Our strategic goals: 2020-2030
Bioregional will show, working with partners, how One Planet Living can be achieved in our homes, communities, businesses, and town centres. We will use practical examples of our work to change policy and practice – both in the UK and internationally through the UN Sustainable Development Goals network, to help avert the climate and ecological emergency and achieve the SDGs by 2030.
We aim to:
Drive exemplary business practice: we will help businesses to measure and reduce their carbon footprints in line with science-based targets, set ambitious strategies that enable sustainable consumption and production, and play an active role in regenerating the natural ecosystems upon which we all depend.
Create sustainable homes and communities: we will support housebuilders, property owners, and local authorities to enable the next generation of net-zero, affordable, biodiversity-positive homes to be built; support local authorities to create and implement net-zero carbon planning policies and sustainable high streets; and work with asset owners to sustainably retrofit homes.
Influence policy and industry practice: we will work with our partners and stakeholder groups, sharing knowledge of the practical and inspiring solutions we have developed with partners to influence government policy and industry practice in the built environment, sustainable production and consumption, and corporate sustainability strategies.
Making One Planet Living® available to all
One Planet Living is our vision of a world where we can live well, within the limits of Earth’s resources, and a practical, straightforward framework to help achieve this.
To help create change at the scale and pace we need, our focus in recent years has been to make the One Planet Living framework more accessible than before.
1.4 million people are now living in, visiting, or working at organisations, communities, and cities with a commitment to One Planet Living.
One Planet Living is truly international, with users in 22 countries including Australia, Canada, USA, South Africa, and Ireland, across six continents. In the 20 years since we developed the framework with the World Wide Fund for Nature, more than 300 communities, housebuilders, businesses, schools, and other organisations have used One Planet Living to create a more sustainable world.
The One Planet Living Real Estate Fund
The One Planet Living Real Estate Fund is a $100m Canadian closed-end, real estate development impact fund operated by Epic Investment Services, in partnership with Windmill Developments, the visionary developer that instigated the pioneering One Planet Living development Zibi in Canada. It aims to create happy, healthy communities within the capacity of one planet while delivering compelling returns for investors.
The Fund operates under the One Planet Living framework for clear and transparent validation and reporting of impact outcome, and currently has eight active projects across the Greater Toronto Area and downtown Ottawa including:
- Baker District, Guelph – Canada’s second formally endorsed One Planet Living community,
- The Courcelette, Toronto (shown opposite) – a partnership with a landowner and community leader to turn a former brownfield site into a LEED Platinum condominium,
- Stone Abbey, Ottawa – a partnership with an Anglican church to upgrade a valued community space while creating a new highly sustainable residential building.
Four of the projects will use prefabricated cross-laminated timber, which delivers lower embodied carbon and allows for more rapid construction delivery.
Celebrating new One Planet Living Leaders
One Planet Living Leaders are projects that showcase the very best use of our framework and represent the gold standard in sustainable placemaking. There are hundreds of One Planet Living projects around the world, but only the very best achieve the status of Leader or Global Leader. There are now 28 One Planet Living Leaders and Global Leaders.
Lamington Group is a collection of forward-thinking, family-owned real estate investment, development and operational businesses that has an industry-first target of delivering whole-life net-zero ‘hometels’. Its mission is to create places that push design boundaries, challenge industry norms, and support people and the planet to thrive.
Green Village is a regeneration site being launched by the World Council of Churches (WCC) in partnership with real estate developer Implenia. Based in the municipality of Grand-Saconnex in central Geneva, Switzerland, it is a robust expression of One Planet Living on a high-profile site well-placed for car-free living. The One Planet Living ambition informs every aspect of the development and expresses WCC’s commitment to a just and sustainable global community. Once completed, the district will be home to 3,000 employees, over 200 hotel and apartment rooms, 50 families, and numerous local services.
Our built environment consultancy team supported leading developers to design truly sustainable homes and communities, advised local authorities on their responses to the climate and ecological emergency, including a residents’ guide to home retrofit, and advised rural communities on the creation of local net-zero carbon heating systems.
Creating a ground-breaking spatial carbon modelling tool for local authorities
Alongside partners Etude, Currie & Brown and Mode Transport, we created a pioneering modelling tool that allows local authorities to identify the lowest-carbon route for new developments. Bridging the gap between the UK’s legally binding climate targets and current national policy the tool gave Central Lincolnshire and Greater Cambridgeshire the ability to model the annual carbon footprint that would be generated by new development, depending on exactly where that development takes place and which policies are applied to it.
