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{{org_field_name}}

Registration Number: {{org_field_registration_no}}

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Environmental Sustainability Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this Environmental Sustainability Policy is to establish {{org_field_name}}’s commitment to minimising its environmental impact and promoting sustainable practices throughout all aspects of its operations, service delivery, and stakeholder relationships. As a provider of temporary staff to health and care settings in England, {{org_field_name}} recognises its responsibility to manage its environmental impact in accordance with applicable environmental law and good practice, including the Environment Act 2021, the Climate Change Act 2008 (as amended to reflect the UK net zero target), the Environmental Protection Act 1990 duty of care in relation to waste, the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011, and any client-site environmental requirements that apply during assignments. Although our core business is not directly associated with industrial or high-pollution activities, we recognise that every organisation, regardless of size, has a role to play in promoting environmental sustainability. This policy outlines how {{org_field_name}}, its directors, temporary workers (including registered nurses and healthcare assistants), and administrative staff will adopt environmentally responsible behaviours and integrate sustainability into everyday working practices.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• Directors and management of {{org_field_name}}
• All employees, agency workers, and contractors, including registered nurses and healthcare assistants working under zero-hours contracts
• Temporary workers deployed to client organisations, such as care homes, residential facilities, and healthcare settings
• All activities directly controlled by {{org_field_name}}, including administration, recruitment, training, travel, and communication

This policy covers both operational practices within the agency and the expected behaviours of temporary staff whilst representing {{org_field_name}} on assignment at client sites.

3. Related Policies

• Health and Safety Policy
• Infection Control Policy
• Training and Development Policy
• Code of Conduct for Temporary Workers
• Data Protection and Confidentiality Policy

4. Our Environmental Sustainability Commitments

4.1 Compliance with Environmental Legislation and Best Practice

{{org_field_name}} will comply with environmental legislation and statutory codes relevant to its operations in England, including the Environmental Protection Act 1990 duty of care in relation to waste, the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011, and the workplace recycling requirements applicable in England. Where relevant, {{org_field_name}} will also take account of client-specific environmental rules and sector guidance, including sustainability requirements communicated by NHS, local authority, or care-sector clients. Directors are responsible for keeping the business up to date with legal changes and material client requirements affecting environmental management.

4.2 Promoting Sustainable Work Practices in the Office

Although {{org_field_name}} operates primarily as a staffing agency with limited physical infrastructure, our administrative operations will lead by example by:

• Reducing energy consumption through the responsible use of lighting, heating, ventilation, and office equipment, including setting energy-saving modes on computers and devices
• Ensuring that electrical equipment is switched off when not in use
• Minimising paper usage by adopting electronic documentation, digital signatures, and cloud-based systems where possible
• Encouraging a paperless office, with printing limited to essential documents only
• Using recyclable and sustainable office supplies wherever available
• Ensuring appropriate waste segregation and recycling
• Complying with the applicable workplace recycling rules in England by ensuring that, where the business presents waste for collection, recyclable materials, food waste and residual waste are segregated and presented in accordance with the arrangements agreed with the waste collector and any legal requirements in force at the time.
• Where {{org_field_name}} is a micro-firm for the purposes of the workplace recycling rules, the business will ensure implementation by the applicable compliance date and will keep this status under review if staffing levels change.

Management will monitor and review office energy bills, supply purchases, and waste collection to identify further opportunities to reduce consumption and environmental impact.

4.3 Sustainable Procurement

{{org_field_name}} will integrate environmental considerations into purchasing decisions. Directors will:

• Select suppliers who demonstrate environmental responsibility and can evidence sustainable practices
• Prioritise procurement of recycled, biodegradable, or sustainably sourced products, including stationery, cleaning materials, and promotional items
• Avoid unnecessary purchasing and ensure equipment is maintained and repaired rather than replaced wherever practicable
• Include sustainability criteria within supplier evaluation procedures

Temporary workers are expected to handle client property responsibly to minimise waste, avoid unnecessary use of consumables, and reduce environmental strain.

When engaging waste contractors or other suppliers whose services may materially affect environmental compliance, {{org_field_name}} will carry out proportionate due diligence to confirm that suppliers are appropriately authorised, competent and suitable for the services provided. The business will keep records of key supplier checks where relevant to legal compliance, contractual obligations or audit requirements.

4.4 Travel and Transport Management

Given the nature of temporary staffing, travel is a key environmental consideration. {{org_field_name}} will:

• Promote the use of public transport, car-sharing, and other sustainable travel options for both administrative staff and temporary workers
• Encourage workers to accept assignments closer to their residence where feasible to reduce travel distance
• Facilitate virtual interviews, training, and meetings to reduce unnecessary travel
• Where agency-owned vehicles are used (if applicable), ensure that these are maintained to reduce emissions and are operated efficiently
• Advise temporary workers to comply with client site sustainability initiatives such as parking, waste management, and energy-saving measures during assignments

Directors will lead by example by adopting sustainable travel methods wherever possible and reviewing business travel regularly to minimise environmental impact.

Where travel forms a material part of service delivery, {{org_field_name}} will seek to monitor business travel patterns, support lower-emission travel options where reasonably practicable, and retain evidence of measures taken where required for client tenders, contractual reporting, or voluntary carbon reduction commitments.

