Our sustainability strategy

In 2018, we began to consider how business activities impacted on society and the environment; establishing a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Policy and a CSR working group comprised of staff who ensured CSR issues were a key focus for us.

The group worked on actions based around our facilities such as improving and promoting recycling, energy efficiency initiatives, using solar energy in our Bristol office and procuring more sustainable office supplies.

In 2020, we committed to net zero emissions by 2040. Our first CSR strategy was released, and an environmental policy was introduced; supported by the launch of projects such as a cycle to work scheme and an initial calculation of the carbon baseline for mandatory Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) requirements.

In 2022, two dedicated sustainability staff were recruited into the governance team to drive sustainability and net zero GHG emissions forward as core business priorities. In 2023 we launched our net zero roadmap, setting out our approach to reducing emissions and committing to verifying data to ISO14064 standard; and committed to measuring impact across the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

We’ve continued to integrate sustainability into our advice and support work for the sector and an additional member of staff was recruited into the advice team with responsibility for delivering our vision for sustainable change workshops and establishing the digital sustainability working group. We’ve been reporting against the streamlined energy and carbon report since 2020 and published our first annual sustainability report in 2023.

Reflecting on the journey so far it is evident our understanding of sustainability and impacts has developed. Moving onto the next phase of the journey our new sustainability strategy takes a more holistic view, encompassing our member facing activity and impacts areas such as climate action, wellbeing, diversity and inclusion, governance and ethics, and collaboration. This sustainability strategy builds on the progress made over the past six years and sets a clear direction for the next three years.

• Focus: We will provide sustainable, state of the art network connectivity by reducing operational GHG emissions and building resilience into our network communication infrastructure
• Enabler: Utilising partners to provide key services, we will enhance our ability to deliver and support the connectivity we currently provide and review how we deliver/support in the future to minimise climate impact

• Focus: To maintain and enhance Jisc’s cyber security leadership position in the sector, protecting Jisc and supporting our customers to effectively defend themselves from malicious cyber activity; protecting operations, leading research and thought leadership
• Enabler: We will implement a software and hardware asset management solution to allow us to manage our assets effectively and protect members/customers intellectual property. We will continue to bridge the gaps in our certification

• Focus: As a data mature organisation, we will ensure our data is well-governed and actively managed to ensure that we reduce all unnecessary storage. All required data will be classified and stored in the most sustainable place
• Enabler: We will be implementing a tiered data strategy to ensure that we are only storing essential data and that we have frameworks and policies in place to ensure staff are able to make the right choice

• Focus: We continually evolve key infrastructures, innovate, and develop new services to fulfil the needs of the research and education community in a sustainable way
• Enabler: To ensure the sustainability of our business and to meet the needs of our customers, we will grow and innovate

• Focus: We will ensure that our customers understand the impact of our products and services that we supply, either directly or through a third party. We will utilise the resources available to reduce impact where we can and ensure that we build sustainability into our design process
• Enabler: We will develop tools and guidance to calculate GHG emissions and facilitate products and services being low carbon in their design

• Focus: We commit to being ‘always inclusive’ in the development of digital tools, resources and collaborations that enable the delivery of quality education across the FHE and skills sector
• Enabler: We will establish better processes and foster a culture that considers accessibility early and often (accessibility-by-design) to improve our capability to produce accessible digital assets and comply with accessibility regulations

• Focus: We will collaborate with fellow GÉANT NREN’s to address and anticipate the needs of the research and education community by offering sustainable, open, innovative and trusted infrastructures and services; demonstrating international best practice
• Enabler: We will work with the GÉANT consortium to ensure that sustainability impact is considered in the delivery of the GN5 Framework Partnership Agreement projects and features in conference programmes.

