Sustainable Business Travel Policy

Transcription

1 Sustainable Business Travel Policy July 2013 Author: Responsibility: Siôn James; Public Health Co-ordinator Wider Health Determinants (Public Health Lead for Bedfordshire CCG) All Staff Effective Date: July 2013 Review Date: July 2014 Reviewing/Endorsing committees Approved by Governance and Risk Sub Group Date Ratified by CCG Board Risk Management Group 8 th July 2013 N/A Version Number 1

2 POLICY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS Names of those involved in policy development Name Designation Siôn James Public Health Co-ordinator Wider Health Determinants (Public Health Lead for Bedfordshire CCG) gov.uk Names of those consulted regarding the policy approval Date Name Designation Janet Young Governance & Risk Manager Equality Impact Assessment prepared and held by Date Name Designation Siôn James Public Health Coordinator Wider Health Determinants (Public Health Lead for Bedfordshire CCG) Committee where policy was discussed/approved/ratified gov.uk Committee/Group Date Status Risk Management Group TBC Pending Approval Equality Impact Assessment Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group is committed to promoting equality in all its responsibilities as commissioner of services, as a provider of services, as a partner in the local economy and as an employer. This policy will contribute to ensuring that all users and potential users of services and employees are treated fairly and respectfully with regard to the protected characteristics of age, disability, gender, reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion, sex and sexual orientation. Sustainable Business Travel Policy Page 2

3 Contents page 1.0 Introduction Page Purpose Page Definitions Page Responsibilities Page Sustainable Travel Recommendations Page Development Process Page Training Requirements Page Monitoring Page Related Documents Page Appendices Page 15 Sustainable Business Travel Policy Page 3

4 1.0 Introduction Increasing car use is one of the main reasons for the decline in physical activity and associated health problems in the population. Almost one in 20 journeys in the UK is associated with the NHS and 83% of these take place by car or van 1. Transport is responsible for 17% of NHS England s carbon footprint, which contributes to climate change 2. Climate change is beginning to reveal its impacts on our health; through regular extreme weather events, increased risk of flooding, potential impacts on food production, and increased spread of communicable disease and potentially the social and economic implications of global recession. As a good corporate citizen, Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (BCCG) can lead by example, by encouraging staff to get out of their cars and on to bikes, their feet and onto public transport. By supporting a healthier and more active lifestyle, BCCG can promote a healthier workforce, cleaner environment and adds a social value contributing to a reduction in health inequalities. For further background reading, this policy should be read in conjunction with BCCG s overarching Sustainability Policy and the organisations Sustainable Development Management Plan. 1.1 Travel Sector Carbon Emissions In January 2012 the NHS Sustainable Development Unit published the Sustainability in the NHS Health Check 2012, an update to the 2009 NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy for England, Saving Carbon, Improving Health. As part of this update, the latest NHS Carbon Footprint the third time the footprint has been calculated for the NHS with previous versions produced in 2004 and 2007 showed that the travel sector emissions to NHS England s carbon footprint has remained at fixed at 17%. Reducing the use of private cars, either travelling to the NHS or on NHS business, is one of the big opportunities to reduce carbon related travel. In total they account for one is 20 journeys, however 56% of all journeys by car are less than five miles and 23% are less than two miles 3. The fastest growing source of greenhouse has emissions in the UK is transport 4 and as the price of fuel rises, investing in measures that reduce unnecessary travel can bring big cost savings. 1.2 National Obesity Epidemic 5 1 Healthy Futures #5 Sustainable Transport and Active Travel, Sustainable Development Commission, January NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy Saving Carbon, Improving Health Update, NHS Sustainable Development Unit, NICE guidance (reference PH13) Public Health Guidance on Promoting Physical Activity and the Workplace, May 2008: (Assessed June 2013). 4 Healthy Futures #5 Sustainable Transport and Active Travel, Sustainable Development Commission, January Sustainable Business Travel Policy Page 4

