Working towards a regenerative change

‘No one can pass through life, any more than pass through a bit of country without leaving tracks behind. Try to leave the world a little better than you found it.’ – Robert Baden-Powell

Aim: In the past year, we’ve explored what being ‘green’ and ‘sustainable’ means to us, inspired by Robert Baden-Powell.

To put this into practice, we’re rethinking how we do things. We need to reduce our footprints across all areas and refill those already left behind by lending a hand to repair, replenish and regenerate our world around us, in line with our Scout values.

Our new Regenerative Change Policy Statement will set out our approach to leaving the world a little better than we find it. We’re working on embedding this approach across our headquarters, Scout Adventure centres, Unity and Scout Stores, and into the next strategy.

Progress a year on

• We developed a regenerative change roadmap, which includes exploring the most effective approach to footprint data tracking, collection, and reporting.
• We’ve audited The Scout Association estate through the Energy Saving Opportunity Scheme (ESOS). Giving us insight into where we use the most energy and a range of technical suggestions and recommendations on how we could reduce our consumption in the short, medium and long term.
• We’ve trialled a policy to reduce food waste for Scout Adventures. This includes specifically being thoughtful about meat consumption, using local seasonal produce and buying food with high social and environmental standards.
• Scout Stores continued taking a ‘circular’ approach to clothes, working with a range of fabric suppliers to find the lowest impact yarn to make Scout uniforms.
• We’ve created a set of principles for our natural estate and woodland that cover health and safety, nature connection, increasing biodiversity and climate change resilience.
• We’ve been granted planning permission for a new solar array at Gilwell Park and installation is planned later in 2024.
• We recognise that a part of our footprint comes from how we invest our charitable reserves and conduct our finances, so we have reviewed the social, environmental and governance approaches by those we partner, invest and work with. The review will inform our discussions with the relevant committees with a view to developing action plans in the medium to long term.
• We’ve rolled out new electric vehicle charging points at Youlbury Scout Adventures Centre which’ll enable us to upgrade our small utility vehicle fleet such as our mini bus and works van to hybrid and pure electric, as well as provide our guests with a point to charge. Our LED roll-out has progressed well, so that 80% of our lighting across the estate managed by The Scout Association is now LED.

What’s next

• Our ESOS audit recommendations will guide our priority energy and water reduction actions.
• We’re now testing between recycled plastic yarn and fabric waste yarn for Scout Stores to see which gives the most robust and affordable clothes. We’re also looking at ways to support preloved uniform swapping and working with a range of material recycling companies to find a way to recycle unwearable uniforms into new products.
• Develop a set of objectives for each Scout Adventures site, showing how we’ll put our natural estate and woodland principles into practice across our five centres (850 acres). These objectives will then inform a 10-year work plan that we’ll deliver through partnerships with conservation groups and Scout working parties.
• Solar array in place by the end of 2024 to improve our renewable energy use at Gilwell Park.
• Roll out additional electric vehicle charging points at Gilwell in the next 12 months.
• By the end of 2024, complete our LED lighting roll-out across Gilwell Park and Scout Adventures Centres.