To play an active role in society’s transition to a sustainable future, The PSC has committed to core sustainability goals.

In 2021, we're pleased that we achieved our first goal of becoming a carbon negative organisation through a portfolio offsetting approach which is focused on offsets that sequester carbon from the atmosphere. We have remained carbon negative every year since. 

To push ourselves further, in April 2024, we agreed new emission reduction targets, which will challenge us to find more sustainable ways of working:

• To reach net zero by 2045/46
• To reduce emissions per FTE by 80% between 2019/20 and 2028/29

Our sustainability team is working with our board to drive lasting sustainability across the public sector through our work with clients, and in the way we work internally.

We are buoyed by our progress to date and will continue to strive to become increasingly sustainable.

You can view our Carbon Reduction Plan.

A diverse high-performing team

At the PSC, we believe that diverse identities, experiences and ideas are essential to make public services brilliant. We therefore strive to build a diverse, high performing team united by the same mission and an inclusive culture. We have set diversity targets that are both achievable and ambitious, including:

• 50% of our consulting staff will be female, met in 2022
• 25% of our board and advisory team from ethnic minorities, met in 2025 
• 25% of our consulting staff and 25% of our leadership team (exec team including Chair) from ethnic minorities, by 2030 
• 50% of our leadership team (exec team including Chair), will be female, by 2028 

In support of these targets, we use the following efforts: 

• Recruitment process designed to remove bias and ensure candidates are judged on their skills and potential; 
• Standardised pay-bands and merit-based progression to prevent wage gaps; 
• Visa sponsorship and relocation support for international candidates; and 
• Partner with UpReach, a charity which works to improve social mobility by creating conditions for undergraduates from less advantaged backgrounds to access and sustain top graduate jobs. 

Inclusive culture

We currently have a number of initiatives at The PSC to develop an inclusive culture. These include:

• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Champions to promote inclusivity and drive forward our EDI agenda 
• Networks to support our diverse workforce and provide a regular forum for discussing diversity issues both within the company and in the public sector, including, for example, EDI Forum, Ethnic Minority Forum, Womxn’s Forum and LGBTQ+ network;  
• Reverse mentoring; 
• Equal maternity and paternity leave; 
• Regular EDI training sessions (e.g. on unconscious bias); and 
• Embedded “ways of working” sessions at the start of each project that focus on how team members work together in terms of diversity and inclusion, working styles and personal wellbeing. 

We are committed to expanding the spaces within The PSC that are available for our employees to meaningfully connect with other individuals from similar background, discuss complex topics and raise issues in a safe environment and flexibly plan and iterate initiatives to continue making The PSC a place where everyone can thrive, regardless of background or identity.