Corporate Social Responsibility

 IPA is the UK’s largest firm of Infrastructure Economists. Our commitment to being a responsible company that contributes positively to our communities and environment is important to IPA. It is one of the guiding principles of our business. We work together with business partners, employees, suppliers and others to help create a more sustainable approach to our work, to help build stronger local communities, to minimise our environmental footprint, to create a great workplace, to promote diversity and to be responsive to our customers’ needs.

For us, corporate responsibility is about:

Business Integrity

We aim to run our business in a way that singles us out as a great provider of services and a favoured partner to do business with. Our aim is to work with stakeholders to develop long-term relationships. We have in place systems and procedures to ensure that we maintain integrity across our business that are consistent with FIDIC Business Integrity Management System Guidelines and ISO 9001: 2000.

Environment

IPA works at the cutting edge of climate change and sustainable energy policies and practice. We and our staff are more aware than most of current and future environmental issues.

We are aware of the scale of impact our operation has on the environment. As such, we are committed to exploring ways of reducing the impact of what we do. We take a responsible attitude and lead the way in developing initiatives to further improve our environmental footprint.

More than 90% of our staff travel to work by public or self powered transport. More than 99% of business travel is by public transport. Air travel is an unavoidable feature of our business; we utilise wherever practicable fully loaded flights to minimise our carbon footprint,

We continue to work towards a paperless office. We have consistently reduced our consumption of paper per employee and per £turnover. We use recycled paper where this meets with client expectations and requirements. More than 95% of the paper that is used within the business is confidentially recycled.

Workplace

IPA are committed to providing employees with a continuing learning and development opportunity to fulfil their potential and this process is managed to align development with IPA strategic goals and objectives. Appropriate training and education programme reinforce this commitment to learning and development.

At IPA, we employ over 50 people and we are committed to offering them a rewarding and challenging workplace. We aim to become the Employer of Choice demonstrated amongst other things, by current and past employees recommending the company as a great place to work.

Civic Life

We work hard to be good corporate citizens, we work to support the sustainability of both global and the local communities in which we operate and actively encourage our employees, staff and suppliers to consider the needs of others and involve themselves in public service

Public Service

We share our management expertise pro bono with a number of charities and public bodies. 25% of our management team provides significant time and support to external bodies in this way.

Workplace Training

We offer training opportunities through work experience and internships to young people and students from our local communities and beyond.

Charity Support

IPA supports the charity 500 miles that supports amputees and other disabled people in areas of desperate need. Their particular focus is on the development and delivery of prosthetic and orthotic services and other mobility/function promoting services such as orthopaedic and plastic surgery. Their work may involve funding the education and training of prosthetists, components for prosthetic limbs, surgical operations and the building of prosthetic centres.