Corporate report

Climate change and sustainability strategy

Published 15 March 2024

This was published under the 2022 to 2024 Sunak Conservative government

Foreword

The MOJ plays a big part in the government’s environmental agenda. As one of the largest consuming and carbon-emitting departments, our challenge is to continue delivering our justice outcomes in a more sustainable way.

Our climate change and sustainability ambitions have the potential to add value far beyond their direct impact on the natural world. For example, we can promote green jobs and training within prisons and probation, or through Community Payback sentencing we can support local environmental initiatives. These both enable the delivery of offender rehabilitation and the UK’s transition to a greener economy.

We know that people who leave prison and finish community sentencing with strong foundations in place are much more likely to make a success of their lives and are less likely to reoffend. This is why our vision is underpinned by three priorities which support the delivery of MOJ’s strategic outcomes: use sustainability as a strategic enabler of justice outcomes, lead the way in greening government, and embed sustainability in everything we do.

Climate change and sustainability will affect every aspect of how the MOJ operates. This strategy describes the MOJ’s response to HMG’s greening government commitments, environmental improvement plan and our transition journey to become the climate resilient, resource efficient and sustainable organisation required for the future.

James McEwen - Chief Operating Officer, MOJ

In 2018, the government committed to being the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than when we inherited it.

This ambition was put into practice in 2019 when the UK became the first major economy in the world to commit net zero into law by 2050.

In 2021 we passed world-leading legislation for environmental protection through the Environment Act 21, aimed to halt biodiversity loss, improve water quality, halve waste and cut pollution.

As the second-largest government department, we have a responsibility to reduce our environmental impact and to maximise opportunities for climate adaptation, nature recovery and more efficient resource use across our operations and estate.

We need to put the Ministry of Justice on a sustainable pathway which delivers value for money and continues to enable justice outcomes, such as reducing reoffending, protecting the public and delivering swift access to justice.

Addressing the challenges we face will take tremendous co-ordinated effort over the short and medium term, requiring the transformation of our functions, agencies and arm’s length bodies. This new Climate Change and Sustainability Strategy lays out our ambitious plans for a more sustainable future.

Carl von Reibnitz - Chief Sustainability Officer, MOJ

Case for change

The UK experienced its two hottest years on record in 2022 and 2023, with heat waves, droughts, wildfires and floods that affected thousands of people.

On the global stage we saw countries come together at COP28 to take action towards the world’s collective climate goals set by the Paris Agreement. The United Nations’ 2022 Biodiversity Conference also reached a landmark biodiversity agreement, aiming to halt and reverse nature loss. We recognise the importance of supporting Agenda 2030 and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals which set out a pathway towards a better future for all.

Despite these positive steps forward, we must accelerate our response to manage the impacts we are already experiencing.

The UK government has made tackling these challenges a top priority, heightening the case for change. Its 25 Year Environment Plan sets out how we will improve our environment and leave it in a better state than we found it.

With new powers and duties from the Environment Act, the government set new legally binding targets in late 2022 and published the Environmental Improvement Plan in January 2023. As a large operational government department, the MOJ has a key part to play in supporting the government’s vision and its long-term strategy for the environment.

Decarbonising our existing prison and court buildings in line with the UK’s Net Zero Strategy presents many financial, technological and operational challenges for the MOJ, HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), and HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS).

As climate change accelerates, we expect drier summers, heatwaves, water scarcity, warmer winters and more extreme rainfall leading to flooding. This creates risks to our operational resilience, but there is growing evidence that early investment in measures for climate mitigation and adaptation provides greater value for money.

Green skills and green jobs are fundamental enablers of the UK’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution and the Powering Up Britain Plan, to build back better, provide energy security and accelerate our path to net zero. To shift away from fossil fuels, promote resource efficiency and move towards a greener economy, the UK government introduced a target to create two million green jobs by 2030 within new and emerging sectors.

The MOJ’s objectives to promote rehabilitation and reduce reoffending offers opportunities to develop green skills and green jobs pathways in prison settings. Providing offenders with purposeful ‘green’ activity through our prison industries, probation approved premises and Community Payback programmes increases their chances of securing a job on release and addresses gaps in the green workforce.