Net-zero local planning
We supported the creation of Central Lincolnshire’s local plan, which was officially adopted in April 2023. This significant piece of work covers planning policies and allocations for the growth and regeneration of Central Lincolnshire up to 2040. The local plan contains a suite of ground-breaking policies which will help ensure that development and use of land contributes to the mitigation of, and adaptation to, the climate crisis.
Working with partners Etude, we also created an energy efficiency design guide that provides practical, accessible guidance on how to comply with Central Lincolnshire Local Plan policy relating to energy efficiency in new buildings.
“Bioregional’s innovative approach and technical expertise has enabled Central Lincolnshire to become a trailblazer for net-zero carbon planning policy in England. By providing an evidence base to inform our new local planning policies we can now accommodate new growth in the most sustainable way possible, ensuring homes are built sustainably and resilient to climate change, that we can protect and enhance biodiversity, and can build a safe and sustainable future for our communities.”
- Philip Hylton, Local Plans Manager, Central Lincolnshire Local Plans Team
Warwick District Council’s zero-carbon development plan document (DPD) was submitted in August 2022. Our team worked with the council from start to finish – creating an evidence base for net-zero development, supporting throughout the consultation process.
“Creating net zero-carbon planning policy is technical and complex. Bioregional were a trusted partner at every step of the way, from creating an evidence base for new development to supporting us through the consultation process.”
- Dave Barber - Policy and Projects Manager, Warwick District Council
We also worked with local authorities including London Borough of Lambeth, West Berkshire District Council and Cherwell District Council, along with supporting the Greater London Authority by scrutinising the planning application of one of London’s largest regeneration opportunities. Working alongside the planning consultancy Edgars, we also created Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead’s climate change supplementary planning document.
Supporting a borough-wide climate alliance
The Climate Partnership is an alliance of businesses, charities, and community groups working together to achieve a sustainable future for Windsor and Maidenhead. Launched as an independent community interest company last year to support the delivery of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead’s climate and sustainability strategy, we supported the partnership’s creation with stakeholder mapping and a local needs analysis and materiality assessment, enabling it to prioritise its areas of focus and maximise its impact.
Helping local South Cambridgeshire fine-tune its response to the climate emergency
We supported South Cambridgeshire District Council to understand the impact of its response to the climate emergency across its operations, activities, and influence, set against the was set against our One Planet Living framework.
Assessing the feasibility of parish-wide renewable energy projects in rural communities
The Rural Community Energy Fund is a £10m government-funded programme that supports rural communities in England to develop renewable energy projects, which in turn provide economic and social benefits to the community.
We completed our work with four local communities to explore the feasibility of community-led, net-zero-compatible heating systems. Working with partners Fairheat and ICAX, we developed detailed feasibility studies and engaged residents across four communities that have a combined population of over 16,000:
- Whittington and Fisherwick, Staffordshire
- Shenstone, Staffordshire
- Brightwell-cum-Sotwell, Oxfordshire
- Grand Union Community, Kings Langley, Hertfordshire
“Bioregional brought together an excellent team of partners to co-develop our feasibility study and successfully engage the residents of Kings Langley. Their technical expertise and attention to detail helped give our residents the clearest possible picture of how we could develop community-led zero-carbon heating, and how our community would benefit.”
- Sarah Burgess, GUCE community Group, Kings Langley
Sustainable new-build homes and communities
We worked with eight developers and housebuilders on sustainability strategies for housing-led, mixed-use development. Collectively these could deliver over 22,000 sustainable homes (of which 1,600 are within the planning system and 20,600 are in pre-planning), including 5,500 affordable homes, as well as over 97,000 m2 of sustainable commercial and community space.
As signatories to the #EndGasNow campaign, we have committed only to work on new build schemes that are ‘net-zero ready’ – running with significantly reduced carbon emissions when they are built, and ready to achieve net-zero carbon in operation with the decarbonisation of the electricity grid.
A new sustainable neighbourhood for Manchester
We supported the Mayfield Partnership, a collaboration between Landsec U+I, Manchester City Council, Transport for Greater Manchester and LCR, on the creation of a sustainability masterplan for the Mayfield neighbourhood in Manchester, of the UK’s pre-eminent mixed-use regeneration projects.
The partnership aims to transform a 24-acre site in Manchester into a vibrant mixed-use neighbourhood. The project involves the revitalisation of industrial land into new homes, offices, retail spaces, and the 6.5-acre Mayfield Park – the first public park to be created in the city centre for over 100 years. The first phase of development will include two of Manchester’s most sustainable office buildings totalling 320,000 sq. ft of Grade A office space, created using innovative building techniques and new, lower impact materials.
