PrintUseful Links and Resources
Government
Sustainability accounting and reporting
Procurement
Investment
Other sustainability resources
Audit Commission
Includes information and case studies on sustainability topics including: reducing CO2 emissions, renewable energy, sustainable procurement and sustainable communities.
www.audit-commission.gov.uk/Pages/default.aspx
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
Hosts the sustainable development in government website (see below) as well as being a source of other relevant information including food sustainability.
www.defra.gov.uk
Department of energy and climate change
Deals with energy policy and climate change, including information on the low carbon transition plan
www.decc.gov.uk/default.aspx
DirectGov
Includes section on environment and greener living
www.direct.gov.uk/en/Environmentandgreenerliving/index.htm
Environment Agency
Information on environmental infrastructure, waste, water and climate change. The Environment Agency is the administrator of the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/default.aspx
National Audit Office
Recent reports have examined the Government’s efforts to reduce household energy consumption and programmes to encourage the move to a low carbon economy
www.nao.org.uk/our_work_by_sector/environment,_sustainability.aspx
Office of Government Commerce
Website includes information on green procurement and on the Sustainable Operations on the Government Estate (SOGE) targets
www.ogc.gov.uk/cesp.asp
Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, Northern Ireland – Sustainable Development
Includes Sustainable development strategy for Northern Ireland and useful links
www.ofmdfmni.gov.uk/index/economic-policy/economic-policy-sustainable-development.htm
Scottish Government – Sustainable Development
Information on policies, initiatives, measuring progress, funds, publications and more
www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/SustainableDevelopment
Sustainable Development Commission
The Government's independent watchdog on sustainable development
www.sd-commission.org.uk/
Sustainable development in government
UK Government website for sustainable development, hosted by DEFRA
www.defra.gov.uk/sustainable/government/
Welsh Assembly Government – Sustainable Development
These web pages provide information, help, support and guidance on the sustainability policies of the Welsh Assembly Government and how they are being delivered
wales.gov.uk/topics/sustainabledevelopment
SUSTAINABILITY ACCOUNTING AND REPORTING
Federation of European Accountants
Has produced policy statements and position papers on sustainability
www.fee.be
HMT Draft guidance: Sustainability reporting in the public sector (2009)
www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/09_07_frem_exposure_draft_hmt_draft_sustainability_reporting_guidance.pdf
IFAC Sustainability Framework
The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) has published a sustainability Framework. This is a web-based tool for accountants interested in how to integrate sustainability into their organisation’s objectives, strategies and management.
web.ifac.org/sustainability-framework/splash.
The Prince’s Accounting for Sustainability Project
Practical tools to enable environmental and social performance to be better integrated into organisations' core strategy and financial performance. Resources include the "Connected Reporting Framework" and the A4S Decision-Making tool.
www.accountingforsustainability.org/output/page1.asp
Examples of public sector sustainability reporting:
The Crown Estate: Sustainability performance report 2009
www.thecrownestate.co.uk/2009_sustainability_performance_report.pdf
Environment Agency: Annual report 2008/09 (including sustainability report in appendix)
publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/pdf/GEHO0709BQDL-e-e.pdf
Highways Agency annual report 2008/09 (including sustainability report in corporate social responsibility section)
www.highways.gov.uk/aboutus/documents/HA_Annual_Report_2008_09.pdf
West Sussex Council: Annual sustainability reports 2008 & 2007
www.westsussex.gov.uk/ccm/content/environment/sustainability/annual-sustainability-report-2007.en
Woking Borough Council: Annual sustainability report 2008/09
www.woking.gov.uk/environment/sustain
Procuring the future (Defra, 2006)
The Sustainable Procurement Task Force National Action Plan
www.defra.gov.uk/sustainable/government/publications/procurement-action-plan/index.htm
Procuring for health and sustainability 2012 (NHS PASA, 2007)
