Environmental policies and initiatives
Oxford Biomedica fully recognises its responsibility to minimise the impact of its activities on the environment, its neighbours and the local community. Much like its Health and Safety Management System, the Environmental Management System has continued to evolve and grow with the organisation. Oxford Biomedica is mapping its system against ISO14001 with the aim of aligning with the principles of the standard by the end of the next reporting year in line with 2021 ESG environmental objectives. Oxford Biomedica complies with all regulations covering the processing and disposal of laboratory waste, and uses qualified licensed contractors for the collection and disposal of chemical waste and decontaminated biological materials.
In accordance with the 2020 Responsible Business objectives, during the course of the year, and with the aim of reducing Oxford Biomedica’s carbon footprint, Oxford Biomedica has moved all of its energy supply over to Green Energy providers. Oxford Biomedica has continued the efforts to improve the management of waste, conducting a number of internal surveys on waste streams, undertaking duty of care audits on the companies Oxford Biomedica uses to dispose of its wastes, and trying to minimise the volume of waste that goes to landfill. By the end of 2020, the only waste going to landfill was the ash created by the incineration of clinical waste, or the ash from the incineration of plastic and other disposable waste to generate energy for the grid.
As part of Oxford Biomedica’s ESG strategy Oxford Biomedica has identified the need to reduce the volume of waste-generating materials coming into the organisation (e.g. packaging). In 2021, in line with 2021 ESG environmental objectives, Oxford Biomedica will engage its suppliers on this subject. With a new manufacturing site coming online during 2020, Oxford Biomedica focussed on legal compliance (trade effluent discharge consents, etc) for the facility during 2021. With the redevelopment of the Windrush Innovation Centre in 2021, Oxford Biomedica intends to include a third party assessment of sustainability performance of the building, for example BREEAM.
Oxford Biomedica’s SECR Compliant Directors statement
Oxford Biomedica recognises that its operations have an environmental impact and Oxford Biomedica is committed to monitoring and reducing its emissions year-on-year. Oxford Biomedica is aware of its reporting obligations under The Companies (Directors’ Report) and Limited Liability Partnerships (Energy and Carbon Report) Regulations 2018. As such, this year Oxford Biomedica has upgraded its energy and carbon reporting to meet these new requirements and increase the transparency with which Oxford Biomedica communicates its environmental impact to its stakeholders.
2020 performance
In 2020, Oxford Biomedica has calculated its environmental impact across the required scope 1, 2 and 3 (selected categories) emissions sources for the U.K. Oxford Biomedica’s emissions on a location basis (using the UK grid emissions intensity) are 4,097tCO2e, which is an average impact of 7tCO2e per FTE.
Oxford Biomedica has calculated emission intensity metrics on a FTE basis, which will be monitored to track performance in its subsequent environmental disclosures. Electricity was the most material of the emission sources reported below and made up 46% of total emissions in 2020. The purchasing of green tariffs at multiple sites has been reflected in Oxford Biomedica’s total emissions on a market basis.
Energy and carbon action
Oxford Biomedica is mindful of the impact its buildings and travel have on the environment. As such, over the period covered by the report, Oxford Biomedica has undertaken the following emissions and energy reduction initiatives:
- Purchases of renewable energy – a switch to green tariffs for electricity at Harrow House, Windrush Court and Yarnton demonstrates the continued commitment to lower Oxford Biomedica’s footprint.
- Windrush Court East Wing laboratory refit – to reduce wasted energy, more energy efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning units have been installed, alongside passive infrared (PIR) sensors which have been fitted to LED lighting.
- Fan coil unit (FCU) refurbishment – to increase the efficiency of the units and therefore reduce the cost of heating and cooling at Oxbox and Windrush Court.
- External lighting upgrades – to increase the energy efficiency, external LED units were installed at Windrush Court, Oxbox and Harrow House. This lighting is controlled by timer controls.
- Sound and heat insulation installed on the second floor of Windrush Court – to reduce wasted energy in offices.
2020 results
The methodology used to calculate the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions is in accordance with the requirements of the following standards:
- World Resources Institute (WRI) GHG Protocol (revised version).
