Internal (Staff and Faculty)
We have always worked from home, reducing the need for daily commuter travel and this will continue to be our policy. When staff attend our in-person training events or face to face meetings, we will use public transport where possible.
If a number of people are travelling to the same destination by car, it is our policy to carpool. However, if the journey is longer than 240km (150 miles), public transport should be used.
Wherever possible we will use local instructors for a face-to-face course but, where that is not possible, we recognize that flights are very likely for international travel. If flights are inevitable, we can still limit the carbon emissions by considering the local transportation issues. For example, when commuting from the airport we encourage our staff and faculty to use public transport, and we will ensure our venues are close to public transport links. Where possible, we will ask our hotels (course venues) to recommend cab companies with electric vehicles.
Health and wellbeing is also a consideration when travelling and we understand that there can be circumstances that warrant a less environmentally-friendly choice if health, wellbeing and safety are significantly impacted.
Clients
If flights are inevitable, we can still limit the carbon emissions by considering the local transportation issues. For example, when commuting from the airport we encourage our clients to use public transport, and we will ensure our venues are close to public transport links. Where possible, we will ask our hotels (course venues) to recommend cab companies with electric vehicles.
In cases where flights are unavoidable, we encourage delegates to combine their course with business meetings or a vacation to reduce the number of annual flights. Our choice and location of course venues take this motivation into account. Venues with family rooms, for example, would be more appealing to those combining with a vacation.
The IASeminars Virtual Course option offers an alternative without travel so is inherently more environmentally friendly.
We wish to reduce waste, reuse resources where possible, ensure any waste is recycled where possible and that resources are derived from recycled materials where possible.
Internal
We would like to phase out hard copies of materials from course entirely but accept that client satisfaction is at odds with this goal. So, while we will not currently mandate paperless courses, we intend to put a scheme in place that would encourage clients to go digital only. A client consultation will be conducted to determine the best way forward.
If hard copies of course materials have been requested by the client, recycled paper should be used.
For face-to-face courses, the quantity of printed materials provided should be regularly reviewed and reduced where possible. This activity has already greatly reduced the amount of printed materials provided in the last 3 years.
Virtual courses already provide their course materials digital only.
Venues
We will always ensure our events take place at hotels/facilities who have comprehensive and relevant sustainable policies and practices.
We will liaise with our course venues to ensure that food and beverage supplies are locally sourced, reducing food miles. Our suppliers should have policies to ensure minimal food wastage. There will be no plastic water bottles used.
In the course venues, we will aim to eliminate single-use plastics. There will be no procurement of corporate plastic gifts. Any merchandise used will be sustainably sourced. Any such items already purchased should be used until current stocks are exhausted – it would be wasteful and irresponsible not to use them at all.
Work documents
Staff should only print out documents where required. In those circumstances, print double sided using recycled paper.
Where work-related documents are being disposed of, they should go to recycling or composting after being shredded.
Work computers / equipment
If a work computer (or other equipment) is no longer needed by IASeminars then
- If it is still in reasonable working order, donate it to a family member or charity to ensure its continued use, taking all necessary security precautions.
- If the equipment is too old or broken to be used by others, dispose of responsibly ensuring, where possible, that parts of the equipment can be reused or repurposed. Many companies and / or councils offer this service.
Energy usage
Home working means we have no offices and any energy consumption usually associated with that, but staff should be mindful of their energy usage at home. Most specifically, trying to limit energy usage to the one room rather all through the house when working.