Sustainability

Sustainability

At Ubico, we continuously strive to embed sustainability in everything we do. From our daily operations to the way we support our people and work with our partners, suppliers and the communities we operate in, we’re committed to making a positive difference.  

We’re dedicated to reducing our environmental impact and supporting our shareholder councils in achieving their climate goals. Whether it’s transforming our fleet or improving our depots, we are always looking for practical ways to integrate carbon reduction opportunities into our business and operate more sustainably. 

Our sustainability strategy aims are: 

  • To contribute to an improvement in the air quality in the areas in which we operate  

  • To reduce our carbon footprint  

  • To support our council partners on their journey to net zero 

  • To enhance climate performance across our operations 

  • To include social value in our operations  

 

Social value 

At Ubico, we define social value as the wider positive impact our work has on our local community, and we strive for social value to be at the heart of our operations  

Local Employment Opportunities 

Ubico is a significant local employer, with nearly 90% of our workforce living in the local area ( as(as of July 2025). We are proud to provide meaningful employment opportunities that support the local economy and strengthen our relationship with the community.  

Procurement 

Social value in procurement is about public sector organisations and their suppliers looking beyond the financial cost of a contract to consider how the services they commission and procure can improve the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of an area.  

We incorporate social value in the procurement process (where appropriate), to ensure our suppliers deliver quality beyond the service/supplies tendered.  

Our current suppliers also offer a variety of social value initiatives including: 

  • Safpro provides Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) points based on sales, allowing us the opportunity to invest in the local economy, environment, and our workforce. 

  • Stationery purchases through our contract with Commercial Ltd supports young people into the workplace through the Commercial Foundation. 

  • Plan B Management Solutions, who provide the contract for recycling and haulage sales at Stroud and Forest of Dean, provide foodbank donations to the Trussell Trust. 

 
We have also worked with our council partners to provide a range of social value initiatives including: 

  • The support and management of reuse shops at Wingmoor, Fosse Cross, and Oak Quarry Household Recycling Centres (HRCs). These shops help reduce waste and promote a circular economy  

  • We’ve installed defibrillators outside our Swindon Road site in Cheltenham and at all of our Household Recycling Centres (HRCs), enhancing both the safety of our staff and visitors to the sites. 

  • We have actively supported the response to flooding providing operational assistance and resources during local flooding emergencies to help protect communities and infrastructure. 

Accreditations  

We are proud to have held the ISO14001 - 2015 standard in Environmental Management since 2017. ISO14001 provides a framework for organisations to design and implement an environmental management system and continually improve their environmental performance.  This accreditation benchmarks our management systems and performance against an international standard, demonstrating our commitment to the environment. 

Eco friendly fleet 

With 97% of our carbon emissions coming from our fleet, transforming the fleet to reduce the carbon impact of our operations is an ongoing key priority. Climate impact is a key factor in the procurement of vehicles.  

We’re making real progress – for example in supporting our council partners in adopting cleaner fuels and investing in electric or hybrid vehicles. As of September 2025, 6% of our fleet are electric or hybrid, and 43%  is powered by Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), a cleaner alternative to diesel. Where older vehicles have reached end of life they have been replaced with Euro 6 compliant vehicles.  

 We also use telematics to analyse coach driver performance and encourage eco-friendly driving practices, an initiative supported by the fleet driver liaison team. 

We take a proactive approach to fleet maintenance. Fleet schedules are regularly reviewed to align with the latest manufacturer standards, and the use of telematics systems allow early detection of vehicle issues, helping prevent breakdowns and reduce environmental impact.  

 Tyre maintenance is also a priority. Regular pressure checks improve fuel efficiency, and a tyre policy introduced in 2020 extends tyre life through better specifications, repairs, and reuse - cutting carbon emissions from tyre production. 

 In 2024, we were nationally recognised as a finalist in the 'Best Air Quality Strategy' category for the Fleet Vision International awards in recognition of the initiatives we have taken to reduce carbons emissions on our extensive fleet. 

Measuring our carbon impact  

We use data dashboards to capture and evaluate our carbon impacts, both in our energy usage and through our fleet. Through analysis of this data and benchmarking, we’ve gained clearer insights into our environmental impactimpact, and we use data extrapolated from these carbon dashboards to identify further climate opportunities. 

 Everyday Sustainability 

At the heart of our sustainability journey is the belief that small, everyday actions can lead to meaningful change. We’ve taken practical steps to reduce our environmental impact in the office as well as within our operations. 

 We worked with two council partners to review our service routes and identify efficiencies in our operational planning. This initiative aimed to reduce unnecessary journeys, improve operational efficiency, and lower carbon emissions..emissions. 

  • We support council-led biodiversity plans through initiatives like No Mow May, wildflower planting, reducing glyphosate use and the introduction of weed rippers..rippers.  

  • We have removed single-use cups from vending machines, saving 1,215 kg of CO₂e, the equivalent to driving 3,700 miles in a petrol car (from July 2025 – May 2025) 

  • We undertook a pilot scheme to introduce reuseable gloves in two of our depots to reduce waste. 

  • We have significantly reduced paper use by digitising inspections, safety reporting, vehicle checks, and encouraging double-sided printing only when printing is necessary. 

  • We have Improved office recycling and reuse practices and meet the requirements of the Simpler Recycling legislation introduced in March 2025. 

  • We have launched a pilot programme at our Stroud depot to assess utility usage and encourage sustainable habits, an initiative we plan to roll out across the business. 

Looking Forward 

We’re proud of our progress, and what we have achieved so far but we’re not stopping here. By working together with  council partners we will keep seeking more sustainable solutions that balance environmental goals with service goals to make a positive impact for today and for the future