Abbeycroft Environmental Policy
5.1 Environmental Management Policy and Objectives
5.1.1. Objective and Scope
It is the objective of the organisation to minimise its impact on the environment.
This procedure details the environmental policy and the setting of environmental objectives.
5.1.2. Reference Documents
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INTERNAL |
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Service Improvement Strategy |
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Environmental Action Plan DEC certificates & Audit Carbon Trust Audit Set Square Audit (lighting)
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5.1.3. Procedure Detail
5.1.4 Environmental Policy
Abbeycroft Leisure operates two Leisure Centres in the district of St
Edmundsbury. Our main activities are the operation of swimming pools,
sports halls, gyms, dance studio’s and other leisure facilities.
Abbeycroft Leisure recognises that its operation has an impact of the
environment through its general business practice, use of resources and
prevention of pollution. The organisation is committed to reducing its
impact on the environment through a practical approach that make the
company more economically efficient.
5.1.5 Objectives
- Compliance with all relevant legal requirements, relevant regulations and good practice guidance such as that from ISRM and the Carbon Trust.
- Appropriate storage of all raw materials on site, particularly hazardous materials, thus preventing Bio-hazardous pollution.
- Monitor the use of energy and take steps to reduce consumption, in particular electricity and gas.
- Reduce the level of waste sent to landfill and commit to reuse and recycle materials where possible, including packaging and office waste and promote a reduction in food waste.
- Reduce light pollution
- Reduction of water consumption for all uses and the discharge of pool water and cleaning chemicals.
- Educate staff and customers to raise awareness of environmental issues.
- Continuously review our operation and its progress in relation to these objectives, including close liaison the St Edmundsbury Borough Environmental department to ensure a proactive approach.
- To communicate the policy, obligations and responsibilities to all employees and make available to the public on request.
5.1.6 Responsibility
This policy and its adoption affect all aspects of the operation including
management, procurement and delivery of services.
The Chief Executive has ultimate responsibility for the policy. Setting of
objectives and monitoring of compliance to the policy is co-ordinated by
the General Manager.
The environmental policy and action plan template have been approved
by the Board of Trustees and environmental performance is considered at
management team meetings.
All staff have responsibility to ensure that the strategic aims of this policy
and objectives are carried out and met.
5.1.7 Resources
Abbeycroft Leisure will ensure that resources are made available to
ensure that objectives are met.
Environmental improvement objectives are set and undertaken on an
ongoing basis as part of our continuous improvement philosophy. They
are referred to in the Service Improvement Strategy and detailed in the
Environmental Action Plan.
Bury St Edmunds Leisure Centre Strikes Gold by Reducing Carbon Emissions
Bury St Edmunds Leisure Centre, run by Abbeycroft Leisure, has been awarded Gold Level for the Suffolk Carbon Charter after reducing its emissions and environmental impacts.
Haverhill Leisure Centre has also achieved recognition of its environmental efforts and has been awarded Bronze Level.
The Carbon Charter is awarded to companies that are monitoring and reducing their carbon emissions. The charter provides public recognition of companies and organisations taking vital steps towards creating a greener county. The Gold Charter is only awarded to companies that, in addition to having achieved significant reductions in their carbon emissions, are also using their position to influence their communities, whether through their supply chain, customers or staff.
To aid a reduction in carbon emissions and meet certain criteria for the Carbon Charter, Abbeycroft Leisure has written and adopted an environmental policy, future carbon emission reduction targets have been set, and an action plan on use of energy and steps to reduce waste drawn up. A quarterly staff news letter has been launched to engage staff, encourage them to save energy, and raise the awareness of environmental issues. There have been internal housekeeping improvements and there is now more efficient use of heating, lighting, water usage and air conditioning.
A number of energy audits have been undertaken each focusing on specific areas where there could be potential savings made in the short and long term. The viability and energy saving qualities of pool covers were investigated within one of the audits and as a result new covers have recently been installed for the main and teaching pools at the Bury St Edmunds Leisure Centre, which greatly reduces heat loss and evaporation from the pool water. As the Leisure pool is a freeform pool, a solid cover can not be fitted. Therefore Abbeycroft also plans to install equipment which forms a ‘liquid pool cover’ for the Leisure pool. The liquid cover is not as effective as a solid cover, however it does still reduce heat loss and water evaporation from the pool water by forming a ‘skin’ on the pool surface when the pool is not in use.
Simon Ginders-Coxshall, General Manager, said: “We are so thrilled to be accredited to gold level. We have made significant reductions in our carbon emissions as a Centre in the last three years and we take the environmental impact of what we do very seriously. We will now continue to improve and look at other ways in which we can continue to uphold the values of the Charter.”
The Charter was developed as part of the ANSWER Project, with the support of ERDF through the Interreg IVB North Sea Region Programme.
Ned Harrison, ANSWER Project Manager on behalf of the Carbon Charter panel, said: “The audit stated that ‘the organisation has an excellent environmental management system in place (almost a full EMS) which has been fully adopted and is being driven forward by the General Manager. This ensures continual improvement and monitoring of environmental performance throughout the organisation. The Centre has improved on its baseline carbon footprint of 2007/8 every year and is continuing to investigate and implement measures to reduce its emissions and environmental impacts and to engage with staff and the public’.”
Simon Ginders-Coxshall receiving the Gold Level, Suffolk Carbon Charter for the Bury St Edmunds Leisure Centre and Struan Banfield receiving the Bronze Level, Suffolk Carbon Charter for the Haverhill Leisure Centre from Cllr Judy Terry, Suffolk County Council Portfolio