One Planet Living was used as an internal tool to analyse the needs and opportunities presented by the site’s local context and model how it could respond to the needs of the community while supporting city-wide and national sustainability targets.
Creating sustainable communities with Socius
Devonshire Gardens aims to transform a brownfield builder’s yard in Cambridge into a mixed-use community with a landscaped park. Opening the site will create a significant new area of public space, improve connectivity, and offer a green haven for local people in an area currently deficient in green space.
Working with partners Socius and Railpen, we enhanced the sustainability performance of the Devonshire Gardens development in Cambridge, and produced a sustainability strategy and sustainability statement covering all aspects of its environmental impact.
Due to start on-site later this year and be completed in 2025, the scheme aims to deliver:
- Over 110,000 sq. ft of modern, wellbeing-focused workspace,
- Seventy build-to-rent homes, including 14 affordable homes, with no difference in quality and shared access to all services and amenities,
- Community facilities including a creche, pavilion and flexible studios,
- A landscaped public park featuring over 120 trees, new plant species, and a community food garden,
- A majority car-free neighbourhood with new walkways and cycle paths,
- A biodiversity net-gain of over 350%.
In early 2023 we began supporting Socius and Railpen on Botanic Place, which aims to be the most sustainable workspace in Cambridge. Our support will include a high-level gap analysis and the creation of a sustainability tracker tool, along with playing an active role as a critical friend within the design team as it moves through the detailed design stage.
A new distribution centre for a leading retailer
Under NDA, we’ve been working with a large retailer to support the design of a new distribution centre. Our support has included a local needs analysis, competitor analysis and gap analysis. This initial phase culminated in a vision, design and performance workshop, before a final design brief was produced. The brief was structured using One Planet Living, and will be issued to the developer and its design team to ensure that the project will perform against its sustainability criteria.
Demonstrating real-world impact in Elmsbrook, NW Bicester
One of our longest-running partnerships and a One Planet Living leader, the 393-home Elmsbrook development – the first phase of the UK’s first eco-town in Bicester, Oxfordshire – received an updated performance assessment, which demonstrates exactly how it is working in practice:
- 84% lower carbon emissions compared to the average UK household (894 kgCO2 vs 5,424kgCO2),
- 74% lower carbon emissions lower carbon emissions compared to the average UK newbuild (3,500 kgCO2),
- 29% less electricity usage compared to an average Bicester household,
- 64% lower heating demand compared to the UK average.
These results show that the eco homes we helped to design almost 10 years ago are comfortably outperforming many new homes that are built today. This is a huge achievement for our partners A2 Dominion and Cherwell District Council, and an inspiring example for the wider housebuilding sector to follow, whose building methods have largely failed to keep pace with industry best practice.
Sustainable retrofit
Alongside 3G Construction and Transition by Design, we produced a practical guide for homeowners and landlords in Cambridge on how to make their homes more energy-efficient, explaining how to approach a ‘whole house retrofit’, which measure would best suit their home, and which would be most cost-effective. Briefed by Cambridge City Council with establishing the technical and cost requirements to achieve net-zero carbon for Cambridge residents, we selected and energy-modelled seven different housing types that are commonly found in the city.
Sustainable business consultancy
Our consultancy work continues to focus on businesses in the retail, and food and beverage sectors, as well as the engineering, construction, and property sectors.
Last year we supported 21 organisations to develop and deliver their sustainability strategies, sustainable product guidelines, carbon footprinting, and net-zero roadmaps. These businesses collectively employ over 124,000 people, with a combined total turnover of over £27bn.
Redefining sustainable home improvement retail with Kingfisher plc
For more than 11 years we have worked with Kingfisher plc – Europe’s leading home retailer and the owner of B&Q and Screwfix in the UK – on a wide range of sustainability initiatives, a journey that has helped millions of people to live more sustainably and comfortably in their homes.
We have supported Kingfisher to redefine sustainable home improvement retail – with further transformational progress to come. Kingfisher delivered amazing results during 2022/23:
- Net-zero strategy – we supported the development and monitoring of Kingfisher’s science-based carbon reduction targets and scope 1 and 2 net-zero strategy. Kingfisher achieved a 53% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions in 2022/23 from its baseline year, exceeding its target of 37.8% by 2025. Action to reduce emissions from property has contributed to these results, with Kingfisher’s property energy intensity reduced by 25% from its baseline year. In the UK, more than 400 Screwfix stores have been fitted with air source heat pumps, earning a British Retail Consortium award for Kingfisher’s progress in ‘driving towards net zero property’.
