Updated 18/2/2021

Liverpool Philharmonic is committed to fully understanding and minimising its impact upon the environment through our Environmental Sustainability Policy and Action Plan. We will strive to reach the highest practicably achievable standards in environmental sustainability throughout our business operations and develop a positive culture of environmental awareness, personal and corporate responsibility across our employees, performers, promoters, audiences, participants, clients and contractors, and anyone else who may be affected by our actions or activities.

We will adopt a robust and systemic approach to environmental sustainability management, complying with all relevant legislation and guidance, and striving for continuous and measurable improvement in our performance.

Our aims are to:

• Reduce our environmental impacts in energy and water consumption, waste generation and disposal, acting responsibly and efficiently throughout our company and venues
• Promote a proactive sustainability culture through continued employee engagement and focused initiatives
• Require consideration of this policy and industry good practice through procurement of equipment, goods and services
• Encourage the use of environmentally friendly forms of transport by employees, audiences, artists and visitors to our venues
• Communicate our environmental sustainability goals and results to our employees, customers, audiences and stakeholders.

To achieve our aims we will:

• Ensure effective leadership of this policy by the Chief Executive, Executive Team, and Leadership Team with annual reporting to the Board of Trustees
• Develop and implement an Environmental Sustainability Action Plan with time limited, measurable objectives and outcomes to be reviewed and updated annually
• Establish Environmental Sustainability as a standing item at key meetings including Executive Team, Leadership Team and Health & Safety Committee
• Operate a cross-organisation Environmental Sustainability Action Group chaired by the Executive Director Audiences & Development with quarterly meetings to coordinate and help drive progress
• Communicate our goals and results publicly through our Review of the Year
  

Environmental Action Plan 2021/22

The objectives listed below, once approved by the Board, will set a framework for detailed activity that will be undertaken by members of the Leadership Team.

In addition, a cross-departmental environmental action group will be re-convened  The purpose of this group will be reviewed but will include:

• To support objectives, targets and goals that Liverpool Philharmonic has set
• To help spread the word amongst staff about how to play their part in environmental sustainability
• To help design staff engagement activity - training, knowledge sharing, etc

Key Objectives

1. In 2018/19 Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society’s carbon footprint from building energy use was 424 tonnes CO2e or 74 kg CO2e per m2. This is based on 1,892,717 kWh electricity and gas (or 329 kWh per m2). By March 2022 will we reduce our carbon usage by 9.9% (to 66 kg CO2e per m2), and our energy intensity by 5.9% (to 309 kWh per m2). This will be done through a combination of:  ensuring all lighting and equipment is turned off when not in use, reviewing consumption data to see if there are anomalies of usage at times and correcting these, control of heating (BMS system), an annual energy awareness campaign targeted at staff, and monthly reporting of energy usage to Executive and Leadership Teams
   
   
2. A procurement policy will be produced which will include environmental credentials/considerations for use in contracting suppliers. This policy may extend to  hall hirers as well. 
   
   
3. By March 2022 we will produce a travel policy for the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and staff that will address how we mitigate the negative effects of orchestra travel and staff commuting (this will be part of the ‘working from home’ policy that will be implemented from June 2021). This policy will include promotion of the cycle / walk to work schemes.  It will also address communication to audience members about their travel options in attending concerts. Actively undertake engagement with other Liverpool stakeholders/organisations around improving the public transport options in our area.
   
   
4. We will communicate our progress on these measures to staff, stakeholders, audiences and funders at least every 6 months, in board reports, annual review, company circulars and company briefings, emails to audiences, stakeholders, learning programme participants, etc, on our website, and through social media. Work through our networks to influence their environmental agenda.
   
   
5.  We will reduce consumption of materials, so that by March 2022 we’ll reduce our non-recyclable waste by 10%.  This will include work to minimize waste from the bars operation, reducing print production and usage throughout the business - from tickets, brochures, hard copies of papers to staff, etc.