As a substantial landowner, our efforts are important in supporting the government’s commitment to protect and improve 30% of land by 2030. The way we manage our estate can positively contribute to wider nature recovery objectives, reducing biodiversity loss and adapting to climate change while creating further green jobs and promoting rehabilitation. This is especially the case with green upskilling and rehabilitation for prisoners, as well the efforts to ensure Community Payback work is in line with sustainability objectives.

To meet additional prison capacity requirements and deliver swift access to justice through our court and tribunal services, we need a more modern, decent and efficient estate, improving the quality of buildings to withstand current and future climate impacts.

Achieving sustainability targets and delivering the significant cost savings needed will require innovative solutions so we can do more with less. This will help us invest money back into frontline operational budgets, improve resource efficiency and deliver a resilient and world-class justice system.

Our progress so far

We have made progress in understanding our risks, vulnerabilities and impacts. While we have delivered significant savings since 2017 to 2018, the accelerating climate, resource and nature emergencies mean it’s time to scale up our successes and exploit the strong foundations we have already laid.

Tackling climate change: key stats

• 32% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
• 7% reduction in heat emissions
• 50% reduction in domestic flights
• 500 boiler optimisation units installed across HMPPS
• 84 building management systems installed across HMCTS
• 6 HMCTS buildings connected to low carbon district heat networks
• 450 MWh of ground mounted solar panels installed
• 650 electric vehicle charging points installed
• 42% of car fleet are ultra-low emission vehicles
• 10,000 lights replaced with LEDs across HMCTS

Promoting resource efficiency: key stats

• 46% reduction in paper use
• 330,000m³ of water saved through leak rectification
• 379 smart water meters installed
• 51% of waste recycled
• 92% of waste diverted from landfill

Protecting and enhancing nature: key stats

• 100% of protected nature sites in good or recovering condition
• 7 tree nurseries established for woodland creation programmes
• Digital mapping of the quality and quantity of our habitat
• 16,270 trees planted by probation for the Queen’s Green Canopy
• Over 50 wildlife ponds created
• Over 20 orchards planted or restored
• 155,000 tree saplings grown within HMPPS tree nurseries
• Ecological management plans for all category A, B and C prisons
• 45 prisoners trained in tree horticulture

Our strategy

Our Climate Change and Sustainability Strategy focuses on 3 priority themes that will direct our transition to the sustainable justice organisation required for the future.

Use sustainability as a strategic enabler of justice outcomes

We will use sustainability activity to promote justice outcomes and support delivery of government’s climate and environmental objectives.

Lead the way in greening government

We will tackle climate change, promote resource efficiency, and protect and enhance nature.

Embed sustainability in everything we do

We will build awareness, increase capability, and develop the tools to support decision making and inspire action.

Use sustainability as a strategic enabler of justice outcomes

Protecting the public – building safe, secure, and sustainable prisons

The Prisons Strategy White Paper sets out our vision to create a modern and rehabilitative estate that can meet the additional needs of the criminal justice system, while improving the quality and efficiency of custodial buildings.

Through our new prisons programme and our capacity expansion programme, we are designing sustainable prisons that protect the public and deliver value for money, using the latest technology to reduce the use of natural resources and operational emissions.

While our new estate is being built to the latest standards, our existing estate also requires focus to improve efficiency, prepare for current and future climate impacts, and promote nature recovery.

We must work with suppliers to improve environmental performance and climate resilience, ensuring we optimize and adapt buildings wherever possible.

Priority: Protecting the public – building safe, secure and sustainable prisons

Actions:

• deliver our new prisons programme to be electric by design and net zero-ready, reducing operational energy use by 70%
• use the Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) to drive higher environmental outcomes and whole-life cost savings for our new construction and major refurbishments
• work with our supply chain and industry partners to deliver environmental innovation in our construction projects
• pilot new low carbon technologies in custodial settings
• condition survey the MOJ estate to inform our estate strategy, planned maintenance, and future spending review bids

Reducing reoffending – prisoner green upskilling and rehabilitation

HMPPS engages prisoners in meaningful work through net zero, nature, sustainable construction, circular economy, and waste management initiatives. Through prison industries, we can create more productive environments for prisoners and equip them with skills to access green jobs on release, promoting rehabilitation and reducing reoffending.

