Environmental assessment

In 2009 Progressio produced its first audited Environmental Assessment. This itemised the environmental impacts of activities at the London office and all of Progressio’s flights during the financial year 2008/9. This was followed up by a further Environmental Assessment covering the year 2009/10, which showed a significant fall of 22% in our overall emissions compared to the previous year. You can download both reports in full at the bottom of this page.

Key results from the assessment for 2008/9

Measurable emissions from Progressio London office activities (not including country offices) and all Progressio flights, organisation wide, were 337.54 tonnes of CO2 Equivalent.

Our measured emissions broke down as follows:

D

What does this mean?

According to the International Panel on Climate Change, by 2050 we need to emit no more than between 0.8 and 2.5 tonnes of CO2 per person yearly across the globe. Progressio’s measured emissions add up to allocations of this amount for 280 people despite having (at the time of the assessment) 162 staff. (This figure includes UK and country office staff. Following a strategic review in 2010, Progressio has significantly reduced its staff complement both in the UK and in its country offices.) Even without including emissions for country offices, we are clearly emitting more than our quota.

How have we responded?

On the basis of these results we are installing video conferencing equipment to improve communications between our offices and reduce the need for air travel over time. Flying is responsible for 88% of Progressio’s CO2 emissions reported in 2008-2009.

Key results from the assessment for 2009/10

The main achievements relating to environmental impact during the financial year 2009/10 were:
1. Better environmental reporting – in particular, through the environmental assessment reports.
2. Investing in video conferencing – we set up a dedicated meeting room in the London office for video conferencing with country offices, job interviewees, and third party clients and colleagues. This facility should reduce the need for flights.
3. Installing and actively using a timer system for our gas boiler.

Alongside these recent developments we have made a number of strategic and practical environmental improvements, including:
• The Board has approved an Environmental Impact Reduction Strategy, of which this report is one result. The implementation of this strategy should result in Progressio making the big strategic decisions we need to significantly cut our environmental impacts.
• We have established a Green Group which meets monthly to discuss and implement our green strategy.
• Moved to a green energy supplier.
• Addressed office procurement (including cleaning products, low energy lighting, plumbed-in water fountain).
• Made presentations to staff meetings in order to change the attitudes and behaviour of staff.
• Instituted in-office recycling collection points for glass, tins, plastics, etc, and a system for regular recycling using collections made by Islington Council.
• Joined the cycle to work scheme allowing staff to purchase bicycles at a subsidised rate and installed cyclists’ facilities in the office to encourage cycling to the office.

Next steps

We have four major activities planned:
• Continuing our work to reduce flights in the organisation.
• Creating a medium term target for achieving environmental impact reduction throughout the organisation.
• Other projects designed to help us cut our impacts, such as a travel policy directive, and researching and setting priorities for reducing in-country environmental impacts.
• The inclusion of country office activities in our environmental assessment for 2010-2011.