<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><strong><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">What is an Environmental Policy?</span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">An environmental policy addresses how a company manages and monitors its impact on the environment &ndash; both in its own operations and those of its supply chain. There is no set format but typically such policies cover use of energy and water, prevention of pollution, waste and recycling, and use of chemicals. As well as specific targets on reducing impact, a policy should also cover broader approaches to improving the environment such as changing work cultures, outreach and consumer behaviour.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><strong><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Why have an Environmental Policy?</span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Having an environmental policy can significantly benefit a business &ndash; helping it to meet legal requirements, cut costs, conserve raw materials and energy, and make processes more efficient. This is an important document that can be shared with staff as a framework of best practice to follow, with clients if they request to see your credentials and can be shared on your own website if you wish to publicise what you are actively doing to improve your impact on the environment.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Zerofy will support you carrying out your environmental assessment as part of your onboarding and develop a policy that fits your companies needs and aligns with the actions you are taking to improve your Environmental impact. This will form one of the key summary output reports to track your progress and aims over time.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><strong><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">What is included in an Environmental Policy?</span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">While there is no set format for what to include in an environmental policy, criteria usually cover actions that specifically address environmental problems as well as broader approaches relating to company culture, outreach and consumer behaviour. These are some examples of the items used and we have included an example template you can download.</span></p>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">ensuring compliance with environmental legislation and other requirements</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">laying out the importance of environmental issues to the company&nbsp;</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">assessing the environmental impact of operations and supply chains</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">reducing pollution, emissions and waste</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">reducing the use of all raw materials and energy</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">raising awareness, encouraging participation and training staff in environmental matters</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">expecting similar environmental standards from all suppliers and contractors</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">assisting customers to use products and services in an environmentally sensitive way</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">liaising with the local community</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">communicating environmental aims and objectives to employees and external stakeholders.</span></li>
</ul>