Organisation information
Climate Action Roadmap
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- 1. Introduction
- 2. Previous versions of our CAR
- 3. Ensuring our functions are performed in accordance with Section 15(1) of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Act 2021
- 4. Leadership and Governance for climate action
- 5. Engaging our people
- 6. Reporting on our progress
- 7. Achieving the carbon emissions reduction targets (51% reduction by 2030)
- 8. Achieving our energy efficiency targets
- 9. Energy and environmental management systems and accreditation
- 10. Greening our Procurement
- 11. Baselining and reducing resource use
- 12. Improving our buildings
- 13. Our wider climate action plans
- 14. Additional requirements
- 15. Appendix 1 - Mapping to requirements of the Climate Action Mandate
- 16. Appendix 2 - Green Team Charter
- 17. Appendix 3 – Building Stock Statement/Analysis
- 18. Signed Climate Action Roadmap
The Government has mandated the public sector to lead by example in taking climate action. The central document underpinning this policy is the Climate Action Mandate 2022 which is also referred to in the Climate Action Plan 2021 (CAP 21). CAP 21 provides that public sector bodies complete a Climate Action Roadmap (CAR).
Our Office comprises six different statutory bodies all of which are supported by our ‘Corporate Spine’ (HR, Finance, ICT, Legal & Communications). “The Office” collectively refers to the statutory bodies listed below.
- Office of the Ombudsman (OTO);
- Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC);
- Office of the Commissioner for Environmental Information (OCEI);
- Office of the Protected Disclosure Commissioner (OPDC);
- Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO);
- Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA);
The Office does not meet the description of a “Large Public Body”1 as set out in CAP 21. Our CAR, therefore, reflects to a large extent the structure contained in the Public Sector Bodies Climate Action Roadmaps Guidance 2024 published by SEAI & EPA . (For smaller public bodies, the SEAI/EPA guidance may be used as a template for the roadmap.) Our Mapping to requirements of the Climate Action Mandate (Appendix 1) mainly follows the template for smaller public bodies set out in the 2024 guidance.
Our Office has already progressed a number of issues identified in the CAR. Our progress is reflected in this document and summarised in Appendix 1.
Our original CAR was approved by our Director General and Management Advisory Committee (MAC) on 29th March 2023. A revised CAR was approved by our Director General and MAC on 27th September 2023.
This CAR was approved by our Director General and MAC on 23rd October 2024 and will be published on our Office websites and on our staff intranet.
We are satisfied that the functions of the various statutory bodies listed at 1) above are being performed in accordance with Section 15(1) of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Act 2021. We do not consider that our specific functions play a significant role in implementing the Climate Action Plan or the Public Sector Climate Action Strategy. We do not consider that our specific functions have a material impact on the furtherance of the national Climate Objective or require any specific measures, other than the actions identified in this CAR, to ensure that our functions are consistent with section 15(1) of the Act.
As stated above this Office does not meet the description of a “Large Public Body”. Our Climate and Sustainability Officer is, therefore, also our Energy Performance Officer. The Climate and Sustainability Officer/Energy Performance Officer is Ms Karen Roantree. Ms Roantree is the Head of Corporate Services, is a member of MAC and has responsibility for implementing and reporting on the Climate Action mandate. Ms Roantree has the required decision-making powers in relation to facilities management, procurement, governance, and reporting.
The role of the Energy Performance Officer includes:
- Oversee the delivery of high levels of performance with regard to all aspects of energy management,
- Support the management of energy performance in line with government targets
- Support the development and implementation of the energy efficiency plan
- Support Green team initiatives
- Ensure that requirements on green procurement are met
- Ensure that all relevant policies and procedures are up-to-date
Image: Climate action
A Green Team was originally established in our Office in 2020. In light of members of the original Green Team having left the Office to take up new opportunities, a new Green Team was appointed in March 2022. The Green Team currently has ten members and is broadly representative of the various statutory bodies and business units within the Office.
The names and roles of the current Green Team Members are below:
Name Office Role
Ciarán O’Donohoe Corporate Services Unit Chair
Aidan Moore Executive Unit Secretary
Colette Godkin SIPO Workshops Development
Conor Mulvihill SIPO Workshops Development
Alison Connolly OIC Workshops Development
Aisling Burns OTO Reports & Minutes
Elizabeth Swanwick OCEI Communications
Shauna Watters CPSA Communications
John Spencer ICT Unit Travel & Civil Service Network Liaison
Maurice Magee OTO Communications
The Green Team operates under its Charter (Terms of Reference) which was agreed and signed off by MAC in November 2022. (The Green Team’s Charter is included as Appendix 2 to this CAR.) The Green Team champions green issues across the various sections of the Office. In addition, the Green Team provides quarterly updates to MAC on issues of importance; on how the Office is progressing against its Climate Action targets; and on how the Green Team action plan is progressing. The Green Team also proposes and seeks approval from MAC for the introduction of policies to help the Office meet its Climate Action targets.
The Green Team compiled an ambitious and challenging work programme for 2023. 19 of the 20 tasks identified in the work programme were achieved. The Green Team submitted an Annual Report of its activities in 2023 to MAC and this report was subsequently made available to all staff on our Office Intranet.
