Environment Policy

Environmental Policy

Human Rights Act 1998

The Human Rights Act 1998 has been considered with regard to this policy. Proportionality has been identified as the key to Human Rights compliance. This means striking a fair balance between the rights of the individual and those of the rest of the community. There must be a reasonable relationship between the aim to be achieved and the means used.

Data Protection Act 1998

Data  Protection  issues  have  been  considered  with  regard  to  this  policy.  Adherence to this policy will therefore ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and internal Data Protection policies.

Equal Opportunities

Equality issues have been considered with regard to this policy. Adherence with this policy will therefore ensure compliance with Equal Opportunity legislation and internal Equal Opportunity policies.

Freedom of Information Act 2000

Freedom of Information issues have been considered with regard to this policy. Adherence with this policy will therefore ensure compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2002 and internal Freedom of Information policies.

Health and Safety Act 1974

Health and Safety issues have been considered with regard to this policy. Adherence with this policy will therefore ensure compliance with Health and Safety legislation and internal Health and Safety policies.

1.  Policy Statement

Excellence Care Services recognises that as a major employer and provider of services to the community, it can have an impact on the environment. Excellence Care Services will strive towards achieving a more sustainable future by seeking to minimise any adverse environmental impact in the way it operates / discharges its responsibilities. This statement applies to all aspects of Excellence Care Services operations.

This includes management and utilisation of environmental impacts ie water, waste, energy, estates, goods and services. This will extend wherever possible to work undertaken with partners and other agencies (including contractors and service providers).

2.  Scope

1 The scope of this policy is to assist Excellence Care Services to:

  1. comply with environmental legislation
  2. minimise adverse impact on the environment in the way it operates
  3. consider opportunities to improve the environment
  4. increasing employee awareness of environmental policies and responsibilities
  5. encourage partnership working

Additionally, Excellence Care Services will, wherever possible utilise ‘eco-­friendly alternative products, and where possible (within financial constraints) improve cost effectiveness, productivity and working conditions.

3.  Aims

The main aims, which the Excellence Care Services seeks to achieve, encompassing the scope are:

  1. To ensure that Excellence Care Services complies with environmental legislation, in particular regarding waste
  1. To minimise Excellence Care Services’ adverse impact on the environment, in particular through the:
  • Reduction in pollutants / CO² Excellence Care Services will ensure that policies and procedures are in place to minimise the release of pollutants into the environment, including effluence.
  • Conservation of energy and Steps will be taken to ensure that energy and water consumption are monitored and that measures are in place to aim to reduce consumption.
  • Use of sustainable Excellence Care Services aims to make use of sustainable resources, especially in the area of use of paper.
  • Adopting methods to ensure the efficient and economic use of Excellence Care Services aims to buy fuels at the most economic cost (not necessarily renewable energy sources), to ensure they are used as efficiently as practicable. The aim is to reduce, wherever possible, Excellence Care Services dependence on fossil fuels through the use of ambient and renewable energy.
  • Use of Wherever possible, Excellence Care Services will make use of recycled products and will seek opportunities for recycling waste.
  • To seek to identify ways in which the environment can be
  • To explore measures to enhance employee environmental
  • To promote partnership working to improve the quality of the environment wherever possible.

4.  Principles

  1. Excellence Care Services will continue to monitor environmental legislation developments in relation to waste disposal, with a view to adopt / amend internal practices wherever practicable.
  1. Employee’s awareness of environmental issues and their impact in the work- place will be enhanced with awareness training during induction sessions and the company wide publication of policy and associated procedures
  1. Excellence Care Services will encourage partnerships and endeavour to ensure that those partners are environmentally friendly, and whenever possible Excellence Care Services will seek to support others, such as the Environmental Agency and local authorities, by reporting instances that have, or might have, a detrimental impact on the environment.