Environmental Policy Statement

Effective from 2021

New Music Scotland (NMS) is committed to encouraging and promoting sustainability in relation to the environment in all of its activities.  As a leading organisation in Scotland’s new music sector we believe we have a responsibility to work towards and contribute to a more sustainable Scotland and its cultural industry.

NMS are members of the Green Arts Initiative, Creative Carbon Scotland to help us develop and keep up to date current practice, and to incorporate new initiatives.

The policy shall be reviewed on an annual basis by the Board of Trustees

All NMS staff are responsible for adhering to the charity’s environmental policy with the Project Manager being the designated Green Arts Champion. 

• The Green Arts Champion is the first point of contact for all matters pertaining to the environment policy and is empowered to highlight any environmental implications when planning for new projects and operations.
• The  environmental policy will be made available to all NMS members on our website and on request
• We will review the environmental impact of our activities on an ongoing basis, to ensure the continued development and effectiveness of the environmental policy

NMS will strive to:

• Maintain a low carbon footprint and seek to lower it
• Keep wastage and single-use of materials to a minimum
• Be a digital-first organisation
• Promote sustainable practice to our members and wider network
• Ensure all sustainable endeavours are carried out with consideration to the environment

NMS recognise that simple steps can have a vast difference to the environment

Printing and Communications

1. We operate on a paperless Cloud-based system that allows staff and board members to work remotely and access all files.
2. Only when strictly necessary documents will be printed
3. When printing is required double sided printed and multiple pages per sheet will be used where possible to minimise ink and paper usage  
4. We engage with our members, subscribers, network and audiences through email, website, social media to limit paper usage and waste.

Travel

1. When booking travel, consideration will be given to both environmental impact and cost effectiveness
2. Where possible car sharing will be used between staff and board members for events and offered to participants for our Peer-to-Peer residencies. 

Events and meetings

1. When hosting events in external venues it is expected that staff and board members will make full use of internal recycling facilities
2. For events in hired venues we will encourage our participants to use reusable water bottles and keep Cups for tea/coffee and where possible avoid using single use plates and cutlery
3. When catering is being provided by NMS any fruit or vegetables will be bought loose rather wrapped in plastic
4. Board and working group meetings will be held online as much as possible