Environmental Policy

Mission  

We aim for excellence in being ecologically and socially responsible. Our intention is to protect the environment, to contribute to communities’ wellbeing, and to a ‘liveable future’. We aim for progress and positive change for a healthier environment in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of ‘responsible consumption and production’, ‘sustainable cities and communities’ and ‘climate action’. 

“We are at a crossroads. The decisions we make now can secure a liveable future. We have the tools and know-how required to limit warming”. 

The most recent United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report in April 2022 found that urgent and immediate actions across sectors were imperative to limit global warming to 1.5C, as targeted by the 2015 Paris Agreement. We see it as our responsibility to play our part in working towards this goal, which also aligns with the UK’s Climate Change Act 2008, that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 100% of 1990 levels by 2050.  This Environmental Policy is therefore an essential part of our company’s values, and we see the continued improvement in reducing our environmental impact and emissions as integral to our business strategy and operating methods. However, these goals cannot be achieved by working in isolation. This is why, through our work, we also aim to better equip organisations, cities, and people in our network, to achieve sustainability. We believe that culture and creativity are a source of value and wealth and a powerful catalyst for innovation, social development, and environmental awareness. We aim to help leaders and decision-makers in the sector to use this potential to create stronger, more resilient, and happier environments.  

Policy objectives 

Be carbon neutral and engage with our communities in climate action. 

Our own activities have an impact on the environment, and as such we have the responsibility to take action ourselves, as well as encouraging our communities to do the same. We embed environmental impact considerations into our business decisions, and have identified three core areas of influence where we can make a difference: 

Our own impact: monitor our impact, minimise it, and offset what we cannot eliminate. Our work with clients: anchor ecological principles into our projects, and support our clients to do the same. Our voice: raise awareness, promote and share environmental sustainability good practice in the sector. 

 Supported by a set of clear actions included in our internal environmental management system, we will: 

– commit to the protection of the environment, including prevention of pollution by considering environmental impact in our business decisions, e.g., from selecting projects, suppliers and contractors, through to business travel, our energy use and the purchase and recycling of products 

– meet, and where appropriate, exceed all relevant environmental compliance legislation and regulations starting with getting the ISO 14001 certification in 2022 

– use ISO 14001 as a framework for setting and monitoring environmental objectives 

– commit to reduce our emissions where possible, and contribute to certified offsetting schemes where not 

– encourage and support team members as well as partners, customers, clients, contractors, and other stakeholders to take a similar approach to environmental protection  

– use our position to promote social and environmental responsible behaviour and share good practice with the sector, through our projects and across our communication channels 

– regularly review this Policy and its underlying Strategy to achieve continuous improvement in our environmental management system and enhance our environmental performance 

Responsibility 

Managing Director Callum Lee, and Principal Bethany Lewis, are responsible for ensuring that the Environmental Policy is implemented. In this, they are supported by the whole BOP team as all employees have a duty to ensure the aims and objectives of this policy are met.