Sustainability Report

Planet Earth

Report, Reduce, Offset

Over the years, the Linnean Society, led by passionate staff and Fellows, has taken several steps to improve sustainable practices. The Society has now formalised its commitment to sustainable practices in a Carbon Action Plan that was launched in March 2021.

To address the recently declared planetary emergency, the Society is committed to being Net Zero by 2022, and reducing our carbon emissions by at least half by 2030. The Society considers other components of reducing our negative impact on the planet within this scope. You can read the full report about how we will get to Net Zero by 2022 here.

The Carbon Action Plan includes a bespoke Carbon Footprint Calculator, which uses a variety of activity data to calculate the carbon emissions generated by the Society from 2018 to the present.

Among the Society's primary emission sources are staff travel, energy and gas consumption, waste production, publication manufacture, water and equipment use.

Key points of our Carbon Action Plan:

  1. Offset our carbon through an agreed appropriate scheme from 2022.
  2. The Society recognises that offsetting is not a complete solution. It aims to also reduce CO2 emissions from its operations and activities to 25 tonnes/year or lower by 2030 from around 60 tonnes/year based on 2018 and 2019 data.
  3. Be mindful about offset partners, and ensure that the Society works with sustainable as well as ethical companies.
  4. Replace harmful products and practices.
  5. Improve reporting, and encourage staff and Fellow involvement.
Emissions profile

The Society's emissions (see above) are divided into three scopes:

  • Scope 1: direct emissions of CO2 (kg) annually from fuel combustion
  • Scope 2: indirect emissions of CO2 (kg) annually from purchased electricity
  • Scope 3: other indirect emissions of CO2 (kg) annually: for example, transport-related activities in non-owned vehicles (excluding staff commuting), national grid transmission and distribution, outsourced activities, water, waste disposal

Keeping in mind our main objectives, our tasks will focus on

Report – A detailed analysis of the Society's carbon emissions has been completed using a customised carbon footprint calculator. This is publicly available.

Reduce – Our action plan outlines how the society will halve our current emissions by 2030. This plan will work in conjunction with the Society's ethical investment plan and other building projects.

Offset – All unavoidable carbon emissions will be offset using a set of agreed offsetting principles (Net Zero by 2022).


Our Carbon Action Plan

Our Carbon Action Plan

A detailed analysis of our carbon emission profile, and our path to Net Zero by 2022 can be found here.