AVTEL Environmental Management Strategy
Purpose: Contribute to a better planet for future generations.
Mission Statement
We will contribute to a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable global community through improved engagement and reduced emissions. We will endeavor to support global initiatives to mitigate global warming and pollution in general. We will use our experience to help others to reach similar goals.
We will focus our effort on materials and practices we can impact directly, and where possible contribute to organisations that seek to improve living standards where help is most needed.
Goals
1. Committed to achieving net zero by 2032.
2. To extend Carbon Footprint Assessment to cover ALL business operations.
3. To maintain carbon neutral-plus status across ALL business operations.
4. To extend EcoVadis ‘Silver’ (or higher) rating across ALL business entities by end of 2025.
5. Support our communities and others less able than us to reduce their environmental
footprints through our carbon offsetting program.
6. Maintain our sponsorship of the ‘Freedom Flight’ project.
Values and Statements:
AVTEL Will:
1. Workplace Emissions
Undertake environmental assessments of its operations. The results will be used to create a
detailed action plan and budget to reduce the environmental footprint of the company. Where
possible, we will encourage work-from-home to reduce the need to commute.
We will aim to contract office spaces that are built to higher environmental standards, and we
will preference offices that have pre-existing fittings and fixtures over locations requiring new
work. In locations where the options are available, we will aim to contract with utilities to supply
energy from renewable sources.
2. Travel Emissions
Take measures to reduce international and general air travel to the maximum extent possible.
The company will undertake to ensure that any air travel is offset using internationally approved
methods. We will endeavor to transition company vehicles to emission-free versions when theyare due for replacement and upgrade. We will encourage the use of public transport, bicycles,
and other emissions free modes of transport where possible and practical.
3. Freight
Use environmentally friendly freight methods to the extent possible. We will offset emissions that
cannot be avoided. We will work towards a “buy-local” policy for products that are able to meet
customer standards and be supplied with a lower emissions impact.
4. Plastics
Reduce the use of plastics, especially single-use plastics to the extent possible. We will identify
ways that we can use recycled plastics and contribute to the reduction of plastic waste globally
including recovery of waste in waterways and on land.
5. Audits
Use independent auditors to confirm our environmental footprint and use the results of audits to
guide us to develop a continuous environmental improvement program.
6. Business
Resist collaborating with customers and suppliers who do not have similar environmental values
and goals. We will not invest in or develop new businesses that negatively impact on our ability to
reach our environmental goals. Business units that do not meet our goals will be assessed for
improvement or disposal.
7. Manufacturing
Use materials in manufacturing that have minimal to no impact on our environment by identifying
appropriate materials that are either recycled or produced using low emissions processes. If we
are unable to control the emissions of products we manufacture (either directly or via contracted
manufacturers), we will offset the emissions and where possible contribute to development of
alternative materials. If alternative manufacturers are identified, we will seek to engage them if
they help us to reach our goals more effectively.
8. Global Community
Contribute to the active reduction of existing pollution through the support of local programs, and
where programs that have a wider scope positively impact the global community.
We will be transparent with the global community regarding our own efforts and report the results
of our efforts through accepted methods such as websites and social media postings. We will
seek independent certification to validate our claims so that we can be confident they will stand
up to scrutiny.
9. Education and Communication
Use any knowledge and experience we gain to educate and support others in their efforts to
reduce emissions, pollution, and the impacts of both on the general environment.
We will establish an intranet site to provide information and general communication to all
employees of the company. We will seek feedback and support from our colleagues, friends, and
other stakeholders.
Initiatives:
To reach our goals, we have:
7. Received support from the owners of the business.
8. Created an employee-based committee to steer our efforts and monitor success.
9. Undertaken Carbon Footprint Audits across the group.10. Embarked on an emissions offsetting & reduction program with a view to achieving net zero
by 2032.
Auditing:
We are:
11. Using a recognised audit organisation capable of assessing our global operations including
fixed office locations and remote worker locations.
12. Allocating a budget appropriate for the work to be undertaken.
13. Undertaking annual audits.
14. Reporting the results of the audit work to both internal & external stakeholders.
15. Annually setting and implementing carbon offsetting programs.
Budget:
The company have agreed to allocate an annual budget.
The budget supports the costs of:
16. Carbon Footprint audit and baseline reporting.
17. End of Financial Year status audit and reporting.
18. Environmentally friendly marketing support (sponsored marketing).
19. EcoVadis ESG ratings certification.