Environmental mission statement

St Petrocs is a local charity working with individuals who have been pushed into homelessness in Cornwall.  We receive no core funding from the local authority or government and support those with no statutory duty owed. We have developed our services, providing accommodation, support and advice to people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

St Petrocs is committed to protecting and growing the natural environment and proactively managing its environmental impacts.

We are committed to making continuous improvements in the management of our environmental impacts. We work in partnership with others to promote environmental stewardship across our sector, increase understanding of environmental issues amongst our stakeholders and disseminate good practice with other organisations.

We comply with applicable environmental legislation and regulations and where possible we go beyond the legislation to improve our ability to contribute to environmental growth and circular economies within Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

The Chief Executive is responsible for ensuring that the environmental policy is implemented. However, all employees have a role to play – this Policy outlines our individual and shared responsibilities to ensure that the aims and objectives of the policy are met.

This Sustainability Policy commits us to

• Embed environmental risks into our risk identification and mitigation processes.
• Regularly assess our areas of environmental impact, which includes considering current and future environmental issues.
• Audit our compliance with legislation and investigate all environmental incidents to prevent a recurrence.
• Set targets for continuous improvement.

Goods and materials

Where possible we will source goods and materials locally, thereby reducing emissions and positively influencing the local economy.

We will endeavour to work with the most ethical suppliers we can find and will continue to engage with them to promote environmental sustainability.

We will reduce the use of non-recyclable or hazardous materials in our activities.

Rather than replace or dispose of broken or unused items of equipment, we will explore options for repair or repurposing them.

Culture

All staff will be encouraged to promote the ideals and attitudes herein and will be provided with the necessary training to do so.

We will encourage our staff to avoid travelling to work by (non-electric) car; where this is unavoidable, we will promote car-sharing, where it is safe to do so.

Energy, Waste and Water

The consumption of energy and water, and the creation of waste, is to be reduced wherever possible through investment in more efficient technologies and through engaging users with the appropriate use of these resources (e.g., energy guidance at offices and houses).

Active energy use will be reduced in favour of more efficient activity and building insulation.

When new products are to be purchased, their efficiency and energy consumption will be reviewed and factored into any decisions made.

Renewable energy technology will be installed where practical and we will review the opportunity to replace heating systems with more sustainable ones. We will review the energy performance of our property portfolio and look to introduce energy-efficient measures where possible, for example, LED lighting and thermally insulated curtains/blinds.

We will seek low-carbon energy suppliers where it is appropriate to do so. We will consider the proportion of energy that comes from renewable sources when selecting energy providers.

Maintenance

Before purchasing equipment, we will investigate whether renting or sharing equipment is possible.

We will investigate the environmental impact and provenance of any equipment to be purchased, with a view to reducing this impact where possible.

Ecology and biodiversity

We will endeavour to protect wildlife on our premises and will consider a partnership with other expert organisations to assist with this.

We will work to increase the abundance of pollinators by enhancing the habitat they rely on.

We will provide proven habitat improvements for the benefit of native species on our premises.

Where possible we will reduce noise and light pollution.

Where pest control is required, we will endeavour to use physical repellents and barriers to prevent access. Where this is not possible, we will seek independent advice and use poisons/kill traps that have the smallest/no known impact on non-target species. Where the use of herbicides and fungicides are required, we will use those with the least impact on nature, limit their application as much as possible, and take all appropriate safety measures.

Clients, residents, and other stakeholders

We will actively engage our residents and clients to increase their environmental awareness where it is appropriate to do so.

We will use our website and other channels to engage with, educate and inform our stakeholders about the work we do to contribute to Cornwall’s environmental growth, and how our supporters can complement this.

We will use our website/other channels to inform our stakeholders about how important Cornwall’s natural environment is to people living and operating in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

Strategy and performance

We will review and update environmental objectives and targets on an annual basis.

We will be prepared to meet any future legislative requirements in the homelessness sector by future-proofing our activities and remaining as resource-efficient and responsible as possible.

When purchasing or renting new properties, we will audit for carbon footprint and environmental impact and consider this in decisions about property suitability.

We will meet any relevant regulatory requirements so that customers/clients/donors can be confident that they are supporting an organisation that is contributing positively to Cornwall’s environment.

We are currently working towards achieving a carbon neutral position through our environmental management plan.

Reviewed: 23/06/2023