Science Museums to hold suppliers and sponsors to account on climate change

The Science Museum Group’s (SMG) new Sustainability Policy has made a commitment to “working with funders who, like us, are also on a journey to decarbonize”. They aim to become the first UK cultural organisation to use the Transition Pathway Initiative (TPI) to evaluate the progress of potential investors or sponsors in transitioning to a low-carbon future.

TPI provides independent research evidence that is used to assess companies’ planned or expected future carbon performance against international targets and national pledges made as part of the Paris Agreement. A joint initiative established by the Church of England National Investing Bodies and the Environment Agency Pension Fund, it has become “the leading corporate climate action benchmark”.

The SMG aims to reduce the carbon emissions from its operations, procurement and supply chain, using resources more efficiently while still investing in and developing its estate in a sustainable way.

Director and Chief Executive Sir Ian Blatchford said: “Our Sustainability Policy is as much about driving change in our own behaviours as it is about our ambition to lead public engagement on the science of climate change…

“We have cut carbon emissions from our operations by 69% since 2011/12 despite a 24% increase in floor area of our estate but we have so much more to do. Over the next 12 months, we will set out how work to transform many of our buildings will lead to significant further reductions in our carbon footprint as well as acknowledging significant remaining challenges that will need to be addressed through further investment during this decade.”