We are also aware of the impact of our own operations as an organisation. We're committed to meeting our objectives in a sustainable way: minimising our impact on the environment; acting in a positive way in our dealings with our staff, customers and suppliers; and maximising our contribution to the wider community.

This commitment is consistent with our values. They are:

• Visionary - We aim to be innovative and imaginative in the ways we engage our staff and external stakeholders in implementing sustainability activities.
• United - We recognise that good practice in sustainability depends on integration across the Met Office and the participation of all staff, as well as engaging effectively with external stakeholders.
• Drive - We're dedicated to embedding sustainability in everything we do as an organisation and ensuring there is effective governance in place to enable this.
• Integrity - We believe that operating in a sustainable way should be 'business as usual' for all organisations and act with integrity across all our operations, activities and business relationships.
• Clear - We aim to be clear in how we communicate our work on sustainability and demonstrate the benefits we achieve.
• Inspiring - We aim to inspire others by presenting our work on sustainability in a unique, relevant and interesting way.

As part of our commitment we will ensure that environmental and social impacts are considered in our strategic decision-making across the organisation. We'll also endeavour, where possible and practicable, to measure and benchmark our performance.

Principles

Reducing our impact on the environment

We are committed to acting in an environmentally responsible manner, ensuring that our impacts are identified and managed effectively. We're also committed to encouraging continued improvement in our environmental performance, while meeting increasing demands for weather and climate information.

We'll do this by:

• Encouraging environmental awareness among those working for, or on behalf of, the Met Office through effective training and communication.
• Promoting the effective use of resources through recycling and the reuse of materials.
• Encouraging biodiversity on our estate with sympathetic landscaping, environmental consideration in the use of pesticides and encouraging native wildflowers and wildlife to establish.
• Committing to continual improvement through minimising the environmental impacts associated with all activities, products and services of the business. This includes carbon emissions, waste and pollution. We have implemented a comprehensive Sustainable Purchasing policy.
• Adopting environmental best practice relevant to our business, including complying with applicable environmental legislation and other requirements.

Making a positive impact on our community

We strive to have a positive impact on society and the communities in which we work.

We'll do this by:

• Taking a proactive approach to community investment and engagement - local, national and global - focusing on activities that encourage both social and business benefits.
• Encouraging employee involvement in appropriate community programmes and socially responsible activities.
• Working in collaboration with other organisations to share best practice and engage in partnerships and activity to address community needs.
• Working to help develop a greater understanding of, and involvement in, science and meteorology.
• Where possible, nurturing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and local suppliers and encouraging them to tender for Met Office contracts.

Encouraging positive business relationships in the marketplace

We are committed to operating ethically and with integrity across our business relationships and in everything we do.

To continue to meet this commitment we will:

• Ensure that all of our activity is open, transparent and fair in line with our commitment to the Information Fair Trader Scheme and that we comply with Government regulation.
• Endeavour to effectively understand and meet the needs of our customers, delivering customer satisfaction and responding to customer feedback.
• Respect our customers and treat them honestly and with integrity. We will give full information about our products and services and honour our promises. We'll respond effectively to complaints.
• Respect and protect customer information in line with the Data Protection Act and respond effectively to requests in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act.

Specifically, in terms of our relationship with our suppliers, we will:

• Aim to employ best practice sustainable procurement as outlined in our Procurement Strategy, including working in line with the Sustainable Procurement Task Force, National Action Plan and Flexible Framework.
• Act fairly and reasonably in our dealings with our suppliers and potential suppliers.
• Aim to purchase goods and services from suppliers that operate sound environmental policies; and, whose national and internal practices are ethically robust (including a commitment to equality of opportunities for their workforce and their customers) and, where practical, sustainable.
• Secure fair employment terms and conditions for employees delivering outsourced services.
• Where possible, work with key suppliers to bring about changes and help spread sustainability improvements through the supply chain.

Creating a positive workplace for our staff

We aim to be recognised as a responsible employer to both current and potential employees, investing in our staff and creating an environment in which they can realise their full potential.

To continue to meet this commitment we will:

• Be committed to working towards a diverse organisation in line with our Diversity Policy.
• Ensure that we actively manage our Health, Safety and Well-being policies, recognising the benefits to the business and our workforce.
• Ensure effective welfare systems are in place to support our employees.
• Respect the balance between life and work.
• Recognise and reward the work that employees do and the demonstrated added value that they bring to the organisation.
• Effectively support life-long learning and be committed to working with employees to develop new skills and competencies that are relevant to their job and career aspirations.
• Ensure transparent, accountable and honest communications to staff and that staff are consulted and effectively involved in decision-making as appropriate.
• Provide a good working environment for our staff and support social and recreational activities.
• Promote and encourage best practice in people management, working in partnership with other organisations and networks where appropriate.

Our stakeholders

In the interests of our stakeholders we will conduct our activities efficiently, effectively, ethically and profitably, demonstrating prudence with financial resources and providing value for money.

Rob Varley
Operations and Services Director and Sustainability Committee Chair,

November 2011