Priority: Reducing reoffending – prisoner green upskilling and rehabilitation

Actions:

• align meaningful work, upskilling and rehabilitation to green collar jobs and green upskilling
• minimise impacts of prison industries through sustainable procurement and greener production methods
• ensure the New Futures Network collaborates with prison industries, prison employment leads, and employer organizations on employment pathways

Reducing reoffending – visible justice

Our Community Payback programme provides meaningful outdoor work for offenders and the chance to learn new skills. This can positively benefit local communities by publicly demonstrating justice being delivered alongside wider sustainability objectives. These include nature recovery and climate mitigation through tree planting, improving public access to green spaces through scrub clearance, and tackling waste through clean-up activities.

Priority: Reducing reoffending – visible justice

Actions:

• create regional and national partnerships that deliver community sentencing and environmental outcomes aligned with the government’s Environmental Improvement Plan
• embed sustainability as a core principle in Community Payback delivery
• establish Community Payback as a gold standard for environmental initiatives across the Probation Service, HMPPS, MOJ and government

Case study: safe, secure and sustainable prisons

Due to open in 2025, HMP Millsike will be the UK’s first all-electric prison, eliminating the need for fossil fuel heating.

Fitted with solar panels and heat pumps, it will use around a quarter of the energy used to heat a traditional Victorian prison, such as HMP Wormwood Scrubs. The prison will also help reduce our carbon footprint by emitting nearly 90% less CO2 than other traditional prisons.

The new infrastructure is playing an integral role in boosting the economy and supporting local businesses, with around 40% of construction orders sourced from within 50 miles of the site. This means local businesses in the supply chain will directly reap the benefits.

During the construction phase, the prison will create hundreds of local jobs and meaningful work for approximately 50 ex-offenders. When completed, it will provide around 600 new jobs within the local community.

Delivering swift access to justice

The public must have confidence in a modern, proportionate system that delivers swift access to justice.

More efficient court and tribunal processes, online services, mediation, improved scheduling, case management, and video hearings all mean more cases can be heard in fewer settings.

While our court reform changes the way we deliver our services, providing hearings in courtrooms and tribunals remains essential for the delivery of justice. For this, we need a fit-for-purpose estate.

Our aging and eclectic estate was not designed with sustainability in mind, so we must improve energy efficiency, decarbonize, and ensure our operations are resilient to the changing climate.

If we make hearing rooms multifunctional, improve the efficiency of our buildings, and reduce operating costs, we can reinvest the savings and deliver value for money.

Priority: Deliver swift access to justice

Actions:

• extend digital infrastructure into court and tribunal buildings
• host more court and tribunal services and proceedings online
• use BREEAM to drive higher environmental outcomes and whole-life savings for new-build and major refurbishment court projects
• understand climate risks and the need to adapt our buildings to ensure continuity of court and tribunal services

Case study: The court reform programme

HMCTS has been actively looking at opportunities to modernise its processes, decarbonise and reduce the environmental impact of its estate.

Digitisation through the court reform programme has been key, with HMCTS moving to online services that are user friendly, more accessible and efficient.

Online processing of simple cases is now saving 185 million sheets of paper annually.

Video hearings and digital support services also reduce the need for physical appearance in court, reducing emissions from travelling to court. Once the court reform programme is complete, we estimate it will have helped reduce travel carbon emissions by over 3,000 tonnes annually.

Lead the way in greening government

Climate change, resource use, and biodiversity loss are interconnected challenges that must be addressed jointly. There is no single solution to climate change without protecting and restoring nature or considering how we better use our precious resources and minimize unnecessary waste.

The challenges associated with these emergencies will affect every aspect of the MOJ’s work, which is why we are prioritizing them in our sustainability transition.

Tackling climate change

The climate crisis requires us to think and act differently about how we manage our operations and look after our buildings and land.

