- Conference
- 2026 National Community Conference and Seminar
- Date
- 5 November 2025
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes that UNISON has declared 2026 the Year of Green Activity (YoGA) and that the Community Service Group plays an integral part in raising awareness of the impact of climate change, the consequent emergency and the work needed to be undertaken within our sectors to address this.
Conference further notes the devasting consequences of the climate crisis – be it floods, hurricanes, or extreme heatwaves scorching the globe. The work of Community members supporting local communities and the creation of a thriving not-for-profit sector is conditional on a stable climate. It is clear we are on the irreversible brink of climate disaster.
The community services we provide are not only impacted by climate change but will also require significant adaptation to reduce our carbon footprint and to meet the UK wide net zero targets by 2050.
A “Just Transition” is essential to ensuring that no worker is left behind in the shift towards a sustainable, low-carbon economy. This includes investing in training, upskilling, and supporting those affected by changes in the community workforce.
However, according to a survey conducted by Charity Finance Group (CFG) in 2021, 84% of charities had not set a net-zero objective and just over one in 10 were reporting on their carbon emissions.
Charity leaders have outlined they are keen to play their part in tackling the climate crisis, though many do not know where to start. One of the challenges cited by the respondents to the CFG survey was the lack of information and practical guidance to transform pledges into action.
Conference contends that workers have a significant role to play in helping the Community Sector to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and we welcome work that highlights how our members can support environmental sustainability. UNISON can help our members working in the Community Sector to have a more general understanding of the climate emergency, the impact on communities, and how sustainability will need to be built into every area of practice. However, Conference notes the importance of ensuring that the costs of our commitment to a greener Community Sector do not fall on workers.
Conference additionally notes the launch of UNISON’s bargaining guidance on green issues in the workplace in September 2024. This exemplifies how UNISON is working to meet the challenges of climate change for both the environment, the economy and especially the jobs and the health of our members. Conference recognises it is vital that we all do our bit to recognise and get involved at every level needed to meet global climate commitments. Our campaigns on mileage rates, greener travel schemes, more efficient vehicle fleets and sustainable food all have the potential to reduce emissions in the Community Sector.
Conference calls on the Service Group Executive to:
1)Engage with de-carbonisation work across the Community Sector, to identify and prioritise those aspects that have the most immediate and biggest impact on work roles, job security and earnings for Community staff. These could include for example food policies, staff transport and travel, and changes to staff roles.
2)Mark UNISON’s Year of Green Activity in 2026, and Green week (September) each year, with a Community Sector member focused event.
3)Set Climate Change as a standing Community Service Group Executive agenda item.
4)Map out the number of Branch Environmental Officers (EnvO) and Green Reps we have throughout Community branches and encourage branches to recruit where vacancies appear.
5)Seek to negotiate additional facility time with Community Sector employers for green reps. A lack of facility time is particularly pertinent issue in the community sector.
6)Encourage Community Sector engagement in wider environmental work of the union, such as:
7)Encourage Community branches to sign up to the national Green UNISON newsletter to get updates on additional resources and materials to support this area of activity.
8)Encourage Community branches to declare a Climate Emergency and actively encourage and persuade employers in the Community Sector to make a similar declaration if they have not already done so, and to take concrete action to address climate change.