The Royal College of Physicians has become the first royal college to receive the Carbon Trust Standard certification, in recognition of its commitment to sustainable working.
The certification follows a reduction of 30% in the RCP’s total carbon footprint over the past 3 years. The RCP has also switched electricity provision entirely to 100% renewable energy and uses environmentally responsible suppliers and service partners.
Additionally, the RCP has:
- installed energy efficient technology, such as multi-functional printers that have drastically reduced paper consumption
- invested heavily to upgrade its plant and infrastructure, including new boilers and building management systems to improve energy efficiency throughout the building and conference centre
- implemented a robust waste management programme, which has significantly reduced its plastic waste and increased recycling.
Ian Bullock, RCP chief executive, said:
Sustainability lies at the core of our work, not just in highlighting the toxic effects of air pollution and the need for the NHS to improve its significant impact on the environment, but also, closer to home, in reducing our own carbon footprint.
We are very proud to receive this standard but know that the work does not stop here. We are committed to reducing our environmental impact even further across all our operations, including with our new headquarters in Liverpool, which, once built, will be one of the most sustainable buildings in the UK.
The RCP is the first and only royal college to achieve both the Carbon Trust Standard and the ISO14001 standard certification for environmental best practice. The standard has been awarded to the RCP for the next 3 years.