Climate change mitigation: working towards net zero by 2050

In June 2019, the government committed to reaching net zero emissions by 2050. This commitment, combined with interim ambitions to reduce direct public sector emissions by 50% by 2032 and 75% by 2037, requires urgent action.

To make this transition we need to deploy energy-saving solutions that align with the energy hierarchy and reduce energy demand in the first instance.

We must also decarbonize heat, moving away from fossil fuels. Currently, the operational and financial feasibility of using some low carbon technologies, such as heat pumps, is uncertain in custodial settings. Therefore, we must pilot alternative solutions and scale up those that work.

Recent energy security challenges and soaring energy costs mean we need to reduce reliance on the grid through generating on-site renewable energy. The government’s Energy Security Strategy estimates that renewables reduce costs by 20% to 50% compared to fossil fuel-generated electricity, offering viable opportunities to cut the MOJ’s annual energy bill.

The government has set a target to phase out departmental fossil-fueled fleet vehicles and move to zero-emission vehicles by 2027. While this will require significant upfront investment, zero-emission vehicles are cost-effective in the long term and provide additional benefits such as reduced noise and air pollution.

To decarbonize business travel, we need to better understand travel requirements and adopt policies that ensure low-carbon options are considered first, as an alternative to car and air travel.

Priority: Climate change mitigation: working towards net zero by 2050

Actions:

• deploy sustainable solutions to reduce energy demand and operational carbon emissions
• use land and buildings across our estate to generate low-carbon and renewable power
• reduce the impact of our vehicle fleet with electric vehicles and a charging infrastructure across the estate
• update travel policies to prioritise low-carbon business travel options as alternatives to car and flight journeys
• assess our supply chain emissions and develop a scope 3 emissions reduction strategy

Case study: boiler optimisation

The MOJ has invested in 500 gas boiler optimisation units across the prison estate, which improve efficiency by better regulating boiler firing.

The retrofitted units reduce gas consumption by 10% on average and are generating an annual saving of 2,900 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) and £450,000. The boiler optimisation programme has paid for itself within two years of installation.

Case study: LED manufacturing

At HMP Garth, prisoners assemble low-energy LED lights to develop valuable skills, reduce prison energy use and save money.

The pilot project, which has since been introduced at HMP Full Sutton and HMP Guys Marsh, costs 36% less than the original fittings, uses 62% less electricity and is expected to save around £2.5 million each year once installation is completed across the prison estate.

Adapting to climate change

Climate change increases risks to the MOJ’s assets, operations, supply chains, and the health, safety and welfare of employees, prisoners and service users. The third UK Climate Change Risk Assessment, which outlines the government’s position on the key climate change risks, identified prison services as high risk. In response, the MOJ has created a pathway under the National Adaptation Programme to better understand and adapt to this risk.

Many prisoners have multiple medical conditions and more health needs than the general population. The prison population is therefore particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and the human-health consequences, such as overheating.

To strengthen the resilience of our estate and operations, we will:

• make our efforts more systemic and integrate good adaptation principles into everything we do, ensuring decisions consider current and future climate risks
• support the MOJ agencies and corporate functions in embedding climate change risks into their plans
• implement HM Treasury’s Green Book guidance on accounting for the effects of climate change for applicable programmes and projects
• have an effective adaptation plan that is robust, flexible and responsive to the changing needs of our justice system

To continually evolve our adaptation efforts, we will use science, data and tools to enhance our knowledge and fast track our plans.

Priority: Adapting to climate change

Actions:

• work with the MOJ science team and climate science specialists across government to increase our understanding of climate risks
• understand how to adapt to ensure continuity of all MOJ services
• refresh the MOJ Climate Change Risk Assessment with the latest scientific projections
• contribute to the third National Adaptation Programme and develop a pathway for reducing climate change risks to prison services (risk H13b)
• set accountabilities for climate adaptation and develop an estate and operations adaptation plan

Case study: Climate Change Risk Assessment

In 2020 the MOJ was the first government department to publish a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. Since then, the scale and ambition of our climate change adaptation programme has grown considerably.