5 Obesity is a public health problem as serious as the polluted water and poor sewerage of the 18 th and 19 th centuries. A call to action on obesity in England, a follow up to the White Paper Healthy Lives, Healthy People, identifies the significant scale of the threat to our health and wellbeing, to both the NHS and the economy as a whole posed by current levels of overweight and obesity. In 2008 obesity cost NHS Bedfordshire 98.8 million, this figure was projected to rise to 136 million by 2015 without concerted action. The cost to the wider community has not yet been established at a local level but constitutes a significant burden. For example: Conditions linked with obesity (and the associated lifestyle choices) include cardiovascular disease, respiratory conditions, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, musculoskeletal problems, low self esteem and depression. Coupled with the increasing personal cost of acquired illness and reduced mobility associated with obesity is the growing economic cost of associated sickness absenteeism (particularly low back pain), poor self esteem and low productivity. Published data suggests more than 25% of the total cost of obesity falls on employers 6. In 2008, the findings of the Health Survey for England and the Integrated Household Survey found that: 1. Almost a quarter of adults (24% of men and 25% of women aged 16 or over) in England were classified as obese (BMI 30kg/m2 or over). 2. A greater proportion of men than women (42% compared with 32%) in England were classified as overweight in 2008 (BMI 25 to less than 30kg/m2). According to self-reported physical activity measures, only 39% of men and 29% of women meet the minimum recommended levels (at least 30 minutes of at least moderate intensity activity at least 5 times a week). 1.3 NHS Bedfordshire Legacy In 2009/2010, NHS Bedfordshire (PCT) travelled 387,904 business miles (excluding owned transport), costing 183, Business mileage claimed accounted for 27.5% of NHS Bedfordshire s baseline carbon footprint in 2009/2010, and was responsible for 778 tonnes of CO 2 e. 5 Central Bedfordshire Council Joint Strategic Needs Assessment Obesity, June 2012: (Assessed June 2013). 6 McPherson, K., Marsh, T. and Brown, M Modelling Future Trends in Obesity and the Impact on Health. Foresight Tackling Obesities: Future Choices) (Kopelman, P., Health Risks Associated with Overweight and Obesity. Short Science Review. Foresight Tackling Obesities: Future Choices. Obesity Reviews, 8(s1):13 17 ( Sustainable Business Travel Policy Page 5

6 2.0 Purpose This policy sets the ambition for BCCG to play a leading and innovative role across the local health economy, ensuring that a shift to a low carbon organisation is achieved through a high standard of sustainable development, based on the principles of best-practice, the good corporate citizenship, and the NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy that will support employees to be physically active and encourage waling, cycling and public transport to travel part or all the to and from work. Bedfordshire CCG recognizes that it has an obligation to the health and wellbeing of its workforce. Investing in the health of employees will bring business benefits such as reduced sickness absence, increased loyalty and better staff retention. This policy aims to assist the prevention of diseases associated with a lack of physical activity. This policy alone will not reverse the current obesity epidemic or other health trends associated with a sedentary workforce. However, efforts made in the workplace, alongside wider strategies to increase physical activity levels and sustainability could help improve workforce health significantly. Objectives: To reduce the cost of business travel to the organisation To reduce the carbon emissions from business travel Reduce the need for car travel, but mainly single occupancy car business travel by promoting and encouraging: a. Active travel i.e. walking and cycling b. Lower carbon forms of travel i.e. public transport and car sharing c. The use of technology i.e. teleconferencing and videoconferencing Establish travel budgets and monitoring systems per Directorate Increase staff ownership of sustainable business travel across the organisation e.g. through the annual staff travel survey and wider sustainability initiatives. Increase the organisations Good Corporate Citizenship Score Improve the physical and mental health of staff through the use of sustainable forms of travel. Increase flexible and resilient ways of working i.e. through more comprehensive implementation of the organisations Flexible and Home Working Policy To establish an ongoing system to collect data on staff business travel and establish a robust baseline to provide strong data on the cost of business travel downtime (commute time) to BCCG across all levels of the organisation. 3.0 Definitions 3.1 BCCG The abbreviation BCCG in this policy refers to Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group. 3.2 Business Travel Mileage accrued by staff in their own cars for business purposes Sustainable Business Travel Policy Page 6

