Our commitment
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Fèis Rois acknowledges that the world is facing a climate and biodiversity emergency, and that urgent and collective action is required to keep the global temperature rise below 1.5°C and to adapt to the impacts of climate change. The Fèis Rois Environmental Sustainability Policy encourages an environmentally responsible culture within Fèis Rois.
Recognising that the climate crisis requires collective action, Fèis Rois has a Green Champion (currently the Office and Finance Manager) and works collaboratively with Creative Carbon Scotland.
Reducing Carbon Emissions
The organisation’s Environmental Sustainability Policy sets out the measures the organisation intends to take to reduce carbon emissions in line with Scotland’s pathway to net zero. These include six measures to reduce energy emissions, seven measures to reduce waste emissions, nine measures to reduce emissions from travel, and five measures to reduce emissions from other sources.
The Climate Emergency and Creative Programming
In addition to taking action that includes having a 4-day working week for staff, ensuring lights and electrical equipment are switched off when not in use, piloting the use of electric vehicles and incentivising people to car share and cycle, Fèis Rois also recognises its responsibility to promote and assist with the improvement and protection of the environment, and to encourage an environmentally responsible attitude within participants and audiences.
To this end, Fèis Rois will continue to develop environmental themed work that raises awareness of climate change. This will include inviting young people and musicians to compose new songs and incorporating storytelling into the programme at some Fèis Rois events. The work of Fèis Rois is intrinsically linked to people, place, landscape, and ecology, and all are affected by the climate emergency. Fèis Rois will collaborate with other organisations to raise awareness of the climate emergency and its impact on biodiversity in Scotland. New commissions will build on the Gaelic tradition of referencing the environment in the work. Further detail of the creative programme relating to environmental work is given in the Environmental Sustainability Policy.
Adaptation and Mitigation
Fèis Rois recognises that there is a need to manage the impact of the climate emergency to ensure long-term business sustainability for the organisation.
The organisation has already evidenced during the COVID-19 pandemic that it was successfully able to, and has the infrastructural wherewithal to, deliver virtual lessons and music events online if need be. From a business continuity point of view, this backup functionality to be able to deliver virtual events is important given that the climate emergency may prove to impact Fèis Rois’ ability to deliver in person events (flooding, storms, etc).
In terms of adaptation, Fèis Rois is also committed to reducing food miles and using local food suppliers for its music courses, training days and events.
When no further emissions can be eradicated, Fèis Rois will calculate its total emissions at the end of each financial year and balance residual emissions by purchasing trees through an accredited programme at Trees for Life at Dundreggan. Trees for Life’s conservation estate at Dundreggan is validated and verified under the Woodland Carbon Code, the gold-standard for woodland carbon sequestration.