Carbon Reduction Plan and Projects for Maintaining our Sustainability

To drive our progress towards Net Zero, we have set the following emissions reduction targets:

•   Short-Term Target (By 2028): Reduce emissions by 10%.

•   Mid-Term Target (By 2032): Reduce emissions by 20%.

•   Long-Term Target (By 2050): Achieve Net Zero emissions.

We will review and adjust these targets annually to ensure they remain realistic and achievable. We will continue to analyse our footprint annually, reassess targets to ensure they are reasonable and achievable, and also focus on emissions per employed member of staff to demonstrate our carbon reduction.

All care and occupational health companies use resources and contribute to carbon emissions. Achieving net zero will therefore require steps to reduce resource-intensive care, minimising emissions from delivery of occupational health services, and eventually off-setting the emissions that are left. We are committed to the NHS net zero supplier roadmap. We will consider carbon emissions and our wider sustainability goals as part of all of the decisions we make at Nation OH.

In order to progress to Net Zero and meet our wider environment and sustainability aims, we will approach carbon reduction and sustainability measures in the following manner:

Preventing disease and improving the management of disease and health

•   Actions taken to prevent disease can reduce the need for more intensive healthcare. Occupational health itself in society, has a key role to play in reducing global carbon emissions. By undertaking health surveillance, health promotion and vaccination, we reduce future ill health.

•   These preventative measures are likely to have a positive impact on reducing the requirement for more carbon emission intensive healthcare in the future (for example, by preventing acute illness from an occupational acquired infection or advising the person on how to use their medication appropriately to prevent ill health). This has a wider impact on society, and reduces societal carbon usage compared to that person becoming sick and using carbon intense NHS resources.

Electric Vehicles

•   We will support the use of electric cars for business travel purposes. When considering company cars we will have an all electric / hybrid first policy for procurement.

Reducing business travel

•   We will avoid physically travelling to customer meetings etc., where alternatives are available and practical, such as using teleconferencing, video conferencing and efficient timing of meetings to avoid multiple trips. These options are also often more time efficient, while not sacrificing the benefits of regular contact with customers

•   We will encourage alternative forms of commuting for our staff such as car share, cycling, bus travel or walking for close distances

•   Reduce the need for staff to travel by supporting alternative working arrangements and promote the use of public transport by locating offices in accessible locations.

•   For longer distance travel we encourage a carbon reducing approach such as using the train as opposed to driving.

•   We will organise a tax efficient cycle purchase scheme for our staff, to encourage our staff to purchase bicycles.

Considering methods of service delivery

•   Where possible and appropriate, we will deliver services remotely in order to reduce the need for travel and the emissions associated with this

•   We will support the use of video conferencing and remote communication methods to facilitate this.

Eliminating avoidable waste and unnecessary interventions, and recycling

•   We will ensure that each interaction and intervention is required (for example, not repeating vaccinations or blood tests where these are not required).

•   We will reduce the use of single use plastics across our operations

•   Nation Occupational Health will aim to conserve natural resources through the minimisation of waste.

•   Nation Occupational Health will monitor local recycling facilities and will recycle as much as is possible including 100% of carboard and plastics where safe to do so.

•   Arrange for the reuse or recycling of all other waste including and not limited to batteries, printer cartridges, computer supplies and redundant equipment.

•   We will ensure that timber furniture, and any other timber products are either repurposed or recycled.

Reducing commercial building energy use

•   We currently still operate a virtual model

•   Where we need to use business premises, we will use low energy lighting

•   We will encourage our staff to switch off equipment when not in use

•   We will reduce waste by re-using and recycling and avoidance of the use of single use plastics

•   In future we will work with the landlords of any property we rent to reduce carbon emissions in that building as part of our shared goal towards carbon reduction.

Upstream

•   We will work only with suppliers who are also committed to Net Zero, and will ask this question as part of our procurement processes Nation Occupational Health will ask suppliers about their environmental policies and how they manage environmental issues.

•   We will preferentially purchase products that minimise environmental impact.

•   Reduce the energy consumption of office equipment by purchasing energy efficient equipment.

•   In future if we have our own premises and are responsible for energy purchase then we will undertake this from a supplier committed to renewable energy.

•   We will ensure that timber furniture, and any other timber products are recycled or from well-managed, sustainable sources.

•   Where it is possible to do so for physical goods we will endeavour to procure goods and equipment from more local suppliers

•   When sourcing company cars, at Nation Occupational Health we will have an electric/hybrid first policy.

Consumption of resources

•   Nation Occupational Health will minimise our use of paper and other office consumables, for example by double siding all paper used, and identifying opportunities to reduce waste.

•   All clinical forms are available digitally for use, and can be filled in digitally with the patient. We expect our staff to use these in this format and hence reduce the need for using paper. We are encouraging our customers to similarly move to online systems to reduce the use of paper notes on their sites.

•   We will reduce the energy consumption of office equipment through considerate use and good housekeeping.

•   Nation Occupational Health staff will always try to save water by ensuring water taps are off when not in use and only using the quantity of water needed for tasks.

•   Nation Occupational Health staff will aim to conserve energy by ensuring the heating systems at Nation Occupational Health offices are set to a comfortable temperature and that thermostatic valves on the radiators are used.

Working practices and advice to customers

Nation Occupational Health will include a copy of our environmental, sustainability and carbon reduction policy in our proposals to customers.

Staff Training

All staff will receive training in environmental and sustainability matters as part of their induction.

Compliance with Policy

Compliance with this policy will be assessed annually as part of the Nation Occupational Health annual quality audit.

The SMT will monitor relevant legislation and best practice guidance and will ensure compliance with such legislation on an ongoing basis.

As above we will continue to monitor our environmental impact and carbon foot print and ensure this is reduced to ensure we meet net zero by 2050.

Document Control

Document Holder: Governance Director
Date of Original Document: 10th March 2025
Last Update: N/A
Updated by: E Clapham
Reason for Update: Document creation
Review Date: March 2028
Document Control Code: NOHPOL 021 V2