Environmental Policy

1. Introduction

As Tech Educators, a leader in the coding bootcamp space, we are keenly aware of the increasing importance of sustainability and the urgent need to act in harmony with our planet. In light of the government's ambitious steps towards a low-carbon economy outlined in the "Greening Government Commitment," we, too, embrace the challenge to minimise our environmental footprint.

2. Our Sustainability Vision

At Tech Educators, we believe in the interconnectedness of technology education and environmental stewardship. Our mission extends beyond teaching coding skills; it involves preparing our students for a future where technology and sustainability go hand in hand. Recognizing the critical link between the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and the well-being of our society, we are committed to nurturing sustainable practices within our operations and curriculum.

3. Our Commitment to Action

To embody this vision, we are dedicated to integrating sustainable development into every aspect of our business. From our classrooms to our administrative practices, we aim to:

• Adhere to relevant environmental policies and guidelines, ensuring our operations are both sustainable and compliant.
• Incorporate sustainability considerations into our decision-making processes, particularly in policy development and course offerings.
• Identify and manage any environmental risks associated with our activities, ensuring the safety and well-being of our staff, students, and community.
• Advocate for the benefits of sustainable technology solutions, providing leadership and expertise to our stakeholders.
• Emphasise responsible business practices, focusing on minimising our carbon footprint and optimising resource efficiency.
• Conduct regular reviews of our environmental performance, striving for continual improvement in line with our sustainability objectives.
• Encourage our suppliers and partners to uphold high standards of environmental responsibility.
• Allocate resources effectively to support our sustainability initiatives.

4. Roles and Responsibilities

Leadership Team: Our leadership team is committed to steering Tech Educators towards sustainable excellence, setting the tone for environmental management and continuous improvement.

Staff and Instructors: Every member of the Tech Educators family plays a pivotal role in actualising our environmental goals. We encourage our team to embrace sustainability in their professional conduct and in nurturing the next generation of eco-conscious technologists.

5. Carbon Monitoring

Approach

Tech Educators is committed to monitoring our carbon footprint and making reductions where possible. Tech Educators as an organisation is committed to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. This is through the activities and processes outlined below.

We are also committed to continual reporting in line with this policy. Our scope 2 and scope 3 emissions have been benchmarked based on our year end position. Note that this is based on 14 employees. Therefore is an over exaggeration of our true impact in 2023. Tech Educators is a scaling organisation, and so has taken a per employee approach to monitoring.

2023 Benchmark

Tech Educators Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions based on annualised carbon generating activities and staffing levels at the end of 2023. This includes all offices annualised and backdated.

Tech Educators has benchmarked its position of 14 people at an average employee carbon creation of 2.79 tonnes CO2e. This reflects on our position as an environmentally conscious employer, when comparing the average of 3.7 tonnes CO2e produced by most SME organisations.

6. Carbon Reduction Projects

Tech Educators will continue to approach its carbon footprint and impact mitigation through the following approaches and projects.

Tech Educators implement a Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle approach in its operations, particularly through the recycling of computer equipment for student use, demonstrating a commitment to both environmental sustainability and social responsibility.

Monitoring and Reduction

By annually monitoring our emissions, we will be able to benchmark the current CO2 produced and bring in reduction policies. Our aim is to reduce all emissions by c90% once at critical scale, to review what we can reduce through process, and offset the remaining 10% where this is not possible.

Reduce

Minimising New Purchases

By recycling existing computer equipment, Tech Educators reduce the need to purchase new laptops. This not only conserves resources but also minimises the environmental impact associated with the production and distribution of new electronic devices.

Energy Efficiency

Ensuring that the recycled laptops are energy-efficient can further reduce the environmental footprint. This includes optimising software and hardware to utilise less power.

Reuse

Refurbishing Old Computers

Tech Educators can take old or donated computer equipment and refurbish it. This process often involves upgrading hardware, installing new software, and ensuring the laptops are in good working condition.

Extending Lifespan of Equipment

By maintaining and repairing the laptops, their lifespan is extended, thus delaying their entry into the waste stream.

Support Program for Students

We have recently partnered with a number of tech charities to offer loan laptops to students from disadvantaged backgrounds on our course, and utilise the reuse policy effectively to ensure a consistent healthy fleet of laptops from organisations that may have otherwise served no purpose, and ended up in landfill, despite a usable future life. Our own refurbished laptops are also allocated to students who cannot afford their own, ensuring equitable access to technology. This not only supports students' educational needs but also promotes digital inclusion.

Recycle

Reasonable Disposal

At the end of their usable life, components of the laptops that cannot be reused are recycled. Tech Educators can partner with certified e-waste recyclers to ensure that these materials are processed responsibly.

Material Recovery

Recycling electronic waste allows for the recovery of valuable materials like metals, which can be used in new products, reducing the need for virgin resource extraction.