Environmental sustainability
Find our Environmental Policy and guidance, and help the RNLI to become more environmentally sustainable.
The RNLI aims to become a more environmentally sustainable and resilient organisation.
The RNLI Environmental Sustainability Vision is:
To save every one... by 2050, the RNLI will have achieved sustainable decarbonisation of energy and fuel, and we will be managing our waste and resources with true stewardship. We will continue to value and support a thriving environment both on land and in the waters and help our communities to understand and be resilient to climate change.
Do read our 2025 RNLI Environmental Sustainability Report, which explains the progress we have made to date and covers 2024, our 200th Anniversary year.
Relevant policies
- Environmental Management Policy - PDF 316KB
- Environmental and Social Governance Policy - PDF 285KB
- Waste Management Policy - PDF 168KB
- Spill Response Policy - PDF 316KB
10 Ways to Green Your Volunteering
The 10 Ways to Green Your Volunteering diagram (PDF 8.67MB) shows ways you can help to improve the RNLI's environmental impacts as part of your Community Engagement and Fundraising volunteer activities. Improving our impacts helps us to comply with legislation, safeguard our environment, reduce our costs, meet our environmental ambitions and protect our reputation.
Select the numbered sections below to find more information and guidance about each topic.
To ensure all are aware of the key issues around water supplies, how to make sure they are used efficiently and how to ensure waste or contaminated water is disposed of correctly.
We have legal, cost efficiency and environmental requirements to minimise the amount of water we use and ensure contaminated water is properly disposed of.
To ensure all are aware how hazardous substances should be labelled, stored, used and disposed of appropriately.
The RNLI aims to keep all volunteers, employees, members of the public and those working on our behalf, and the environment, protected and safe from the potential impacts of hazardous substances.
To ensure all RNLI people and those working on our behalf, understand how to recognise pollution threats, take appropriate steps to prevent pollution and deal with any spills and reporting requirements quickly and effectively.
We have a legal and moral duty to ensure we take all reasonable and practical steps to prevent pollution of the environment and to contain, report and deal with spills as quickly and effectively as we can.
To ensure all RNLI people consider and minimise the potential negative environmental impacts and promote the positive environmental opportunities, when panning and running events.
Our events can have an impact on the environment, and we have a moral and, in some cases, legal duty to eliminate or minimise any negative impacts.