Introduction
As part of its 2022-2027 Strategy, SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity committed to continuing to review its carbon footprint, ensuring environmental sustainability is a key consideration in all changes to its estate, building toward achieving carbon neutral and, ultimately, carbon zero. The charity will consider every process and activity with this in mind.
Actions Already Taken
Since 2014 SSAFA have complied with the legal requirement to take part in the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS). To date SSAFA have submitted two ESOS reports (Dec 15 and Dec 19) prepared by a qualified ESOS auditor. The reports identified energy savings across the whole of SSAFA and recommended areas where savings could be made. Some of those savings have been implemented following the reports.
SSAFA have moved their largest building electricity user (Queen Elizabeth House) to a supplier providing 100% zero carbon emissions. The other properties will be converting to green or 100% zero carbon emissions as their current contracts expire.
SSAFA have increased the annual lease car budget to enable employees to have the option to select electric or hybrid vehicles. Fully electric vehicles have not been mandated as they will not be effective enough for our employees in all areas of the UK.
SSAFA have introduced and encouraged a working from home culture for those employees that are able to work from home. This has reduced the travel carbon footprint of our employees considerably.
SSAFA have encouraged the use of Microsoft Teams for meetings and training. This has greatly reduced the travel carbon footprint of both employees and volunteers.
The introduction of Docusign across the Charity has reduced our Carbon footprint.
Actively reducing waste through our principle of preventing, re-using and recycling all of our office waste.
Reducing the amount of energy consumed during office hours by efficiently using equipment and operating our “Switch off” when not in use policy.
Future Actions
SSAFA will comply with the ESOS 2024 reporting requirements.
SSAFA will continue to make sensible and cost-effective energy savings as they are identified.
SSAFA will review its environmental and resource efficiency annually to identify how further improvements can be made.
In 2023 SSAFA will commission a report to carry out a carbon neutral assessment across the whole of the SSAFA operation. This assessment will establish a carbon benchmark (footprint) for the Charity and set a programme with recommendations on how SSAFA can become carbon neutral or zero by a certain date (to be established).
Future Aspirations
To become a paperless organisation across all sites.
To mandate the use of fully electric vehicles for our small fleet.
Ensuring that all products and materials used across the organisation are eco-friendly.
Ensuring all partners, suppliers and investments (Blackrock) are responsible organisations and have similar environmentally friendly values or, are in the least not actively harming the environment as a result of their company activity.
To reach carbon neutral or zero by a given date whilst ensuring that the Charity can still meet its aims of providing need to the Armed Forces family wherever it is required.
Conclusion
The Trustees, Controller and Management Team are committed to ensuring that sustainability is considered in all aspects of the SSAFA operation. All employees and volunteers have a responsibility to reduce their carbon footprint wherever possible, whilst carrying out their daily duties.
This statement will be reviewed by the SSAFA Environmental Officer and re-signed by the Controller annually.
Sir Andrew Gregory
Controller, SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity 16th November 2022