Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility

As a South West firm, we are committed to supporting and protecting our region. Local people are integral to our achievements, and it is vital that we support their well-being. Local businesses have also helped us to succeed, and we want to ensure that other organisations and communities can continue to thrive. We also need to limit our impact on the natural world to help protect its wellbeing and ensure it continues to benefit local communities.

To contribute positively to our wider stakeholders, communities and the environment, we have a dedicated sustainability community that actively considers our impact.

Albert Goodman have secured the prestigious ‘B Corp’ status, earning it due to our enhanced commitment to environmental and social goals.

Following a rigorous assessment of the firm’s commitment to our ‘Triple Bottom Line’ of people, planet and profit. As a Certified B Corporation, we now form part of the ‘B Corp’ movement which comprises 7,000 companies worldwide.

Our vision of contributing to success does not stop at our clients but incorporates our wider stakeholders and communities.

We have a passionate sustainability committee who are active in considering our impact. We use the United Nation’s 17 sustainable development goals as a framework as well as our values of:

• Creativity, in planning for a sustainable future,

• Excellence, in generating creative solutions to our sustainability challenges,

• Trust, in being open and transparent in our sustainability reporting and

• Service, in working with stakeholders in connection with the sustainable development goals

The information below is an overview of our streamlined energy and carbon reporting data which we produce on a voluntary basis in order to manage our journey to net zero for 2030. Our carbon foot print for scopes 1, 2 & 3 comprises energy usage in our premises and travel by our people in fulfilling their role.

Scopes 1, 2 & 3

Total emissions have increased from 309,131kwh in 2020/21 to 361,214kwh in 2021/22 for gas, being a 17% increase and from 194290kwh to 196976kwh for electric being a 14% increase.
Our emissions as a result of travel by our people have increased from 31,853Kwh to 55,429kwh, being a 74% increase.

As a result of increased mileage and a slight increase in energy usage, our intensity ratio has increased to 470kgCO2/Full Time Equivalent person (FTE) for 2021/22 compared to 445kgCO2/FTE for 2020/21. This is only a 6% increase. More detail can be found in our carbon report here.

Explanation
These increases are as a result of the following factors:

• The number of miles travelled by staff and partners increased significantly by 72% from 2020/21 to 2021/22. The total miles for 2021/22 was 46,183 compared to only 26,866 for 2021.
• Both periods saw an impact of Covid-19, however in 2020/21 there were heavy restrictions on travel and therefore this scope was reduced from the lack of travel allowed. The increase is therefore expected.
• We produce the fuel on an average of diesel and petrol.

Future Actions:

A summary of our carbon actions are below. More information on our sustainability targets can be found here.

1. With the introduction of our salary sacrifice electric car scheme, we are encouraging our people to use electric vehicles to reduce the emissions from the miles travelled.
2. To support our scheme we have installed electric car charging points to allow our people to use sustainable methods of transport.
3. We are investigating the use of solar panels to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels to heat and light our buildings.
4. Our policies have adapted to encourage meetings over the internet and less printing.
5. We are looking to move our Yeovil office into a more energy efficient building in the future.
6. We engage in community projects for impact and offset.
7. Increase the accuracy of our reporting by being more specific with the type of vehicle being used and its carbon impact
8. Constantly looking for ways to improve on our carbon impact and streamline the process and journey to Net Zero.

Charities have always paid an incredibly important part in the infrastructure of the country and never have their needs and offering been more highlighted than over the course of the pandemic.

As a regional firm, we have a strong sense of community and feel it's important to contribute to our local charitable and community environment.

Albert Goodman promotes a charity of the year, selected annually by staff. Staff are encouraged to carry out fundraising for the annual charity, led by a charity fundraising team with a representative from each office or department taking part. We deliver engagement sessions with the charity for staff to understand the impact of the funds raised. The Albert Goodman partners match fund amounts raised by staff to really maximise our impact.

In addition, staff are provided with the opportunity to carry out one days paid volunteering time a year, for a charity or project of their choice. If staff want to engage with this programme but don’t have a project in mind, we have other opportunities available as part of group activities for local projects to ensure that everyone that wants to make a difference has the ability to do so.