Environmental, Social & Governance

Bourne Education Trust’s primary focus is, and will always be, the education of our young people. At the same time, we are a £100+ million organisation responsible for a large workforce, multiple sites and substantial land and assets. Environmental, social and governance considerations have become a strategic priority for organisations globally and now form an important part of our own governance and regulatory framework.

We have identified four core aspects of our work in this area:

• Environmental responsibility: ensuring we are a force for good in terms of our environment. This includes our decision-making around capital projects, our use of green spaces and our curriculum coverage. We must respond to the climate crisis by moving towards a lower-carbon infrastructure and ensuring a just transition that does not leave any of our schools behind. Alongside this, we are focused on reducing environmental harm and embedding sustainable practices across the Trust, including strong leadership and governance.

• Social justice: developing a clear, Trust-wide strategy built on action and impact, with specific commitments to reading, careers, early years, community partnerships and a fully inclusive curriculum.

• Equality, diversity and inclusion: ensuring all decision-making is underpinned by EDI principles and that our curriculum and environments reflect the communities we serve. Our schools play a vital role in supporting higher standards of health, welfare and human rights.

• Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND): providing the best possible offer for young people with SEND by developing and training our staff, reviewing curriculum pathways and working closely with external agencies.

Our staff are one of our most important assets, and many choose to work with us because we are committed to ethical, values-driven practice. By getting our governance right, we can continue to attract and retain talented people.

These are significant, society-wide challenges, and we believe that by focusing on our environmental, social and governance responsibilities, we can make a meaningful contribution. This is not only the right thing to do, but also the best way to ensure long-term, sustainable success.

You can read more about the Trust’s priorities by expanding the sections on sustainability, equality, diversity and inclusion, social justice and SEND below.