- Sustainable product guidelines – we provided technical support to drive improvements across Kingfisher’s range of more than 100,000 products. Sales are on track to hit Kingfisher’s target for 60% of group sales to be from “sustainable home products” by 2025. Kingfisher is now sourcing 94.5% of its wood and paper from forests that are proven to be well managed, an increase of eight percentage points year-on-year.
- Award-winning sustainability reporting, disclosure, and transparency – we helped gather and verify data from nine operating companies to inform Kingfisher’s award-winning Responsible Business Report, and leading other key disclosure initiatives.
“Bioregional has been a trusted partner to Kingfisher for more than 10 years, consistently delivering bespoke work that supports our business to respond to the climate and ecological emergency. From carbon footprinting and net zero strategy, to advice on sustainable home product guidelines, Bioregional’s support has enabled us to shape sustainable home improvement retail and help our customers to live in greener, healthier homes. Bioregional’s support in gathering and verifying carbon data has allowed us to demonstrate our progress against our emissions reduction targets transparently, accurately, and with confidence.”
- Dorothée D’Herde, Director of Responsible Business, Kingfisher plc
Background image courtesy of Kingfisher plc's Responsible Business Report 2021/22.
Carbon footprinting for The Portman Estate
We supported one of London’s oldest landed estates to calculate a carbon footprint for its entire operations, covering scopes 1, 2 and 3. We developed an innovative new methodology which enabled us to use actual energy data, rather than estimations, to calculate scope 3 emissions from leased assets. This significantly improved the accuracy of the footprint, allowing the Estate to understand its full carbon impact, and to refine its current carbon reduction targets to meet its ambitions of reaching net zero by 2040, in line with Westminster City Council’s climate strategy.
We also reviewed The Portman Estate’s Sustainability Action Plan, which we developed with the Estate in early 2022. Drawing on stakeholder interviews and KPI data we assessed progress over the past year against the One Planet Living principles, identified key successes and areas for improvement, and helped the Estate to prioritise actions and resources over the coming year.
“We have developed an excellent long-term partnership with Bioregional. They act as a critical friend and take an innovative, problem-solving approach to overcoming challenges and finding new solutions. Bioregional’s One Planet Living framework is easy to understand, based on science and communicates our sustainability ambitions and progress clearly.”
- Rosa Han, Associate Director, Programme Management (Strategic Projects), The Portman Estate
Scope 3 emissions calculations and reduction strategies
We helped businesses and organisations to better understand their scope 3 emissions, and what they can do to reduce them:
We supported the Derbion Centre – the largest shopping centre in the East Midlands, home to over 170 stores and with over 2m visitors a year – to understand how its current sustainability performance stacks up - and develop an action plan for improvements. Following a gap analysis, we undertook a full scope 3 footprint and worked with an external partner for a site-level scope 1 and 2 audit. Armed with this, and an understanding of Derbion’s priorities, we developed a sustainability action plan across four key workstreams, providing guidance on near-term and long-term milestones.
Sue Ryder is a national healthcare and bereavement charity with the ambition to operate one of the most sustainable charity shop chains in the UK. We helped it to review its scope 3 emissions and create its sustainability strategy. This gave Sue Ryder a comprehensive assessment of its sustainability baseline position, and a clear plan for how to move forward. We set the organisation’s first net-zero target, backed up by a pathway for reaching net zero across scopes 1 and 2. Sue Ryder has committing to achieving net-zero emissions by 2035 for its scope 1 and 2 emissions, and scope 3 by 2050.
“Bioregional’s work on our carbon footprint and sustainability strategy has been critical in building understanding of our key impacts and how we can reduce them. This support has enabled us to engage our staff and together to begin the next stage of our sustainability journey, supporting our aim to provide more care, for more people.”
- Martin Wildsmith, Director of Retail and Estates, Sue Ryder
NG Bailey is the UK's leading independent engineering and services business. We supported it with the development of its science-based targets, which have now been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative. These include reducing absolute scope 1 and scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2031, and for 75% of its suppliers, by spend to have science-based targets by FY2027. To support NG Bailey’s ongoing sustainability reporting, we also conducted a scope 3 footprint for its procurement, waste, and employee commuting.
“As a purpose-led consultancy, we can trust that Bioregional’s advice is honest, accurate and represents environmental best practice. They went beyond the initial brief to help set our first science-based targets and provided additional support to calculate aspects of our scope 3 footprint.”
