Environment and sustainability
We are committed to being socially and environmentally responsible, delivering value for money, working efficiently and reducing waste in every aspect of our business. We are working hard to integrate sustainability across every part of our organisation and manage the impact we have on the environment and society.
Our activity
Some of our most recent sustainability activity includes:
- 20 electric vehicles joined our fleet in 2021/22, reducing carbon emissions by an estimated 88 tonnes a year. Additional planned investment in 13 electric vehicles this year will reduce emissions further
- Organisation-wide engagement with Neighbourhood and Partnerships, People and Organisational Development, IT and Operational Support to help them understand where their activities can contribute to our sustainability objectives
- We moved to a 100% green electricity tariff
- Continued ongoing work with our cleaning and catering supplier to reduce packaging and food waste
- Ongoing collaborative work with Devon and Cornwall and Gloucestershire Constabularies to implement a new regional Sustainable Procurement Policy to coherently embed whole life costs in buying decisions
Our Sustainability Plan
Our 2021-2026 Sustainability Plan outlines our commitment to sustainability and sets ambitious targets for the future. The plan will drive improvements in how we do things, to make better use of resources, contribute to improving the lives of local people and further reduce our environmental impact.
We developed our Sustainability Plan using the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals and identified four priority goals in our current five-year plan:
- Climate Action
- Responsible Consumption and Production
- Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Partnerships for the Goals
Annual Sustainability Report
Our latest Annual Sustainability Report provides performance headlines, shares progress updates and highlights risks. The 2022/23 report performance headlines include:
- The Constabulary’s total carbon emissions fell by a further 24% to 7,015 tonnes; emissions from buildings fell the most (down 59% to 2,006 tonnes).
- The reduction in emissions from buildings is because we have switched to a 100% renewable tariff for electricity and we have reduced the amount of gas we use.
- Emissions from fleet increased by 6.5%, with a corresponding 7% increase in fuel consumption. The impact of this increased fuel use on carbon emissions is mitigated through the transition away from diesel to petrol and electric vehicles.
- Total waste volumes continue to fall based on a rolling 12-month average
Sustainability Charter
Additionally, we have signed up to the Emergency Services Environment and Sustainability Charter, which was developed for members to pledge their support to:
- Work towards a common set of goals
- Embed sustainability within their own organisation
- Achieve sustainability objectives
Contact us
If you want to find out more about our sustainability programme, contact Hannah Watts, Head of Business Services using our general enquiry form.