Priory partners with leading ESG services group to deliver on ambitious sustainability goals

• Priory is partnering with award-winning business transformation specialists, Commercial, to focus on delivering its ambitious green agenda
• The organisation is supporting Priory’s carbon reduction plans, which aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by the year 2025
• The organisation will also be providing environmentally conscious office supplies to all Priory sites and offices in 2024.

Priory, the UK’s leading independent mental health and adult social care provider, is partnering with award-winning business transformation specialists, Commercial, on an ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) consultancy project that will boost its bid to achieve its ambitious target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2025.

Commercial’s ESG team have already begun delivering support on Priory’s carbon reduction strategy in attempts to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The strategy, which focuses on reducing reliance on power from the UK grid in favour of clean energy from solar panel technology, is set to cut more than 800 tonnes of carbon from Priory’s annual footprint, according to current Commercial estimations.

The partnership also sees Commercial providing sustainable workplace essentials from their ‘Products with Purpose’ range to all Priory sites, homes, residences and offices across the UK in 2024.

Products with Purpose are hand-picked by Commercial’s ESG and procurement specialists because they adhere to one or more of four stringent sustainability standards. All products are either manufactured or produced in a way that minimises environmental damage; use recycled materials; are ethically sourced or manufactured; or made in a way that creates significant social value.

Commercial work alongside EcoVadis, the global business sustainability experts, and the Planet Mark to assess and audit their supply chain to ensure each item in the range adheres to those standards.

Priory was encouraged to partner with Commercial thanks to their many shared values. Like Priory, the organisation is committed to putting people first. Commercial established its own social enterprise, The Commercial Foundation, in 2015, to provide opportunities to young adults who had previously encountered barriers to work or education.

Over a 12 week #NoLimits programme, the Foundation work alongside 16—24-year-olds to develop skills and gain practical work experience. The Foundation was awarded B Corp status in 2023.

A percentage of the proceeds from the sale of Commercial’s Products with Purpose goes directly to funding the work of the Foundation’s employability programme.
 
Derek Parry, Director of Procurement and Services at Priory, said: “Priory is delighted to be joining forces with Commercial. We know the importance of delivering on our carbon reduction targets and overall sustainability goals, not just for our people and patients, but for the planet. I’m confident that Commercial’s support will put us right on track and look forward to working hard to achieve our goals.”

Rebekah Cresswell, Chief Executive at Priory, said: “At Priory, we’re working to ensure we make more sustainable choices which benefit the environment. I’m therefore very pleased to have Commercial on board to guide our ambitious green agenda, and make sure we’re progressing at pace to instigate real, lasting change. By working together, I know we can achieve great things.”

Simone Hindmarch, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Commercial, said: “We are thrilled to be working alongside Priory as they continue their ambitious carbon reduction journey. Like us, they share a vision to be good ancestors and pass on a world we can be proud of to the next generation and we are excited to be working alongside them to help them turn their ambitions into reality.”

ENDS

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About Priory and MEDIAN

Priory is the UK’s leading independent provider of mental health services. We treat more than 70 conditions including depression, anxiety, addictions, and eating disorders, as well as children’s mental health, across our nationwide network of sites. We also support autistic adults and adults with a learning disability, Prader-Willi Syndrome and brain injuries, as well as older people, within our specialist residential care and supported living facilities– helping as many people as possible to live their lives.

Priory is part of the MEDIAN Group, one of Europe’s leading providers of high-quality mental health and rehabilitation services. The MEDIAN Group comprises: 290 facilities with 5,000 beds caring for 28,000 people in the United Kingdom, 120 facilities with 20,000 beds caring for around 250,000 patients in Germany, and 15 facilities with 2,000 beds caring for 13,000 people in Spain, with more than 29,000 employees overall.

About Commercial

Business transformation specialists, Commercial, inspire the best businesses to become better, for the benefit of people and the planet, profitability, and growth.

From the biggest issues to the smallest details, we are idea shapers who combine original thinking with proven performance to help businesses adapt and succeed from the inside out.

Our comprehensive suite of products and services has been meticulously customised to tackle the distinct challenges of the ever-changing business landscape.

Working with household names across Europe, we continue to exceed our clients’ vision and in doing so achieve our own by making the impossible possible.

For more about Commercial, visit www.commercial.co.uk

For more about Commercial Foundation visit www.commercialfoundation.co.uk