My role within the FSC entails bringing together all aspects of the FSC’s property into one coherent sustainability platform, inclusive:

• Raising standards of maintenance and maintenance teams (training / awareness) and equipment
• Sustainable plant and system upgrades
• Health, safety, compliance and comfort
• Visitor experience
• Sustainable renovation and development of FSC buildings and land
• Improving contractor, supplier and consultant inputs for cost and carbon efficiency (including energy supply)
• Woodland management, enhancing biodiversity, sequestering carbon and creating wood stocks for fuel supply
• Reducing energy, water, waste and other environmental emissions
• Maximising local opportunities, e.g. hydropower
• Making best use of financial resources and ensuring sustainable property investment
• Inspiring behavior change and education in an operational property setting
• Making land based improvements, such as enhancing food and educational facilities to support the FSC’s vision
• Ensuring listed and historic features are properly maintained and protected for future generations

What do you enjoy most about your work?

I enjoy being a part of something more, and playing a key role within an organisation that puts environmental care at the heart of what we do. Working with others who are passionate about the environment is the most enjoyable thing about my work.

How are your involved in making your organisation more sustainable?

Primarily, ensuring efficient use of resources across all of our buildings and land.

By making targeted energy, water and waste reduction investments we ultimately create capital, and deploy it in such a way to speed up the environmental improvement process. My role is largely about channeling resources in the most efficient way to benefit the environment and charity for the long term.  The role also includes maintaining and evolving buildings and land to be healthy, safe and fit for purpose, encompassing all other aspects of sustainability. I’m also responsible for educating FSC staff on environmental subjects, working within our Sustainability Coordinator Group, and obtaining environmental buy-in from all staff.

Can you tell us about a project/ projects that you are particularly proud of?

At the moment I’m especially proud of our carbon reduction platform. The FSC have invested a lot in renewable technology over the years, but we’re now becoming a lot more structured in the way we’re tackling change.

Energy data is now being used to monitor peaks and troughs, and this is informing our carbon reduction processes in a way we haven’t yet been able to benefit from.

Knowledge of our energy usage patterns is also adding a great deal to our sustainability platform, locating the buildings that need the highest focus, and establishing ways to alter our processes to become more resource efficient. Exciting times!

Which other organisations have you worked with through the Network and what have been the positive results?

I’ve worked with with Co-op Power, because we will soon be switching our energy supplies to a more sustainable platform and they have been helpful to guide us in the right direction. The results will be cheaper tariffs, and higher use of green electricity.

I’ve also been in touch with the RSPB, to share ideas and experience on LED lighting. The positive result has been that we’ve found a reputable installer and manufacturer with proven experience.

I’ve also recently offered a number of FFTF members an opportunity to gain experience of energy auditing and energy surveys by accompanying us at one of our centers.

What would be your future vision for the FSC in terms of sustainability?

Becoming completely off-grid, coupled with a number of community projects to create and share renewable energy.

I’d also like us to evolve our carbon management plan to consider water, waste, supply chain and food, plus woodland management to sequester and offset carbon. Ultimately, the plan will develop our processes so we become zero carbon.