Sustainable council

Business case and project templates 

We have updated our business case and project templates to include a mandatory section on climate change impacts, ensuring new activities identify and detail these impacts in proposals. 

Carbon emissions baseline report

We have worked with an external consultant to establish the Council’s carbon emissions baseline and to streamline the Council’s emissions monitoring, measuring, and reporting methodologies. This has also estimated carbon emission trajectories for various mitigation pathways out to 2030 and 2050. The report can be viewed online

• Greenhouse gas emissions

Carbon literacy training

Approved at Corporate Management Committee in April 2023, the Council is currently rolling out carbon literacy training to members and senior officers. Carbon literacy training provides an understanding of the causes and impacts of everyday carbon emissions offering a starting point to enact real change. Training for members took place from June to July 2023, and senior officers in November 2023. Officers are exploring approaches to deliver training to any newly elected members and a wider cohort of Council officers in the 2024/25 financial year. The report taken to the Corporate Management Committee on 20 April 2024 is available from page 12-17 of the Public Reports Pack.

Runnymede talks 

The Council’s flagship magazine, Runnymede Talks, is now printed on FSC approved paper. The FSC system allows organisations to identify, buy and use paper and other forest products made with materials from well-managed forests and or other recycled sources. FSC approval means the paper used helps to ensure our forests are alive for generations to come.

Sustainable fleet management strategy 

The Council’s Sustainable Fleet Management Strategy sets out to provide an environmentally sustainable operational fleet which delivers safe, reliable services to the community and was affordable to the Council. One of the three guiding objectives is around the reduction of harmful greenhouse gases and other local pollutants from the Council’s fleet.

The Strategy was approved at Full Council in April 2024 having been endorsed by the Environment and Sustainability Committee and the Corporate Management Committee. To read the policy in full, visit our page dedicated to this Strategy.

• Full Council - April 2024
• Sustainable Fleet Management Strategy

Reducing emissions from the council fleet

The Council’s Meals at Home service is now operated with 4 Electric Vehicles which have the benefit of reducing emissions whilst maintaining this important service for residents.  We are continuously reviewing opportunities to transition a greater proportion of our fleet to EV and ensuring that the necessary infrastructure to facilitate this is available where required. 

• New electric fleet for Meals at Home service

As part of our move to a more sustainable fleet, the Environment and Sustainably Committee on 7 March 2024 unanimously approved the transition from diesel to Hydrogenate Vegetable Oil (HVO) to power the Council’s entire 80 vehicle fleet. Runnymede is the first Council is Surrey to make this transition and is expected to reduce the Council’s fleet emissions by up to 90%. Read more information about the transition online.

• Vegetable oil powered bin lorries coming to Runnymede

Sustainable Procurement Policy

At Full Council on 27 April 2023 the Council adopted its new procurement strategy, with a renewed focus on sustainable procurement and delivery of social value when purchasing goods, works and services are the highlights of Runnymede Borough Council’s new corporate procurement strategy.

When submitting a tender or quote in order to supply the Council, potential suppliers will be asked to demonstrate how they can meet additional relevant criteria such as social value, sustainability and carbon reduction, which support the Council's objectives and aims laid out in its Climate Change Strategy. 

To find out more, see what Councillors said about the policy or review the policy on our purchasing and procurement page.

• Procurement strategy
• Procurement Policies

Climate Change & Sustainability Staff Interest Group

The Council has initiated a Climate Change & Sustainability Staff Interest Group which aims to provide information about initiatives being undertaken on a range of climate & sustainability themes, both within the Council and externally, that will give our staff an understanding of what we are doing as a Council in this space, and how they can act, be that inside or outside of work. The group meets on a quarterly basis, both online and in-person, and offers a space for environmentally interest colleagues to engage with one another, hear from other staff members and local groups about their actions, and provides an opportunity for them to contribute to the ongoing climate and sustainability-related work of the Council.

Energy efficient multi-functional devices

In February 2025, the Council rolled out new multi-functional devices (printers, scanners, and copiers) which deliver substantial sustainability benefits. The new devices use over 80% less energy than the Council’s previous models, supporting our sustainability goals and reducing operating costs. In addition, new print management has been deployed alongside this rollout which provides prompts to staff encouraging them to consider whether printing is required, and where it is, nudging these jobs to be double-sided and black and white.

Supporting the Climate & Nature Bill

“Runnymede Councillors across the political spectrum voiced their support for the Climate and Nature Bill which is passing through the legislative process in the Houses of Parliament. A resolution raised by Chair of the Council’s Environment and Sustainability Committee in support of the Bill was approved at a Full Council meeting on 27 February 2025. As a result the Council has made its position public and written to the borough’s two MPs and the Zero Hour Campaign, making clear its support.

If the Climate and Nature Bill, which is the forerunner to an Act of Parliament, is made law, it would require the United Kingdom to achieve climate and nature targets. The Bill is backed by MPs and peers; local authorities and the London Assembly; scientists, such; NGOs, such as The Wildlife Trusts, Doctors’ Association UK, Friends of the Earth, The WI, The Climate Coalition and CPRE; businesses, such as The Co-operative Bank, Arup, JLL, Suez UK and Ecotricity; and 53,000 members of the public.

Read our news article on this story to find out more.