An Action Plan for 2024 was developed and the Green Team has been working throughout 2024 to deliver on the 2024 Action Plan items. The Green Team will report on progress of the CAR and the Action Plan to the Climate and Sustainability Officer and to MAC and will continue to make regular presentations to MAC on strategies, policies and initiatives to meet our requirements under CAP 21.
The Green Team has identified communications and knowledge sharing as key elements in meeting its objectives and enabling the Office to meet its CAP21 targets. It has a dedicated page on the Office Intranet through which green issues are highlighted. During 2024 the Green Team developed a Communications Strategy which sets out the Green Team’s objectives and initiatives for communicating with staff in respect of green issues. The strategy was published on the Office intranet. The following communication and knowledge sharing methods have been and will continue to be employed by the Green Team:
- The Green Team is signed up to the SEAI Energy Link database. Relevant articles are re-published on the Green Team section of our Intranet and highlighted to staff in an Office weekly communication.
- The Green Team also prepares its own articles relating to Green issues which provide feedback to staff on energy use in the Office and on matters which are relevant to the Office.
- Green Team Communications address how staff can reduce their climate impact in their homes as well as in the office.
- The Office signed up to the SEAI and OPW Reduce Your Use campaign for winter 2023/24 and provided energy awareness to staff which is aimed at reducing energy use during the winter months. It also encouraged staff to adopt measures that will assist them in reducing energy at home.
- Presentations/Workshops by Green Team Members at section meetings concerning climate related issues. In 2023, there were 2 such workshops held on the topics of Food & the Environment and Waste & Recycling. A further presentation/workshop on the issue of Energy Efficiency will take place in 2024. The presentations / workshops are also published on the Office intranet.
- Presentations on the work of the Green Team are given at bi-annual events to all staff, at induction training and as part of Transition Year Programmes.
- Notices are placed around the building on green themes such as energy use and correct recycling measures
Various information campaigns and workshops delivered to staff, as outlined above, have been very successful in raising an awareness of energy and wider environmental issues.
An appropriate training course on climate action leadership has been identified and it is expected that all Senior Management (PO level or equivalent and above) will complete this climate action leadership training course early in 2025. Green Team members and other relevant staff will be required to consider Climate Action Training and Green Teams National Programme Training as part of their annual Learning & Development plans. The above training requirements are included in the Office Learning & Development strategy 2025.
Training on Energy Management was provided to the Green Team in September this year. Individual members of the Green Team have also availed of SEAI training courses such as Carbon Basics, Energy Basics and Engaging People. Completion rates for training will be reported in the organisation’s annual reports and through M&R mandate reporting.
Updates in relation to the Corporate Governance of our Office including our progress in achieving our climate mandate requirements are set out on the Strategy and Governance page on the website of the Office of the Ombudsman. Details of the updates and a link to same are included in our Office Annual Reports.
In relation to our climate mandate requirements we use SEAI’s Public Sector Monitoring and Reporting System to report on the following:
GHG Emissions.
- Implementation of the mandate.
- Sustainability activities report.
- Compliance with Circular 1/2020: Procedures for offsetting the emissions associated with official air travel.
In addition, the Green Team publishes an Annual Report of its activities each year which is presented to MAC and made available to all staff through the Office Intranet.
The target for the public sector is a 51% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030. The SEAI have set baseline levels for each body which are individually based on 2016-2018 average energy related C02 emissions. This baseline level predates the move by our Office to a more energy efficient building in 2019. In our previous building we had a gas powered heating system. The current system is electricity powered and therefore we do not use any fossil fuels anymore. The SEAI annual scorecard shows that our total C02 emissions in 2022 has improved by 70% over the baseline (i.e. 2016-2018) against a target of a 51% decrease by 2030.
It is not anticipated that there will be a growth in services that would significantly impact on energy emissions over the course of the target period.
The Office will remain focussed on reaching its decarbonisation target and it will also maximise efforts to reduce its carbon emissions through a range of measures outlined in this document. In particular, the Energy Efficiency Audit carried out in 2022 identified a comprehensive programme of measures which have been formulated into an action plan and which by and large have been delivered. Continued delivery of these measures will be central to the Office campaign to reduce its carbon emissions and thereby meet its targets.
The energy efficiency targets for our Office have been set as follows:
• 50% energy efficiency savings target for public sector by 2030 (Government Climate Action Plan 2024).
• Annual energy saving target of a 3% reduction based on 2022 consumption arising from a 2022 Energy Efficiency Audit (see below).
The baseline for the energy efficiency savings target is energy use in 2009. As stated in section 6 above our Office relocated to a new more energy efficient premises in December 2019 and therefore the target may not be as meaningful as it is in other public sector bodies. SEAI has advised that due to the dynamic nature of most organisations that it does not intended to adjust targets as organisations change. The SEAI annual scorecard shows that our energy performance in 2023 has improved by 79% over the baseline year against a target of a 50% decrease by 2030.
An Energy Efficiency Audit was carried out in September 2022. The Green Team considered the audit report and identified actions required to meet the 23 recommendations contained therein. Many of the recommendations had already been adopted and those not adopted were included in the Green Team Action plan for 2023.
