Environment
TLScontact embraces environmentally friendly solutions and premises, highlighting its dedication to sustainability. Adhering to the highest international environmental standards, we take proactive steps to minimise our ecological footprint.
Through responsible sourcing and our Ethical Supplier Code of Conduct, we ensure that our practices align with ethical and responsible sourcing principles and reflect on all our partners and stakeholders.
Environmental Standards
We are committed to upholding the highest environmental standards in compliance with the latest relevant rules and regulations. This includes continuous monitoring, assessment, improvement, and reporting of our environmental performance. We cement all our strategies and actions with solid policies and guidelines, set out in our comprehensive Environmental Responsibility Policy and Environmental Sustainability Guidelines. These direct our actions and decisions as we seek to minimise our impact on the environment.
Environmental Responsibility Strategy
Emissions reduction
We have put in place specific targets driving us to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by 2026, from a 2019 baseline.
We are actively working to reduce our carbon footprint with a wide variety of measures such as opening centres near public transport, implementing a hybrid working model for non-customer facing staff, reducing our overall deliveries, and selecting sites and suppliers for their green credentials and their compliance with our own environmental standards.
Energy reduction
We are working to reduce energy consumption at our offices and visa application centres.
Environmental infrastructure improvements are integrated into the selection criteria and refurbishment of any existing and new facilities. We implement energy monitoring solutions across our premises and invite our employees to adopt energy efficient measures, through awareness campaigns and dedicated environmental training.
We are decommissioning physical servers and gradually transitioning to cloud-based solutions. We host our IT systems in best-in-class, energy-efficient, low carbon data centres, that should all be powered by 100% renewable energy by 2040.
Digital by default
We are actively supporting our government clients in the digital transformation of the visa application process.
We favour digital transmission of data from our visa application centres to our clients and have developed a new online platform, TLSdocuments, for the secure digitisation and management of supporting documents.
We have gradually introduced paper-reduction programmes in all locations.
Zero landfill
We take measures to reduce the impact of components and parts of end-of-life electronics and IT equipment, cooperating with certified waste management companies to collect and dispose appropriately of our e-waste.
We also donate unused equipment whenever possible to local charities supporting vulnerable communities.
Our carbon emissions targets
As set in our Carbon Reduction Plan, we strive to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2040, ten years ahead of the Paris Agreement. Our targets for carbon emission reduction by 2026, from a 2019 baseline, are as follows:
- 49% reduction of Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per Full-Time Equivalent (FTE);
- 38% reduction of Scope 3 emissions (from purchased goods and services, employee commuting and air travel) per FTE.
Our supply chain
Through our Ethical Supplier Code of Conduct, we require our suppliers, third-party partners, and contractors, to adhere to strict ethical and sustainable practices throughout their supply chain operations.
This pillar reflects our commitment to environmental sustainability and ethical business practices following the latest innovations in the sector. By adhering to these principles and policies, we aim to make a positive impact on the environment, society, and our stakeholders while promoting a sustainable and eco-conscious future for all.
