Corporate Responsibility
Sustainability
We are continually working to develop our Corporate Social Responsibility policy. We support and comply with the Foreign and Commonwealth's policies on sustainability:
- to ensure that all aspects of FCO operations at home and overseas are managed sustainably, and that environmental considerations are at the heart of the way the FCO is run.
- to reduce the FCO's global carbon footprint and make our performance against central government sustainability targets the best in Whitehall.
In February 2010 FCO Services joined the FCO in the 10:10 campaign to reduce carbon emissions by 10% during the year 2010.
The FCO's environmental targets include:
- Reduction in Carbon emissions from offices (12.5%) and vehicles by 2010-11
- Energy efficiency improvement of 15% by 2012 and 30% by 2020
- Reduce waste by 5% by 2010 and 25% by 2020
- Increase recycling by 40% by 2010 and 75% by 2020
- Biodiversity: Departments to meet or exceed the aim of having 95% of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI's) in sole ownership or control in target condition by 2010.
- Reduce water consumption by 25% on the office and non-office estate by 2020
In 2008, the FCO's environmental management system was re-accredited to ISO 14001, an international quality standard awarded to organisations with high standards of environmental management. Our joint initiatives enable the FCO to contribute towards wider government targets for the sustainability of its estate and act as a leading example to both public and private sectors.
Community Involvement
We work with our local community through local schools and projects close to our largest base at Hanslope Park near Milton Keynes. Staff take part in interactive careers workshops which has led to high levels of interest in our apprenticeship scheme. Work is underway to extend these types of initiative over a wider geographical area.
