Sustainability

Reform Radio believes that we have a responsibility to care for and protect the environment in which we operate. We are fully committed to improving environmental performance across all of our business activities, and will encourage our business partners and members of the wider community to join us in this effort recognising our key impacts to be in the areas of; energy use, raw material use, waste generation, emissions to air/water, water use, transport, procurement and refreshments.

If you’d like to receive Carbon Literacy training, please contact us.

Our Sustainability Vision

Our sustainability vision at Reform Radio is based on the principles of reducing, reusing, and recycling. Our initiatives are aimed at creating a more sustainable and environmentally responsible platform for our audience, listeners and all those who engage with Reform Radio.

We won the Promotion of Environmental Sustainability award at the Manchester Culture Awards 2021, and we have been shortlisted as a finalist for the same award in 2023.

Key Sustainability Actions

Sustainability Embedding: We’ve integrated Sustainability organisation wide in our systems and processes including embedding conversations about sustainability in our weekly meetings for all teams. We factor sustainability into all aspects of our decision making and planning. As part of this we have a Sustainability Champion within our staff team, who also reports to our Advisory Board quarterly.

Environmental Reporting: We monitor our carbon impact quarterly and calculate our carbon footprint annually using Julie’s Bicycle’s Creative Carbon Tools. We have committed to sharing our impact publicly, and we factor in scope 1, 2 and some scope 3 emissions.Transparency is key to maintaining our commitment to sustainable practices and so we will update this page regularly. We have recorded a 14% reduction in carbon emissions from 2021 to 2022.

Carbon Literacy Training: All of our staff are carbon literacy trained, and we as an organisation are now certified by the Carbon Literacy Project to deliver Carbon Literacy training. As of October 2023 we have delivered training to 258 people across Greater Manchester.

Green Energy: We are committed to using renewable energy sources to power all that we do. All of our electricity is sourced from the Carno II Wind Farm in Powys, and we use push all those we work with to swap to sustainable energy at the earliest convenience.

Paperless Office: We have transitioned to a paperless office environment, reducing our consumption of paper and promoting digital communication and document management. This not only saves trees but also reduces waste.

Waste Reduction: We actively promote recycling and waste reduction practices within our organisation and our building. We have implemented recycling bins throughout our workspace and encourage our team to minimise single-use plastics and other non-recyclable materials. To this end we have provided all staff with metal water bottles & tote bags.

Carbon Offset Programmes: Reform Radio participates in carbon offset programs to compensate for our emissions. Through our partnership with Ecologi, we’ve committed to offsetting carbon emissions and supporting new sustainability initiatives across the world, with over 6000 trees planted and 423tCO2e being prevented from being produced through funding of sustainable energy projects.

Community Outreach: We regularly engage with our community to promote environmental awareness. We focus on environmental sustainability in all of our creative outreach projects, educating and empowering all those we work with to make their own impact on sustainability both individually and within their communities.

Sustainable Content: Every year we focus on where we can best use our influence to spread climate action & information with our audience. We work with our DJs and artists to create content based on impactful days or events, including Earth Day, Refugee Day and International Women’s Day. We recognise our unique position in this sector, and we’re constantly thinking of new ways we can impact the conversation. If you have an idea please contact lewys@reformradio.co.uk.

Catering: We buy only from local and sustainable businesses whenever possible. We provide catering for our participants on all projects, and buy primarily from local, independent catering companies. Whenever we cater, we ensure that at least 75% of our offerings are vegan or vegetarian. We use a local dairy supplier, buying only what we need each week with a focus on plant based milks.

Equipment: For our equipment we operate on a borrow first policy, critically looking at if we need to purchase new equipment or whether we can use another item or borrow from one of our partners. When we do need to buy, we do so from UK manufacturers wherever possible, and vet all suppliers on their carbon actions. We repair all equipment where possible, and any equipment that is no longer of use for us as an organisation we donate to our partners or community. Any equipment that we cannot repair we recycle through the appropriate routes.

Transportation: We promote the use of public transportation and cycling among our team members to reduce the carbon footprint associated with commuting to work. We have a number of staff using the cycle to work scheme, with no staff regularly commuting via car.

Environmental Partnerships: We collaborate with organisations and individuals who are dedicated to environmental causes. This allows us to learn, share knowledge, and take collective action for a better planet. We use our position within the region to influence other organisations, supporting them with information on how to become more sustainable. We also vet our funders, partners and suppliers as part of our due diligence to ensure they are taking appropriate action around the climate crisis. We have been a member of GMAST, the Greater Manchester Arts Sustainability Team since 2016, and have been both supported by, and supported other members in a variety of ways.

Join Us in Our Mission

Reform Radio is an arts organisation and radio station that broadcasts the best in independent music, arts and culture from Manchester to the world. We use our radio station as a tool to engage young adults from across the North into high quality creative training and to support them to build meaningful careers. We want all young adults to have the opportunity to realise their full potential.

We invite you to join us in our mission to make the world a better place. By supporting our sustainability initiatives and spreading awareness, you can contribute to a greener, more sustainable future.

We are committed to being a responsible and environmentally conscious organisation, and we look forward to inspiring others to do the same.

For more information on our sustainability activities, or to share ideas or best practices please contact our Sustainability Champion, Lewys Stocks, on lewys@reformradio.co.uk or through our contact us page.