Sustainable procurement of equipment, supplies, buildings, facilities and services
www.pasa.nhs.uk/PASAWeb/NHSprocurement/Sustainabledevelopment/Procurement.htm
Local government sustainable procurement strategy (IDeA & LGA, 2007)
www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=5246448
Putting it into Practice (Defra, 2007)
Public sector food procurement initiative, providing advice for promoting healthy food and improving sustainability and efficiency
www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/policy/publicsectorfood/
Buy Green And Make A Difference (OGC, 2008)
How to address environmental issues in public procurement
www.ogc.gov.uk/documents/Environmental_Issues.pdf
Buy sustainable: Quick wins (Defra)
www.defra.gov.uk/sustainable/government/what/priority/consumption-production/quickWins/index.htm
Sustainable food – A guide for hospitals (Department of Health, 2009)
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_098881
Waste procurement guidance (NHS PASA)
www.pasa.nhs.uk/PASAWeb/NHSprocurement/Sustainabledevelopment/Wastemanagement/
Wasteprocurementguide.htm
Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) procurement guidance (NHS PASA)
www.pasa.nhs.uk/PASAWeb/NHSprocurement/Sustainabledevelopment/Wastemanagement/
Regulatorynews/WasteElectricalandElectronicEquipmentWEEEandROHS/WEEEProcurementGuidance.htm
Buying a better world: Sustainable public procurement (Forum for the Future, 2008)
www.forumforthefuture.org.uk/node/1408
Ethical Procurement for Health Guidance (NHS PASA, 2008)
www.pasa.nhs.uk/PASAWeb/NHSprocurement/Sustainabledevelopment/Ethicalprocurement
Ecolabelled Products and Services in the UK (DEFRA, 2008)
ecolabel.defra.gov.uk/pdfs/ecolabel_product_guide.pdf
Sustainable procurement cupboard
The website includes case studies, tools, primary documents, and contacts to deliver on multiple public sector targets
www.procurementcupboard.org
Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)
PRI provide a framework for considering sustainable development issues when making investment decisions or managing investment portfolios.
www.unpri.org/
UK Social Investment Forum (UKSIF)
www.uksif.org/uksif
The UK's membership network for socially responsible investment (SRI).
European Social Investment Forum (Eurosif)
eurosif.org/
A pan-European group whose mission is to address sustainability through financial markets. Their site includes a Pension Fund Toolkit to help trustees understand how to embed Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) into their fund portfolio.
Fair Pensions
Fair Pensions calls for responsible investment by UK pension funds. Their web-site includes a "Responsible Investment Best Practice Guide".
www.fairpensions.org.uk/index.htm
OTHER SUSTAINABILITY RESOURCES
Carbon Trust
Includes sector specific carbon saving advice and administers the Carbon Trust Standard
www.carbontrust.co.uk/Pages/Default.aspx
Energy Savings Trust
Advice and information on saving energy, conserving water and reducing waste
www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/business
Financing local futures
An online resource hosted by the sustainable development commission and designed to help those involved in local government financial decision-making. Supported by CIPFA, the LGA and the IDeA
www.sd-commission.org.uk/flf/flf_home.html
Forum for the future
An independent, non-profit organisation with a mission to promote sustainable development. Helping businesses and public service providers to manage the risks, find opportunities, and implement change.
www.forumforthefuture.org.uk
Homes and community academy (HACA)
The skills arm of the Homes and Community Agency. They provide resources on developing sustainable communities.
hcaacademy.co.uk/
Nottingham declaration on climate change
Includes climate change information and advice for English local authorities
www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/nottingham
Scotland’s climate change declaration
Includes links to local carbon management plans and reports
www.sustainable-scotland.net/climatechange
Waterwise
The leading authority on water efficiency in the UK
www.waterwise.org.uk/reducing_water_wastage_in_the_uk
Welsh climate change declaration
www.wlga.gov.uk/english/environment-regeneration/welsh-climate-change-declaration
WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme)
Works with local authorities, business and households to prevent waste, increase recycling and develop markets for recycled and sustainable products.
www.wrap.org.uk/wrap_corporate/about_wrap