Our energy use

Details of the Intellectual Property Office’s energy use in all our buildings and our work to reduce waste.

Section 6 Biodiversity and Ecosystem Resilience duty of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016

Biodiversity Report (PDF, 1.14 MB, 24 pages)

Our Environmental Policy

The Intellectual Property Office recognises that our activities and services can have a positive and negative impact on the local and global environment. Our environmental policy addresses the impacts that we can control or influence to protect the environment. We are committed to continual improvement and sustainable development.

We aspire to reduce the impact on the natural environment from our operations and to maximise and enhance environmental improvement. To prevent pollution and minimise environmental impacts we shall:

  • embark on a carbon net zero journey and set a target for when the IPO can become carbon neutral

  • work to eliminate landfill waste by following the waste hierarchy to refuse, reduce, re-use and recycle

  • purchase in an environmentally responsible manner

  • consider the impact on the environment in any activities we undertake underpinning the ambition of being the best IP Office with shared values and behaviours

  • reduce the impact of travel both domestically, internationally and from commuting

  • enhance and protect biodiversity and ecosystems on our estate

  • reduce our use of finite resources

  • educate, train and motivate employees to carry out tasks in an environmentally responsible manner; encourage all employees to reduce the environmental impacts associated with their work and encourage them to become carbon literate

  • continue to promote and encourage the office’s involvement in sustainable local initiatives through our corporate social responsibility program for the benefit of local communities and our staff

  • comply with all relevant compliance obligations and requirements

  • commit appropriate resources and give managers enough responsibility to implement this policy

  • manage our environmental impacts through an environmental management system (EMS) certified to the international standard ISO 14001:2015. The scope of the IPO EMS covers our operations at Concept House and our archive facility at Nine Mile Point

  • set and achieve environmental objectives and targets and continually assess and improve the effectiveness of our environmental management system

  • ensure early identification of environmental impact during change processes and project management setting a clear long-term direction with flexibility to adapt to new ways of working

  • provide a healthy, flexible, and sustainable environment for our people to work in

  • work with key stakeholders, including UK and Welsh governments, on environmental initiatives for our mutual benefit

  • make this policy available to all staff and interested parties via governmental approved media and review it on an annual basis

Adam Williams
Chief Executive
14 June 2023