Trust makes its Mark by reducing carbon footprint
The St Monica Trust has been officially presented with The Planet Mark™ Certificate in recognition of its commitment to year-on-year progress in sustainability.
Chief Executive of the St Monica Trust, David Williams and the Trust’s Facilities Operations Manager, Mark Thomas were presented with The Planet Mark™ Certification by founder of The Planet Mark™, Steve Malkin.
The award means the St Monica Trust is the only care provider in the UK to hold The Planet Mark™ certification.
Cool Earth
A donation has also been made on behalf of the Trust to the Eden Project and Cool Earth to support education on climate change and to protect an acre of endangered rainforest.
Facilities Operations Manager, Mark Thomas said: “Committing to The Planet Mark™ is key to us. Not only in measuring our carbon footprint, but actually being true to the values of the St Monica Trust by being open and honest about our impact on the environment.
“We look forward to working more closely with The Planet Mark™ team to reduce our carbon footprint and further developing our sustainability strategy.”
Sustainability commitments
In 2017 the Trust calculated the emissions of its retirement villages and has set a target to reduce emissions by 5% annually.
This includes emissions from energy use in the Trust’s buildings (natural gas, purchased electricity and biomass), from water usage, business travel and waste disposal.
First year certification to The Planet Mark™ is based on the Trust’s commitment to continuous improvement in sustainability by measuring and reducing its carbon footprint and engaging its stakeholders.
Embracing new technologies
To meet its sustainability commitments going forward, the St Monica Trust will:
- Carry out energy audits throughout the organisation’s estate.
- Introduce a ‘switch off’ awareness campaign.
- Produce and implement an organisational-wide Sustainability Plan.
- Develop staff engagement programmes and workshops focusing on energy reduction and sustainability awareness.
- Increase the availability of recycling facilities throughout the organisation’s estate.
Steve Malkin said: “St Monica Trust is the only care home provider to hold The Planet MarkTM, demonstrating their commitment to deliver positive impacts on society and the environment.
“They are embracing new technologies to reduce environmental impacts, engaging people in the programme while continually focusing on providing the best possible care experience.”
Reducing carbon emissions
The Planet Mark™ was founded in 2013 with the iconic Eden Project in Cornwall, UK, and is awarded to businesses, properties, new developments and projects that are committed to reducing their carbon emissions.
Since it launched, The Planet Mark™ has certified over 100 organisations, including Burges Salmon, St Georges University Hospital and Dunlop Systems and Components.
In 2016, it helped holders of The Planet Mark™ cut their average carbon emissions by 10% per employee.