- Elizabeth Edgington, Group Carbon and Sustainability Manager, NG Bailey
We undertook initial carbon footprints for several organisations to help them begin their net-zero journeys. This included housing associations Radcliffe Housing Society and Raven Housing Trust. We also began work on a large carbon footprinting project with Open University, carrying out the initial carbon scoping work.
Corporate sustainability strategies
Allegra Care operates care homes across central and southern England, providing dementia, respite, and end-of-life care. We worked with Allegra Care on its first-ever ESG strategy, which included top-level targets of:
- Achieving net-zero carbon across its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030, and reaching net-zero carbon for its scope 3 impacts by 2040,
- Supporting its staff and residents to drive positive social change in the communities in which it operates,
- Ensuring its care homes and new developments are resilient to global heating.
We developed the strategy through a series of stakeholder workshops and interviews, ensuring the finished article was achievable and comprehensive, and had the buy-in of colleagues and investors.
GPF Lewis is a construction, refurbishment and maintenance company that works across London and southern England. We supported it with the initial phase of its strategy development – carrying out stakeholder engagement and analysis of sector trends that informed a detailed gap analysis against the One Planet Living framework. This first phase will be followed in the new financial year with a full carbon footprint and a holistic sustainability strategy, which will include a net-zero carbon trajectory that aligns with a 1.5°C world.
Supporting the United Nations Environment Programme to promote sustainable construction materials and reduce chemical pollution
UNEP Eco-innovation Manual – increasing the use of sustainable construction materials
We have worked with the United Nations Environment Programme since 2020 to create and launch the Eco-innovation supplement on building materials. Created with our partners at National Cleaner Production Centre Sri Lanka, the supplement equips SMEs in the building materials industry with a toolkit and methodology to embed sustainability into their business strategies and identify new products, services, and practices that yield sustainability and economic benefits.
The supplement provides sector-specific examples and application of the eco-innovation process for building materials companies, and gives guidance on managing chemicals of concern, measuring, and reducing the carbon emissions associated with building materials, and improving circularity. It can help companies reduce waste and operational costs, stay ahead of regulation, and meet increasing customer demand for more sustainable products.
Building UNEP / GlobalABC’s Sustainable Building Materials Hub for global policymakers
To help the construction industry to shift towards more sustainable materials and construction methods, we continued to support the development of a new resource ‘hub’ - Sustainable Building Materials Hub that will help policymakers around the world tackle some of the most pressing sustainability and environmental issues linked to the building materials and construction industries. The Hub contains a range of resources - including tools, case studies, and policy guidance – that can aid policymakers in improving the environmental performance of the industry.
We supported UNEP, as the host of the Secretariat for the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction, with the Hub’s full development process using a participative approach – scoping, user journey research, wireframe sketches, working group user research, resource preparation and developer liaison. The hub will be integrated into the GlobalABC website and is expected to be launched in 2023.
Reducing chemical pollution from building products
To tackle the issue of worldwide chemical pollution, we supported UNEP to deliver an info-hub on chemicals in building products as part of a Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) project. Alongside our partner, Sustainable Global Resources, we also produced a guide on tracking, managing and reducing the effects of chemicals of concern in building materials through sustainable public procurement, a powerful instrument for shifting markets towards safer and more sustainable building materials.
The SAICM GEF 9771 project ‘Global best practices on emerging chemical policy issues of concern under the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)’ was funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
Exploring how entrepreneurs can combat the climate crisis
RED C is a boutique market research company specialising in media and international research. We helped it explore how impact entrepreneurs are engaging with issues around climate justice, by designing research materials, providing quantitative analysis, and inputting into qualitative summaries and recommendations. Our key recommendations outlined how investors should consider language and framing around climate justice discussions, how actions should be achievable within the scope of impact start-ups, and how accelerators must be mindful of the value provided to impacted communities.
Oxfordshire Greentech appoints its first CEO
Our Oxfordshire-based team has been instrumental in the day-to-day running of Oxfordshire Greentech since we helped launch the low-carbon business network in 2019. Originally part of the £3.2m OxFutures project, this ambitious initiative aims to grow and scale the low-carbon economy for the region and has flourished as its own standalone network since March 2020. In 2023, Oxfordshire Greentech employed Bioregional’s Hannah Scott as its first full-time employee and CEO. This significant milestone means Bioregional will step back from the day-to-day running of the network. However, we maintain a staff member as a director of the board and will continue to champion the great work that it does in bringing together the region’s like-minded entrepreneurs and innovators to collaborate and inspire.
