Olivia Cox, is a member of ICAEW’s Technical Strategy Department as a part of the sustainability team. She engages with members and business on how to improve their sustainability. A part of this role is to keep the UN’s Global Goals for Sustainable Development in mind at all times; these goals set a standard for which we should all aim to follow to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all. So how does One Moorgate Place fair in our sustainability goals?
Well, the global goals are divided into 17 digestible goals that we can apply to our businesses and daily lives to see where we stand with our commitment to sustainability. There are some obvious connections between the global goals and the facilities of One Moorgate Place including, Goal 2: Zero Hunger, and Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being. The provision of nourishing and good quality food to staff, members and external clients is essential for fuelling our working day and keeping our bodies and minds healthy.
It’s not just about the food, but what about what we carry it in? We have a zero landfill policy which means all food waste paper, computer software and furniture is recycled. We also try to minimise the amount of packaging we use and use biodegradable packing where possible. Meaning we are also combatting Goal 12: Responsible Production and Consumption and Goal 13: Climate Action.
What more could we be doing?
During the refurbishment of the building One Moorgate Place has been upgrading all of our cooking equipment, we are moving from gas cooking to induction to eliminate gas in the profess to continue to support Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy.
As with most establishments that serve food there’s a balance to be struck between providing plenty without wasting food, is there a way we can donate food or reduce our orders? This applies on an individual level as well as an organisation. We can also have an increased awareness of our usage of plastic water bottles, polystyrene and disposable cups. If you’re staying in why not just use a mug? Sustainability is all about making small changes to make a big difference.
