MY CIPP
CLIMATE CHANGE UPDATE
We’re ISO 14001 certified: A commitment to environmental excellence Integrating environmental practices across the Institute
Laura Bate ACIPP, CIPP Quality, Environment, Safety and Health Executive, talks through the latest ISO certification the Institute has achieved
I n April, the Institute achieved certification for ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS) – the international standard which sets out the requirements for managing responsibilities in a systematic and effective way. This adds to our existing ISO 9001 Quality Management System. We now operate under an Integrated Management System, which seamlessly combines both standards. This milestone reflects our commitment to environmental responsibility, operational excellence and continual improvement. We’re proud that our practices meet the stringent requirements of these internationally recognised certifications, demonstrating our dedication to quality, sustainability and maintaining the highest standards in everything we do. Empowering our net zero journey The ISO 14001 certification confirms we have a formal system in place and that we take sustainability seriously. But it doesn’t stop there. Our commitment to environmental excellence is all about continual improvement. By identifying and managing environmental impacts such as waste and energy use, we’re continuously finding ways to improve our environmental performance by setting clear goals and targets. By being resilient and future-ready, we understand how our activities affect the environment. We monitor our progress and make necessary adjustments to mitigate environmental impacts, manage environmental risks and seize sustainability opportunities, through efficient resource use, waste reduction, educating our employees
and providing a strong commitment to climate action. We’re forward-thinking and dedicated to maintaining a positive reputation in addressing climate change and promoting sustainability. The EMS allows us to follow a structured framework, which helps us to identify, manage, monitor and mitigate any environmental issues. In terms of risk, we have an environmental risk assessment and gap analysis in place, which is reviewed annually and continuously monitored in line with our quality assurance and compliance processes. In the event of a natural disaster, we also have appropriate procedures in place. As an Institute, we ensure we’re complying with environmental laws and regulations and that we’re staying ahead of regulatory changes. For example, by recycling within our local area and ensuring the correct disposal of certain waste items such as personal waste, electronics, batteries and ink cartridges. Product lifecycles for each department are reviewed to ensure they’re resourcing sustainably, which includes exploring how products are being manufactured and delivered, the life expectancy and what will happen to the product once it’s reached its end of life. Future actions have been identified and are actively being pursued. At events, our items are sustainably resourced where possible, and we continue to work towards achieving our roadmap’s short, medium and long-term goals. We encourage the use of greener alternatives such as digital badges, e-certificates, online events, online training and remote proctored assessments. Our
employees are encouraged to limit travel to reduce our travel carbon emissions, to print less and to use e-tickets to reduce paper waste. Additionally, our carbon emissions are calculated annually per calendar year. Our calculation for 2024 identified our electricity usage decreased by 0.31 tCO3e, but our gas usage increased by 2.85tCO2e. There was a decrease in car mileage of 2.15 tCO2e and train and air travel at 1.64 tCO2e. Even though there was an increase in employees, our overall intensity ratio remained the same as 2023, at 0.34 tCO2r per individual. We regularly audit our internal departments and review our ‘climate action plan’ to ensure the correct procedures are in place, and to help departments improve their processes and approach to sustainability. The Institute is also a member of Climate Action for Associations (CAFA), a UK-based resource and membership network, which allows us to voice our current findings and seek further ways to improve our products, practices and services. We attend monthly meetings hosted by CAFA with other membership organisations, and CAFA supports us on our journey to net zero. Finally, we have a dedicated ‘green team’, who are always looking for improvements and creative ways to be environmentally friendly. ISO 14001 isn’t the end of our journey, but the start of a new beginning as we continue to strive for excellent results and our net zero target by 2035. n
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| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward |
Issue 114 | October 2025
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