ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
The Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust is a registered educational and scientific charity dedicated to the conservation of wildlife and the natural environment and owns significant tourist attractions in the south west of England. The Trust recognises that the conservation of wildlife and that of materials and resources are intrinsically linked and that the daily activities of the organisations it owns create significant environmental impacts, especially in the areas of waste production, water and energy usage.
The Trust is committed to managing existing and new practices at each of its sites so as to minimise the environmental impact of these activities and to support the principles of sustainable development. Each organisation will do this by investigating and using the best available and most cost effective techniques and will put aside resources in terms of time and money to achieve these goals.
Each member of the WWCT is committed to:
- Continually improving its environmental performance in relation to its activities, products and services;
- Complying with all current and future legislation related to the environment and its protection and other standards of relevance to the Zoo industry;
- Reviewing all of its activities, products and services to identify, quantify and evaluate their environmental impact;
- Preventing pollution and monitoring and reducing any adverse impact of its operations on the environment and local community;
- Demonstrating efficiency in the use of energy, water and natural resources;
- Minimising waste by re-using and recycling where practicable;
- Purchasing environmentally-preferable goods and services where appropriate and ensuring its suppliers and contractors demonstrate a responsible attitude towards the environment when on site;
- Developing appropriate emergency response plans for potential incidents on its land to minimise their environmental impact;
- Training staff to enhance awareness of relevant environmental issues and ensure effective management of its environmental impacts;
- Developing educational programmes to provide opportunities for visitors to further their understanding of environmental issues and sustainable development;
- Communicating the Environmental Policy to all those who have an interest in the trust, including staff, visitors, suppliers, contractors, investors, appropriate authorities, local communities and other organisations.
In order to meet these commitments, Newquay Zoo will implement an Environmental Management System and will develop objectives and targets each year in order to achieve continuous environmental improvement.
The Environmental Policy has been communicated to all members of staff. It is available on each of the members websites (www.paigntonzoo.org.uk, www.livingcoasts.org.uk, www.newquayzoo.org.uk) and copies are available from Paignton Zoo office. The policy will be reviewed at least every two years to ensure that it remains relevant.
Simon Tonge - Executive Director WWCT