One of the recommendations of an Energy Efficiency Audit was the introduction of an ambitious annual internal energy efficiency target of 3% against a 2022 baseline. The 2022 baseline is challenging in that 2022 was a year in which there was still some reduced occupancy as a result of Covid concerns and consequently a reduced energy demand in the office. The air conditioning system which we use also presents some unique challenges in both winter and summer.
The Energy Efficiency Audit identified the issue of scheduling as a key way in which the Office could reduce its energy usage. Energy usage is now constantly monitored using the ESB Smart Meter system. Savings have already been achieved with regard to turning the system off on days when no staff member is on-site e.g. weekends and public holidays. (It should also be noted that all of the lights in the building are activated by sensors.)
Significant energy efficiencies were also identified by IT Unit in 2023 as the outsourcing of many of our support functions to the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer resulted in less hardware having to be run on-site and consequently less energy requirements for the IT Comms room.
Overall, however, the energy savings for 2023 when compared to 2022 were less than 1% (0.6%) which is significantly below the target level set in the Energy Efficiency Audit. In response to this and the Climate Action Mandate 2024 requirement for each public body to review their office space requirements from an energy saving perspective, the Green Team work programme for 2024 included an energy review to see if efficiencies could be identified including on days of low occupancy.
This energy review has been carried out and when compared with the first seven months of 2023, overall energy consumption levels for 2024 have decreased by 16.8% (a 7.7% reduction against the 2022 baseline). The average energy use, measured in kWh, has improved from 753 kWh per working day in 2023 to 616 kWh in 2024. This marks a significant turnaround in energy consumption levels and puts the Office on course to meet our 2024 target of a 6% reduction against the 2022 baseline. It is evident that the energy saving measures taken to-date by the Green Team are greatly assisting in producing positive results. Given however, the challenging baseline, we will need to continue to identify and implement further progressive measures to ensure that we continue to meet our targets into the future.
An Energy Policy for the Office was prepared by the Green Team and approved by MAC during 2023. The Policy outlines how the Office uses a combination of energy efficiency audits, SEAI guidance, Smart Energy Metering, staff awareness campaigns, DEC ratings and other centralised guidance to frame its Energy Policy. It outlines the Office policy on Green procurement, air conditioning/heating, lighting and transport with a central focus on assisting the Office in meeting our government targets.
In accordance with S.I. 243 of 2012 the Office employed a consultant to carry out a DEC rating for the building in 2024. A rating of C1 was obtained. This was a slight decrease on our previous rating of B3. The DEC is displayed in the main reception area of our Office. The Advisory Report also contained three recommendations which the report stated could reduce our energy usage and costs.
1) Introduce daylight controls in spaces with good access to daylight. As previously noted above all of the lights in the building are activated by sensors. It is not clear what additional controls might be introduced.
2) Consider installing a monitoring and targeting system on main energy uses in the building. As stated above energy usage is now constantly monitored using the ESB Smart Meter system.
3) Consider installing photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. The Office is aware that the landlord has already installed PV solar panels on the roof of the building as part of its LEED Platinum rating.
Recommendations 1 & 2 were considered to have a medium impact in terms of energy improvement while recommendation 3 was considered to have a low impact in terms of energy improvement. The savings proposals will entail some capital investments, such as installing solar panels. A copy of the DEC rating report was provided to OPW. The Office will await OPW’s advice, as leaseholder and office with relevant expertise, before proceeding with any capital investments in this regard. The recommendations have been included in the Green Team Action Plan for 2024.
The Office signed up to the Government’s Reduce Your Use energy efficiency campaign. The Office undertook an information campaign for staff through weekly messages on the Intranet to increase their knowledge and awareness of energy usage and energy. The Office also implemented the recommended temperature guidelines and the duration of the heating systems.
Before the introduction of the Reduce Your Use campaign, the Green Team had already issued messages to staff about energy usage and conservation, including advising staff on the importance of turning off equipment when not in use.
The Office will actively pursue measures such as adhering to the Reduce Your Use Campaign, implementing the measures outlined in the Energy Efficiency Audit and the continued use of smart energy meters to identify further energy efficiency opportunities. The Green Team will continue to increase staff awareness of energy usage and conservation throughout 2024.
Our heating/air conditioning system is fully electric and is controlled by a heat pump. It does not use any fossil fuels. The Office has four separate electricity meters.
The Office works in conjunction with the landlord to monitor our energy usage. This involves receiving monthly reports for each meter which analyse energy usage and compare usage to previous months. These monthly reports and recommendations will continue to be reviewed by Corporate Services and the Green Team with a view to identifying any potential for further reductions in energy consumption. The Green Team provides a quarterly report to MAC on energy usage which is also published on the Office intranet and notified to staff.
Our energy spend is in the under €250k category, so we are classified as a small organisation. The Office is satisfied that it has an energy management body/system appropriate to the size of our organisation, as set out in SEAI’s guide to Demonstrating Exemplar Energy Management and that we are implementing energy management programmes appropriate to the size of our organisation as per SEAI’s energy management guidance.
As outlined in this document, our targets have been set against our old building and as our new building is more energy efficient, it is anticipated that the targets should be met without requiring the implementation of major measures and such is the specification of the building that it would be difficult to find additional energy saving measures outside of behavioural issues. We will continue to work hard and avail of SEAI expertise to ensure that we strive towards maximising our energy savings and minimising our C02 emissions.
