EPI Group have developed 5 commitments to sustainability which we believe are unique within our industry and set the standard for others to follow.
At EPI Group sustainability is an integral and fundamental part of our business. It is our priority to encourage our clients, suppliers and all business associates to do the same.
Child of Tchawale village previously having to carry heavy containers of unsafe water
Our Commitments
To reduce EPI’s energy consumption, and offset the carbon generated by what we cannot reduce
We have been offsetting the CO2 produced through consultant and internal business development airline travel since the beginning of 2019, in 2020 we will be encouraging our clients to match our efforts. We are proactively working to reduce EPI office energy consumption, and have our HQ powered by 100% renewable sources.
We are moving our HQ in 2020 near to a mainline train station, which will enable our staff to make the most of public transport as well as self-powered commuting!
To look after the health, safety and mental wellbeing of our team, investing in them and their future
EPI Group are ISO45001 accredited and we are committed to establishing and maintaining a safe and healthy work place. We encourage mental resilience and physical wellbeing within the team, and in 2019 we engaged Delta V Partners to give us the knowledge, confidence and practical tools to thrive under pressure. Our learning and development plan aims to provide a working environment where continuous growth can take place, and where staff are supported and enabled to achieve their full potential.
To ensure that we operate an ethical business culture
EPI Group are committed to an ethical business culture; ensuring tax compliance and anti-bribery and corruption best practise. We have invested in training systems to ensure the team are fully compliant and understand their individual responsibilities. All our clients partners and suppliers in new territories are subject to due diligence before we engage with them, to ensure that we can work compliantly. The EPI Group have extensive process documentation developed for ISO9001 compliance. These process documents and associated risk factors are reviewed on an annual basis to ensure the EPI Group are compliant with the Criminal Finance Act 2017.
To promote diversity and equality
EPI Group promote equality and diversity to encourage inclusive working processes, practises and culture. We are proactive in taking steps to ensure engagement for all employees of EPI and acknowledge the benefits and opportunities to our business of having a diverse community of staff who value one another.
To support our local community
EPI Group support a different local charity each year. In 2019 we have been proud to be supporting Shooting Stars Children’s Hospices. They are a leading children’s hospice charity in Surrey, caring for babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions, and their families..
Many of our team are active within their own local community, we share the news of their personal achievements to demonstrate their personal commitment to community support as well as our corporate support.
Woman of Tchawale village now able to work, no longer having to spend hours boiling unsafe water
FAQ’s Section
Find out more information about our carbon offset partners, and the project that we are investing in.
Who are we working with?
We are working with United Purpose and their Carbon Credit partner co2balance to offset our carbon emissions.
United Purpose (UP) is a movement of people and organisations that strive to end poverty and inequality across the globe. We are a leader in community-led development and grassroots innovations. For over 40 years we have worked with frontline activists, community organisations and individuals to support people to gain agency over their own lives – so they can move beyond aid.
CO2balance works directly with businesses to create innovative carbon management strategies that help them reduce their carbon footprints. We offer a range of services that address all the key areas of carbon management, from carbon foot-printing and ESOS assessments through to delivering bespoke offset packages.
What is a carbon offsetting?
Carbon offsetting is an important component of the global environmental strategy to reduce CO2 emissions but is also recognised for its potential to deliver extensive benefits beyond carbon. This was recently reinforced by the Paris Agreement which highlighted the importance of market-based mechanisms such as carbon offsetting to combat climate change.
We are investing in premium offset credits from community-based projects that improve the quality of life for local people and help to protect the ecosystem services which they depend upon. Investing in these kinds of emission reduction projects goes beyond climate change mitigation by making a measurable contribution towards the UN’s Sustainable Development goals.
Specifically, EPI are purchasing United Purposes ethical carbon credits within Malawi, under their CO2 to H2O scheme.
What is the project EPI is investing in?
At Tchawale village in Malawi, their village borehole water pump was broken for over a year. UP partners with CO2balance (carbon financing project developers), to generate, market and sell carbon credits from its borehole programme in Dowa and Kasungu. The strategy is based on the premise that supplying people with safe water mitigates their need to burn wood to boil water from unsafe sources. This prevents greenhouse gasses (GHG) that contribute towards global climate change from being released into the atmosphere. By earning carbon credits through this reduction of emissions, UP has created a self-sustaining maintenance program, which includes a dedicated ‘borehole sustainability fund’ that can be utilised to provide a last line of defence against borehole breakdowns that go beyond the capacity of community-based repair options.
What are the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals?
In 2015 the world’s leaders signed the Global Goals for sustainable development – a series of ambitious targets to end extreme poverty, tackle climate change and fight injustice and inequality for everyone by 2030.
Out of the UNs 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) the project that we support in Malawi tackles 4 – Good Health and Well-being, Gender Equality, Clean Water and Sanitation as well as Climate Action. This means that the project is recognised by Gold Standard, which ensures the project not only reduces carbon emissions but features the highest levels of environmental integrity and also contributes to sustainable development
06/02/2023
EPI Group are now heading towards Net Zero by implementing the following actions:
- Allowing the team to work flexibly and from home 3 days a week.
- Using timers on electrical items in the office, to reduce our energy consumption.
- Switching to a renewable energy supplier.
- No single use plastic to be used in the office.
- Addressing our supply chain
23/03/2021
EPI Group are very pleased to announce that we are now Carbon Neutral! Accredited by our friends at CO2balance in March 2021, we hold the Carbon Neutral status for the next 12 months.
05/01/2021
EPI Group are building on our 2020 sustainability program with new initiatives for 2021. On top of setting our commitments to sustainability and offsetting the CO2 emissions from our consultant and internal business development airline travel, we are now working towards achieving carbon neutral and ISO: 14001 accreditations.
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