7 3.3 Carbon (CO 2 ) Throughout this policy the word carbon is used as a generic term for CO 2. Carbon is the most prevalent greenhouse gas. CO 2 emissions result from the combustion of fuel from land use changes and from industrial processes. 3.4 Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (CO 2e ) There are six main greenhouse gases which cause climate change. Each gas has a different global warming potential. The mass of each gas emitted is commonly translated into a carbon dioxide equivalent (CO 2e ) amount so that the total impact from all sources can be summed to one figure. 3.5 Carbon Footprint A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment, and in particular climate change. It relates to the amount of greenhouse gases produced in our day-to-day lives through burning fossil fuels for electricity, heating and transportation etc. The carbon footprint is a measurement of all greenhouse gases we individually produce and has units of tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. 3.6 Climate Change Act The UK s Climate Change Act (2008) is a legally binding long-term framework to cut carbon emissions and sets legally binding targets to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050 compared to 1990 levels. All organisations will need to demonstrate how this is being measured, monitored and managed. 3.7 GHG Greenhouse Gases (GHG) include carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and suphur hexafluoride. They trap heat in the earth s atmosphere, such that a rise in levels of GHG increases temperature referred to as the greenhouse effect. 3.8 Good Corporate Citizenship (GCC) Sustainable development is often referred to as good corporate citizenship (GCC). This means using NHS organisations corporate powers and resources in ways that benefit rather than damage the social, economic, and physical environment in which we all live. The Good Corporate Citizenship (GCC) tool is specially designed to measure the sustainability of NHS organisations and suggest ways of improving sustainability. The NHS can use corporate powers and resources in ways that benefit rather than damage the social, economic, and physical environment in which we all live. Behaving as a good corporate citizen can save money, benefit population health and can help reduce health inequalities. Many measures that improve health also contribute to sustainable development and vice versa. 3.9 NHS Sustainable Development Unit (SDU) The Sustainable Development Unit is a source of leadership, expertise and guidance concerning sustainable development to all NHS and healthcare organisations in England. They raise awareness regarding sustainability and climate change and help shape NHS policy, locally, nationally and internationally. Sustainable Business Travel Policy Page 7

8 3.10 Owned Transport Mileage accrued by the organisations grey fleet (leased/pool cars) 3.11 Sustainability / Sustainable Development The goal of sustainable development is to meet the needs of today, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs Sustainable Development Management Plan A Sustainable Development Action Plan (SDMP) is a Board approved document that assists organisations to clarify their objectives on sustainable development (SD), and sets out a plan of action. 4.0 Responsibilities The Accountable Officer for BCCG is ultimately responsible for ensuring that this policy is effective within BCCG. The Public Health Lead on Sustainability for BCCG will ensure the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of this policy. The Public Health Lead is BCCGs main contact on sustainability. The Risk Management Group will oversee the implementation, monitoring and reporting of this policy as part of the BCCGs Sustainable Development Management Plan. All Directorates will have responsibilities resulting from this policy. As travel is not owned by any one directorate, the following areas of focus have particular departmental implications: Finance establishing travel budgets Public Health developing sustainable travel plans Human Resources encourage and support sustainable initiatives Communications and Public Engagement disseminate sustainable message through a range of staff engagement methods. Managers with line management responsibilities within BCCG will be responsible for ensuring that the policy is built into local processes and that there is on-going compliance. In line with NHS Bedfordshire s Sustainability policy, mangers are responsible for ensuring that travel requests for business purposes are reviewed and a decision made based on that Directorates travel budget, or if alternatives such telephone, , or teleconferencing/videoconferencing (should facilities allow) be accommodated. If not then more sustainable travel options such as walking, cycling, public transport or car sharing should be considered prior to permission being given to travel as a single car occupant. Expenses forms shall only be authorised within individual directorate travel budget limits. All car dependent travel requests will be approved by the manager and the Sustainable Business Travel Policy Page 8

9 journey claimed for undertaken by the shortest practical route (unless otherwise stated with supporting evidence or reason deemed acceptable to manager i.e. road closure or accident tailback). All Staff at BCCG, whether permanent, temporary or contracted are responsible for ensuring that they are aware of the requirement incumbent upon them, and for ensuring they comply with these on a day to day basis; demonstrating exemplar sustainable and low carbon behaviours within the workplace. Staff are recommended to read the Managers responsibilities above for clarity. 5.0 Sustainable Travel Recommendations To demonstrate Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Groups forward thinking to rewarding sustainable travellers: 5.1 Mileage Rates BCCGs current rates of reimbursement for business travel are agreed nationally under the terms and conditions of Agenda for Change. These allowance rates can be found on the NHS Employers website; BCCG has aspirations to revise its rates of reimbursement that will cease the practice of reimbursing travel in vehicles of a larger engine size at a higher rate and provide travel allowances that incentivise the use of low carbon vehicles. 5.2 Commute to Work Car sharing will be encouraged with a raised passenger rate from 5 pence to 10 pence per mile. 5.3 Travel Budgets BCCG shall set directorate travel budgets, with directorate leads monitoring and reporting on them at Directorate / Board Meetings. This will embed a process to ensure that any travel for business purposes is reviewed and a decision made based on that Directorates travel budget, or if alternatives such telephone, , or teleconferencing/videoconferencing (should facilities allow) be accommodated. Expenses can only be authorised within a Directorates approval limits. 5.4 Home & Flexible Working For staff that meet the relevant policy criteria, home working and flexible working will be made available when appropriate and where there are adequate organisational and individual competencies to increase productivity, job satisfaction and an opportunity for greater car-sharing across the organisation. Please refer to BCCGs Flexible Working Policy. 5.5 Car parking BCCG will look to disincentive single car occupancy travel by engaging with it staff around the use of car parking and develop creative solutions to encourage more sustainable travel i.e. BCCG will look at options around car parking to incentivise individuals who Liftshare. Sustainable Business Travel Policy Page 9

