Sustainability

The National Assembly for Wales aims to be exemplar in sustainability and environmental performance.  As one of the leading public institutions in Wales, we recognise our responsibility to reduce our impact on the environment and operate in an environmentally responsible manner in all our activities.

The Assembly is committed to the systematic incorporation of environmental factors into its decisions and actions and this is demonstrated through our environmental management programe.

One of the Assembly’s corporate objectives is to ‘work sustainably’.  With this at the heart of the work that is carried out, we strive for continual environmental improvement across our buildings, staff and supply chain.

Green Dragon – Environmental Standard

Green Dragon is a stepped standard (equivalent to ISO14001 and BS8555) recognising effective environmental management. The Standard offers an environmental management system relevant to the specific needs of companies and organisationsand rewards actions taken to achieve environmental improvements.

The estate in Cardiff Bay is one of the few organisations in Wales to have achieved Green Dragon Level 5.  This is the highest level that can be attained in the standard.  To ensure we maintain this level year on year, our principle aim is to demonstrate a commitment to sustainability, environmental improvement and the reduction of greenhouse gases through an audited environmental programme.

Environmental Policy

The Environmental Policy sets out the Assembly’s commitment to conducting all of its activities in an environmentally responsible and sustainable manner.   We have set specific objectives and targets consistent with our main environmental aspects and impacts and these are outlined in the policy.  It is updated on an annual basis.  

Green Dragon Environmental Report

At Level 5, the Green Standard requires that an organisation must annually publish a comprehensive report on their environmental activities and performance.

View 2008-09 Green Dragon Environmental Report for the National Assembly For Wales (PDF).

Green Team

The Assembly encourages its employees to work and behave in an environmentally responsible manner at all times whilst in work and at home.  To enhance awareness and improve ownership of our ‘green’ initiatives, we set up an internal ‘Green Team’ of 20+ staff members from various departments across the organisation. The team meets periodically to discuss ongoing work streams and provides an opportunity for staff to contribute their own ideas and co-ordinate green activities.

Energy and Carbon Management – strategy

Currently, around 80% of the Assembly’s total carbon footprint is made up of energy consumption across our estate.  We have realised that in order to cut our carbon emissions considerably, we need to reduce our energy consumption.  As a result, the Assembly Commission has approved a challenging strategy to manage our carbon and reduce our energy use by 8% year on year by 2015.  We have called this strategy: Energy8

Transport and Travel

The Assembly has written and promoted its Travel plan to all employees and a number of incentives are in place to encourage staff to travel both through commuting and business in an environmentally friendly manner.

To promote green travel to all employees, the Assembly offers the following:

• Free car sharing scheme
• Cycle to work incentive scheme
• Loans for bicycle purchase
• A ‘green’, low emission pool car for travelling through business
• New shower and changing facilities on site
• Secure cycle lockup facilities for cyclists

In addition, the following actions have been taken:

• The Assembly is working with Cardiff Council on the introduction of a corporate  has Car Club with the hope of hosting publicly available vehicles just outside our site.
• Excellent public transport links exist in and around the area.

Waste Minimisation and Recycling

The Assembly is committed to reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill. Consequently, staff are encouraged to help by reducing, re-using and recycling more, with an aim to:

• Reduce consumption and usage of materials that create waste in the first place.
• Re-use items or materials as much as possible,
• Recycle items when they reach the end of life, if it is not possible to re-use them directly.

There are recycling facilities throughout the estate and we also operate food composting from our plate waste in the staff canteen.

Sustainable Procurement

The Assembly measures its performance against the Public Sector Sustainable Procurement Assessment Framework.  The assessment is structured to enable us to track our progress against strategic and management issues, procurement issues and outcomes and results.  The action plan is reviewed every 12 months and measured against the key performance indicators to determine what level we have achieved.  Currently, we are a Level 3 – Practising Organisation on the Assessment Framework.

Contact details

If you require any further information on any sustainability or environmental issues, please contact us by telephone, email, via our website or by post.

Information and Booking Line: 0845 010 5500

Text: 0845 010 5678

E-mail (general): gwybodaeth@cymru.gsi.gov.uk