A sustainable future for London’s West End
New West End Company (NWEC) is one of London’s most renowned business improvement districts, covering the world-famous retail and leisure district around Oxford Street, Regent’s Street, and Bond Street. Following our advisory work on last year’s sustainability strategy support, we supported NWEC to keep its Sustainability Member Hub up to date, advising on new sustainability legislation and resources. We conducted a strategic review – covering the world of sustainability from a global and local perspective. This informed NWEC’s new Sustainability Action Plan, which is based on our One Planet Living framework.
This year, the Oxford Street and Bond Street Christmas lights received a sustainable transformation. In line with commitments made in its Sustainability Action Plan and the cost-of-living crisis, NWEC made the decision to keep its Christmas lights on only during evening hours, to use LED lights in its display, and to ensure the display was made from recycled polymers, reducing its energy usage by approximately 65%.
“As one of the world’s premier shopping and leisure destinations it is essential for London’s West End to sit at the cutting edge of sustainability. Bioregional helped us create a forward-thinking and future-proofed Sustainability Action Plan, in line with climate science and with no greenwash, based on extensive stakeholder engagement and retail market analysis.”
- Lucy Mitchell, Chief Operating Officer, New West End Company
Co-designing a green business partnership for Sutton High Street
Funded by the Mayor of London’s High Streets for All Challenge, and in partnership with the London Borough of Sutton, the Successful Sutton business improvement district, and the grassroots community music venue Sound Lounge, we helped to set up the Green Enterprise Partnership – a green enterprise model for local businesses that is piloting the first business rates incentive scheme in the UK to help businesses to start and progress their sustainability journey. The partnership aims to work collectively with Sutton’s local SMEs to achieve a viable, zero-carbon business model, which will include greening the supply chain.
We developed a sustainability self-assessment tool that allows SMEs to measure their carbon footprint and assess their impact across key areas, including supply chains, travel and transport, waste, the local economy, and energy use. The tool also generates bespoke action plans for businesses based on their self-assessments, allowing them to identify actions and set targets to reduce their carbon footprint and improve their sustainability impact.
“Bioregional is a trusted and reliable partner that demonstrates deep knowledge of sustainability and the commercial solutions that businesses in can adopt to respond to the climate emergency. They brought great skill to a complex partnership, marrying the needs of the local authority, business improvement district and the wider community.”
- Luan Baptista, Climate Partnership Manager, London Borough of Sutton
Employee sustainability training
We carried out employee sustainability training sessions with The Portman Estate and Baker Street Quarter Partnership, introducing their teams to carbon jargon, the climate and ecological emergency, One Planet Living sustainability in the built environment and business, and takeaway sustainability actions.
Influencing wider change
Leading industry efforts to build net-zero and sustainable homes
Our CEO, Sue Riddlestone OBE, was appointed to the board of the Future Homes Hub, the alliance of property industry experts and businesses established to develop a long-term delivery plan for the sector in line with the Government’s legally binding net zero and wider environmental targets. As a board member, Sue will help supervise the translation of the Hub’s strategy into deliverable business plans and will support the overall management of the Hub and its business.
Amplifying our voice through industry networks and campaigns
We have contributed to the work of various membership bodies and stakeholder groups, including UK Green Building Council, Aldersgate Group, Green Alliance, Better Buildings Partnership, UN Global ABC, UN One Planet Network, and the Academy of Urbanism. In addition, we have responded to consultations and calls for evidence, including a government consultation on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework, and engagement with UK political parties and policymakers.
We backed the campaign by Possible, which called for a lifting of the de facto ban on onshore wind – a crucial step for climate progress and UK energy security. A public letter was signed by dozens of notable figures from the worlds of politics, media, and science, including Caroline Lucas, Chris Packham CBE, Liz Bonnin, Deborah Meaden, and Mike Berners-Lee.
We also supported the #WarmThisWinter campaign as the UK’s energy crisis and cost-of-living crisis hit households across the country. Bringing together anti-poverty and environmental organisations across the UK, including Bioregional, WWF, and the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, it called on Government to adopt practical measures to help people with fuel costs now and in the future by supporting vulnerable households, retrofitting homes, expanding renewable energy production, and declaring a moratorium on new oil and gas extraction.
Awards
We were delighted to be recognised for the following awards:
- RESI Awards 2023 winner: Professional Team of the Year – our consultancy team was recognised for its work on supporting developers to design sustainable net-zero-ready homes and communities, advising local authorities on their responses to the climate and ecological emergency, and developing a scalable financial model to unlock energy-efficient retrofitting in hard-to-treat social housing
- Unlock Net Zero Awards 2023 – we are a proud finalist for 'Company/organisation of the Year - South' in the Unlock Net Zero Awards 2023
- UK Green Business Awards 2023 – we are a proud finalist for 'Consultancy of the Year' at the UKGBA 2023
- Housing Digital innovation awards 2023 – we are a proud finalist for 'Most innovative retrofit scheme', alongside our partners, Places for People.
