Environment

Climate change is expected to worsen the frequency, intensity and impacts of extreme weather events. Without action we will see detrimental changes to the world we live in.

RWS and its colleagues are committed to helping prevent the impact of global climate change by transitioning to carbon net zero.

Read our Environmental Policy

We are committed to:

The reduction of our Group-wide carbon emissions
The ongoing improvement of our environmental management systems globally
Complying with the spirit as well as the letter of all applicable environmental legislation, approved codes of practice and any other requirements not codified by law to which we subscribe
Cooperating fully and maintaining positive relationships with all regulatory authorities
Supporting the environmental goals of the Group’s clients

Screenshot of a table from ESG report showing our carbon emissions from the financial year 2023

Energy and greenhouse gas report

As part of the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) requirement, RWS is required to report its energy and GHG emissions within its Directors’ Report.

As part of the development of our science-based targets, and as a result of switching to an enhanced software platform, we decided to recalculate our FY22 footprint to ensure consistency in measurement and methodology.

Methodology

Emissions were calculated following the GHG Reporting Protocol (Corporate Standard) using the Watershed platform. Energy usage data was collected or estimated based on building square-footage for all facilities, and was combined with emissions factors from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Ecoinvent, Technical Compliance Rate (TCR) and other data sources to calculate GHG emissions. Electricity emissions factors are chosen based on geography to reflect the emissions intensities of the facilities’ local grid.

Energy

Energy is a key driver of carbon emissions across the Group and we are committed to reducing our energy consumption across our operations.

We recognise the importance of investing in energy efficient offices and renewable energy. In FY23, the Group took several measures to reduce energy use and emissions. These included (not an exhaustive list):

Currently we have 100% renewable energy at eight of our offices (Alnwick, UK; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Brno, Czechia; Chalfont St Peter, UK; Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Santiago, Chile; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Stuttgart, Germany). Electricity that comes from clean energy sources is 13.8%. We reduced 12% of our electricity related emissions by purchasing clean energy
Ensuring energy usage is being reported promptly and accurately
Setting timers relative to weather conditions and office opening hours – increased awareness through engagement with colleagues and cleaning companies to ensure energy was being used only when necessary
Implementing various energy efficiency actions such as: a 'closed-door' policy to avoid unnecessary energy consumption for heating/cooling; and a 'switch off at night' policy

With many of our initiatives, we recognise that what is good for the environment is also good for business. Energy savings, for example, reduce our emissions output while cutting costs.

Waste

Being a service-based company, our waste generation is naturally low and non-hazardous. However, we continue to engage colleagues, suppliers and other stakeholders to take ownership and create more efficient operations and practices.

In FY23, the Group took several measures to reduce waste. These included:

Whilst rolling out of the environmental compliance programme, we ensure the RWS Group Waste Policy is implemented appropriately to optimise recycling
The introduction of the new Group-wide Waste Policy improved waste collection methodology, e.g. separating aluminum and biowaste in Brno (Czechia), enabled the office to collect approx. 50kg of aluminum which they could sell-back and separate biowaste which is now repurposed and used for heating. In Cluj-Napoca (Romania), for example, plastic caps are being ‘resold’ and the funds donated to charity, and coffee grounds are collected for colleagues to use as fertilizer
Working with landlords regarding waste measurement and management
Working with suppliers to get more accurate reports detailing waste and recycling
Sending our electronic equipment back to the supplier to recycle as part of a global buy-back scheme
Storing and reusing bubble wrap and cardboard boxes
Championing recycling during our 'Recycling Week'
Hosted a World Cleanup Day to further educate, inform and engage colleagues around waste

Where our offices are in managed buildings, we are working with landlords to derive better data on waste and then implement programmes to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Water

Most of our offices use water from municipal supply and are in developed countries with a high capability for water adaptation and mitigation.

Moving forward we continue to reach out to the landlords of our leased offices and request detailed information. We are also introducing measures to reduce water usage including low flow plumbing fixtures, identifying and fixing leaks, and communicating with employees about responsible water use measures.

In FY23 we hosted an awareness day for World Ocean Day to educate, inform and engage colleagues as well as a World Rivers Day competition to raise awareness of the importance of our rivers around the world and encourage increased stewardship. More than 180 entries were received and colleagues globally participated in judging the winners.

Paper

We have embraced agile working which enables digitalised process and resulted in a reduction in the amount of paper we use. As part of our Green Office Policy, we purchase paper which is sustainably sourced from known and responsible sources and we print double-sided where possible.

Electronic waste

RWS seeks to purchase the most energy efficient IT hardware and work with global suppliers who are committed to reducing their global footprint.

We purchase our end use computers from a supply base which utilise carbon fibre and tree-based bio plastics. Our supply base has been an Energy Star partner for over a decade, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to energy efficiency in its products. Energy star certified laptops use 25-40% less energy than conventional monitors by using the most efficient components and better managing energy use when idle. We also operate a buy-back scheme with our supply base to further enhance reuse and certified Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) recycling as part of our disposal policy.

We encourage our colleagues globally to switch off laptops and monitors when not in use and have configurations in place for inactivity to reduce energy consumption. Our strategy incorporates consolidation to reduce overall footprint of hardware and software across our IT estate.

Business travel

As conditions return to the new ‘normal’ post the Covid-19 pandemic, business travel and commuting have increased. The Group continues to utilise software to hold virtual meetings and these are promoted as a way to curtail unnecessary business travel.

Green logistics programme

We were also pleased to introduce our All-Electric company car policy for our small fleet of 33 company provided vehicles. From December 2024 all car lease renewals will be full-electric vehicles only.

Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD)

Recognition of climate-change impacts and the need to act proactively is increasing. The hottest recorded July, August and September was experienced in 2023 and, if action is not taken by all, these changes will become long lasting. RWS has the desire to lead by example. This is evidenced by it becoming a signatory of the TCFD before it became mandatory, and submitting its intent to set science-based targets ensuring that RWS can support the achievement of keeping global temperature rises to 1.5°C or less.

Following our decision in 2021 to start reporting in line with TCFD early, these disclosures include our actions taken to date to align our climate risk disclosures with the TCFD recommendations. Doing so will enable our stakeholders to understand the ways in which climate change is affecting our business now, and in the future, as well as the steps that we are taking.

RWS Climate Change Statement

At RWS, we believe the science is clear – anthropogenic climate change is real and the effects are already being seen and felt globally. As an international organization, we acknowledge our responsibility for our part in this crisis and we welcome our role as a world leader in climate risk mitigation.

Globally, we have set the following goals:

Develop science-based targets, aligned with the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) criteria, and submit the targets to the SBTi for validation
Achieve Environmental Management System compliance of over 90% by the end of FY30
Become an industry leader in compliance with regulatory structures including TCFD, SASB and others
Increase our commitment to nature-based solutions to reduce our carbon footprint and support global biodiversity,

RWS is a world-leading provider of technology-enabled language, content management and intellectual property services, and our people are key to our success. Together, we leverage our knowledge and expertise to implement creative, effective, workable solutions.