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Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility Policy · United Kingdom
Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility Policy
Our commitments to the environment, our people, and the communities and clients we serve.
Operator: Joel Gustafsson Consulting Limited Last updated: [DD/MM/2026] Version: 1.0
Our commitments in brief
Joel Gustafsson Consulting Limited (JGC, “we”, “us”, “our”) is an engineering consultancy. We are committed to running our business responsibly: reducing the environmental impact of our operations, designing for a low-carbon and resilient built environment, treating our people fairly and keeping them safe, and acting with honesty and integrity. This policy explains the principles we work to and how we put them into practice. It applies to everyone who works for or on behalf of JGC, and we review it at least once a year. Questions or feedback? Contact us at dan@jgcengineers.com or contact@jgcengineers.com.
Contents
01 About this policy
02 Our guiding principles
03 Environmental management & climate action
04 Sustainable design & responsible engineering
05 Resources, waste & the circular economy
06 Our people: equality, wellbeing & fair work
07 Ethical business conduct
08 Responsible supply chain & procurement
09 Community & social value
10 Governance, monitoring & reporting
11 Responsibility, review & contact
01 About this policy
JGC is a firm of consulting engineers. The work we do — advising on, analysing and designing buildings and infrastructure — has a direct influence on resource use, carbon emissions and the long-term performance of the built environment. We take that responsibility seriously, both in how we run the practice and in the advice we give our clients.
This policy sets out our approach to sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR). It applies to our directors, employees, consultants, contractors and anyone else acting for or on behalf of JGC. It should be read alongside our related policies, including our [Health & Safety Policy, Environmental Policy, Equality & Diversity Policy, Anti-Bribery & Anti-Corruption Policy, Modern Slavery Statement and Privacy Policy].
We comply with all applicable laws and regulations and, where it is practical to do so, aim to go beyond minimum legal requirements. The principal UK legal and policy framework relevant to this policy includes the following. Some obligations apply only above defined size or contract thresholds; we monitor our position and will comply as and when those thresholds apply to us.
Area
Principal UK framework
Directors’ duties
Companies Act 2006, s.172 (regard to community, environment and long-term consequences)
Climate & carbon
Climate Change Act 2008 (net zero by 2050); Streamlined Energy & Carbon Reporting (SECR) and ESOS where thresholds are met
Environment
Environment Act 2021; Environmental Protection Act 1990; Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011
People
Equality Act 2010; Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974; National Minimum Wage Act 1998
Ethics
Bribery Act 2010; Modern Slavery Act 2015; Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998
Social value
Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012
02 Our guiding principles
Our approach to sustainability and CSR is built on the following principles:
— Integrate sustainability and social responsibility into our day-to-day decisions, our project work and our long-term planning.
— Comply with relevant legislation and recognised standards, and seek to exceed them where we reasonably can.
— Measure, manage and reduce the carbon footprint and wider environmental impact of our operations.
— Champion low-carbon, resource-efficient and resilient solutions in the engineering advice we provide.
— Treat our people and everyone in our supply chain fairly, safely and with respect.
— Conduct our business honestly, transparently and free from bribery, corruption and exploitation.
— Engage openly with clients, colleagues and communities, and report on our progress.
— Pursue continual improvement, setting objectives and reviewing performance against them.
03 Environmental management & climate action
We are committed to understanding and reducing the environmental impact of how we operate — our offices, our energy use, business travel, IT and the waste we produce. We support the UK’s legally binding target, under the Climate Change Act 2008, of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and we have set our own goal of reaching [net zero across our operations by 20XX].
To get there we will measure our carbon footprint across Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, and the material parts of Scope 3, using the GHG Protocol as our basis. Where we bid for qualifying public sector contracts, we will maintain a Carbon Reduction Plan consistent with Procurement Policy Note 06/21. Our practical measures include:
— Improving the energy efficiency of our premises and equipment, and sourcing renewable electricity where we can.
— Reducing business travel, prioritising remote collaboration, and favouring rail and low-emission transport.
— Applying environmental criteria when we buy goods and services (see section 08).
— Minimising waste and maximising reuse and recycling (see section 05).
Our headline operational targets are summarised below and reviewed annually.
Objective
Target
Baseline / by
Operational net zero
[Net zero Scope 1 & 2]
[20XX]
Carbon intensity
[Reduce tCO₂e per FTE by X%]
[vs FY24 / by 20XX]
Renewable electricity
[100% certified renewable]
[by 20XX]
Waste to landfill
[Near-zero; recycle X%]
[by 20XX]
04 Sustainable design & responsible engineering
Our most significant opportunity to make a difference is through the projects we design. As engineers we shape how much material is used, how much carbon is embodied and emitted over a building’s life, and how well our work performs over time. We aim to make sustainability a default consideration in our technical work, not an afterthought.