Green Public Procurement is a process where public authorities seek to source goods, services or works with a reduced environmental impact. The appropriateness of including environmental measures in public procurement projects will vary from contract to contract. The procurement policy for the Office is set out in the Corporate Procurement Plan.
GPP is a central focus of the Office of Government Procurement (OGP). Most of our procurement is carried out using OGP Frameworks and GPP is included as a standard criterion in OGP Framework template tender documents.
The criteria sets which are of most relevance to our office are as follows:
- ICT Products & Services;
- Food & Catering Services;
- Indoor Cleaning Services; and
- Paper Products & Printing Services
ICT Products & Services is by far the most significant area. Again, most ICT Procurement is carried out through OGP Frameworks. Our ICT Unit is fully aware of the Public Sector Guidance in this regard and will include green criteria as part of their tendering processes and therefore comply with the provisions of circular 20/2019. An example of this is the inclusion of green criteria in the Cleaning Service Providers procurement process. The Office will ensure that all relevant staff are notified to consider Green Criteria when procuring relevant goods and services including Food & Catering Services and Paper Products & Printing Services.
The Office will put in place a system for gathering and recording GPP implementation in our Office for tendering processes outside of OGP Framework agreements. The Procurement Officer, who is also a member of the Green Team, will monitor the procurement to ensure that green criteria are included where appropriate.
There have been major improvements in our IT systems and record management practices in recent years which has resulted in a substantial reduction in the use of paper-based files and printing. The move to blended working has also reduced the amount of printing by staff. A swipe card system was introduced for printing in the Office during 2023 and this has further improved the performance of the Office in terms of reducing the number of pages printed. In 2023, there were 186,000 pages printed which was a reduction of 11% on 2022 levels and a 74% decrease on pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Our paper is sourced through an OGP Framework agreement and a contract is in place until May 2025. The OGP is satisfied that the paper sourced under this Framework is consistent with section 3.7.1 of the Government’s Climate Action Plan. The provider states that all paper is 100% recycled from household waste.
The Office is also planning to digitize returns furnished to SIPO. It would, however, be premature to so do in advance of the publication of a new Ethics draft scheme. This is due in Q4 of 2024. A project to digitize returns to SIPO under the Electoral Acts will commence in conjunction with any project under the new Ethics Framework.
While we consider our paper usage to be quite low we will consider measuring the amount and cost of waste paper collected for shredding. We will report on actions to reduce our paper usage in our annual report.
The CAR Guidance 2024 requires public bodies to monitor water usage at refill points and to set out plans for reducing water use. Our Office operates from a shared building, including shared unrestricted access toilets on some floors and common shower facilities. There is, therefore no real way to distinguish our use in these areas from that of others. The only water which is directly in the Office control is in the disabled access toilet, the canteen and the tea stations.
The Office does not have bottle-fed refill stations. It has instead installed mains-fed water refill stations. These refill stations do not, however, monitor usage. Qooker taps have also been installed throughout the building. In addition to being cost effective, these taps also use less water.
We do not consider that there is significant water wastage in our Office as water is mainly used for drinking. We are of the view, therefore, that monitoring water usage is not a pressing requirement for our Office. The Green Team will, however, prepare a workshop for staff on reducing water use both in the office and at home.
As stated above, the Office operates from a shared building. All waste from the building goes into a communal waste room. The only usage statistics the Office receives are for the building as a whole. The landlord does not provide any means of distinguishing between the waste/recycling rates of individual occupants and our Office is not facilitated with a separate means of tracking Office waste production.
The Green Committee for the entire building sets competitive recycling targets for the building as a whole - a 75% recycling target in place for 2023 for the 2 buildings in their entirety - and our Office plays a very active role in assisting the landlord in achieving these targets. The landlord recycling rate for the tenants collectively is 57% (an increase from 51% in 2022).
During 2023 new “trio” bins were introduced in tea stations in our Office which allow for separation of recycling, food waste and regular waste. Additional bins and new smaller food waste bins were introduced in the canteen to facilitate proper waste disposal and to make it easier to dispose of items correctly. It is the landlord’s policy/direction, however, that all recyclables be placed in a plastic bag.
The Green Team has worked to increase the awareness among staff to use the correct bins and to reduce waste as far as possible. The Green Team has already delivered workshops on Food and on Waste and staff awareness on food wastage will continue to feature as part of Green Team communications. During 2024 the Green Team developed its Effective Waste Recycling Strategy which sets out the Green Team’s approach to waste and recycling in the Office. The strategy was published on the Office Intranet. Also in 2024 “Flash cards” highlighting the most common food waste items produced by staff were attached to the appropriate waste bins for those items. While there has been a marked improvement in staff using the correct bins, there is still room for further improvement and we will continue to work with staff and the cleaning contractor to improve our recycling rates. The Green Team will support the annual National Stop Food Waste Day on 1st March and share Stop Food Waste resources with staff.
In keeping with the circular economy initiative and the Government’s new Deposit Return Scheme the Office has introduced a return scheme bin and made arrangements for the return of drinks cans and plastic bottles.
