Net Zero
Our Net Zero ambition
CIWM is committed to the resources and waste sector’s critical journey towards Net Zero and believes that effective waste prevention as part of a functioning circular economy will be essential to support the UK’s climate objectives.
Our strategy recognises the unique and wider role that we, as the sector’s leading professional body, can play in supporting the behaviours, skills and knowledge required to drive positive change across the whole gamut of actors involved in designing, producing, using and reusing products and resources, as we enable our industry to transition into one that embraces and supports circular business models, whilst recognising the crucial role that sustainable waste management practices will continue to play.
We believe that, by shepherding valuable resources back into the mainstream economy and fully embracing circular business models, our sector is uniquely placed to help deliver the changes society needs to mitigate climate change.
CIWM’s Net Zero Roadmap
Our Net Zero Roadmap includes a 2019 calculation of the organisation’s baseline carbon emissions. This provides a recent picture of emissions, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, that reflects a more typical level of activity. The baseline for CIWM and WAMITAB was set at 2,315 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide equivalent, with 95.8% of the emissions classified as Scope 3 (such as those associated with our investments and supply chains).
The roadmap also identifies the key areas to be addressed to decarbonise and reduce emissions across scopes 1, 2, and 3. This Net Zero Pathway includes reducing emissions from investments by 100%; decarbonising the delivery of events and training services, with 90% of training delivered online; and optimising business travel, cutting car journeys by 90% and utilising air travel only when unavoidable.
Our six steps towards Net Zero are:
- Reduce our reliance on print media and switch to online communication wherever possible.
- Decarbonise the delivery of our events and training services.
- Divest our investments away from fossil fuels towards carbon neutral investments.
- Engage with our supply chain to reduce emissions associated with all our business activities.
- Optimise our business travel and travel to events.
- Change our behaviour to improve energy efficiency and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels in our core business activities.
Our Net Zero Roadmap includes a 2019 calculation of the organisation’s baseline carbon emissions. This provides a recent picture of emissions, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, that reflects a more typical level of activity. The baseline for CIWM and WAMITAB was set at 2,315 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide equivalent, with 95.8% of the emissions classified as Scope 3 (such as those associated with our investments and supply chains).
The waste and resources sector plays a vital role in the UK’s transition to a net zero economy. CIWM continues to lead by example and support its members on their own journey to zero emissions.
Liz Parkes
CIWM is also a signatory to the Pledge to Net Zero and the Professional Bodies Climate Action Charter.