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schools, whether for buildings or specific educational initiatives,’ he says. ‘What’s more, LED installations improve the quality of light in classrooms, making it easier for children to work and study. ‘Sustainability and protecting the
planet is a big part of our ethos and we teach this to our children every day. It’s been good to work with another trust with similar values. Just imagine how much impact we could have if more funding were available for other carbon- cutting measures.’ Much of the funding for the
programme has come from the England Salix Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme, with additional capital investment from the Trusts and an estimated payback period of six years. According to Nick Hurn OBE, CEO at BWCET, the amount of carbon both trusts will save each year equates to the electricity consumed by all households in Sunderland for almost seven years. ‘While teaching our children to think carefully about the impact their actions may have on the environment, it’s important we, as education trusts, proactively drive sustainable efforts too. ‘It’s been great to partner with
Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, working to help improve energy efficiency across our schools. The amount of money it will save in the long term is astonishing. By acting now, we can lower costs which can be put back into our schools, to support our continued efforts in the provision of a high quality, inclusive and diverse education.’
procurement Our tips for
sustainable
1. DEVELOP PROCUREMENT EXPERTISE Train or employ someone to coordinate everything centrally.
2. PLAN AHEAD Could you gain from economies of scale by bundling together purchases from the same supplier to cut delivery costs and mileage? Are there any alternative solutions to buying things, such as sharing equipment with another school?
3. BUY GREEN Look at the options for recycled paper and stationery, eco-friendly cleaning products, energy-efficient machinery and kitchen equipment, fuel-efficient vehicles and water-saving equipment.
4. ALTERNATIVES TO BUYING Are there spares that can be borrowed from within your school or from another school? Before buying new stock, consider holding stationery amnesties or scavenger hunts to collect in unused and forgotten-about supplies from the back of cupboards or drawers.
5. LOOK AT THE IMPACT Focus on areas with the greatest potential impact on cost savings and waste reduction over time, namely energy, water, ICT and furniture.
6. SUSTAINABLE PAPER USE More than half the waste produced by
38 SPRING 2022 FundEd
schools is paper or card, but simple actions can make a difference. If all schools bought recycled stationery, only printed when necessary and recycled all waste paper, the DfE estimates this would lead to a 7% cut in procurement-related emissions.
7. BUY FOOD LOCALLY
AND SEASONALLY On average, food accounts for 22% of a school’s procurement carbon footprint so reducing food miles and buying fresh produce in season can have a big impact.
8. WORK COLLABORATIVELY Improve your buying power by working with other schools to source sustainable goods and services collectively so you can get the best price for goods with high standards of environmental, social and ethical performance. This can also help with obtaining regular and reliable equipment servicing contracts that will avoid wastage in the longer term.
9. GET IT IN WRITING Understand your contracts and make sure you’re getting what you paid for.
10. SHARE BEST PRACTICE If you’ve done a good sustainable deal or found a reliable supplier, then let other schools know. Ask other schools about their experiences of sustainable products and deals.
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