BGS Environmental Policy
The BGS recognises that the climate change emergency is a threat to human health and that older people are particularly vulnerable to its impacts. Ensuring that the BGS is a robust, dynamic and sustainable organisation is a key strategic objective in our 2020-23 Strategic Plan, and we recognise that being sustainable includes considering the environmental impacts of our activities.
2020 has been dominated by COVID-19 and is the most pressing health emergency facing us. But undoubtedly climate change poses the most profound long-term threat to the health of the nation.”
- Sir Simon Stevens, Chief Executive Officer NHS England and NHS Improvement
Aligning the global recovery from COVID-19 with our response to climate change offers a triple win: improve public health, create a sustainable economy and protect the environment… failure to tackle these converging crises in tandem would move the world’s 1.5°C target out of reach, damaging the health of the world’s 7.8 billion citizens in the short and long term.”
- The Lancet Countdown 2020 Report
The BGS employs twelve staff and operates both from its London-based premises at Marjory Warren House and as a virtual office, allowing for flexible home working where possible, and encourgaing greener travel via participation in the Cycle to Work scheme. The full staff team remains committed to actively pursuing a green agenda as part of its collective working practices.
To demonstrate our ongoing commitment to reducing our carbon footprint we have:
- Moved our journal, Age and Ageing, fully online, ceasing print production.
- Ensured that our Newsletter is printed on sustainable paper, using compostable wrapping.
- Adopted sustainable practices at BGS meetings, embracing Reduce, Reuse, Recover and Recycle.
We are committed to:
- Continuing with the use of digital platforms as a core part of our conference and meetings delivery and reducing material used at conferences through paperless agendas and the use of digital apps.
- Encouraging overseas conference speakers to present remotely and overseas delegates to attend remotely.
- Providing reusable bottles and cups at conferences, having 50% of catering as vegetarian and not using disposable tableware.
- Continuing to support, where appropriate, homeworking among office staff and the reduction of work-related travel.
- Ensuring that the day-to-day management of our office space incorporates initiatives such as using rechargeable batteries, promoting waste recycling and supporting the move to paperless working.
- Ensuring that our committee members have access to meetings via Teams to reduce the environmental impact of travelling to and from the BGS head office.
Our investment policy
BGS does not invest directly in any one individual company. All its investments are held in specialist multi-asset charity funds at CCLA and M&G investments. Both of these funds have ethical investment policies which seek to meet the needs of charities investing in them.
NHS Net Zero
We recognise that the provision of healthcare itself impacts on the environment and that the NHS contributes to the overall carbon footprint of the UK. The NHS in England has committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040 and the report Delivering a Net Zero NHS, published in October 2020, sets out the interventions needed to achieve this and challenges all NHS staff to review their clinical practice and work towards this goal.
We encourage all healthcare professionals to engage with this important agenda and to familiarise themselves with the ways they can help to reduce their carbon footprint in the workplace via this initiative.
How we will support our members
Many members will be considering how they can reduce the environmental impact of the care they deliver and to date, there are few resources available that specifically address the care of older people and those living with frailty in this regard. The BGS will be looking to collate and develop resources that will help to support its members to understand and reduce the environmental impact of healthcare alongside continuing to deliver the highest standards of clinical care.
Help to drive the change!
We would welcome input from our members on ideas and initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint of the care of older people and those living with frailty. If you would like to contribute and support our work in this area please contact: Mark Stewart, BGS Office and Business Manager via email at M [dot] Stewart [at] bgs [dot] org [dot] uk or by phone on 020 7608 8575.
