NASUWT is committed to becoming a sustainable organisation and we are leading the way with our communications and events.

We are committed to sustainability, including minimising the number of communications we print and post, using FSC-approved sources of paper where possible, and converting to paperless conferences and events using technology such as our website, mobile apps and QR codes instead.

Minimising print

As part of this effort, we constantly review and update our communications policy to best meet your requirements:

  • Since 2017, our primary means of communication with members has been Update, the fortnightly electronic newsletter delivered direct to your inbox.

  • NASUWT has been offering members exclusive online access to Teaching Today since 2013 and introduced FSC-approved paper in 2009.

  • The Benefits and Services and Gold Star newsletters are issued electronically.

Mitigating events

We are also working to measure and reduce the carbon footprint of our national conferences and to offset any unavoidable impact to ensure our events are carbon neutral.

Our carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual event, organisation or product expressed as carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e).

You can read a breakdown of carbon emissions created by our 2024 events and how we intend to mitigate these impacts in the Offsetting National Events Sustainability Report 2024 on the right/below.

Regulated activity

Due to the highly regulated nature of trade union activity, there are some communications that we are obliged by law to send in hard copy format to comply with the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 and the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1995.

Examples of these are ballots that cannot be carried out electronically, ballots for the political fund, elections appertaining to elected National Officer roles and schedules of local meetings. NASUWT has been challenged about sending only electronic communications in terms of meetings where decisions can be made and is therefore obliged to send such notices via post.

How you can join the effort

To assist us in our efforts to be environmentally friendly, you can opt to receive some of our communications electronically only or read Teaching Today exclusively online. To change these preferences, please log into e-Membership service and tap/click on Union under the My Pages menu.

If you would like assistance to amend your other communications preferences, please email our Membership Team.