Sustainability and Net Zero

We want to be a role model, exemplifying what it means to be a sustainable, purpose-led organisation. 

We commit to using the best sustainability practices we can, supporting a just transition to a sustainable future where we achieve not just environmental stability and regeneration but social justice and economic prosperity for all too.

► View our Sustainability and Net Zero Policy

We regularly review our ways of working to continually improve.

Key Facts

• We have reported our carbon emissions since 2012 - our historic carbon reports can be found below.
• As a homebased organisation, all EAUC staff work remotely. We do not have any offices.
• We regularly report out sustainability progress to our Board of Trustees and annually report to our members in our Annual Report and at our AGM.
• We highlight our sustainability ethos throughout our strategic aims and regularly report to our Board of Trustees.
• We offset our carbon through the Carbon Coalition.

Our policy in practice

Below is a small selection of things we’ve now established as ‘business as usual’ that highlight how this policy translates into our day-to-day ways of working, procedures and behaviours:

• Providing training and convening networks digitally in the vast majority of cases, upskilling our staff, volunteers and facilitators in how to deliver impactful and high-quality online interactions.
• When hosting face-to-face events, accessible venues with strong sustainability credentials are chosen that are well served by public transport.
• Regularly reviewing our bank to ensure our money is working in line with our values and commitments.
• When hosting face-to-face, our catering is plant based as standard, including at our annual conference and at the Green Gown Awards. When planning catering, we work with suppliers to promote the use of seasonal food and local food suppliers. We use non-disposable crockery and cutlery. We avoid using bottled water, instead providing tap water in jugs as standard.
• Our team choosing public or active transport over personal car use or taxis where possible and travelling by train when travelling internationally for destinations reachable within 8 hours by train from London St Pancras. We recognise that this may not be possible for all staff, so exceptions are allowed on with CEO approval.
• Avoiding international travel where practicable – working with event hosts to contribute virtually as speakers and attendees.
• Our standard operating procedures are paperless - we no longer provide printers for our staff.
• All of our marketing is done digitally – we don’t print brochures, leaflets or portfolios nor do we produce merchandise beyond essentials for staff.
• Building sustainability into our contracts, tenders and procurement requirements so that where we’re spending money, we’re doing so in line with our sustainability commitments.