10 5.6 Travel for Training BCCG supports and encourages e-learning. Both mandatory training and further training for personal development should be web-based or uploaded onto the organisations extranet. BCCG realises that not all training can be delivered in this manner. Therefore BCCG encourages training to be delivered at employee work bases or that support sustainable travel, thereby minimising business travel and expenses for training. 5.7 Facilities BCCG should have essential infrastructure to support active travel such as showers, changing rooms, drying rooms, locker facilities and covered secure cycle storage where possible, and promote these facilities so staff are aware of the convenience and flexibility offered by their employer. For example, if a nearby building offers such facilities to that of an employees main work base, that those facilities at the nearby site shall be available to BCCG employees. 5.8 BCCG Extranet / Website BCCG extranet to disseminate information on how to travel more sustainably and be more physically active and the health co-benefits of such activity, through a dedicated sustainability page(s). BCCG website to host a dedicated page as how to travel sustainability to and from its work bases. i.e. cycle tracks, pedestrian paths and nearest bus stop and collection points. 6.0 Development Process The following reasons justify and support the need for developing this new policy. It Improves Health: The health co-benefits of a sustainable and active travelling workforce will see increased levels of active travel, leading to a reduced risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and mild mental illness, thereby reducing staff absenteeism and its costs to BCCG. Action will not only benefit the health of the workforce now, but also benefit and support changes in the health care system as a whole. The NHS can make a difference: Climate change is the biggest global health threat of the 21 st Century 7. The values of the NHS to protect health and well-being means there is a need for NHS to be a leading public sector exemplar. NHS organisations can, and should demonstrate to partner organisations and the population that healthy people depend on a healthy environment. The rapidly increasing risk of adverse effects on health from climate change is happening now and will be this generation s legacy. 7 Costello A, Abbas M, Allen A, Ball S, Bell S, Bellamy R et al., Managing the health effects of climate change. London: The Lancet, Vol 373, no. 9676, pp Sustainable Business Travel Policy Page 10

11 Cost Reductions and Business Resilience: There are important cost savings to be made. Fuel prices are more likely to increase than decrease. The Department for Transport has forecast that business as usual transport related emissions in the UK will rise by 35% by 2030 and that NHS transport related emissions will match this trend unless action is taken now 8. All business plans need to be as resilient as possible, preparing for price and availability fluctuations in light of recent strikes action and blockades. Reducing business mileage now will by sourcing and using technology wisely, will save resources that can be reinvested in direct patient care. For example, one survey of an NHS Trust showed that on average, each teleconference saved 31 miles of travel per person, per call. 9 The Science: The existence of climate change is now rarely denied, the debate is more about the degree to which human activity is contributing to it 10. There is a robust and diverse body of scientific evidence which suggests that the global climatic changes observed over the past 50 years are largely attributable to human activities, predominantly through the burning of fossil fuels, land use changes and agricultural practices, all of which increase atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) 11. The Law: The Climate Change Act (2008) is a legally binding long-term framework to cut carbon emissions and sets legally binding targets to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by All organisations will need to demonstrate how this is being measured, monitored and managed. The Civil Contingencies Act (2004) requires all NHS organisations to prepare for adverse events and incidents. Organisations must demonstrate that they have undertaken risk assessments and that carbon reduction delivery plans are in place in accordance with emergency preparedness and civil contingency requirements. The Social Value (Public Services Act) (2012) 12 requires commissioners to evidence a Triple Bottom Line (to show social, environment and economic assessments of commissioning decisions in a balanced way). This may include the development of a Sustainable Development Management / Commissioning Plan. The Willingness of NHS organisations and Staff: The results of the 2008 consultation on carbon reduction for the NHS in England show there is a very strong willingness and commitment from NHS organisations and 8 NHS Sustainable Development Unit, 2011, Low Carbon Travel, Transport, and Access. 9 NHS Sustainable Development Unit, 2011, Knowledge Briefing 5 - Teleconferencing. 10 Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, Climate Change, Public Health and Health Inequalities. London: Chartered Institute of Environmental Health 11 Parry, M.L, Canziani, O.F, Palutikof,J.P, van der Linden P.J, and Hanson, C.E., Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA. 12 The Social Value (Public Services Act) (2012) Sustainable Business Travel Policy Page 11