In 2022, we conducted a Climate Change Risk Assessment which examined the vulnerability of our assets to growing climate change threats, including summertime maximum temperature, flooding, storms and sea level rise.

Climate uncertainties were incorporated into the analysis by applying two warming pathways – an optimistic 2°C and reasonable worst case 4°C rise in temperature. It also looked at two time horizons, 2020 to 2039 and 2040 to 2059, to help us understand the threat in the medium and longer term. Each asset was given a vulnerability rating based on exposure, sensitivity and likely impacts.

The next steps are to apply the learning and prioritise adaptation efforts across our estate portfolio.

Promoting resource efficiency

Earth’s natural resources are limited, but levels of consumption and the use of virgin materials continue to grow. To prepare for the future, we must adapt the way we procure goods and services and maximise material productivity to keep goods in use for longer.

Improving water efficiency

Water availability is becoming more unpredictable in our changing climate. With our aging infrastructure and water leakage challenges, we need to manage water more sustainably across our prison, probation and court estates. This includes using data and technology to help identify water saving opportunities.

Priority: Improving water efficiency

Actions:

• install smart metering on all water supplies and target excessive consumption and leaks
• prioritise investment at our worst performing sites and in water-stressed areas
• raise the technical standards for new builds, major refurbishments, and preplanned maintenance

Case study: Developing a circular economy

A circular economy keeps resources in use for as long as possible. At the MOJ, we are harnessing the unique capability of the prison industries to repair, remanufacture, and recycle our resources.

We have set out three circular economy priorities that define our approach to embedding best practice:

• improving our waste governance, developing policies, strengthening relationships with contractors, and establishing strong links between waste management work and jobs for prison leavers
• improving waste management by providing the equipment and supportive processes for our sites to reduce, segregate, and recycle waste
• building an internal circular economy, avoiding waste by repairing and remanufacturing the MOJ’s assets in prison workshops

MOJ is also working to reduce waste and embed circular economy principles in our construction programs.

Priority: Developing a circular economy

Actions:

• improve our waste governance and develop clear policies to help us meet our targets and obligations
• provide the equipment and supportive processes for our sites to reduce, segregate, and recycle waste
• develop a circular economy approach within our prison industries, designing products for durability, prioritising reusable materials, and reducing waste through refurbishment, remanufacturing, recycling, and recovery
• pilot new circular economy initiatives in our prison industries workshops for rollout across our estate and operations
• develop and pilot a clear approach for improving food waste segregation
• introduce food waste reporting metrics to track progress made

Protecting and enhancing nature

The UK has lost 60% abundance of our most important species in the last 50 years. 15% of our species are now threatened with extinction, with significant proportions of habitats in an unfavourable condition. The government acknowledged the declining state of biodiversity in the 25 Year Environment Plan, making world-leading commitments to restore nature.

The MOJ manages around 4,000 hectares of land in unique rural and urban settings, with special features such as prison farms, orchards, ponds, gardens and ecologically important habitats and species.

Helping nature recover

Through the Environment Act 2021, the government aims to halt species decline, create more wildlife habitats, increase woodland cover, restore water bodies and protect 30% of land and sea.

In 2022 we published our Nature Recovery Plan, which sets out how we will safeguard our protected areas, deliver better quality habitats that support key species, and integrate nature recovery into our operations, functions and services.

We want to maximise opportunities to enhance biodiversity across our estate, promoting sustainable land management and contributing to the UK’s overall nature recovery ambitions.

Priority: Helping nature recover

Actions:

• deliver our Nature Recovery Plan which protects, restores and recreates nature across our estate and operations

Taking a natural capital approach

Natural capital (ecosystems, natural systems, and nature) is often overlooked in decision making, but it provides a flow of services and benefits that we all rely on.

A natural capital approach ensures we reduce our impact on the natural environment, consider the costs and benefits of different policies and projects, and value wider topics such as air quality, flood elevation, and social activity.

We will consider natural capital in our decision making and promote nature-based solutions where applicable for challenges such as nutrient neutrality and water resourcing, ensuring projects understand and incorporate whole-life costs and benefits.

We will make the case in terms of biodiversity and economic outcomes, reframing nature positively as an asset that should be appropriately valued.

