Phoenix Mental Health Services LLP is committed to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and achieving carbon net zero by 2045. This strategy outlines our pathway to meet this goal, focusing on actionable reductions in emissions, energy efficiency, and the responsible use of carbon offsetting where necessary.
Baseline Emissions Profile
Our operations are confined to four rooms within an office building and involve the use of electronic patient records (EPR). This results in Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions:
- Scope 1: Direct Emissions from sources owned or controlled by Phoenix Mental Health Services LLP. As our organisation does not own or directly control any fuel-burning equipment, our Scope 1 emissions are minimal or non-existent.
- Scope 2: Indirect Emissions are from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating, or cooling. Our electricity supplier is Good Energy, a 100% renewable energy provider and Certified B Corp. Under the market-based reporting method, our emissions from purchased electricity are zero, as our supply comes from certified renewable sources. Our office is rented, and heating is managed by our landlord. We use Good Energy’s greener gas tariff, which has a reduced carbon footprint.
- Scope 3: Other Indirect Emissions are all other indirect emissions that occur due to your company’s activities but are not directly controlled by us. We do not undertake business travel by air, train, taxi, or employee-owned vehicles. Relating to employee emissions, our calculations are based on employee commuting frequency (days per week), round-trip distance per commuting day, fuel type used for commuting and UK Government emission factors for petrol (0.192 kg CO₂e/mile) and hybrid (0.109 kg CO₂e/mile) vehicles for a standard work year of 52 weeks. We are engaging with key suppliers to request carbon footprint data. If supplier-specific data is unavailable, we will use spend-based estimation methods to calculate emissions. As our waste disposal and recycling are managed by our landlord, these emissions are outside our direct reporting boundary. However, we will explore sustainable office waste reduction initiatives. We do not produce or distribute physical goods, so we have no emissions in this category.
Action Plan
- Reduce GHG emissions by 50% by 2035.
- Reduce carbon footprint by 10 percent a year for the next 10 years.
- Work towards 100% paperless office by 2035.
- Achieve net zero emissions by 2045 through a combination of reductions and carbon offsetting.
Reduction Targets
1. Energy Efficiency
Transition to 100% renewable electricity for the office by 2045. This will involve:
- Request the landlord to consider the installation of energy-efficient LED lighting in all rooms.
- Encourage building management to provide information about the appliances supplied for communal usage, including the fridge, microwave, upgrade insulation and implement a Building Management System (BMS) for optimised energy use.
- Request the zero net carbon strategy from the landlord, pharmacy, website developer, +office suppliers.
- Continue to use our provider (Good Energy), who are a B Corp.
2. Digital Infrastructure
- Request the website developer to provide information about green green web hosting provider for EPR data storage by 2030.
- Conduct an annual digital audit to identify and reduce unnecessary data storage.
- Encourage staff to use energy-efficient devices and activate power-saving settings on computers and peripherals.
3. Employee Practices
- Support remote working for clinicians when possible to reduce commuting emissions by 30% by 2028.
- Encourage the use of public transport, cycling, or carpooling for in-office days. This is done through the provision of information on travel directions to the office at the time of starting employment.
- Provide staff with guidelines on reducing energy use at home while working remotely. They will be provided with a digital copy of a calculator to determine their personal carbon footprint. ( https://offset.climateneutralnow.org/footprintcalc)
- Increase the use of remote or virtual appointments with patients, reducing travel emissions for both staff and service users.
4. Electronic Communication
- Use electronic communication systems to interact with patients, referrers, and statutory services, significantly reducing the carbon footprint associated with physical mail or in-person meetings.
- Enhance the use of secure online portals and email for efficient information exchange.
5. Waste Reduction
- Implement a paperless policy by 2035, leveraging electronic systems for all communications and records.
- Develop and execute a comprehensive strategy to become a 100% paperless office by 2035. This includes:
- Transitioning to fully digital patient records and eliminating all paper-based forms.
- Encouraging e-signatures for contracts and agreements.
- Providing staff training and resources to facilitate digital workflows.
- Partnering with vendors and suppliers to shift to digital invoicing and receipts.
- Regularly monitoring paper use and identifying areas for further reduction.
- Work with building management to ensure proper recycling facilities are available and used.
6. Procurement
- Engage with sustainable suppliers for office supplies and services.
- We have asked all our current providers to create net zero policies for us to keep on record. This will a task monitored by our ADHD Service Manager.
- Procurement policies prioritising products with lower carbon footprints (e.g., recycled paper, energy-efficient devices). Current policies will be systematically reviewed by 2028.
7. Pharmacy Services
- Promote home delivery services for prescriptions to minimise travel emissions by patients.
- Partner with eco-friendly delivery providers to ensure sustainable last-mile delivery practices. Zero carbon policy is regularly being provided.
8. Carbon Offsetting
- Purchase verified carbon credits to offset residual emissions annually starting in 2030.
- https://offset.climateneutralnow.org/ is one of the platforms which is being used to offset carbon output.
- Each year, a list of purchased credits will be added to the Phoenix MHS carbon credit database. Offsets such as reforestation projects or renewable energy initiatives through Gold Standard or Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) programs will be given priority.
Monitoring and Reporting
- Conduct GHG emissions audit every 2 years through the use of the United nations platform.
- Publish a yearly Carbon Reduction Report, highlighting achievements, challenges, and next steps.
- Engage employees in sustainability initiatives by providing regular updates and training.
Long-Term Vision
By focusing on emissions reductions, energy efficiency, sustainable procurement, and responsible offsetting, Phoenix Mental Health Services will contribute to a healthier environment while maintaining high-quality mental health services. Our strategy reflects our commitment to environmental responsibility and aligns with the UK’s 2050 net zero goal.