- Defra’s Environmental Reporting Guidelines: Including Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting requirements (March 2019).
- UK office emissions have been calculated using the DEFRA 2020 issue of the conversion factor repository.
Following an operational control approach to defining Oxford Biomedica’s organisational boundary, the calculated GHG emissions from business activities which fall within the reporting period of January 2020 to December 2020 are as follows:
Emissions Source |
2020 Emissions in tCO2e |
|
|
Scope 1 |
Natural gas Other fuel types Fleet |
1,614 13 18 |
|
Scope 2 |
Electricity |
1,900 |
|
Scope 3 |
Electricity transmission and distribution Water Employee cars Rail Public transport Business flights Paper Waste and recycling |
163 14 3 1 1 212 6 152 |
|
Total (Market Based) |
2,647 |
|
|
Total (Location Based) |
4,097 |
|
|
Total Energy Usage |
17,058,312 |
|
|
Carbon intensity |
tCO2e per FTE |
7 |
1 Energy reporting includes kWh from scope 1, scope 2 and scope 3 employee cars only (as required by the SECR regulation).
Waste management
Oxford Biomedica continues to review its waste management systems to manage waste more effectively and, as result, it has established a Sustainability Forum in order to determine ways of improving recycling and sustainability within Oxford Biomedica. This has included:
- recycling all paper and cardboard waste, aluminium cans, glass, plastics and printer toner/cartridges
- use of different waste streams to increase processing efficiency
Energy efficiency
In accordance with the 2020 Responsible Business objectives, Oxford Biomedica is committed to energy efficiency and has implemented a number of policies to decrease energy usage where possible. For instance, when existing lighting needs replacing Oxford Biomedica switches to LED lights which are significantly more energy efficient than traditional lighting systems.
Oxford Biomedica is looking at reducing the water usage throughout its sites in its facilities with more efficient system controls. In Windrush Court Oxford Biomedica has passive infrared light sensors in all areas that have been refurbished to ensure lighting is extinguished in areas that are not currently in use.
Taskforce for Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD)
The TCFD was established to help identify the information needed by investors, lenders, and insurance underwriters to assess and price climate related risks and opportunities appropriately. The Taskforce structured its recommendations around four thematic areas that represent core elements of how organisations operate: Governance; Strategy; Risk Management; and Metrics and Targets.
Recommendation |
The Group's response |
|
Governance: |
The Board is accountable for overseeing the delivery of Oxford Biomedica's climate-related activities. The SET is responsible for delivering on these objectives within their functional areas.
The Board and the SET are supported by a cross-functional ESG Committee (formerly the Responsible Business Committee), chaired by the CEO, who work with the ESG Committee to define Oxford Biomedica's ESG strategy and to set objectives and targets. |
|
Strategy: |
Oxford Biomedica's environmental strategy and objectives are described in the Group’s Environmental, Social and Governance Report (previously known as the Responsible Business Report).
Oxford Biomedica is committed to minimise the impact of its operations on the environment by adopting responsible environmental practices and complying with applicable environmental legislation. |
|
Risk Management: |
Oxford Biomedica has assessed the impact of climate change as part of its normal risk management process and concluded that there is likely to be minor future financial risks that would need to be managed and none that would materially impact its business model.
This assessment is consistent with the Sustainability Standards Board’s (SASB) Materiality Map, which indicates that the issue is not likely to be material for the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sector. |
|
Metrics and Targets: |
Oxford Biomedica's environmental metrics and targets are described in its Environmental, Social and Governance Report. The key targets are:
– minimise waste disposal from laboratories and manufacturing suites
– reduce carbon emissions by optimising Oxford Biomedica's energy usage
– reduce packaging materials (plastics used) and
– use sustainable suppliers |
2021 ESG environmental objectives:
- to commission a third party assessment of sustainability performance on the redevelopment of the Windrush Innovation Centre eg. BREEAM).
- to map the Group’s Environmental Management System against ISO14001.
- to engage with the Group’s suppliers to reduce the volume of waste-generating materials coming into the organisation.
- to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by optimising the Group’s energy usage.
- to reduce the volume of hazardous liquid wastes being generated.
- to meet the TCFD metrics and targets.