In practice this means we will:
— Consider whole-life carbon — both embodied and operational — and advise clients on options that reduce it, in line with the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge and the RICS whole-life carbon methodology.
— Apply the principle of designing out waste: efficient structures, material reduction, reuse of existing assets and specification of lower-impact materials.
— Embed circular-economy thinking — durability, adaptability, disassembly and the reuse of components — wherever feasible.
— Design for energy efficiency and climate resilience, meeting or exceeding Building Regulations (including Part L) and recognised standards such as BREEAM where they apply.
— Give clients clear, honest advice on the sustainability implications and trade-offs of their options.
Our engineers maintain professional competence and act in accordance with the codes of conduct of their professional institutions, which place the safety and wellbeing of the public, and the interests of society and the environment, at the heart of professional practice.
05 Resources, waste & the circular economy
We manage waste responsibly and in line with our duty of care under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the waste hierarchy set out in the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 — prevent, reuse, recycle, recover, then dispose as a last resort. In our own operations we:
— Reduce consumption of paper, energy and water, and work digitally by default.
— Reuse and recycle office materials and consumables wherever possible.
— Dispose of electrical and electronic equipment responsibly under the WEEE Regulations 2013, favouring repair, donation or certified recycling.
— Use licensed, audited waste carriers and retain the required transfer documentation.
06 Our people: equality, wellbeing & fair work
Our people are central to everything we do. We are committed to providing a safe, inclusive and rewarding working environment.
— Equality and inclusion: we do not tolerate discrimination, harassment or victimisation, and we promote equal opportunity in recruitment, development and pay in line with the Equality Act 2010.
— Health, safety and wellbeing: we meet our duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, assess and control workplace risks, and actively support physical and mental wellbeing.
— Fair work: we pay at least the National Minimum / National Living Wage and aspire to the real Living Wage, and we invest in training, development and a healthy work-life balance.
— Transparency: where we meet the relevant headcount threshold (250 or more employees) we will publish gender pay gap information as required.
07 Ethical business conduct
We expect the highest standards of integrity from everyone connected with JGC.
— Anti-bribery and corruption: we operate a zero-tolerance approach to bribery and corruption and comply fully with the Bribery Act 2010.
— Modern slavery: we oppose slavery, servitude, forced labour and human trafficking in our business and supply chains, consistent with the Modern Slavery Act 2015. We will publish a slavery and human trafficking statement under section 54 if our turnover reaches the £36 million threshold, and we apply the same principles voluntarily below it.
— Whistleblowing: we encourage people to raise concerns and protect those who do so in good faith, in line with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.
— Fair dealing: we manage conflicts of interest, market our services honestly, compete fairly, and protect personal data in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
08 Responsible supply chain & procurement
We seek to work with suppliers and subconsultants who share our values. We embed environmental, social and ethical considerations into our procurement decisions, expect our key suppliers to uphold standards consistent with this policy, and assess them proportionately to the risk and value involved. Where it supports quality, value and social impact, we favour local businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises.
09 Community & social value
We want our work to deliver benefit beyond the projects themselves, reflecting the spirit of the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012. We aim to:
— Support the communities in which we work and the projects we contribute to.
— Encourage participation in STEM outreach and the development of the next generation of engineers.
— Contribute time, expertise or support to charitable and community initiatives.
— Create fair employment, training and apprenticeship opportunities where we can.
10 Governance, monitoring & reporting
Responsibility for this policy sits with the board of directors, consistent with their duties under section 172 of the Companies Act 2006. Day-to-day responsibility is delegated to [named director / sustainability lead]. We will set measurable objectives, monitor performance against them, provide appropriate training and resources, and report progress to our people and, where relevant, our clients and stakeholders. We are committed to continual improvement and will revise our objectives as our understanding and circumstances develop.
11 Responsibility, review & contact
This policy is reviewed at least annually and whenever there is a significant change in our business or the law. For material changes we will update the “Last updated” date above. If you have any questions, suggestions or concerns about this policy, please contact us:
— Owner: Joel Gustafsson Consulting Limited · Company registration number 12775594 (registered in England & Wales)
— Registered office: 12C King’s Parade, Cambridge, CB2 1SJ
— Email: dan@jgcengineers.com or contact@jgcengineers.com
— Policy contact: Daniel O’Neill · dan@jgcengineers.com