Environmental policy and sustainability strategy

BGS is a world-leading geological survey and environmental science organisation, delivering a programme of research internationally. We are focused on research to understand the Earth and its associated environmental processes and, by doing so, we contribute to creating a more secure and sustainable future.

As the national geological survey, we are the UK’s premier provider of objective and authoritative scientific data, information and knowledge to help society understand our Earth.   

Environmental change and sustainability

We recognise that we are experiencing a period of unprecedented environmental change and societal expectation to respond to that change. Positive action is needed to address the environmental sustainability challenges, including climate change and loss of biodiversity, both of which are a result of human actions.   

Our research, focusing on decarbonisation and resource management, environmental change adaptation and resilience, and multi-hazards and resilience, enables us to understand how our planet is changing and to contribute solutions and adaptive responses. We acknowledge, however, that the research we undertake and how we support it has its own impact on the environment. We must understand this impact and work toward reducing it to a minimum. This is the focus of our Environmental Sustainability Strategy.  

BGS Environmental Sustainability Strategy

In this strategy, we endeavour to reduce our environmental impact whilst staying at the cutting edge of our research through 16 commitments (based on the BGS Estate, our working practices and our business travel). Our strategy follows our parent organisation’s (UKRI) vision to ‘embed sustainability in everything we do’ (UKRI Strategic Prospectus, 2018). We will embed it in all we do and continue to make a positive contribution by lowering our environmental impact and addressing current environmental challenges and global sustainability issues.  

We will publish our environmental sustainability plans at six-monthly intervals.

Our Annual Progress Report 2023 to 2024 is now available to download.