Caring Responsibly - OSJCT's ESG Strategy
Why does Caring Responsibly matter?
Caring Responsibly is the name of OSJCT's environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy.
In everyday terms, it brings together the things that matter most to us as a not-for-profit care provider: supporting people to live fulfilling lives, enabling our colleagues and volunteers to make a positive difference, strengthening our communities, looking after the places where we live and work, using resources wisely and acting openly and responsibly.
Our approach is shaped by our wider OSJCT strategy, not a standalone initiative. It's about making sure our responsibility for people, communities and the environment extends beyond the care we provide today and into the future.
Sustainability and care go hand in hand, reflecting our responsibility to the people we serve, but also the world they live in. By embracing this journey, we can help create healthier and fairer communities for those we care for today and for generations to come.
Dan Hayes OBE, Chief Executive
Already part of how we care
Across OSJCT, our colleagues, volunteers and partners are already making choices that support people, protect resources and strengthen the Trust.
Caring Responsibly brings this work together, helping us share good practice, learn from one another and build on what we're already doing.
Here are some of the ways we're already making a difference.
Supporting people and communities
Around 700 volunteers support our services, strengthen community engagement and contribute to social value.
Around £30,000 of colleague time invested in modern slavery e-learning.
Our policy helps reduce commuting emissions, with a 60/40 split between remote and on-site working for office-based colleagues.
Our systems are based on HSG65 and aligned with ISO 45001, covering workplace, environmental and chemical safety.
Using resources more responsibly
14.5 tonnes of used furniture recycled during 2025.
We recycle IT equipment and repair devices to extend their useful life.
We work with an air mattress provider to decontaminate and recycle mattresses at the end of their lifecycle rather than sending them to landfill.
We have moved to more environmentally friendly cleaning products through suppliers including Blueleaf.
Improving our places and understanding our impact
Measured for FY2025, giving OSJCT a baseline from which to plan and track progress.
Across the buildings we manage, we have replaced almost all fluorescent and tungsten lighting with more efficient LED lighting.
We have been installing more efficient boilers to reduce natural gas use where possible.
Caring Responsibly in action
Caring Responsibly is brought to life every day through the care and support we provide, and the contributions of our colleagues, volunteers and partners.
From supporting residents and local communities to reducing waste and making better use of resources, discover the people, projects and initiatives helping to make a positive difference across the Trust.
Building on strong foundations: what happens next?
Caring Responsibly is already part of how we work, but we recognise that this is an ongoing journey and there is more to do.
We're committed to turning our ambitions into meaningful action, supported by clear responsibilities, reliable information and a commitment to being open about our progress. Our next steps include:
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Setting clear priorities and targets
Establishing measurable objectives and clear responsibilities.
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Strengthening governance
Putting Executive oversight, defined responsibilities and accountability in place to monitor delivery and progress.
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Creating a network of Caring Responsibly Champions
Connecting colleagues across our homes, services and functions to share ideas and good practice.
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Making informed decisions
Using reliable data to understand our impact and guide planning, purchasing and investment.
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Measuring and reporting progress
Continuing to monitor our emissions and reporting openly on what we achieve, as well as where more work is needed.
Find out more about Caring Responsibly
Caring Responsibly is an ongoing commitment to the people we support, our colleagues, our communities and the environment.
Discover more about our ambitions, priorities and plans for the future in our full ESG strategy, or get in touch if you'd like to find out more.
Frequently asked questions
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ESG stands for environmental, social and governance. It is a framework for understanding how an organisation manages its impact on the environment, its responsibilities to people and communities, and the way it is led and held accountable.
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Caring Responsibly is OSJCT's environmental, social and governance strategy. It brings together our existing commitments and activities, setting out how we will continue supporting people, looking after our places and resources, and acting openly and responsibly.
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Care providers have a responsibility not only to the people they support today, but also to the communities and environments in which they operate. Making responsible choices can help improve wellbeing, reduce waste, manage resources more effectively and ensure services remain sustainable for the future.
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We've measured our full carbon footprint, achieved Planet Mark Certified Business status and are building on existing work such as improving energy efficiency, installing LED lighting, recycling furniture and equipment, and using resources more responsibly.
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Our measured carbon footprint for FY2025 was 32,241.9 tonnes of CO₂e, equivalent to approximately 5.4 tonnes per employee. This provides a baseline against which we can monitor and plan future progress.
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Planet Mark is a sustainability certification organisation. OSJCT has achieved Certified Business status through its Net Zero Certification Programme (Level 1), following the measurement of our carbon footprint. This provides a verified baseline to help us understand our emissions and plan future reductions.
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Excellent care and support remain our priority. Caring Responsibly is about making thoughtful decisions that benefit residents, colleagues and communities while helping to ensure our services and resources remain sustainable for the future.
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Everyone can contribute by sharing ideas, highlighting opportunities to reduce waste, supporting community activities and helping us learn from good practice. Our Caring Responsibly Champions will also help connect ideas and encourage participation across the Trust.
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We'll continue measuring our carbon emissions, using reliable data to inform decisions, establishing clear responsibilities and targets, and reporting openly on our achievements and areas where more work is needed.
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Our full Caring Responsibly strategy is available to download here.