Sustainability Policy

Oriel Square recognises that businesses can have a negative impact on the environment. One of our ten company values is “We are mindful of our impact on the environment and endeavour to minimise the impact of our operations on our surroundings.” We are committed to, and enjoy, finding ways in which we can reduce the impact of our work both in the office and away from it. 

We are in agreement with the aims of the Publishing Declares statement on sustainability.

Oriel Square is committed to achieving Net Zero emissions as fast as possible and certainly by 2050.

What we’ve done historically 

Our 4-day working week has been in place since 2017. This means the staff carbon costs associated with their energy at home and commuting are reduced. We have no company vehicles and no plans to have any. Our city centre office is close to public transport links with limited parking so both colleagues and visiting clients and suppliers are encouraged to travel in more carbon-efficient ways. Our pension provider offers an ethical investment fund and we bank with an ethical bank. 

Completed actions

• Signed the Publishing Declares Climate Action Pledge. 
• Reviewed timings of heating our office to minimise use.
• Implemented a cycle-to-work scheme, which has been used by several staff.
• Choosing a city-centre office close to public transport links with limited parking so both colleagues and visiting clients are encouraged to travel in more carbon-efficient ways. 
• Considering whether meetings can be held virtually rather than face to face.
• Given a colleague responsibility for carbon reduction and supported them being certified Carbon Literate.
• Preferring second-hand/vintage furniture over new when furnishing the office.
• Preferring to use local/small suppliers rather than less ethical corporations.
• Running our business 99.9% paperless.
• Using a pension provider with an ethical investment fund, NEST (decision predates the baseline).
• Separating our waste for recycling, including food waste, and encouraging the team to recycle.
• Providing a lunch area with a microwave, fridge, kettle and toaster to encourage home-made lunches.
• Setting a hybrid working pattern where the majority of colleagues work for 2 days in the office and 2 days from home, reducing commuting time.
• Encouraging colleagues to add holiday to the start or end of business trips to maximise the carbon cost of their travel.
• Using an ethical bank, Cooperative (predates the baseline).
• Introducing a book swap system and sharing second-hand books for Christmas.
• Creating a sustainability policy to encourage carbon reducing behaviours.
• Engage with our office landlord to identify ways that they can improve building efficiency and reduce the building’s carbon footprint.
• Reviewing our remote worker policy to encourage more carbon-efficient travel.

Future actions 

• Reviewing other sustainability compacts in our industry and consider signing up.
• Moving our offices to a shared space at Makespace Oxford – a coalition of local community groups and enterprises with the ambition to transform declining town centres into places owned and managed by the people that live there, building community wealth, climate resilience and fostering cultures of care and connection.