Environmental Sustainability Policy

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This policy in 60 seconds

• Who it is for: TTT staff, associates and suppliers.
• As an online provider, TTT cuts travel and paper by teaching, observing and certifying digitally where it can.
• Staff are expected to save energy, avoid printing and choose low-impact suppliers.
• Progress is reviewed each year and the policy is updated as practice improves.

The full policy below is the official version.

1. Purpose

This policy sets out TTT's environmental commitments as an online training provider and how those commitments are put into practice across delivery, operations, procurement and staff behaviour. It reflects TTT's commitment to reducing its environmental footprint, complying with UK environmental law and supporting the UK's transition to net zero.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• All TTT operations, including online course delivery, marketing, admissions, assessment and administration
• TTT staff, associates and contractors in their working activity
• TTT suppliers, to the extent their activity contributes to TTT's footprint
• Learners, to the extent that environmental choices are visible in the delivery model

3. Policy Statement

TTT is committed to the following principles and commitments.

1. 1TTT operates a digital-first, paper-light model by design, which gives the centre a structural advantage in reducing waste, travel and emissions.
2. 2TTT complies with all applicable UK environmental law, including the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011, the Environment Act 2021 and the Climate Change Act 2008.
3. 3Environmental considerations are part of every significant supplier and procurement decision.

4. Roles and Responsibilities

5. Practical Measures

5.1 Digital-first delivery

• Course content, assessment evidence, feedback, certificates and commercial documents are digital by default
• Physical certificates are provided only when requested and paid for, under the Course Terms and Conditions
• Live sessions are online wherever feasible, reducing travel emissions
• Cloud storage is used in preference to local or physical storage, reducing hardware replacement needs

5.2 Energy

• TTT uses cloud services whose providers report publicly on renewable energy use
• Devices are configured with power-saving defaults; displays sleep quickly
• Devices are kept in use as long as they remain secure and fit for purpose; replacement is justified by need, not fashion
• End-of-life devices are wiped and then recycled or donated through certified routes, in line with the Data Retention and Disposal Policy

5.3 Paper, print and consumables

• Printing is minimised; black-and-white, double-sided printing is the default when printing is unavoidable
• Paper used is recycled or FSC-certified where available
• Office consumables are reused, refilled or recycled wherever possible
• Internal documents are shared digitally; paper copies are the exception, not the rule

5.4 Travel

• Travel for TTT business is kept to what is genuinely needed; online alternatives are the default for meetings, assessments and EQA sampling where the Awarding Organisation permits
• Where travel is needed, lower-emission options are preferred: train over car, car-share over single-occupancy, non-UK air travel avoided wherever feasible
• Staff are supported to work remotely where the role allows, reducing commuting impact

5.5 Procurement

• Environmental performance is one of the factors in procurement decisions, alongside price, quality, data protection and security
• TTT favours suppliers that publish environmental information and have credible improvement plans
• Packaging and delivery choices are considered when ordering physical items; consolidation of orders is preferred to frequent small deliveries
• Resellers are asked at onboarding to acknowledge TTT's environmental expectations

5.6 Waste and recycling

• Waste is reduced at source; reuse is prioritised; recycling is used for what remains
• Confidential waste is handled under the Data Retention and Disposal Policy, using routes that support secure destruction and recycling

5.7 Digital footprint

• Large files are shared by link rather than duplicated across inboxes
• Video is used when it adds value, not as a default; audio-only sessions are an option where appropriate
• Email is used purposefully; Reply-All is avoided where it does not serve communication
• AI tools are used responsibly, balancing utility against their energy cost, consistent with the Artificial Intelligence Policy

6. Environmental Risks and Mitigation

TTT's most material environmental risks, in proportion to its size, are listed below with mitigations.

7. Annual Review

TTT sets a proportionate usage at each policy review, proportionate to its size. Typical areas include:

• Reducing paper use year-on-year
• Maintaining travel below a stated baseline
• Retaining devices in service for a set minimum period
• Preferring suppliers with published net-zero or renewable energy commitments for a stated share of annual spend

Proportionate usage evolves as TTT's operating model and capacity evolve.

8. Learner-Facing Commitments

• TTT's courses are delivered online by default; learners do not need to travel to access TTT services
• Course materials are digital; learners do not need to buy textbooks or print handouts unless they personally prefer to
• Certificates are digital by default; physical certificates are an optional paid extra, transparent in the Course Terms and Conditions
• Accessibility and environmental choices are balanced; where a learner requires a physical, printed or delivered alternative as a reasonable adjustment, that adjustment takes priority

9. Communications and Training

• This policy is communicated to staff and associates at induction and reviewed at the annual meeting
• Environmental awareness forms part of TTT's broader CPD under the CPD Policy, at the appropriate level for each role
• Suppliers and resellers are reminded of TTT's expectations at onboarding and at renewal

10. Monitoring and Review

This policy is reviewed annually by the Centre Manager as part of TTT's self-evaluation process. Interim reviews are triggered by significant changes in UK environmental law, a material change to TTT's operating model or credible external guidance that would require action. All outcomes are recorded in the Version History at Section 12.

11. Related Policies

This policy should be read alongside:

12. Version History

13. Approval

This policy has been reviewed and approved by the Centre Manager of TTT.