STREAMLINED ENERGY AND CARBON REPORTING REQUIREMENTS (SECR)

In this report, we are excited to share Islamic Relief’s journey toward sustainable practices and improved energy and carbon reporting transparency. Our dedication to streamlining reporting requirements has led to a significant milestone in the 2023 assessments, incorporating cost and category calculations for more accurate reporting.

With a commitment to positively impacting our community and environment, we have embraced energy and carbon reporting to both measure and reduce our carbon footprint effectively. Collaborating with experts, we have enhanced our reporting systems, filling gaps to capture environmental and financial costs accurately.

Integrating cost and category calculations in the 2023 assessments has provided crucial insights into our energy usage and emissions, empowering informed decision-making. This knowledge helps identify energy-intensive areas and drive targeted sustainability strategies.

Moving forward, armed with comprehensive data, we will refine sustainability strategies, invest in energy-efficient technologies, and advocate for responsible practices. Through collaboration, we aim to lead streamlined energy reporting in the charity sector, fostering a greener future. We extend sincere thanks to our team, partners, and supporters for their vital roles in our sustainability journey.

During 2023 we audited our approach to applying our environmental policy, and, as of 2024, are establishing a cross-functional environmental policy task force to take a comprehensive approach to meet the needs and challenges.

*Business travel includes grey fleet, hotels, train, tube, taxi, coach, travel expenses, food, and refreshments

In 2023, Islamic Relief took several steps to improve the carbon footprint of our properties:

• Received around £100,000-worth of donated furniture for the office that will house our headquarters in future.
• Installed smart meters to monitor energy usage in many of our offices and charity shops.
• Purchased used furniture for our offices when needed.
• Began work to implement video conference technology to reduce unnecessary flights.
• Worked with our cleaning contractor to only use eco-friendly products.
• Reviewed our recycling programme to ensure minimal waste is being sent to landfill.
• Gathered thousands of pounds-worth of electrical goods that can be reused or sold for spare parts.
• Reviewed our printers to check efficiency and adopted advance settings to improve.
• Continued laptop refurbishment programme to move staff to energy efficient models.
• Monitored air conditioning and heating usage in our offices.
• Reduced stationery needs by 90 per cent and used recycled paper options where possible.

In 2023, Islamic Relief also extended hybrid working for UK-based staff. While the decision was not made solely based on environmental factors, it will see reduced energy needs across all offices and reduced carbon footprint of staff, as an example, from not commuting as often. On days which staff are not required to be in the office, but can attend, we have set specific areas where staff can work. This reduces our carbon and energy costs.

The methodology used was in accordance with the UK Government’s Environmental Reporting Guidelines (March 2019). The Department for Agriculture and Rural Affairs’ (DEFRA) kgCO2e conversion factors for 2023 were used for converting energy (kWh) to tCO2e.

In the UK Islamic Relief has 19 sites – including shops and a factory – as well as transport. The energy consumption data for gas and electricity was taken from the main billing meters across all the sites. CO2 emissions from all modes of transport used by the charity have also been included in this exercise and cover:

• Islamic Relief – owned transport (cars and vans)
• ‘grey mileage’ from rented cars and vans and staff using their own vehicles on organisational business
• public transport; including flights originating from the UK and back.

Islamic Relief has made significant changes in the way our offices operate, with hybrid working at all our major office sites requiring colleagues to attend only six days per month. When staff want or need to work from the office at other times, we provide desks in reserved areas in which we carefully control the heating and lighting. We have made only limited investment in our head office, since we are planning to move to a new site, the renovation of which was delayed by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, across all our sites we take care to ensure we provide a safe working environment while limiting consumption as much as possible by closely monitoring our energy and water usage. To ensure we record energy usage correctly, we have installed smart meters across most of our sites. There were no further capital investments made since the last SECR 2022 report.

Other energy saving technologies are being incorporated in the new building, Trafalgar House. No other estate site changes were declared.

The TIC International Plant was responsible for recycling 2,000 tonnes of clothing and shoes in 2023. As well as generating an income for Islamic Relief, this activity supported our sustainability objectives and prevented items going to landfill. Islamic Relief is committed to climate sustainable interventions in numerous countries. This includes interventions such as introducing solar energy to generate electricity for businesses, allowing more land to be irrigated or women-led businesses to stay open longer; providing environmentally friendly fuel and stoves; and promoting efficient agricultural practises such as half-moon agriculture.

TIC’s key role is generating income for Islamic Relief, to support our programmes and our journey towards Net-Zero, by performing a valuable environmental service in recycling clothing that may otherwise end up in landfills and harming the environment.