The National Allotment Society - National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners Ltd
An allotment garden

NAS Sustainability Charter

The National Allotment Society is the leading national organisation upholding the interests and rights of the allotment community across the UK. We work with government at national and local levels, other organisations and landlords to provide, promote and preserve allotments for all. We offer support, guidance and advice to our members and those with an interest in allotment gardening. Our membership includes allotment societies and associations, local councils and individuals. We are an active member of the International Allotments Federation (Federation International des Jardins Familiaux).

  • We believe that sustainable development is about enabling and supporting durable environments, economies and communities. As a key stakeholder in the future of allotments, as well as an organisation and employer, we recognise that we have power and influence to enable positive change to help achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals locally, nationally and globally.
  • We accept that some of our organisation's actions leave a negative ecological footprint. We relish every opportunity to take positive action to improve our ecological footprint, will continue to always meet our statutory obligations, encourage and enable positive change towards sustainable development in our movement and serve as a good example to others.
  • We will take ownership of the following commitments to sustainable development:
  • Inspire and promote sustainable development to our members and wider audience by advocating for and championing positive, sustainable, allotment gardening practices and management
  • Lead by example with our organisation's sustainable development achievements
  • Continue to audit our organisational ecological footprint by undertaking ongoing, measurable and timeous actions to reduce our impact
  • Move towards ethical financial management
  • Be open to learning from others on how to improve
  • Continue to be honest, open to scrutiny and avoid Green Washing.

All NAS policies will use this charter as a point of departure. The Sustainability Working Group is responsible for implementation and review. Commitment to the charter sits with all officers, volunteers and staff of the society.

Our achievements and future plans

You asked, we listened:

  • We are seeking ethical investments for the society's financial reserves and changing the company bank account to an ethical bank.
  • We have switched all of our paper-based membership renewals to email.
  • Plans to fit Solar Panels to the roof at Head Office are in their final stages
  • Our back garden at Head Office is now a Wildlife Garden, with trees, shrubs and nesting areas. The Wildlife Garden is a safe and scarce habitat for local wildlife in a dense urban location. We are looking to install a pond or natural water feature to encourage even more wildlife.
  • The gas boiler at Head Office will be replaced with an electric boiler at end of its lifetime. In the meantime regular servicing means efficient running and our staff's carefully timed management of heating and water saves resources.

Contact natsoc@nsalg.org.uk with any questions or queries