Events and communications
- We chaired two Futurebuild events, reaching over 130 attendees
- We shared our practical insights and inspiring stories with more than 2,000 people at regional, national, and international events
- Our website had 125,000 sessions
- Our web resources were downloaded over 7,000 times
Bioregional’s One Planet Living action plan 2022-23: highlights
Our full One Planet Living action plan – Bioregional’s sustainability strategy – is available to view in full on our website here. The key highlights and principle summary for 2022-23 are below.
Meeting the net-zero challenge
Our 2022-23 action plan is the first to reflect our new science-based targets – approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) – to become a net-zero carbon business. In December 2021, the SBTi approved Bioregional’s target to:
- reduce our already low scope 1 and scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions – from property, and energy used for heating and lighting – by at least 50% by 2025.
We have also committed to reducing our scope 3 emissions – indirect emissions from manufacturing, supply chains and company travel – even though the SBTi does not require SMEs to do so. We will:
- require 50% of our key suppliers (measured by procurement emissions) to have science-based targets by 2025,
- formalise our policies to source materials and products responsibly in Bioregional’s employee handbook, and develop and implement a sustainable procurement policy by Q4 2022, and,
- reduce our absolute emissions from business travel by 75% by 2030.
Following our office move, a priority for us in 2023-24 is to re-baseline our footprint, and resubmit to the SBTi, to ensure the accuracy of our targets.
Supporting London’s transition to a net-zero economy
Bioregional answered a call issued by leading business organisations, the Mayor of London, and London Councils for organisations to show leadership in tackling the climate emergency by making their offices net-zero carbon. The pledge commits Bioregional to ensure that the workspace it uses meets the UK Green Building Council’s (UKGBC) Net Zero Carbon Buildings Framework Definition by 2030.
This commitment will inform our approach to working with our new workspace provider and its landlord.
Bioregional's One Planet Living action plan 2022-23: principle summary
Health and happiness
Key targets
- Maintain a Gallup score of 4.3 or more
- Support colleagues with the cost-of-living crisis
Main achievements
- Gallup score of 4.3 achieved in 2022, with a participation rate of 83%
- Support provided to staff, including: access to wellbeing support services, cost-of-living payments for the lowest paid staff, and all staff given the opportunity to ‘sell back’ five or fewer holiday days
Equity and local economy
Key targets
- Become a more diverse and inclusive organisation - submit RACE report data, implement Diversity and Inclusion policies, and continue Diversity and Inclusion group meetings, working on agreed actions
- Participate in events designed to educate young people about the range of environmental careers that are available
Main achievements
- Data submitted to RACE Report revealed the percentage of non-white staff at Bioregional was 13%, against an industry average of 7%
- Bioregional colleagues attended and presented at two Climate Kick-Start events
Culture and community
Key targets
- Regularly participate in community activities at Sustainable Workspaces, and proactively explore areas of collaboration with fellow tenants
- Continue to support and maintain a presence within the BedZED community and in Hackbridge by running tours and hosting events
Main achievements
- We attended six meetings and events through the year with other eco-system businesses
- 24 tours were carried out during the year, hosting a total of 561 visitors
Land and nature
Key targets
- Sign Business for Nature’s Call to Action
- Create opportunities for staff to connect to nature
Main achievements
- The Call to Action has been signed, and Commitments made will be reflected in Bioregional’s 23/24 One Planet Living action plan
- We participated in the RSPB Bird Watch, but did not hit our 75% participation target
- 100% of BedZED office plants were rehomed
Sustainable water
Key targets
- Continue to record and measure quarterly and annual water consumption and reach RIBA 2025 target for office water use (<13 l/p/day)
- Hold a water-focussed seminar with colleagues, give tips on reducing water use in the home and office
Main achievements
- At BedZED our measured water use was around 6.5 l/p/day
- We held a successful seminar event for colleagues
Local and sustainable food
Key targets
- Encourage diets that are high in vegetable protein and plant-based - share reviews of vegan recipes and ingredients with colleagues
- Run a workshop/event on how to grow your own food at home using sustainable methods (eg no artificial pesticides/herbicides or fertilizers, minimising water usage etc)
Main achievements
- At least 75% of colleagues have shared recipes or reviewed meat-free products
- At least 50% staff reporting they are now growing at least one piece of fresh produce at home, or are volunteering regularly at a community food growing garden
Travel and transport
Key targets
- 50% staff travel by sustainable modes of transport (e.g: cycle / public transport / electric car)
- 75% reduction of business travel against pre-pandemic levels
Main achievements
- Approximately 93% of staff journeys are made using more sustainable modes of transport
- Zero flights taken in 22/23
Our funders
The trustees and staff would like to place on record their gratitude to all the organisations and individuals who continue to support the work of the charity. Our work would not be possible without the support of our partners and funders. Thank you.
