ACSIS Life Coaching. Sustainability Policy and Impact Report (2025/26)

Document date: 02-02-2026

Reporting period: 2025/26

Owner: ACSIS Life Coaching

Status: Active. Reviewed annually

1. Purpose

ACSIS Life Coaching is committed to working in ways that protect the planet, respect people, and support a healthier future for the communities we serve. We are a veteran-owned organisation built on Clarity, Courage, and Connection. That includes the courage to operate responsibly, and the clarity to make decisions that reduce our environmental impact while protecting the quality and safety of our support.

This report combines our sustainability policy with an impact snapshot, so our intentions and our evidence sit in one place.

2. Legal and standards baseline

We aim to comply with UK legislation and regulatory requirements that apply to our operations, and we keep our approach under review as laws, guidance, and best practice evolve.

The areas most relevant to this policy include:

Environmental management and circular economy standards: we use recognised frameworks such as ISO 14001 and circular economy principles aligned with BS 8001 to guide practical improvements.
Environmental permitting and controls (where relevant): we remain mindful of requirements that can apply to emissions, waste, and resource use under Environmental Permitting regulations, and we consider equivalents where relevant in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Ethical supply chains: we align our expectations with the intent of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and treat this as good practice regardless of size.
Health, safety, and wellbeing duties: we take our duty of care seriously, including responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
Data protection and confidentiality: we operate in line with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 for personal data handling in our digital delivery.

This policy is not legal advice. When needed, we will seek appropriate professional guidance.

3. How we work

3.1 Travel and meetings

We meet in person quarterly where it adds value, and we default to virtual meetings and online collaboration to reduce unnecessary travel.
For business travel, we prioritise lower-carbon options. Trains first, and car travel only when essential or when rail is not practical.
We plan and batch in-person activity where possible to reduce mileage and avoid repeated journeys.
When we meet in person, we often host at one of our homes where appropriate. This reduces venue impact, reduces overall travel, and limits the environmental cost associated with frequent eating out.

3.2 Materials and day-to-day operations

We use digital tools over paper wherever possible and print only when genuinely necessary.
Where we do print, we aim to use recycled or FSC-certified paper and UK-based suppliers where feasible to reduce shipping footprint and support local supply chains.

4. How we coach

Our work supports long-term wellbeing, resilience, and healthier ways of living and working. We recognise that personal sustainability and environmental sustainability often reinforce each other.

We encourage practical, sustainable habits that support wellbeing, including nature-based reflection where appropriate.
We support clients to design routines and decisions that are healthier for them and, where possible, lighter for the planet.

4.1 Global goals that inform our approach

We are informed by relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals, including:

SDG 3. Good Health and Wellbeing
SDG 5. Gender Equality
SDG 10. Reduced Inequalities
SDG 12. Responsible Consumption and Production
SDG 13. Climate Action

We reference these goals to guide intent and learning, without overstating formal alignment.

5. Digital delivery and responsible AI use

ACSIS Life Coaching uses digital platforms daily. We also use AI as part of our operations and content development. We recognise that digital services and AI have environmental impacts through water use, electricity use, data transfer, and cloud computing.

5.1 Our approach

We use AI intentionally and avoid unnecessary or repetitive usage.
We keep workflows efficient to reduce rework and excessive data processing.
We choose reputable platforms and take data protection seriously, balancing sustainability with confidentiality and safeguarding obligations.
We review our digital and AI usage periodically and adjust our practices as we learn more about impacts and best practices.

5.2 Transparency commitment for 2026

During 2026, we will publish a short, plain-English Responsible AI and Data Policy that covers:

what we use AI for, and what we do not use it for
human oversight and decision-making
data security and retention basics
how we mitigate bias and inappropriate outputs
how clients can raise concerns or request clarification

6. How we choose partners and suppliers

We aim to work with partners who share our values and take responsibility seriously.

Where possible, we prioritise veteran-owned, ethical and local UK small businesses.
We favour suppliers who can show responsible environmental and social practice. This may include reducing waste, using resources carefully, treating people fairly, and following recognised guidance such as ISO 14001 or circular economy principles aligned with BS 8001 where relevant.
We encourage partners to minimise waste, reduce emissions where feasible, and operate with transparency.
We align our supply chain expectations with the intent of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and associated guidance, even where formal reporting thresholds may not apply.

6.1 Scope 3 awareness

We recognise that many impacts sit outside direct operations, for example supplier activity, platforms, outsourced services, and purchased goods.

These indirect value chain impacts are often described as Scope 3 emissions.

Our approach is practical and proportionate:

identify our most material indirect impacts (travel enabled by third parties, platforms and cloud services, printing, events, professional services)
improve supplier questions over time, while keeping expectations realistic for small businesses
review progress annually and update this report in line with evolving guidance and legislation

7. Annual community commitment

At ACSIS, giving back is part of responsible business. Each year, we commit to organising a charity initiative that supports both veterans and the environment.

