UK Environmental Policy
The EY organisation is committed to building a better working world – one that supports sustainable growth and having a positive impact on communities and the planet for generations to come. We recognise our obligation towards our people and the wider communities in which we operate to minimise the impact of our business operations on the environment and will embed sustainability into our operations accordingly.
This Environmental Policy provides the framework for environmental sustainability activities within the UK firm’s operations, including key focus areas required to meet our environmental commitments. As such, we are committed to this Policy and all our people are required to cooperate to ensure it is implemented.
The UK firm will:
- Ensure compliance with all relevant UK government environmental legislation and guidance.
- Align to the EY Global Carbon Ambition as specified in our UK Net Zero Strategy, including reducing our greenhouse gas emissions in line with targets determined by the EY Global Executive.
- Ensure compliance to all our other environmental commitments to which the firm subscribes [pledges or supports]; this includes mandatory environmental reporting requirements, e.g. Streamlined Energy & Carbon Reporting (SECR) and Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).
- Ensure continual improvement of our environmental performance, through certification to the ISO14001 environmental management standard.
- Identify, assess and manage impacts from the most significant environmental aspects our operational activities.
- Utilise appropriate, recognised methodologies, including climate scenario analysis to identify and assess climate-related physical and transition risks and opportunities.
- Set additional non-emissions objectives and targets relating to our most significant environmental aspects (i.e. energy efficiency and waste management).
- Measure our performance against defined environmental objectives and targets annually, publicly reporting on our progress as required.
- Support the prevention of pollution from our operations, including occupied premises; our aim is to minimise the consumption and wastage of natural resources as far as reasonably and economically practicable and to dispose of all waste according to the principles of the waste hierarchy.
- Assess and include sustainable options in the design of all refurbished and new premises where possible.
- Expect our strategic suppliers to adopt science-based targets (in line with our Net Zero Strategy) and to ensure consideration is given to purchasing environmentally sustainable products and services wherever possible, as well as to considering suppliers’ and service partners' environmental credentials as part of the vendor selection process.
- Provide role-specific information, instruction and training (as may be required to fulfil their role) on the environmental impacts of the firm’s activities, mitigating measures and initiatives to minimise those impacts on its people, clients and other key stakeholders.
- Support our people’s wider voluntary sustainability training activities via the EY learning platforms.
- Integrate environmental considerations into key business policies and decisions.
- Work with clients to consider how we can deliver our services to them whilst reducing related environmental impacts (business travel emissions etc.)
- Offer decarbonisation services to our clients to help them develop credible plans to achieve net zero, support compliance with UK regulatory requirements and thrive in a low-carbon economy.
This Policy will be reviewed regularly (and revised as necessary) to ensure that it remains in line with legislative requirements, the EY Global Carbon Ambition, the EY Global Environmental Statement (PDF), the activities of the business and other relevant requirements. The review is conducted by the UK Environmental Sustainability Committee, which is the corporate governance body appointed to advise and make recommendations on UK sustainability strategy, targets, risk management and reporting. It is approved by the UK Board.
Gavin Jordan
Chief Financial Officer, EY UK LLP
14 March 2024
