In all areas of our work, Women’s Health Concern is conscious of its duty in setting a sound example in furtherance of the CSR policies directed by the board of trustees of the charity.

Environment

Women’s Health Concern’s environmental policy is as follows.

  • We encourage environmental responsibility amongst our stakeholders, including sponsors, donors, volunteers, clients, contractors and suppliers
  • We conduct our operations in a way which minimises our consumption of natural resources and manages waste through responsible disposal and the reuse and recycling of materials where economically feasible
  • We comply with all legal requirements
  • We include environmental considerations in our purchasing and procurement processes
  • We regularly review our progress in relation to this policy

Environmental Action Plan:

Waste management
  • We arrange for waste paper to be recycled
  • We arrange for printer cartridges to be recycled
Transport and travel
  • Where possible we use public transport in preference to personally owned cars
  • We minimise the use of air travel
Raw materials and supplies
  • We ask key suppliers to provide copies of their environmental policies
  • Where possible, we use recycled or environmentally friendly paper in our printers
  • We invite staff to reduce unnecessary paper usage – where appropriate including double-sided printing, and photo-reduction
  • We encourage the suppliers of our serviced offices to adopt environmentally friendly policies and practices
Energy usage
  • We minimise our use of electricity, by ensuring appliances are turned off when not in use
Volunteer involvement and contribution
  • We adopt an inclusive approach to our environmental practice, inviting volunteer suggestions, comments, and actions
Customers and external influence
  • Through our programmes, we take steps to encourage our clients and supporters to adopt positive environmental policies
Regular policy review
  • We review our policy and practice quarterly, at senior management level

Charitable

Women’s Health Concern encourages its staff to take two working days each year to undertake voluntary/charitable work. This is endorsed by the board of trustees and monitored by the chief executive.

Women’s Health Concern allows its staff to take reasonable time off to act as Board Members (or similar) for charitable/not-for-profit organisations.

It is not appropriate for Women’s Health Concern, as a registered charity, to make financial donations to other charitable causes, except in pursuit of our own charitable objects.

Where appropriate, Women’s Health Concern makes information available to staff about methods of tax-effective giving to charities.

Community Involvement

We work within our local communities and encourage our volunteers to participate in relevant schemes.

We encourage staff to take up Board/Advisory positions with local charities and third sector organisations.

Volunteers

In all areas of work Women’s Health Concern, as the patient arm of the British Menopause Society, is heavily reliant on volunteers.

Board of trustees

The Board is updated twice-yearly on corporate and social responsibility issues.

Reviewed March 2017