Sustainability

We are in a Climate Emergency and the RAF Museum is committed to addressing this crisis through our operation. We will operate in an environmentally sustainable way, applying the principles of sustainable development for the benefit of current and future generations, both locally and globally.

In addressing the Climate Emergency we will focus all our decision making through four focus areas:

Reduce our operational impact

Operate as Carbon Net Zero by 2030
Commit to sustainable development for the RAF Midlands Programme
Improve our energy efficiency and reduce our energy consumption, invest in a rolling programme of energy saving measures
Reduce our consumption of non-renewable fuels by utilising renewable energy and fuel tariffs that offer best value and establish and maintain systematic procedures for monitoring energy consumption and associated carbon emissions across all sites with the aim of minimising our emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other harmful greenhouse gases
Invest in clean, energy-efficient sustainable technologies
Support and encourage sustainable transport for both visitors, staff and Collection transport
Use carbon offsetting when this is felt appropriate but maintain focus on reducing energy use and emissions
Reduce our consumption of raw and processed materials, reusing material and repairing/maintaining equipment as a preference
Reduce our use of non-renewable materials and water consumption
Follow the waste hierarchy and minimise the amount of waste we produce
Reduce the use of chemicals in our operations and maintenance where possible

Develop a resilient and biodiverse estate

Adapt the Museums Estate to minimise the impact of the changing climate
Provide and maintain rich bio-diverse landscapes
Minimise water use in landscape maintenance

Enable our people

Implement the requirements of all relevant sustainability legislation and regulations, exceeding the minimum requirements where possible
Aspire to take a leading role in defining best sustainability practice, setting demanding standards for ourselves where none exist to reduce the environmental impact of our activities
Provide sustainability training for staff and encourage them to apply sound sustainability practices at home and within the wider community as well as at work
Carry out periodic reviews of environmental management performance and monitor progress against objectives and targets to ensure continual improvement

Share and engage with our audiences

Through interpretation and communication share the Museums sustainability vision, environmental impact and sustainability performance to our visitors and the wider public

We're a Carbon Literate Organisation

The image shows the logo of the "Carbon Literate Organisation Bronze" certification. The logo features a speech bubble with the text "Carbon Literate Organisation Bronze" inside it. Below the speech bubble are stylized figures holding hands, symbolizing community and collective action. The figures are depicted in a gold color, contrasting with the black speech bubble background and white text.

We have been accredited as a Bronze level Carbon Literate Organisation, reaffirming our dedication to combating climate change and sustainability. By engaging with the Carbon Literacy Project, we have trained a significant portion of our staff, equipping them with the knowledge and motivation to implement eco-friendly practices across the museum. This achievement reflects our commitment to environmental stewardship and our ongoing efforts to create a low-carbon culture within our organisation. We will now be working towards obtaining Silver and then Gold Levels, furthering our pledge to sustainable development.