Hawk Conservancy Trust Environmental and Sustainability Policy
At the Hawk Conservancy Trust, we are committed to protecting the environment, conserving biodiversity, and promoting sustainable practices. As a leader in wildlife conservation and education, we recognise our responsibility to improve our environmental footprint and inspire positive change.
- Purpose and Scope
This policy applies to all Trust operations, including animal care, habitat management, visitor services, education programs, procurement, travel and fieldwork. It guides our efforts to minimise environmental impact, promote sustainability and comply with all relevant environmental legislation and other applicable obligations.
The overarching aim of the Hawk Conservancy Trust’s Environmental and Sustainability Policy is to establish a clear baseline of on-site sustainability efforts, then monitor, maintain, and enhance it over time, while ensuring that these efforts do not compromise the Trust’s primary on-site commitment – the care and welfare of its animals in human care.
- Commitments
Environmental Protection
- Conserve and protect natural habitats and ecosystems.
- Seek to maintain onsite woodland and tree cover, and avoid land degradation in our operations and supply chains.
- Manage the use of chemicals responsibly, ensuring safe storage, handling and disposal practices that prevent contamination of air, water and soil.
- Prevent and reduce pollution, while recognising certain operational realities.
- Comply with, and aspire to exceed, all applicable environmental regulations and compliance obligations.
Climate Action
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy-efficient practices and the use of renewable energy sources.
- Support actions that enable others to reduce emissions.
- Integrate sustainable transport measures into our operations, promoting lower-emission travel options for staff, visitors and suppliers.
- Set appropriate and measurable targets to lower our carbon footprint, aligned with global climate action principles while allowing for evolving data and capabilities.
Resource Conservation
- Optimise water use and implement water-saving strategies.
- Minimise energy consumption by adopting sustainable building practices and efficient systems.
- Prioritise the use of sustainable, eco-friendly, and recyclable/recycled materials in all aspects of our operations.
Waste Management
- Reduce waste generation by promoting the principles of the waste hierarchy (prevent, reduce, reuse, recycle, recover).
- Implement responsible disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous waste.
Biodiversity and Wildlife Conservation
- Support conservation initiatives to protect biodiversity and species habitats.
- Ensure animal habitats within the Trust are designed and managed with long-term environmental sustainability in mind, using materials that optimise sustainability and support natural behaviours.
Sustainable Procurement
- Source animal feed, enrichment materials, and other products from ethical and sustainable suppliers.
- Partner with vendors who align with our sustainability goals and can demonstrate environmental responsibility.
Community Engagement and Education
- Inspire visitors, employees, and stakeholders (including volunteers, partners and local communities) to adopt sustainable behaviours.
- Conduct educational programs to raise awareness about environmental conservation and sustainability and empower individuals to make changes in their own lives.
- Monitoring and Reporting
- We will regularly monitor and evaluate our environmental performance to ensure compliance with this policy.
- We will report annual updates on our progress and sustainability initiatives.
- Governance and Accountability
- We will establish a cross-departmental Green Team to support delivery of the sustainability plan and encourage staff involvement in practical initiatives.
- We will assign responsibility for implementing this policy to the Green Team and senior management.
- We will periodically review and improve this policy (minimum annually) to reflect best practices and evolving environmental standards.
By implementing this policy, the Trust strives to be a leader in environmental stewardship, creating a better future for wildlife and our planet.