The Office hosts very few conferences or events and there is no serviced canteen/restaurant in the building. Staff are responsible for their own food consumption on site. Calculating a food waste benchmark is not, therefore, considered relevant to this Office.
The Office has a supplier, selected through a competitive tendering process, for the purpose of providing refreshments, when appropriate, for meetings, training sessions and other Office events. A system will be introduced whereby waste on food brought in for meetings and events will be monitored.
The Office has introduced a policy on Catering Supplies which provides for the discontinuance of disposable cups, plates, and cutlery in the Office. To support the Office’s green agenda, a stock of compostable cups is available on site. They are intended for use in larger meetings as the Office has a supply of crockery and cutlery which is available for use in smaller meetings. The policy has been published on the Office intranet and all staff, and in particular staff involved in the procurement of catering supplies, are aware of the policy. Procurement for kitchen and dining supplies must adhere to the policy and to sustainable and eco-friendly standards.
Single use disposable items will be excluded from procurement lists and the Green Team will carry out a review of single-use items within the Office and prepare a plan to progressively eliminate use of all single-use items within the Office.
Our Office operates out of one location. (A building stock statement/analysis is included as Appendix 3.) As stated in section 6 above a DEC rating of C1 was obtained for our building. The Office does not have any official vehicles or fleet. It should also be noted that our heating is fully electric and we do not have any fossil fuels in use in the building.
As part of the Monitoring and Recording (M&R) system SEAI gathers details on the type, fabric, repair, age and heating systems of public buildings and provides data on energy use of buildings across the public sector. As required the Office has entered its details on the Building Register.
Our building already has secure bicycle parking in place. In addition, our building provides lockers, showers and a drying area for clothes. There is also a bicycle repair centre and free bike service days. The Green Team encourages staff to make use of these facilities.
The Office also encourages staff to make use of wider initiatives such as the Cycle to Work Scheme, the Travel Pass Scheme, Dublin Bikes, etc.. and we have published information on our websites regarding public transport routes & stops, cycle parking, taxi ranks etc. for visitors & suppliers. Our Office has recently announced a staff walking club which will arrange lunchtime walks for our staff.
During 2023 the Office applied for the Smarter Travel Mark and achieved a Bronze Mark which shows our commitment to prioritising the importance and value of sustainable travel initiatives and the associated environmental benefits. In achieving the Smarter Travel Mark, the Office demonstrates a commitment to changing attitudes and behaviours regarding walking, cycling and public transport usage by implementing measures that facilitate, support and encourage sustainable travel options for the workforce and visitors. The Office will continue to prioritise sustainable travel initiatives with a view to improving our mark.
The Office is working with the landlord, IPUT, towards achieving recycling targets. The Office Green Team also actively participates on the Green Committee for the overall building which is chaired by IPUT. The landlord actively monitors waste and has installed cameras in the waste room to ensure that waste/recycling is disposed of appropriately and correctly.
Previously there were three travel policies in existence in the office covering different aspects of business travel - Green policy; Finance Unit Policy; and Safety and Insurance policy. The existing policies were consolidated into a single business travel policy document which was prepared by the Green Team and approved by MAC during 2024. The new business travel policy document is published on our Office Intranet and is available to all staff. The travel policy document ensures that staff are aware of the impact of certain forms of transport on the environment and outlines reporting and approval requirements associated with business travel.
The Office is required to adhere to national reporting requirements for travel. This outlines in detail all business travel undertaken by the Office, including road, rail and air travel and has been extended to include travel by public transport. The return for 2023 was completed.
Circular 01/2020 requires public bodies to record the carbon emissions associated with official air travel and to pay an amount equivalent to the travel emissions impact into the Climate Action Fund. The circular also requires public bodies to appraise, monitor and ensure only essential air travel is undertaken and that the number of officers on any official journey is kept to an absolute minimum. There were 11 official journeys by air taken by staff during 2023, involving a total of 10,400 kilometres. This resulted in an estimated 1.2266 tonnes of C02 at a cost of €48.50 per tonnes resulting in a total payment of €59.49 to the Climate Action Fund for 2023.
Air quality monitors provided by our landlord are located in each of the 4 main locations within the Office and provide data on air quality in the form of monthly reports. These reports and recommendations are reviewed by the Green Team. During 2023 it was found that the air quality in the Office was good overall.
Public bodies should list their functions that are relevant to the Act and detail the measures that are being taken to ensure their functions are consistent with section 15(1) of the Act in addition to Action CP/23/12 as set out in Climate Action Plan 2023. As stated in section 3 above none of our functions are considered to have a material impact on the furtherance of the national Climate Objective or require any specific measures, other than the actions already identified in this CAR, to ensure that our functions are consistent with section 15(1) of the Act.
