Sustainability
British Dressage recognises that protection of the environment is an integral part of our business and a prime responsibility for everyone in our sport, at every level. As such, sustainability is not only a cornerstone of our future strategy, but it is also embedded in the decision making for everything we do as an organisation.
We want to promote positive change to enable good health and wellbeing for all participants in our sport, whether equine or human, while respecting the world that we live and compete in. We take climate change seriously and are committed to driving innovation and investing in technology to minimise our impact on the environment.
While we are an active and physical sport, with both a national and international dimension, we want to enjoy participating and competing in a way that respects and protects the environment. We believe that environmental damage is avoidable and by working collectively with our staff, volunteers and stakeholder groups, we will do everything that is reasonably practicable to mitigate or prevent this.
There’s a keen interest in and awareness about environmental sustainability across the equestrian sector and a willingness to promote change where needed to minimise our carbon footprint and reduce unnecessary waste. Everyone understands there’s much more to be done, from the operational infrastructure and energy used at our events, to sustainable travel policies and use of recyclable materials.
As a National Governing Body for the sport of dressage in the UK, we aim to lead by example, by taking a critical look at how we operate, quantify our consumption and waste, and set tangible targets to reduce, offset or eliminate it. Some practical examples of some of the sustainability initiatives we have already implemented in British Dressage include:
- Digitalisation of activities, by using paperless processes and resources.
- Use of recycled paper and biodegradable packaging for BD magazine and other membership materials.
- Implementation of energy efficiency and recycling measures at BD Head Office.
- Transfer of paper-based documentation to online storage facilities and systems.
- Implementation of hybrid working policy, resulting in a 40% reduction in commuting to and from the office.
- Reduction in the amount of travel required by staff, volunteers and stakeholders by hosting virtual meetings, training, seminars and events online.
- Shared use of a single hybrid pool vehicle for teams for attending competitions and events.
