Our Policies

In the office

Energy and heating

To save energy and ensure everyone is comfortable, we ask staff to consult the Office Manager instead of adjusting the thermostat themselves. Temperatures vary across the office so we advise staff to experiment with different desks to find the best temperature for them.

We also save energy by turning off monitors and other devices when not in use. Key holders ensure all lights are turned off before leaving the office at the end of the day.

Printing

Our office exclusively uses recycled paper. We encourage staff to keep their printing to a minimum, and to print one test copy before starting a long print run.

Water

We aim to be Water Wise. We have dual flush toilets, automatic bathroom taps and a dishwasher in the office. Staff are encouraged to save water and energy by only filling the kettle with the amount of water they need.

Waste Management

We ask staff to familiarise themselves with the office’s recycling system.

Soft plastic (such as crisp packets, film lids and wrappers) cannot currently be recycled at the office but we hope to provide this soon.

Some coffee cups are recyclable and some aren’t. Staff are encouraged to check the packaging or use a reusable travel mug.

Larger packaging such as cardboard boxes should be flattened and taken to the main recycling bin just outside the office.

Working from home

Although hybrid and remote working patterns are common throughout the organisation and do reduce commuting, there is still an environmental impact of working from home. All staff are given regular guidance on how to conserve energy use when working at home and are encouraged to:

• Work from a part of the home with good natural light to avoid unnecessary usage of electric lighting
• Switch off all devices like laptops, monitors and accessories when not in use
• Only fill a kettle with water that is necessary when making tea/ coffee
• Utilise energy-saving tips for keeping your home warm in winter and cool in summer that are provided by the Energy Saving Trust

Digital footprint

Our digital carbon footprint comes from the technology we use and the systems they connect to.

The biggest environmental impact comes from the hardware itself – the raw materials used and the manufacturing process. To prolong the life of each piece of technology we:

• Look after our equipment by following the charity’s laptop policy
• Turn off devices regularly rather than leaving them on standby. This helps improve performance and reduce wear-and-tear of components

The data centres and networks that store, process and connect the world’s data also have a considerable environmental impact. While most of this is outside our control, there are some practical steps we can take:

• AI has a particularly big environmental impact. We can limit this by considering what tasks benefit from using AI and following the guidance in the charity’s AI policy
• Avoid storing the same files in multiple places, try to clean out your inbox regularly and unsubscribe from newsletters you never read
• Where possible, share documents as links rather than attachments

Materials and Content

To ensure our content is as sustainable as possible, we aim to:

• Provide mainly digital versions of our publications, accessible by QR codes, to reduce printed material where possible.
• Where printing is unavoidable, we aim to print on recycled paper.

When procuring good and services, we aim to:

• Consider the sustainability credentials of our suppliers
• Prioritise durable, quality products that will last longer than cheap alternatives, considering the lifecycle cost not just the cost of the initial purchase
• Minimise single-use materials and favour recyclable or biodegradable materials where items cannot be reused. For example, we use reusable toggles instead of cable ties, and paper cups and pens made from recycled card
• Review the air miles on material coming from other continents and consider print production closer to home. If there isn’t a competitive alternative, we request sea passage when using suppliers from further away

Events

As a charity, putting on events is a key part of our work. Some of these take place virtually or in a hybrid fashion, reducing their carbon footprint and making them accessible to a wider audience. For all our in-person events, we: 

• Choose locations with good public transport links (and accessible stations) where possible, as well as accessible parking options. We encourage both staff and volunteers to travel to and from our events by public transport or car share whenever possible.  
• Use an external storage facility to store key event items; this is within walkable distance of our head office to reduce the use of vehicles.
• Donate leftover food from meetings and events to local foodbanks. 

For one of our events, the Town and Gown 10k series, our headline sponsor Bidwells purchase carbon credits to offset the emissions. The races have been carbon neutral since 2023, minimising their environmental impact while raising vital funds and awareness. 

Research

Lab research is essential for understanding muscle wasting conditions and developing new treatments. However, it’s extremely resource and energy intensive. We’re a supporter of The Concordat for the Environmental Sustainability of Research and Innovation Practice which outlines best practice to deliver research in an environmentally responsible way. 

Of the universities who currently receive funding from us, all have sustainability policies and 75% have policies on sustainability in research. We encourage the remaining 25% to introduce research-specific sustainability plans and recommend all join LEAF (the Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework) – an international standard to improve the sustainability and efficiency of research labs.    

Little is known about the impact of climate change on people with muscle wasting conditions, so we’re supporting research to change that. We’ve partnered with Prof Sisodiya from UCL to understand people’s real-world experiences. You can find out more here.