____________________
Elaine Cassidy
Director General
| 2022 Climate Action Mandate | Section of Roadmap Guidance | Our Progress |
| 1. Our Targets 1.1 Reduce GHG emissions by 51% in 2030. | Section 2.1.1 Achieving the carbon emissions reduction target | Total C02 emissions in 2022 improved by 70% over the baseline. Recycling level of 57% achieved for entire building for 2023. Proposals/plan to contribute to the building target for 2023 of 75% are set out above. |
| 1.2 * Improve energy efficiency in the public sector by 50% by 2030. * Annual energy saving target of a 3% reduction based on 2022 consumption levels | 2.1.2 Achieving the energy efficiency target | Energy Efficiency Audit completed in 2022. Energy performance in 2023 has improved by 79% over the baseline year. Overall energy consumption levels for 2024 on target to meet a 6% reduction against a challenging 2022 baseline. DEC rating of C1 obtained. Recommendations not yet implemented from Energy Efficiency Audit and BER Report are included in the Green Team Action plan for 2024. Await OPW opinion on report advice that concerns capital costs. Green Team communications on energy use and conservation. Government’s Reduce Your Use energy efficiency campaign implemented. Energy Policy introduced in 2023. Continue to raise awareness of energy usage and conservation among staff throughout 2024. |
| 1.3 Update Climate Action Roadmaps within 6 months of the publication of the Climate Action Plan. CAP24 published on 21 May 24. | Section 1.9 Updating the Climate Action Roadmap. | The Climate Action Roadmap has been updated. |
| 2. Our People 2.1 Establish and resource Green Teams, reporting to senior management, to become integrated drivers of sustainability in every public sector body. | Section 2.2.1 Leadership and governance for climate action | A Green Team is established and active. |
| 2.2 Nominate a member of the Management Board as the Climate and Sustainability Champion with responsibility for implementing and reporting on the mandate. | Section 2.2.1 Leadership and governance for climate action | A member of MAC has been appointed as both the Climate and Sustainability Officer and the Energy Performance Officer. |
| 2.3 Incorporate appropriate climate action and sustainability training (technical and behavioural including green procurement training) into learning and development strategies for staff. | 2.2.2 Engaging and training staff | GT members & other relevant staff to consider GT National Programme as part of annual L&D plans. Training requirements for Senior Managers, Green Team members and other relevant staff are included in the Office L&D strategy. Staff who are engaged in procurement will be encouraged to include green procurement training into their L & D plans. |
| 2.4 Organise staff workshops (at least annually) to engage on climate issues, including a focus on decreasing the organisation’s carbon footprint. | 2.2.2 Engaging and training staff | Green Team Communications Strategy developed. Two workshops held in 2023. A further workshop on Energy Efficiency took place in 2024. All workshops are published on the Office Intranet. Green Team workshops will be included as part of presentations to bi-annual meetings of all staff. |
| 2.5 Ensure all Senior Management (PO level or equivalent and above) complete a climate action leadership training course. | 2.2.2 Engaging and training staff | All Senior Management will complete an appropriate training course on climate action leadership in 2025. |
| 3. Our Way of Working 3.1 Report on the following in the annual report: * GHG emissions * Implementation of the mandate * Sustainability activities report. * Compliance with circular 1/2020: Procedures for offsetting the emissions associated with official air travel. | 1.8 Reporting progress against the Climate Action Mandate requirements | Updates in relation to our progress on climate mandate requirements is set out on the Strategy and Governance page on the website of the Office of the Ombudsman. Details of the updates and a link to same are included in each of our Office Annual Reports. Green Team submits an annual report to MAC which s is published on the Office intranet. |
| 3.2 Using SEAI’s Public Sector Monitoring and Reporting System, public bodies are to report annually on implementation of the individual mandate requirements using a “comply or explain” approach. | 1.8 Reporting progress against the Climate Action Mandate requirements | We assess and report our progress against the Climate Action Mandates |
| 3.3 Achieve formal environmental accreditation for large public sector bodies, such as ISO 50001 (Energy Management Standard) or ISO 14001 (Environmental Management System), with a view to achieving EMAS ISO 14001 (Eco Management and Audit Scheme). Specifically: 3.3.1 All public sector bodies with an energy spend greater than €2m per annum to achieve ISO 50001 certification by end - 2024. 3.3.2 All remaining public bodies to implement energy management programmes as per SEAI’s energy management guidance (SI 426 of 2014) and report to SEAI annually on M&R. | 2.3.1 Energy & environmental management systems | The Office is satisfied that it has an energy management body / system appropriate to the size of our organisation, as set out in SEAI’s guide to Demonstrating Exemplar Energy Management and that we are implementing energy management programmes appropriate to the size of our organisation as per SEAI’s energy management guidance. |
| 3.4 Implement Green Public Procurement, using the EPA Green Public Procurement Guidance and criteria/Office of Government Procurement’s online Green Public Procurement Criteria Search tool as resources | Section 2.3.2 Green Public Procurement | GPP is considered as part of any procurement process including use of the Triple E register. All relevant staff to consider Green Criteria when procuring relevant goods and services and to use the EPA Green Public Procurement Guidance and criteria/OGP online Green Public Procurement Criteria Search tool as resources. |
| 3.5 Construction 3.5.1 Specify low carbon construction methods and low carbon cement material as far as practicable for directly procured or supported construction projects from 2023. 3.5.2 Adhere to the best practice guidelines for the preparation of Resource and Waste Management Plans for construction and demolition projects for directly procured or supported construction projects from 2024. | 2.3.3 Construction | N/A N/A |
