Sustainability
The Wellcome Sanger Institute is committed to providing science that benefits the global and local community. We are equally committed to delivering our science in as sustainable way as possible.
The Wellcome Genome Campus, which hosts the Sanger Institute, strives to be an exemplar for environmental management and employs renewable energy models, an active green transport strategy and promotes significant biodiversity across the campus. Our ambition is to reach carbon net zero by 2030.
The Sanger Institute's Sustainability Goals
Underpinned by our ISO Energy and Environmental management systems, we are committed to:
- Minimising our environmental impact, including the prevention of pollution and mitigating against climate change wherever possible.
- Promoting sustainability and improve local biodiversity.
- Maximising positive impacts through changing practices, values and choices.
- Engaging and influencing external stakeholders and operations outside of our control to promote and encourage sustainable best practice.
To achieve these goals we put sustainability at the heart of our working practices and decision making across Campus.
Campus Environmental Sustainability Strategy
Biodiversity
We are in a rural setting with range of different ecosystems that help improve biodiversity. Working closely with The Wildlife Trust, we focus on further improving the local biodiversity to positively impact our environment.
Carbon and Offsetting
We measure our footprint through an annual carbon reporting cycle and aim to reduce our Scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon emissions whenever possible. We pursue on- and off-site renewable energy opportunities, improve carbon capture on site, and will use offsetting credits that invest in socio-enviro-economic projects.
Culture Change
We encourage our all staff to build sustainability into their working practices and behaviours. We put communication and awareness at the heart of all we do to support culture change to ensure our work’s success.
Energy
Energy consumption accounts for 80 per cent of our carbon footprint. We invest in short- and long-term energy infrastructure and efficiency projects, along with long-term low-carbon and renewable projects.
Procurement and Supply Chain
We work closely with our suppliers to reach our sustainability goals. We seek to understand how sustainable their working practices, products and services are.
We are working hard to improve our Scope 3 emissions, particularly with respect to our Purchased Goods and Services
Sustainable Construction
We ensure our contractors follow best practice and employ sustainable approaches. We build time into our planning and procurement to incorporate sustainability into our new buildings and refurbishment projects.
Sustainable Food
Our catering contractors follow sustainable approaches and working practices: such as using sustainable local ingredients and employing a circular model to minimise waste. We work with them to support our staff in making sustainable choices.
Sustainable Laboratory Practices
How we work and what we use in the lab has an impact on the environment. We constantly look to reduce our laboratory waste and our storage equipment’s energy use. Our Scientific Facilities and Scientific Operations teams support our scientists with compliance and improved efficiency.
Sustainable Work Practices
We are exploring what office practices can be changed to reduce paper use, waste, stationery, travel, and associated energy use. Paper use has reduced dramatically over the past five years.
Travel
We seek to improve the transport connections to our Campus for our staff, visitors and conference delegates. We also identify ways to reduce air travel, both by staff to external conferences and by visiting delegates.
Waste and Recycling
We recycle as much as possible by working with our contractors and segregating a large proportion of our waste on site. We embrace new ways to reduce waste, and investigate emerging recycling technologies.
Water and Effluent
We seek to reduce water consumption and manage the composition of our wastewater. We look to improve our metering with near-time reporting and sampling, develop best practice protocols for labs and catering water management, and use rain and greywater whenever possible. We also develop best practices for installing water usage components such as taps, flushes and showers.