Overall goals

The Directorate of Labour has set targets to reduce its annual greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 40% by 2030 compared to 2019 and to take an active part in the fight against climate change to achieve these targets. The Directorate of Labour also intends to minimise the negative environmental impacts of its activities by reducing pollution and all kinds of waste.

Scope

The Directorate of Labour will try to measure the environmental aspects that fall under the scope of the climate policy as far as possible and the policy covers the environmental impact of the Directorate’s internal operations at all the facilities. For those facilities where data is insufficient, emissions will be estimated from the measurements available, as well as efforts to improve measurements during the duration of the policy.

Scope

The climate policy addresses the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as guided by the EPA. The policy covers the following environmental aspects that will be both observable and measured at any given time:

Waste

• Recycling rate

• Total waste

• Quantity of printed office paper

• Emissions of greenhouse gases from mixed waste

• Greenhouse gas emissions from organic waste

Transport

• Emissions of greenhouse gases from driving the Agency’s vehicles

• Emissions of greenhouse gases from the use of rental cars and taxis

• Emissions of greenhouse gases from domestic flights by employees

• Emissions of greenhouse gases from overseas flights of employees

• Number of transport contracts the Agency concludes with employees

Purchasing

• Quantity of Office paper purchased by the institution

• Percentage of environmentally certified printing services purchased by the Agency

• Quantity of purchases of various commodities purchased by the institution

Energy consumption

• Electricity consumption

• Use of hot water

Focus on the environment and climate

The Agency expects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% per year compared to 2019. In order to achieve these goals, the Directorate of Labour will continue the work that started in 2019 when the first green steps were taken. 8 of the 9 establishments have reached steps 1 and 2 and it was decided at the beginning of 2021 to emphasise that all establishments must be consistent in taking steps and it is planned that steps 3 and 4 will be reached by the end of 2021.

The main focus of the Institute is as follows:

• Reducing transport emissions and promoting a culture of teleconferencing

• Increase recycling and reduce waste generation and greenhouse gas emissions from waste

• Energy saving and greenhouse gas emissions

• Staff education on internal environmental work and other environmental issues

• Promote binding through responsible and sustainable paper use

• Sometimes environmentally friendly shopping

• Following Green Steps

• Responsible carbon offsets our emissions

• Explore technological solutions that will help the environment

Follow-up

The Directorate of Labour maintains Green Accounts and annually submits Green Accounts through the Environment Agency's Data Portal. The Climate Change Policy will be reviewed annually by the Environmental Steering Group and updated with regard to developments in greenhouse gas emissions between years. This policy takes into account the Icelandic government's commitment to the Paris Agreement and the Directorate of Labour will strive to enforce government environmental goals.

The climate policy of the OECD takes note of:

The Directorate of Labour's climate policy is approved by the Directorate's Board of Directors on 28 June 2021.