The Client

Our client is a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT), established on 1st October 2017, as a charity and company limited by guarantee. The Trust was created by Queen Mary’s College (QMC) in Basingstoke and contains one 16-19 academy (QMC) and a subsidiary company (QM Leisure Ltd.). The Trust is structured to enable other academies to join – in line with the Trust’s strategy.

The Challenge

The UK government aims to reduce its carbon emissions by 78% by 2035 and achieve net zero by 2050. Scotland has set a target of becoming a net zero economy by 2045.

Sustainability measurement and objective evaluation can be challenging for organisations to undertake. With more emphasis on the importance of sustainability, this assessment tool has been developed to assist clients and undertake an independent assessment to determine their sustainability maturity in supporting their progress towards Net Zero.

The client was keen to be assessed as they take this seriously.

Target Outcome and Result

The sustainability assessment tool used for this review, was created within TIAA. The assessment covers 11 areas of sustainability.

We were able to provide an IIA qualified senior manager with vast knowledge of the academy trust sector. The assignment was completed within the agreed timescale, and a report was issued that the client was able to table at the Audit Committee initially, as planned.

Learning Highlights

In assessing maturity, the current maturity level for each of the 11 sustainability areas was identified and management’s aspirations and appetite for improvement to manage and mitigate risk were ascertained. This work was conducted between June to August 2025 as part of the Internal Audit programme for 2024/25.

Discussions with the Assistant Principal, who is responsible for sustainability within the organisation, ascertained the following:

  • The organisation is considered to have a low understanding of sustainability issues.
  • Sustainability and Net Zero have been regularly raised at Executive/Board level.
  • The organisation has not published details of its carbon footprint/Greenhouse Gas emissions in the last 12 months.
  • The organisation has invested in measures to reduce emissions over the last 12 months with the introduction of heating system updates.
  • The organisation measures its environmental impact in other ways, e.g. waste/recycling, green travel plan.
  • The main contributors to Greenhouse Gas emissions is energy, e.g. heating, electricity.
  • The principal motivation that drives the sustainability agenda is the cost.
  • There are some training/development programmes available to staff, e.g. carbon literacy course.

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