Environmental Policy

Our Commitment to the Environment

At 1 Wimpole Street we realise our actions have an impact on the environment around us. We regard sustainability and tackling climate change as key strategic issues for us, and for the U.K. We are therefore committed to the implementation of an effective environmental system that will not only reduce the impact of our activities on the environment but also increase our efficiency and effectiveness.

We Fulfil This Mission By A Commitment To:

• Understanding environmental issues and sharing this information with our team
• Developing innovative and flexible solutions to bring about change
• Sourcing products and services that are produced and distributed in a responsible fashion
• Recognising that managed social responsibility is essential to our future
• Monitoring and measurement of our progress for each project
• Encouraging all our suppliers and partners to share in our mission

Thoughtful & Considerate Staff

1 Wimpole Street recognises the responsibility our staff have in contributing to good environmental management. We will seek to harness and channel the enthusiasm and interest shown by our employees and provide the appropriate training and support to ensure all staff exercise their environmental responsibility.

Responsible Suppliers & Partners

1 Wimpole Street will promote and encourage good environmental practice to its business partners. We will seek to do business with those who share our vision, encouraging a shared responsibility in preserving the natural spaces that sustain our planet.

The provenance of our food ingredients means a great deal to us. Of course, we want them to be the finest and freshest available, but we also want to know that they are from suppliers with integrity.

That’s why we source fish from suppliers dedicated to promoting sustainability and minimising food miles. The butchers we use can trace every link in their supply chain back to the farm. Our cheese comes from artisan makers in the UK who are passionate about their craft. Wherever possible, our chefs use fruit and vegetables from British growers. And all our hot beverages are supplied by importers who are as committed to the welfare of the growers as they are to the quality of the product.

We Recycle

• Paper
• Glass
• Cardboard
• Cooking oil
• Plastic
• Cans
• Batteries
• Printer cartridges
• Electrical equipment
• IT equipment

Steps We Take To Reduce Our Environmental Footprint

• Manage our venue’s energy consumption by turning off unnecessary light and climate control to our rooms through a computerised Building Management System (BMS)
• Procure electricity from 100% renewable energy sources, wind, biomass and solar
• Reduce electrical load on aircon chilling plant by using fresh air only when weather below 19 degrees and not using any re-circulation function
• Use low energy light bulbs wherever possible
• All waste food from production waste, such as vegetable trimmings combined with food waste post service is sent to Veolia UK | Leeming Biogas gas-to-grid anaerobic digestion
• Buy from small independent suppliers, and have seasonal produce tailored to our conference menus
• Minimise cardboard packaging on deliveries where possible, e.g. our vegetable supplier uses returnable crates
• Have an on-site water purification system which has saved annually an estimated 92,000 1 litre glass bottles from being transported and saving an estimated 7,200 tonnes of carbon emissions
• Signed up to the mia’s #20PercentLess pledge in our commitment against single-use plastic
• Use environmentally friendly cleaning products
• Use electronic documentation and files where possible to limit paper consumption
• Meeting room notepads are made from FSC-certified paper
• Promote the use of hybrid events to reach domestic and overseas delegates, in order to reduce their carbon footprint
• Encourage the streaming of events so fringe delegates can access the conference at a time that suits them
• Encourage the use of video conferencing in all meetings allowing potential overseas attendees to reduce their carbon footprint by accessing the event remotely
• Encourage bedroom guests to reuse towels, and reduce linen usage during their stay which in turn uses less water and detergent
• Have aerators on taps and showers in the bedrooms to reduce water usage

What We Don’t do

• Use air freight transport where possible, allowing us to limit “food miles”.
• Use disposable or non-recyclable packaging.
• Use aerosols as all our cleaning materials are held within reusable containers.
• Believe the Event industry should be wasteful.