You are here:
Home > About Us > Welcome to Yorkshire > Environmental and Social Policy
Environmental and Social Policy 2009
Welcome to Yorkshire is committed to minimising the negative environmental and social impact of its business activities and to continually improve its performance in these areas. We aim to communicate our environmental aims and objectives to all staff, as well as to our partners and other external stakeholders.
We will comply with all relevant environmental regulations and legislation. We will also work to deliver the following:
Supporting communities – We will seek to promote the local diversity and distinctiveness of Yorkshire and to foster a sense of community. We will continue to get involved in local projects like Yorkshire Water’s One
Million Green Fingers, for example.
Our staff - We recognise the responsibility and importance our staff have in contributing to our sustainability programme. We will raise awareness, encourage participation and provide training in environmental matters.
Employment and business – To work with industry to encourage a better skilled workforce and a shared sense of Yorkshire Pride, so that customer service exceeds visitor expectations.
Our visitors - We will seek to raise awareness and understanding of the positive and negative impacts of tourism on Yorkshire’s environment. Examples include promoting Yorkshire’s accessibility from London and the South East by direct rail links.
Access – To develop Yorkshire to be a fully accessible visitor destination, inviting to all.
Adopt best practice – To learn from others and to encourage our partners, service providers and suppliers to commit to improving environmental performance.
Travel – To monitor and reduce our contribution to carbon emissions from travel undertaken for business purposes.
Procurement – Welcome to Yorkshire will source and use goods and services that are environmental and socially responsible. For example, we will purchase office/printing paper with a minimum recycled content of 70% and 50% respectively; we will use local suppliers where appropriate and lawful.
Reduce – Reducing our resource use is common sense, saving money while caring for the environment. We will monitor and manage our use of resources including energy, water, materials and waste.
Reuse – To maximise the reuse of any materials purchased and used within the business.
Recycle – When we have finally done all we can to reduce and reuse, we will recycle paper along with cardboard, glass, plastic, CDs and cans. Our spent ink cartridges will be sent to RNIB for recycling.
As part of our commitment, we are members of the Green Tourism Business Scheme, an accreditation scheme which encourages tourism businesses to improve their performance across a wide range of social and environmental areas.
We will integrate the principles set out in this policy into our operational business and ensure it features in our decision making processes.
Welcome to Yorkshire has reviewed the environmental impact of its activities and has developed an action plan and begun a programme of ongoing monitoring. We will set improvement targets which will be reviewed quarterly, alongside the action plan. The targets will be reported annually.
Gary Verity, Chief Executive - Welcome to Yorkshire
Dated: August 2009