4.5 Reducing Waste Generation

{{org_field_name}} will work towards reducing waste by:

• Implementing the waste hierarchy: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
• Avoiding the use of single-use plastics and non-recyclable materials in agency operations
• Encouraging clients to engage in similar practices by discussing environmental responsibility during contract negotiations and service reviews
• Educating staff on proper waste segregation both in the agency and during client assignments, particularly regarding PPE disposal in healthcare settings, complying with infection prevention requirements and environmental laws

{{org_field_name}} will ensure that any waste generated from its own office or administrative activities is managed in accordance with the waste duty of care. This includes taking reasonable steps to prevent unauthorised or harmful handling of waste, ensuring waste is transferred only to appropriately authorised persons, and keeping any records required by law or reasonably required to demonstrate compliance.

Where workers are placed at client sites, responsibility for on-site clinical, domestic or hazardous waste management will usually rest with the client as the site operator and waste producer; however, {{org_field_name}} will instruct workers to follow the client’s waste, infection prevention and segregation procedures at all times and to escalate any concerns promptly.

The directors will monitor waste reports from service providers and identify areas for further reduction and recycling.

4.6 Training and Awareness

All workers, including temporary workers, will receive induction and ongoing training on:

• The contents of this Environmental Sustainability Policy
• The environmental impacts of their work
• How to follow sustainable practices in day-to-day duties
• The importance of complying with client-specific sustainability procedures when on placement
• Waste duty of care, recycling segregation requirements, and client-site waste disposal rules relevant to the worker’s role
• How to report environmental incidents, waste-management concerns, or repeated non-compliance with client-site sustainability procedures

Directors and senior management will be responsible for embedding environmental awareness into the wider company culture and ensuring that all workers understand their role in supporting sustainability.

4.7 Working with Clients and Stakeholders

{{org_field_name}} acknowledges that most of the environmental impact of its temporary workers occurs at client premises. We will:

• Work collaboratively with client organisations to promote environmentally sustainable practices
• Align our workers’ conduct with the environmental policies of the client site where applicable
• Share good practices and innovations relating to sustainability with our client organisations
• Support clients, where contractually appropriate, by ensuring agency workers follow site-specific environmental, waste-segregation, infection prevention, and sustainability procedures during assignments.
• Respond to reasonable client requests for environmental information, such as policies, training records, or carbon-reduction commitments, where these are relevant to tenders, onboarding, or contract management.

The directors will incorporate environmental criteria into service level agreements (SLAs) and review meetings with clients.

4.8 Continuous Improvement and Monitoring

{{org_field_name}} is committed to continual improvement. Directors will:

• Conduct annual reviews of this policy and supporting procedures
• Set measurable objectives related to reducing carbon footprint, improving procurement sustainability, and reducing waste
• Involve staff and temporary workers in identifying environmental improvements through feedback and suggestions
• Measure and monitor energy, water, waste, and travel patterns to inform decision-making
• Record and review environmental performance information appropriate to the size and activities of the business, and report externally only where required by law, regulation, contract, tender conditions, or a voluntary commitment adopted by {{org_field_name}}.

4.9 Waste Segregation and Disposal Arrangements

{{org_field_name}} will maintain appropriate arrangements for the segregation, storage and disposal of waste arising from its own office and administrative activities. Where required by law or by the business’s waste collector, recyclable materials, food waste and residual waste will be separated and presented in the agreed manner.

The business will take reasonable steps to ensure that waste is transferred only to appropriately authorised persons and that any descriptions or records accompanying waste transfers are accurate and sufficient.

Where agency workers are placed at client premises, the client will ordinarily remain responsible for site waste systems and any clinical, offensive, sharps, pharmaceutical or other hazardous waste streams generated on site. {{org_field_name}} will nevertheless require workers to comply fully with client procedures and to report any uncertainty, incident or breach immediately to the client and to {{org_field_name}}.

5. Director and Management Responsibilities

Directors are accountable for ensuring that:

• Environmental responsibilities are assigned within the management team
• All staff, including temporary workers, receive appropriate training
• Environmental objectives are integrated into the strategic and operational planning of the agency
• Regular audits and reviews are conducted to assess compliance with this policy
• Stakeholder engagement includes promoting sustainable practices to clients, suppliers, and contractors
• Necessary corrective actions are taken promptly when any aspect of this policy is not met

Management will ensure that sustainability is discussed at team meetings, supervision sessions, and in communication with client organisations to foster a shared responsibility for improving environmental outcomes.

Management will ensure that a named person is responsible for overseeing waste arrangements, recycling compliance, supplier checks relevant to environmental compliance, and the review of any legal or client-driven sustainability requirements affecting the business.

6. Responsibilities of Temporary Workers

All temporary workers representing {{org_field_name}} are expected to:

• Adhere to this policy and promote sustainable practices while on assignment
• Comply with client organisation’s sustainability, waste, and energy-saving procedures
• Follow all client-site instructions on waste segregation, food waste disposal, recycling streams, infection prevention and control, and the handling of any clinical or hazardous waste, and seek guidance immediately if unsure
• Avoid unnecessary waste of resources, including food, water, energy, and medical supplies
• Report any environmental concerns or incidents to {{org_field_name}} and the client promptly
• Engage in training and development opportunities provided to enhance environmental awareness

Temporary workers who do not adhere to this policy may be subject to investigation under the Disciplinary Policy where relevant.

7. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed at least annually and sooner where required by changes in environmental legislation, statutory guidance, waste collection rules, procurement requirements, client contractual obligations, or the operational needs of {{org_field_name}}.

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Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}
Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}
Next Review Date: {{next_review_date}}
Copyright © {{current_year}} – {{org_field_name}}. All rights reserved.