Priority: Taking a natural capital approach

Actions:

• maintain a natural capital baseline of the estate
• take a natural capital approach to programmes and major projects
• target positive natural capital gains on our estate and report on progress

Case study: Nature Recovery Plan

In 2022 the MOJ was the first UK government department to launch a Nature Recovery Plan, outlining the actions we will take to adopt best practice in nature recovery and climate change adaptation.

Underpinned by 9 nature recovery principles, the plan provides a strategic, co-ordinated, and policy-based approach to estate management and quality green space.

We worked with several stakeholders including HMPPS, HMCTS, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, facilities management providers, and Network for Nature to develop our nine principles, and we will continue to work with them through our delivery phase to 2025.

Additionally, we will increase the contribution of probation unpaid work and promote connection with nature.

The MOJ Senior Sustainability Board will oversee implementation of the plan, and we will regularly report on progress made against our nature recovery goals.

Planning future land use

We will make sustainability a key consideration when changing land use or planning future development. Any impacts on nature, air, soil, and water could affect the health and function of our land, but informed and co-ordinated decisions can mitigate these effects, realize opportunities for multiple outcomes, and support resilience to climate change.

We will work together to consult and assess proposed land use change and whole-life cost and benefits.

Priority: Planning future land use

Actions:

• create a spatial digital register of the MOJ’s landholdings, incorporating natural capital, nature designations and high‑value features
• support an estate-wide approach to planning and land use, ensuring biodiversity net gain

Achieving biodiversity net gain

Biodiversity net gain is a key feature of our prison expansion programme and aims to leave the natural environment in a better state than it was before development. Under the Environment Act, all planning permissions granted in England will have to deliver at least a 10% biodiversity net gain from late 2023, which can be achieved on-site, off-site, or a combination of both.

We will embed net gain features on every development (including permitted development) where technically feasible. This will require a strategic approach to planning, land use, and habitat maintenance, as well as acquisition and disposal of land.

Sustainable grounds management

The nature of the MOJ’s land means we are custodians for a wide variety of habitats – 20 of the 40 priority terrestrial habitats, 8km of freshwater rivers and streams, hedgerows, woodland, ponds, and reedbeds. We also have numerous indicator species, such as peregrines, barn owls, swifts, bats, water voles, and great crested newts.

To protect and enhance these special features we will need to work closely with stakeholders, such as our facilities management providers, to improve standards of habitat management and embed nature protection and recovery requirements.

Promoting connection with nature

Not only can we provide quality green space and environmental improvements, but we can also improve the physical and mental health of prisoners, offenders, and staff.

Tree nursery, horticulture, and habitat management skills are currently taught at numerous prisons, providing offenders with the experience and qualifications to apply for green jobs on release. Pilot projects are also exploring the connection between green space, health, and education. HMCTS users can benefit from safe green spaces and within our Probation Service, purposeful activity is a key element of enabling rehabilitation.

Priority: Promoting connection with nature

Actions:

• increase custodial opportunities to develop green skills and accredited learning, led alongside Prison Industries and the New Futures Network
• increase the probation unpaid work contribution to local community conservation projects

Case study: Tree planting initiatives

Through tree planting partnership projects, the MOJ has greened the estate and local community spaces.

Working in partnership with organisations including Trees for Cities and The Conservation Volunteers, Community Payback has planted over 12,150 trees in support of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative.

These projects are rehabilitating offenders, contributing to nature recovery, supporting carbon sequestration, and reducing air pollution.

Working with the charity The Orchard Project, the MOJ launched its ‘orchard in every prison’ initiative in 2020 with the aim of expanding a rapidly declining UK priority habitat.

So far, we have delivered 26 orchards and 2,000 fruit trees to increase biodiversity while enabling prisoners and staff to eat locally grown fruit, develop vocational skills, boost wellbeing, and support reduced reoffending.