• Focus: We will provide the infrastructure and products to collect estate and sustainability data that aligns to the needs of HE, FE, and research
• Enabler: We will work with AUDE/EAUC and Jisc funding bodies to ensure that existing reporting infrastructure meets our customer compliance requirements and fulfils our requirements as designated data body

• Focus: Recognising that our customers, and future customers, want a supply chain which is sustainable, and reflects their own sustainability ambitions, we will provide assurance through our systems, policies, contracts, governance and reporting
• Enabler: We will review the compliance and reporting requirements, associated with supply chain, of our customers across climate change, environmental management, modern slavery and social value

• Focus: Bringing thought leadership to life, and supporting delivery of national and international ambitions of the research and education community, we will actively participate in high impact conversations that drive innovation, foster knowledge acquisition and build relationships across key sustainability themes
• Enabler: We will increase staff knowledge and expertise, in sustainability matters related to digital, data and technology, to support the delivery of international ambitions, including working with fellow NRENs

• Focus: We will use our insight, gathered through data, analytics, and customer feedback to offer advice, guidance and inspiration to our customers and sectors on topics related to digital sustainability and associated key themes
• Enabler: We will produce tools and guidance, deliver events and facilitate shared learning relating to sustainability impact and emerging topics in data, digital and technology

• Focus: We will assess our climate related risks and opportunities. With this knowledge we aim to reduce the adverse impact, risks and vulnerabilities associated with climate change, as well as enhance adaptation action and support to ensure that we can offer a resilient service to our members/customers
• Enabler: We will assess our climate related risks and opportunities and deliver projects which move us towards net zero GHG emissions across scopes 1, 2 and 3

• Focus: We will measure, monitor and improve our environmental performance across key areas, ie natural resource consumption, waste, procurement, travel and biodiversity
• Enabler: Building on existing quality and information management systems and utilises existing processes we will ensure that we reduce the environmental impact of our business activities

• Focus: We will continue to support our customers by maximising value for money. We will hold our suppliers and vendors to the same high sustainability standards to which we will hold ourselves and ensure that our supply chain moves toward net zero
• Enabler: We will navigate procurement legislation to ensure that our supply chain delivers against our sustainability ambitions engaging with our top suppliers to assess their commitment to social value, human rights and net zero

• Focus: Taking an ESG approach to investment we will select investments which do not compromise our sustainability principles
• Enabler: We will ensure ESG, sustainability, and ethical exclusion policies, are in place for all underlying funds. We will work with our investment team to understand activity that underlying managers have undertaken on behalf of funds in which the company is invested, especially in terms of stewardship and ESG ratings

• Focus: We will manage sustainability through policies, strategies, processes, decisions, and behaviours to ensure that we fulfil charity commission requirements, and are aligned with the interests of our customers, value chains and community
• Enabler: Periodic reviews of our corporate governance guidelines and policies with respect to sustainability will be undertaken, and updates will be implemented as appropriate

• Focus: We understand the social value created through our day-to-day activities on the wellbeing of people and communities
• Enabler: Investing in local communities where we operate by encouraging employee volunteerism, philanthropy, and social impact investment

• Focus: We will mobilise, educate, and connect employees across the business in understanding and celebrating their identity differences, and their contributions to the workplace
• Enabler: We will design initiatives based on data-led evidence and to support consciously inclusive leaders to help their teams, ensuring exemplary practice throughout Jisc

• Focus: We are clear on our future skills needs and developing our talent to deliver now and in the future. Ensuring we have the right people in the right places working on the right things in the best ways (structures and ways of working)
• Enabler: Via the manager community and skills builder sessions, managers become even more skilled at managing high performing teams. We respond to the business need with a focus on supporting progression in critical areas. We are clear on our offer and support of career progression (internal first, careers workshops and events, skills framework, coaching/mentoring/shadowing)

• Focus: We continue to focus on providing an optimal employee experience and culture across the employee lifecycle from recruitment to retirement; including employee attraction and retention initiatives, benefit programs, and investment to support employee training, development, and growth
• Enabler: Ensure that staff understand key sustainability themes and have the skill and capability to embed them in their activities to meet new client needs and expectations
• Priority: We will identify key information that roles and individuals need to facilitate a change in behaviour and culture. We will map these needs, identifying where there is a Learning and development or communication/engagement requirement