Supporting the environment and responding to climate change

We are pleased to share an update on the progress we have made since signing up to the Funder Commitment on Climate Change (FCCC) in 2024.

The FCCC, hosted by the Association of Charitable Foundations, provides a framework to support funders in taking meaningful action on climate change. By becoming a signatory, we made a commitment to better understand our environmental impact and to embed this thinking more fully across our work.

Since then, our focus has been on turning that commitment into practical action—particularly in the areas where we can have the greatest influence: how we invest, how we fund, and how we operate as an organisation.

One area of progress has been strengthening our understanding of the environmental impact of our investments. Members of our finance team have attended events and seminars focused on responsible investment, helping to deepen our knowledge and give us a clearer picture of our current portfolio and its impact. This includes beginning to explore opportunities such as social impact investment, recognising the role our assets could play in supporting a transition to a more sustainable future.

We are also beginning to reflect environmental considerations more clearly in our grant-making. This includes developing ways to identify and track funding that contributes to climate and nature-related outcomes, helping us to build a clearer picture of our impact over time.

Alongside this, we continue to build knowledge and awareness across the Foundation. Through our in-house ‘Green Team’, colleagues are engaging with sector-wide learning opportunities and sharing insight across the organisation, helping to shape our approach and identify opportunities for further action.

This work is supported by practical changes to our day-to-day operations, including more sustainable procurement, reducing waste at events, and encouraging flexible working—balancing environmental considerations with the realities of working across Wiltshire and Swindon.

As a place-based funder, we are already seeing how environmental challenges are affecting communities across Wiltshire and Swindon, often alongside other pressures. This work is about making sure we are responding in a way that reflects both our role and the realities faced by the communities we support.

Signing up to the FCCC was an important step, but it is only the beginning. We know there is more to do, and we are committed to continuing to learn, adapt and strengthen our approach over time.

Our joint Chief Executive, Vicky Hickey, said: “The climate crisis remains one of the biggest challenges we face, and one that affects us all. As a funder, we recognise both the urgency of this issue and our responsibility to respond in a meaningful way.

“We know that addressing this requires long-term commitment and action. We are still learning, but we have an opportunity to lead by example—particularly in how we invest and support organisations across Wiltshire and Swindon, and how we embed these considerations into our grant-making.”