| 3.6 Food Waste 3.6.1 Measure and monitor the food waste generated on premises from 2024, using a standardised approach to food waste measurement set out in the EPA Protocol/Pathway 3.6.2 All new contract arrangements related to canteen or food services, including events and conferences, to include measures that are targeted at addressing food waste, with a specific focus on food waste prevention and food waste segregation. | 2.3.4 Food Waste | Calculating a food waste benchmark is not considered relevant to this Office. GT Effective Waste Recycling Strategy developed. The Green Team has already delivered workshops on Food and on Waste. The Green Team will support the annual National Stop Food Waste Day and share Stop Food Waste resources with staff. “Flash Cards” introduced to highlight the correct bins for common waste items. A system will be introduced whereby waste on food brought in for Office events will be monitored. The Office operates from a shared building. No serviced canteen in the building. The Green Committee for the building sets competitive recycling targets for the building. The recycling rate for 2023 for the tenants collectively is 57% (up from 51% in 2022). Policy on Catering Supplies which provides for the discontinuance of disposable materials has been introduced. Procurement for dining supplies must adhere to the policy and to sustainable and eco-friendly standards. |
| 3.7 Paper 3.7.1 Review any paper-based processes and evaluate the possibilities for digitisation so it becomes the default approach. Eliminate paper-based processes as far as is practicable. Where paper must be procured, ensure that recycled paper is the default 3.7.2 Measure and monitor paper consumption. | 2.3.5 Paper | Our paper is sourced through an OGP Framework agreement; is 100% recycled from household waste; and is consistent with section 3.7.1 of the CAP. A swipe card system was introduced for printing in the Office during 2023. Further improvement in reducing paper usage in 2023 with a reduction of 11% on 2022 levels and a 74% decrease on pre-pandemic levels in 2019. The Office plans to digitize returns furnished to SIPO once a new Ethics draft scheme is introduced under the new Ethics Framework. (Planned for Q4 2024). Continue to monitor paper usage during 2024. Procurement of recycled paper will be the default. |
| 3.8 Water Provide suitable drinking water refill points for all staff and in any premises accessed by the public and measure and monitor usage of the refill points. | 2.3.6 Water | The Office has installed mains-fed water refill stations. Usage is not significant and is used for drinking water only. The Green Team will prepare a workshop on reducing water use both in the office and at home. |
| 3.9 Single Use 3.9.1 Cease using disposable cups, plates and cutlery from any public sector canteen or closed facility excluding clinical (i.e. non-canteen healthcare) environments, and in publicly funded advertising or broadcasting, where feasible. 3.9.2 Progressively eliminate all single use items within the organisation and from events organised, funded, or sponsored. | 2.3.7 Single Use | The Office introduced a policy on Catering Supplies which provides for the discontinuance of disposable cups, plates, and cutlery. The policy is published on the Office intranet and all staff are aware of it. Procurement for kitchen and dining supplies must adhere to the policy and to sustainable and eco-friendly standards. A stock of compostable cups is used in larger meetings. A supply of crockery and cutlery is used for smaller meetings. Single use disposable items will be excluded from procurement lists. The Green Team will carry out a review of single-use items and prepare a plan to progressively eliminate such use. |
| 3.10 Other Materials 3.10.1 Support Ireland's Producer Responsibility Initiatives in the collection and recycling of products. 3.10.2 Use waste collection services that are segregated into a minimum of 3 streams – residual/general waste, recycling waste and organic/biowaste. | 2.3.8 Other Materials | New “trio” bins allow for separation of recycling, food waste and regular waste. Additional bins and new smaller food waste bins facilitate proper waste disposal. Arrangements in place for the return of drinks cans and plastic bottles. |
| 4 Our Buildings and Vehicles 4.1 Promote the use of bicycles (including push bikes, electric bikes and cargo bikes) and shared mobility options as an alternative to car use among employees and visitors by creating and maintaining facilities (both inside and outside of buildings) that support such options, including secure and accessible bicycle parking, shared mobility parking and charging stations, as appropriate, with a view to achieving the Smarter Travel Mark. | 2.4 Our buildings and vehicles | Secure bicycle parking already in place. Lockers, showers, and a drying area for clothes is provided. There is also a bicycle repair centre and free bike service days. During 2023 the Office applied for the Smarter Travel Mark and achieved a Bronze Mark. The Office will continue to prioritise sustainable travel initiatives with a view to improving our mark. |
| 4.2 Phase out the use of parking in buildings that have access to a range of public transport services and active/shared mobility options for the majority of staff/visitors while providing that sufficient accessible parking is maintained for those with physical mobility issues. | Section 2.4 Our buildings and vehicles | OPW has responsibility for the lease and will give direction with regard to the small number of car parking spaces included as part of our tenancy agreement. |
| 4.3 Display an up-to-date Display Energy Certificate in every public building that is open to the public to clearly show energy use. | Section 2.4 Our buildings and vehicles | DEC rating of C1 obtained. The DEC is displayed in our Office. |
