or development work that requires a lot of interaction, this is often not as effective remotely.

  2. Is it strategically necessary to be on site – for example are competitors going to be there to pitch in person too? Is it required culturally?

  3. Can the trip be combined – for example to see more than one client / stakeholder in the same trip or to undertake work with local colleagues?

  4. Is it safe to travel? Take into account factors such as infectious illness and disease, forecasted weather, and natural disasters such as flooding, fires, drought, earthquakes etc.

  5. Is the trip compliant with rules relating to visas, taxes etc?

REMOTE WORKING

When working remotely, especially from home, we will think about ways to reduce our carbon footprint. For example:

  1. Use renewable energy suppliers.

  2. Opt for energy efficient devices and appliances.

  3. Use fossil fuel powered heating, or cooling only when necessary, opting for greener alternatives first; such as opening a window, wearing more layers of clothing etc.

  4. Conserve energy by switching to energy-efficient light bulbs, using natural light throughout the day, and unplugging appliances and other electronics when they’re not in use.

  5. Shop for local, in-season produce to cut down on carbon emissions from food imports, as well as reduce the amount of packaging and storage needed for foods. 

  6. Reduce bandwidth where possible. For example opt for standard resolution video instead of HD.

EQUIPMENT AND RESOURCES

On a case by case basis we will consider the range of purchasing options available alongside environmental impact factors and the need to ensure we can work to a high standard in a safe, reliable, and financially sustainable way. 

  1. Wherever possible we will purchase remanufactured or refurbished options due to their lower carbon footprint and in each case where we require additional equipment we will consider:

    • The specification of equipment required for it to be genuinely useful.

    • The availability of good quality remanufactured or refurbished equipment.

    • The supply of parts and availability of repair centres to be able to continue using equipment that might suffer a breakdown or sustain damage.

    • The provision of a suitable warranty or guarantee to ensure length of service is sufficient to represent value for money.

  2. We will always favour:

    • Recycled materials over virgin materials.

    • Re-usable over single use.

    • Biodegradable over imperishable.

  3. End of life equipment will be disposed of responsibly and recycled wherever this option is available.

OTHER

We will

  1. Curate an environmentally conscious supply chain wherever possible by screening potential new suppliers to establish that their environmental policies and ethos are compatible with our own.

  2. Adopt sustainable practices for all of our events.

  3. Only supply vegetarian and vegan food for any event that uses Syli funds and ensure we have a plan in place to minimise the chances of creating food waste in the first place, and dispose of any leftover food responsibly if there is any (such as donating leftovers to a local good cause).

  4. Reduce waste first and foremost, as a second best option, we will recycle or re-use. Throwing things away into landfill is the last resort.

  5. Choose reusable items whenever possible such as food and drink containers, cutlery, and crockery.

  6. Operate as a near paperless organisation. We will only print if absolutely necessary and politely suggest an alternative option if asked by a partner, client or supplier to do so.