Sefton CVS Environmental Statement – Our Net Zero Commitment.
Sefton CVS is aligned to the aspirations of the Sefton Council’s Climate Emergency Action Plan introduced in 2019 and its commitment to becoming net zero carbon by 2030.
In line with this, Sefton CVS, believes we all have a role in caring for our environment and has set an ambitious operational target to reach net zero carbon reductions across our operations, wherever possible, by 2030.
For more information visit Sefton Council | Climate Emergency
Our progress to date
Policy:
In alignment with Sefton Council’s Climate Emergency Action Plan we have undertaken work to strengthen our Environmental and Sustainability Policy and working practices within the organisation.
Working Practices:
We operate a hybrid, ‘activity-based’ model of working, where staff teams have the facility to host desk from our office and work from home, thus reducing commuting and non-essential business travel.
Further practices include;
- – Reducing the issue of printed literature.
- – Recycling paper, plastic and furniture, within our offices.
- – Reducing the number of mailouts sent out annually and moving to digital communications.
- – Undertaking staff travel surveys to analyse our carbon footprint and schemes to reduce it, such as remote travel, use of public transport, cycle schemes.
- – Supporting the wider VCF sector with access to energy efficiency audits to build knowledge and capacity.
- – Sourcing from local suppliers, wherever possible, with the aim of reducing transport related emissions.
- – We support environmental projects and outcomes in our grant making to the sector.
Office Space:
We have reduced our Head Office space and remodelled our accommodation to prioritise energy efficiency, such as the introduction of led lighting, reducing static equipment and opting for devices which minimise electricity consumption and lower emissions.
Information Technology and Digital Infrastructure Improvements:
- – Modernising our IT infrastructure to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. In partnership with our managed IT provider, Lift Off IT Services, we have consolidated our previous server estate from three physical servers and multiple virtual servers onto a single, more energy-efficient server platform. This has significantly reduced power consumption, cooling requirements and the overall environmental impact of our IT infrastructure.
- – Migrating to Microsoft 365 cloud services. By moving core services from on-premises infrastructure to Microsoft 365, we have reduced the need for additional local server hardware and associated energy usage, while benefiting from the efficiencies delivered through modern cloud datacentres.
- – Enabling flexible and hybrid working. Our cloud-first approach allows staff to securely access systems and collaborate remotely, reducing commuting and non-essential travel whilst supporting a more flexible way of working.
- – Responsible disposal and reuse of IT equipment. We work with accredited IT asset disposal specialists to ensure retired technology is securely recycled and processed in an environmentally responsible manner. Where appropriate, equipment is refurbished and donated to smaller charitable organisations, extending the useful lifespan of devices and reducing electronic waste.
- – Extending the lifecycle of technology assets. Through proactive monitoring, maintenance and upgrades, we seek to maximise the lifespan of existing IT equipment and reduce unnecessary replacement of devices, helping to minimise waste and resource consumption.
Investments:
Our investment portfolio is aligned to our ethical investment policy and annually we review the current investments in line with our strategy. This includes selecting investments that support positive social or environmental objectives, such as green and renewable energy.