Environmental Management Policy

Policy Statement

Banff Centre shall be a leader in environmental management practices by ensuring all of our programs, activities and operations have a minimal environmental impact and by seeking continuous improvement in our environmental management efforts, all with the goal of reducing the Centre's ecological footprint, emission of greenhouse gases and overall environmental impact. 

This policy was approved by The Banff Centre Board of Governors on July 20, 2007.

Value Statement

We value our campus environment and will design our programs, activities and operations in ways that will sustain and improve its special resources, qualities, appearance and character.

We value our Town environment and will participate in and support programs and activities that assist in achieving its objectives of becoming a sustainable National Park community and a role model for communities around the world facing limits to growth and environmental issues on a larger scale.

We value our National Park environment and will design and implement education and awareness programs for staff and visitors that will enhance their appreciation and respect for our natural, cultural and heritage resources.

We understand our impact on the environment beyond the boundaries of the National Park and will design our programs, activities and operations in such a way as to minimize our impact on those environments.

Actions

We will:

• Design and conduct our activities, programs and operations, to the most practical extent possible, in a manner that reduces our impact on the environment by reducing emissions to air, soil and water (including the emission of greenhouse gases), reduces consumption on non-renewable resources, reduces non-compostable waste and protects the natural systems that support life;
• Identify, manage and, where possible, mitigate any adverse environmental impacts of our programs activities and operations;
• Strive for continual improvement in our environmental management practices;
• Comply with all applicable legal, policy and other regulatory requirements;
• Undertake environmental practices appropriate to our National Park setting;
• Integrate environmental considerations and objectives into Banff Centre decision-making processes at all levels;
• Communicate our environmental Values and Policy to all employees, guests, suppliers and other interested parties;
• Communicate the Centre's environmental management results and achievements to all employees, guests, suppliers and other interested parties;
• Focus on individual accountability and responsibility for sound environmental practices in our employees.

Environmental Management System

Under the auspices of the Chief Environmental Officer, Banff Centre maintains a comprehensive Environmental Management System to guide its efforts to adhere to the policy outlined above.