As a royal college and employer, the RCP is committed to minimising the environmental impacts of its operations and is continually seeking innovative ways to improve its sustainability.
In 2020, the RCP published a new climate policy which set a deadline of 2023 to end its investment in fossil fuel companies. In April 2021, the RCP announced that it had already achieved this divestment milestone.
The RCP is a founding member of the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change (UKHACC). In 2024, the RCP signed up to the UKHACC commitments, a set of principles developed by UKHACC to help health organisations take steps to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
The RCP has today (14 May 2025) published its first report card on its progress to improve its environmental sustainability as an organisation, following signing up to the UKHACC commitments.
This first report card gives an overview of the RCP’s current activities against the 11 UKHACC Commitments and sets out the action it will take over the coming year to go further.
It includes a new commitment to undertake a piece of research into the green banks available that would meet its banking requirements and risk profile, as well as highlighting the RCP’s work to campaign on mitigating and adapting to the planetary crisis.
Other highlights in the report card include:
- The RCP being a supporting partner of the successful bid from the Getting it Right First Time (GIRFT) programme and the University of Exeter to establish a national hub delivering research to address the challenge of decarbonising healthcare pathways.
- The sustainability challenges posed by the RCP’s London headquarters – a Grade I listed 1964 building designed by Sir Denys Lasdun – and planned works across the estate aiming to increase efficiencies and reduce energy consumption.
- The RCP’s work on its ‘Green Physician Toolkit’ published in 2024 with high level actions to improve the sustainability of doctors’ practice and infographics explaining the link between climate and health.
- A new RCP travel policy that says domestic air travel is discouraged due to its impact on the environment and only allowed in exceptional circumstances with the approval of an Executive Director. The RCP has committed to review the impact of this new policy on domestic flights a year from its introduction and publish an update.
- London site using 100% renewable electricity (REGO certified) since October 2024
- The internal floors of The Spine becoming WELL Certified™ at the Platinum level in October 2024 - the only venue in Liverpool to hold the title.
- Work to improve the RCP’s waste management, with five worm bins at the RCP London site to process kitchen waste and produce natural liquid plant feed. The RCP’s recycling rate has also increased 2% from 2023 and 2024 (to 80%) and now has a gold rating from the waste supplier.
A new commitment to undertake a piece of research into the green banks available that would meet its banking requirements and risk profile. This will be completed in 2025 and will shape our next steps to moving to greener banking.
With around 40,000 members in the UK and internationally, the RCP has a global presence. In the UK, the RCP has two main sites – one in Regent’s Park in London, and another in Liverpool at The Spine . The RCP is committed to reducing the environmental impact of all of its work in the UK and abroad.
The RCP has committed to publish annual updates on its work to improve its environmental sustainability. The updates will be published each year as part of its annual report.