Priority: Greening operations

Actions:

• develop ecological management plans to deliver long-term biodiversity improvements across our sites
• screen maintenance programmes and develop guidance for applying best ecological practice in operations
• review technical standards and design guides for lighting, roofing, landscaping, fencing, and drainage

Embed sustainability in everything we do

A key challenge for many organisations is embedding sustainability into the way they work. This is no different for the MOJ, and it will require us to empower leaders and colleagues across our corporate functions, agencies, and arm’s length bodies to take action.

Developing the evidence and tools to inform decision making

Investing in our sustainability transition is critical. Many of our spending measures, policies, programmes, and new construction projects impact on the environment. To inform better decision making, we must be led by science and data and develop the assessment tools that provide objective evidence on different policy, spending, and programme options.

Priority: Developing the evidence and tools to inform decision making

Actions:

• develop an analytical framework to assess spending measures, policies, programmes and major projects
• assess the implications of governmental climate and sustainability strategies, targets and legislation on the MOJ
• embed Taskforce on Climate-Related Financial Disclosure requirements in our annual report and accounts

Improving risk and opportunities management

Climate change and sustainability risks need to be clearly understood, firmly integrated into risk management and continually evaluated.

Priority: Improving risk and opportunities management

Actions:

• introduce a risk appetite statement and risk control framework, and regularly review our control effectiveness for continuous improvement
• conduct a deep dive to identify new sustainability opportunities for justice outcomes

Improving planning and performance

Our climate change and sustainability transition requires transformation on a vast scale at a time when MOJ is managing significant strategic challenges.

Action needs to be co-ordinated, aligned to our commitments, and developed in line with long-term, science-based targets and milestone pathways.

Priority: Improving planning and performance

Actions:

• improve our agency and functional sustainability action plans – aligning to our Outcome Delivery Plan, Greening Government Commitments, strategic risks and opportunities, and compliance requirements
• plot long-term science and data-led milestone targets that support our net zero, climate adaptation, water, circular economy and nature transition aims
• improve our delivery planning, monitoring and targeting of efficiencies, incorporating the MOJ’s expansion and saving projects

Inspiring action across our agencies, functions, and arm’s length bodies

It is critical that our agencies, functions, and arm’s length bodies are empowered to lead on integrating sustainability into their strategies, policies, processes, governance, and assurance.

Priority: Inspiring action across our agencies, functions and arm’s length bodies

Actions:

• review and continually improve our maturity against the sustainability elements of government functional standards
• embed sustainability within functional strategies (estate) and policies (travel and procurement)
• develop new technical strategies (net zero and climate adaptation) that direct our day-to-day decision making, operations and supply chain

Engaging our people in change and building capability

Our people are key to realising the actions we need to take to move us forward. We need to make it easy for them to change (with better facilities and information), engage them in change (with communications, participation, and volunteering), and lead them through the change (with clear policies, targets, and expectations).

Priority: Engaging our people in change and building capability

Actions:

• increase environmental behaviour change in the workplace through campaigns, green networks and volunteering
• develop sustainability skills and capability plans for our agencies and functions
• Roll out Carbon Literacy Project training to employees across the MOJ

Case study: HMCTS Green Groups

HMCTS has established a network of Green Groups regionally to champion sustainability and promote positive behaviours in the workplace and at home.

Successful initiatives include trialling reusable plastic cups produced by prison industries in courtrooms, improving waste segregation through additional recycling stations and compost bins, no-print and energy-saving campaigns, green newsletters, and staff gardens to promote connection with nature.

The North-East Green Group volunteered to pilot Carbon Literacy Project training within the MoJ. Becoming certified has increased the group’s knowledge and confidence to talk about climate change and carbon reduction in their workplace, empowering them to deliver changes that embed sustainability across HMCTS.

Buying more sustainable goods and services

We recognise our procurement has a significant impact on the environment, but also offers opportunities to improve efficiency and deliver social value benefits.

We spend around £25 billion on procurement contracts and outsource around 56% of our budget. We purchase a wide range of goods and services and most of our emissions lie within the supply chain.

We therefore need to understand where our biggest impacts are, prioritise buying more sustainable products and services, and embed higher environmental requirements into our contracts.

