Sustainability and the role of the voluntary sector
06/05/2023
There is widespread acknowledgement of the size of the task ahead when it comes to delivering on sustainability.
One area requiring urgent attention is the reduction of carbon emissions, which is critical to the goal of achieving net zero by 2050. Net Zero means not adding to the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and is achieved by a combination of emission reduction and emission removal.. You can read more in our article Net zero: The reality for charities and not-for-profits. The UK has made progress in this area, however there is much work still to do. The UK’s greenhouse gas emissions fell by 3.4% in 2022 – partly thanks to milder weather which reduced heating demand – but a similar reduction every year will be needed to reach the 2050 net zero target.
More than just being ‘environmentally friendly’
While the environment is an important facet of sustainability, it is not the only one. Sustainability is also about people, institutions, workforces and communities.
Alix Bedford, Risk Proposition Manager, Zurich Municipal, says: “Sustainability, ultimately, is about ensuring that the way that you meet your current needs does not have a harmful impact on the future needs of people, communities and the planet.”
In a series of articles, Zurich will be providing insights into different areas of sustainability, drawing on our years of experience working closely with organisations across the voluntary sector. Sustainability themes to be covered include:
- Strategy and planning – how can organisations ensure their sustainability objectives are worthwhile, achievable, and understood and embraced across the organisation?
- Finance – helping organisations to better understand how to make sustainable financial choices in order to meet their present and future obligations
- Legal – access to legal advice and support is critical in order for organisations to ensure the security and sustainability of their services
- People – organisations cannot operate sustainably without their people; building workforce sustainability can help improve organisational resilience
- Physical environment – the voluntary sector is awash with inspiring examples of organisations working, often collaboratively, to improve their impact on their physical environment
- Technology – technology can be a key enabler of sustainability initiatives, but organisations need to have a clear understanding of when, where and how to deploy technology.
Each of these articles will include case studies, tips and tools to help organisations better understand the challenges and to provide practical suggestions on how best to manage them.
Becoming more sustainable doesn’t need to feel overwhelming
Organisations can sometimes find it difficult to fully understand or define their role in supporting wider sustainability objectives. The UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, for example, are intended for everyone, from policymakers to businesses and civil society. These goals address a broad range of sustainability objectives to be achieved by 2030 – from eradicating poverty and providing inclusive education for all, to delivering clean water and clean energy supplies. However, for many organisations in the voluntary sector, the scale and scope of these broad, global objectives can leave them feeling overwhelmed.
Alix says: “It’s important for organisations to work out what areas of sustainability they can impact positively, in their context, and to plan and act accordingly.”
The sustainability themes to be covered in this upcoming series of articles have been chosen because they will have relevance to all voluntary organisations, regardless of their size or the nature of their services.
Helping the voluntary sector to become more sustainable reflects Zurich’s stated ambition to become one of the most responsible and impactful businesses in the world.
Alix adds: “Zurich takes sustainability seriously. It’s part of our DNA, but we also know our customers care about it too. This article series is designed to bring together some of the knowledge and learnings we’ve gathered from speaking to our customers, including best practice examples, in order to support organisations on their journey towards becoming more sustainable.”
Read the series in full
Download our free guide to read all the articles in one place.