Our flagship event is a veteran-led beach clean combined with fundraising, supporting causes connected to veteran mental health and environmental or wildlife conservation.
We invite our community, clients, partners, and supporters to take part through participation, fundraising, or awareness.

7.1 Annual impact snapshot

Event: Walking from Newhaven to Brighton (11 miles / 18km) for veterans & the planet — raising for @fightingwpride & @sascampaigns - 26 Jul 2025
Funds raised: £400
Participants: 4
Litter removed: 17, 50L Rubble Bags
Cause supported: Fighting With Pride / Surfers Against Sewage

8. Carbon footprint baseline and what it means

8.1 Carbon footprint and indicative offset costs (2025/26)

We produced an indicative footprint estimate to understand where our impacts currently sit and where reduction efforts should focus.

Total footprint: 3,131.33 kgCO2e (3.13 tCO2e)

Indicative cost to offset total: £225.45

Breakdown:

Business, People and ICT Activities: 715.22 kgCO2e. Indicative offset cost £51.49
Travel and Transport: 1,432.24 kgCO2e. Indicative offset cost £103.12
Events and Meetings: 983.87 kgCO2e. Indicative offset cost £70.84

8.2 What this tells us

Travel and transport is the largest contributor. Our reduction focus starts here.
Events and meetings are the next biggest area. We will keep tightening how we plan, batch, and deliver in-person activity.
Business, people and ICT is smaller but meaningful. We will keep digital workflows lean and avoid unnecessary rework and processing.

8.3 How we will use this baseline

We will re-run this calculation annually using the same approach where possible.
We will report changes transparently, including where assumptions or tool methods have changed.

9. Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) snapshot

The SIA provides a simple view of likely impacts across economic, social, and environmental themes.

Method note: the carbon footprint and SIA figures are indicative outputs generated on 12-01-2026. They are used to guide priorities and continuous improvement, not to claim audited reporting. We will update these figures annually and explain any changes in method or assumptions.

9.1 What the assessment shows overall

Across the themes shown, the assessment is mostly positive. Most areas are rated as short term or minor positive impact, with a smaller number rated as long term or significant positive impact. A small number of areas are shown as neutral, and one area is shown as short term or minor negative impact.

9.2 Economic impacts

Long term or significant positive: Promotes economic diversity
Short term or minor positive: Increases economic resilience and capability. Improves economic opportunities and mitigates risks. Utilises sustainable procurement and fair trade
Neutral: Creates new business, jobs and skills
Short term or minor negative: Improves the local economy and local employment

What we will do next: Make local benefit more visible and measurable as we grow, through local procurement where feasible, transparent supplier choices, and annual reporting.

9.3 Social impacts

Long term or significant positive: Improves health and wellbeing
Short term or minor positive: Provides learning and development. Improves inclusion and accessibility. Enhances safety and justice. Enables the democratic voice
Neutral: Enhances the local community

What we will do next: Turn community benefit from “implicit” to “evidenced” using simple metrics, for example volunteering time, partnership activity, and an annual impact summary.

9.4 Environmental impacts

Long term or significant positive: Prevents pollution (land, water and air). Reduces greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Improves materials, packaging and waste
Short term or minor positive: Reduces energy and improves energy efficiency. Reduces travel and improve transport. Protects natural habitats and improve biodiversity

What we will do next: Keep the focus practical. Reduce travel first, keep improving event delivery, and continue tightening everyday resource use.

10. Offsetting approach (future plan)

Our priority is to reduce emissions first. Offsetting can be used for residual emissions that remain after reasonable reductions.

Our approach:

reduce first (especially travel)
re-measure annually using the same method for consistency
decide what proportion to offset, and publish it transparently in the annual impact snapshot, including the scheme used and the rationale

11. Targets and next steps (2026)

We will keep targets realistic, measurable, and aligned to our size.

11.1 Travel

Reduce avoidable travel by increasing virtual delivery where it does not reduce quality.
Batch in-person activity to reduce repeat journeys.

11.2 Events and meetings

Keep event planning lean and purposeful.
Choose lower-impact options where practical (venues, catering, travel planning).

11.3 Digital and AI

Maintain efficient workflows to reduce rework and unnecessary processing.
Publish the Responsible AI and Data Policy in 2026.

11.4 Suppliers and Scope 3

Add a sustainability and ethics check to supplier selection.
Improve questions gradually, with realistic expectations for small businesses.

12. Continuous improvement, review and feedback

We are committed to progress, not perfection. As a growing organisation, we will keep this policy practical, measurable and up to date.

We will review this policy annually, update it where legislation, guidance or standards change, and welcome feedback or collaboration that helps us improve.

To share feedback or discuss sustainability-related collaboration, contact ACSIS Life Coaching: here