Priority: Buying more sustainable goods and services

Actions:

• assess and continuously improve our maturity against the Flexible Framework for Sustainable Procurement
• understand the MoJ supply chain impacts, providing evidence to consider sustainability in our procurements
• agree sustainability requirements and metrics for prioritised procurements
• oversee private prison environmental and sustainability performance
• integrate sustainability into the procurement process and partner with suppliers who support our sustainability commitments

Digitising services and enabling smarter working

Across the MOJ we maintain more than 800 live services and 95,000 digital devices. We support members of the public, employees, and those within the justice system who are often among the most digitally excluded in society.

Technology and digital services are a key enabler of our wider sustainability agenda, including climate mitigation, resource efficiency and smarter working. The MOJ’s Digital Strategy recognises the need for sustainable technology to improve resilience, reduce environmental impact, maximise societal benefits and deliver better value for money.

Working with suppliers, we have opportunities to define higher sustainability standards. With contracts we can drive down waste through responsible sourcing, buying efficient products, maximising resource efficiency, and reducing waste sent to landfill.

We need to embed sustainability as a key component of digital service design. From replacing complex legacy systems and decommissioning, through to using renewable-powered cloud systems, the opportunities are vast in delivering simpler, faster and better justice services with sustainability at their core.

Priority: Digitising services and enabling smarter working

Actions:

• make sustainability a key consideration of digital service design, delivery and implementation across the MOJ
• procure products that remain highly efficient during their lifecycle and meet our circular economy principles
• ensure our people have modern digital devices and technology that enable smarter working, reducing the need to travel and print

Our sustainability transition pathway targets

The MoJ has specific targets through the Greening Government Commitments, which set ambitious goals for improving the department’s environmental performance by 2025.

MOJ strategy	Commitment	Headline targets 2025	Sub-targets 2025
Tackling climate change	Mitigating climate change: working towards net zero by 2050	Reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions by 41%, from a 2017/18 baseline	Reduce direct emissions by 23%, from a 2017/18 baseline. Reduce domestic business flight emissions by 30%, from a 2017/18 baseline. Ensure 100% of our car and van fleet are zero emission vehicles at tailpipe (by 31 December 2027)
Tackling climate change	Adapting to climate change	Develop a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, informed by a risk assessment and supported by an action plan	Establish clear lines of accountability for climate adaptation. Report progress on implementing our Climate Change Adaptation Strategy in our annual report and accounts
Promoting resource efficiency	Procuring more sustainable products and services	Buy more sustainable and efficient products and services	Embed compliance with Government Buying Standards in departmental contracts. Reduce supply chain impacts and risks. Report on using the Flexible Framework for Sustainable Procurement
Promoting resource efficiency	Minimising waste and promoting a circular economy	Reduce overall waste generated by 15%, from a 2017/18 baseline	Reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill to less than 5% of overall waste. Increase the proportion of recycled waste to 70% of overall waste. Remove consumer single use plastic from the central office estate. Reduce paper use by 50%, from a 2017/18 baseline
Promoting resource efficiency	Reducing our water use	Reduce use by 8%, from a 2017/18 baseline	Measure all water consumption
Protecting and enhancing nature	Making space for thriving plants and wildlife	Develop and deliver a Nature Recovery Plan Protect	Protect and enhance tree planting, woodland cover, pollinator-friendly habitat, protected sites and land, contributing to our target to protect 30% of land by 2030. Consider biodiversity in development programmes and projects

Our governance

Sustainability activity across the MOJ is co-ordinated by our Climate Change and Sustainability Unit, while strategy and performance are overseen by our Senior Sustainability Board. The board is supported by sub-groups who lead change on several key priorities.

The MOJ has appointed a ministerial champion for climate change and sustainability matters, who is a member of our departmental board, alongside an executive committee champion (Chief Operating Officer), lead non-executive director champion and chief sustainability officer.

Our performance and risks are reviewed quarterly by our Finance, Performance and Risk Committee and our Audit and Risk Assurance Committee.

Key programmes and major projects are scrutinised by our Investment Committee through the programme and major project keyholder assurance process. We screen all programmes and major projects for their climate change and sustainability impacts.

We report regularly on our progress in our annual report and accounts.