12 staff to take a lead. Sixty six percent of NHS organisations responded, with 95% strongly supporting the NHS in taking a lead to act 13. The Peoples Perspective: In the first independent survey 14 of its kind by Ipsos MORI,92% of the public questioned said it is important that the NHS works in a more sustainable way with 19% feeling sustainability should be a top priority. 7.0 Training Requirements Appropriately identified staff will attend a Video Conferencing training session that will permit them to making a booking request. Bookings will not be accepted unless a training session has been attended in advance by the person making the booking request. All staff will attend Tele-Conferencing training to allow them to dial into meetings from their own work areas. Existing staff will be offered additional training through workshops/seminars or will be provided at the request of an individual wanting personal development or arranged at the discretion of their manager. BCCG will use its website, staff extranet and other such means to advise staff of training opportunities, to increase awareness and to advise of new or amended policies, procedures and guidelines relating to sustainability. 8.0 Monitoring There is a clear need to gather qualitative and quantitative data for the purpose of measuring BCCGs sustainably performance improvements to how it travels for business. This data shall be translated into the appropriate performance units: 8.1 Travel Carbon Footprint: Tonnes per carbon equivalents (t/co 2 e) All owned travel and business mileage will be broken down into the following categories to assist in the monitoring of business travel and calculating the financial cost of travel to the organisation. Total miles by car engine size Total miles by car fuel type Total miles by lease/pool cars Total miles by directorate Total miles by building Total miles by occupation 13 Sustainable Development Unit NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy; Saving Carbon, Improving Health. Cambridge: Two Nice Seven. 14 Ipsos MORI, Public Perspective of Sustainability in the NHS [Online] Available at: healthcheck2012 [Accessed 11 January 2012] Sustainable Business Travel Policy Page 12

13 All owned travel and business mileage will be converted into carbon equivalents and will contribute to BCCGs annual carbon footprint. 8.2 Good Corporate Citizenship: % The implementation of this policy and the opportunities it may present for further action in this work stream will be incorporated into BCCGs bi-annual good corporate citizenship assessment score to monitor the organisations environmental, social and economic performance. 8.3 Technology Usage Costs The use of technology (teleconferencing/videoconferencing) will assist in identifying and tracking business mileage saved and associated costs to travel calculated. This can be monitored in the following ways: Track provider teleconferencing/videoconferencing line usage and expenditure. Staff requesting the use of teleconferencing/videoconferencing will have to complete a video Conferencing booking form (Appendix One) to state: 1. Purpose of the meeting. 2. Date and duration of the meeting. 3. Number of BCCG staff attending / dialling into the meeting. 4. Return mileage and duration of the journey to the meeting host and its location. 5. Vehicle type (petrol / diesel or hybrid) and engine size (1.4cc etc) of all BCCG attending / dialling in to the meeting. 8.4 Annual Travel Survey All staff will be asked to complete an annual travel survey so that BCCG can understand the travel habits of its workforce and engage with them to the organisations sustainability aspirations as set out in its overarching Sustainability Policy and its Sustainable Development Management Plan. The Risk Management Group will report performance regularly to the Board. BCCG will use its website, staff extranet and other such means to communicate its sustainability performance to all staff, and its partners and the wider community. Other communication channels that are deemed appropriate at the time will also be used. Other communication channels that are deemed appropriate at the time will also be used. 9.0 Related Documents NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy Saving Carbon, Improving Health - Update, NHS Sustainable Development Unit, 2010 NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy Saving Carbon, Improving Health, NHS Sustainable Development Unit, 2009 Sustainable Business Travel Policy Page 13

14 Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Groups Sustainable Development Management Plan, 2013 Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Groups Sustainable Development Action Plan NHS Midlands and East Sustainability and Transition Management Plan, 2013 The Good Corporate Citizenship: SDU Knowledge briefing 6 Mileage Rates Explained, Sustainable Development Unit, 2010 SDU NHS Business Travel, Sustainable Development Unit, 2010 Sustainable Business Travel Policy Page 14

15 Appendix One: Sustainable Business Travel Policy Page 15