| The public sector will not install heating systems that use fossil fuels after 2023 in 1) new buildings and 2) “major renovation” retrofit projects (as defined in the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) unless at least one of the following exceptions applies: - The fossil fuel is only using electricity from the grid; - There is no technically viable non-fossil alternative (generally only related to applications for a purpose other than space heating); - The installation of a renewable space heating system would increase final CO2 emissions; - The fossil fuel use is provided for backup, peaking or operational purposes (and makes up less than 10% of annual heating energy); - Where the direct replacement of existing fossil-fuel heating is required for an emergency maintenance purpose. | Section 2.4 Our buildings and vehicles | Our heating/air conditioning system is fully electric and is controlled by a heat pump. |
| In relation to existing buildings: 4.5.1 Public bodies and sectoral groups with a large estate should commence a deep retrofit of a least one building in 2023 in pursuit of the 2030 51% target. The planning of deep retrofit building measures will be undertaken at sectoral level for homogenous sectors, e.g., in relation to the Civil Service, the OPW will plan the deep retrofit of Government Departments’ building stock. 4.5.2 All Public sector bodies and sectoral groups with a large estate should develop a portfolio building stock plan, (including determining the buildings necessary for their activities), in line with guidance published by SEAI, by end 2024 to mobilise large scale programmes towards meeting the Climate Action Plan targets. 4.5.3 As part of the building stock plan, public sector bodies and sectoral groups with a large estate should undertake data gathering and consider the long-term (to 2050) retrofit key performance indicators to upgrade all their building stock to Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) or Zero Emission Buildings (ZEB) as outlined in the EPBD proposal and Energy Efficiency Directive. 4.5.4 Small public sector bodies should include a basic building stock analysis or statement as part of their Climate Action Roadmap, in line with the guidance published by SEAI. | Section 2.4 Our buildings and vehicles | Our Office operates out of one location as a tenant in a shared building. We have no building “estate” or “stock”. |
| 4.6 Procure (purchase or lease) only zero-emission vehicles from the end of 2022, enabling Ireland to go beyond the requirements of the EU Directive, amending Directive 2009/33/EC on the promotion of clean and energy-efficient road transport vehicles (EU Directive 2019/1161 the Clean Vehicle Directive) and act as an international leader in this area. An exception applies where the vehicle is exempt under European Communities (Clean and Energy-Efficient Road Transport Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations (SI 381 of 2021).Public sector procurement contracts for delivery and haulage should specify zero emissions vehicles where possible. 4.6.1 As an enabler for the switch to zero-emissions vehicles and meeting Climate Action Plan targets, in 2024 public sector bodies with a vehicle fleet should develop a plan for installation of charging infrastructure in relevant locations. The plan should align installation of infrastructure with timelines for decarbonisation of the body’s fleet. The plan should be included in the body’s Climate Action Roadmap. | Section 2.4 Our buildings and vehicles | Our Office does not purchase or lease vehicles. |
Mission statement
The mission of the Office of the Ombudsman Green Team is to implement practices to help reduce the Office's energy/environmental footprint and to promote energy efficiency practices among employees and suppliers in line with the key strategic influence identified in our Statement of Strategy[Climate Action and Low Carbon Development] along with the goals and targets identified more specifically in our Office´s mini-strategy to identify the policies, plans and actions needed over the course of this Statement of Strategy to meet our requirements under the Climate Action Plan. The purpose of our strategy is to reduce our use of energy, plastics, waste, transport, water, and plant life.
Green Team definition
The ‘Green Team’ is a group of people who commit to a charter and formally decided to work together to:
• Reduce the organisation’s environmental footprint;
• Ensure a comfortable working environment;
• Enlist co-workers as partners in sustainable business practices in our processes and facilities.
Purpose
The purpose of the Green Team is to:
• Demonstrate leadership in environmental stewardship.
• Provide consistent and effective involvement in assuring the development and implementation of environmentally preferable practices that support goals and targeted performance levels identified in the organisation´s specific sustainability plans.
• Create and foster a common understanding of energy practices.
• Coordinate and align efforts among staff in the Office
• Establish, measure and report goals (annually and longer term).
• Serve as a forum to address specific environmental issues.
Volunteer structure and membership
The Green Team consists of volunteer representatives from management and staff. The representatives serve as ‘energy’ champions within the building. Being all-inclusive is important in getting wider participation. The Green Team will report to a Climate and Sustainability Officer who will be a member of the Management Advisory Committee of the Office.
Climate and Sustainability Officer for the Office – Liam Duffy
Representatives on the Green Team -Ciarán O'Donohoe (Chair- Corporate Services)
Aidan Moore (Secretary – Executive Unit)
Alison Connolly (OIC)
Elizabeth Swanwick (OCEI)
Colette Godkin (SIPO)
Conor Mulvihill (SIPO)
John Spencer (ICT Unit)
Shauna Watters (CPSA)
Maurice Magee (Ombudsman)
Aisling Burns (Ombudsman)
Meetings and attendance
Meetings shall be held once each month and may be held more often as needed. Meeting issues may be identified and put on agendas by any member. Meeting minutes including action items will be documented and distributed to the wider organisation.
Report
The Green Team will prepare a yearly report on its activities and successes, which will be distributed to Senior Staff. The Green Team will also prepare a quarterly report for MAC on energy usage in the office.
Corporate approval
Approved by the MAC on 30 August 2023
Our Office comprises of 2,499 square metres located on the ground and first floors of shared buildings at 5 & 6 Earlsfort Terrace. These offices are leased through the OPW from IPUT Real Estate Dublin. We do not own or operate from any other locations.
