Environmental management policy

We maintain an environmental management system throughout all our sites that addresses the use of energy, raw materials, water and waste and seeks to prevent and limit environmental accidents.

The British Geological Survey (BGS) is the UK's national centre for earth science information and expertise. The Survey's work relates directly to mineral, energy and groundwater resources, land use, geological hazards and the protection of the environment, both onshore and offshore. Land-use conflicts are arising in a variety of forms not just in Britain but in all countries, and need geological input for help in their resolution. The BGS is becoming more involved in solving the problems arising from the increasing stress placed on urban geology, surficial geology, coastal geology, hydrogeology and environmental geochemistry and in the growing importance of industrial and construction minerals and the increasing problems of waste disposal.

  1. It is BGS policy to provide goods and services that cause as little damage as possible to the environment and do not adversely affect the health and safety of personnel inside or outside its sites.


  2. The BGS will comply with all the relevant environmental legislation and approved codes of practice in force, co-operating fully with the appropriate regulatory authorities and establishing close links with environmental agencies to promote an interchange of information on good environmental practice.


  3. The BGS will keep its land, buildings, plant and equipment maintained as efficiently as possible. Any new buildings will be designed to blend sympathetically into the surrounding environment. BGS grounds will also be actively managed to protect and encourage wildlife.


  4. The BGS will foster an understanding of the environmental issues arising from its business activities among its employees, suppliers, contractors, customers and the local community. This policy statement will be issued to all employees and an environmental perspective will be incorporated into training and our project management system to ensure all staff are aware of the environmental effects of their activities. Where possible, the BGS will make its consultants, suppliers and contractors comply with the provisions of this policy statement.


  5. The BGS will maintain an environmental management system (EMS) throughout all its sites. This system will address the use of energy, raw materials, water and waste and will seek to prevent and limit environmental accidents and pollution. It will develop contingency procedures in case of such accidents and will evaluate, control and reduce any noise generated within and outside BGS sites. BGS aims to recycle as much of its waste as possible and will ensure that all of its laboratory waste is disposed of correctly.


  6. The BGS will assess the environmental effects of its products and operations with the aim of controlling and reducing to a minimum any environmental impact they may have. The BGS will also continually monitor and seek to improve its environmental performance and to reduce its water and energy consumption. The BGS will also review and adopt the least environmentally damaging transport strategy for its vehicle fleet.


  7. An EMS Committee, chaired by the Executive Director or his representative, is the strategic body on environmental matters and has commissioned a programme of objectives and targets consistent with this Environmental Policy. A summary of the minutes of each meeting is sent to the BGS Executive Committee. This policy will be subject to annual review by the EMS Committee and is publicly available.


  8. The EMS will set out environmental targets for all relevant activities, and regular environmental audits of all aspects of BGS's activities will be carried out. These targets and the results of environmental management system will be made available to interested parties on request.


  9. BGS has obtained certification to ISO14001, the Environmental Management Standard, and its EMS is subject to regular audits by the British Standards Institution.

Executive Director, BGS
19th September 2006