Our partners in 2022/23
AECOM, Allegra Care, Association of Inner Wheel, Baird Group (BMB Clothing Ltd), Baker Street Quarter Partnership, Baylands Development Inc., Bellway Homes, Brightwell-cum-Sotwell Parish Council, Cambridge City Council, Catalyst Housing, Central Lincolnshire Authorities, Cherwell District Council, Crescent Communities, Derbion, Dream, Eco Birmingham, Edward Developments, Enable Leisure and Culture, First Base, Fora, FORE Partnership, Forest of Dean District Council, Fremantle, GPF Lewis PLC, Grand Union Community Energy Ltd., Green Axis, Greencore construction, Helena McElmeel Architects, Hill, Implenia, Kesko Corporation, Kingfisher Group, Legal and General, Lambeth Council, Lamington Group, Landsec, Linebox Studio, L'Oreal, The Low Carbon Hub, Manor Royal Business Park, Milligan Ltd, Mitchells & Butlers, Muir Group, Nandos, NetApp, New West End Company, NG Bailey, Open University, Oxford Advance Living, Oxford Brooks University, Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire Greentech, Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, Platinum Property Partners, Raven Housing Trust, REDC Research, Remade Network, Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead, Salvation Army Trading Co., Sassy, Springfield Meadows, Savills, Shenstone Parish Council, Singita, Socius, South Cambridgeshire District Authority, South Kesteven District Council, South West College, Southbank Centre, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Storey Homes, Sue Ryder, Summix, Sutton Council, Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, The Portman Estate, Troup Bywaters + Anders, United Nations Environment Programme, Urban Equation, Voyage Care, Warwick District Council, West Berkshire Council, Whittington & Fisherwick Parish Council, Wilko Retail Ltd, Windmill.
Our grant funders and donors in 2022/23
Skoll, Sovereign Housing Association, The National Lottery, Westmill Solar Co-operative.
Additional image credits: respective partners
We can do this. We can tackle the climate and ecological emergency and create a better future. Thank you for being on this journey with us.
Credits:
Created with images by Roman Babakin - "London Eye Ferris Wheel and County Hall in London dusk" • veneratio - "Beautiful sunrise image of drone aerial view of Autumn Fall forest scene landscape" • Lubo Ivanko - "Green meadow with small forest and mount Krivan peak (Slovak symbol) in distance on summer afternoon" • marcin jucha - "Emerald green Soca river in Slovenia, top down aerial photo" • UAV4 - "Worcester UK Aerial View at Sunrise, Worcestershire" • INFINITY - "lincoln city" • dudlajzov - "Aerial view of the Warwick castle, England" • elroce - "Satellite view of London, United Kingdom from the space. Elements of this image furnished by NASA." • Leonid Andronov - "Traditional houses in Windsor - Berkshire, England, United Kingdom" • Jevanto Productions - "Sunset view flying midges over British rural landscape scene with river near Northampton" • DazGee - "View across oxfordshire" • Olena Rudo - "Architect workplace top view" • I-Wei Huang - "Typical British terraced houses around Kensal Rise in London" • Alexey Fedorenko - "Dramatic view of the Oxford street in London at Christmas time" • korkeng - "Glass building house covered by green ivy with blue sky" • AndriiKoval - "The phrase " Climate justice now " drawn on a carton banner in woman's hand. Protest for ecology. Human holds a cardboard with an inscription: Climate justice now" • chrisdorney - "Oxford Street Christmas Lights in London" • Deymos.HR - "People shopping and walking in London Oxford street" • Alexey Fedorenko - "Aerial view of Belsize Park, a residential area of Hampstead in the London Borough of Camden, England" • Anselm - "windkraftanlagen auf dem feld" • Rawpixel.com - "Sticky Note Post It Board Office" • davidyoung11111 - "County Hall by River Thames in London" • gnoparus - "Sea Life Aquarium under Clear Blue Sky at Night in Summer, London, England, United Kingdom"