Responsibility and sustainability

The Sustainable Foundations pillar of our Sustainable Discoveries action plan focuses on the key issues we need to address to achieve our sustainability goal. This includes accountability for the delivery of the plan, engaging and training colleagues on sustainability issues and ensuring we are monitoring and reporting on progress.

A Net Zero ICR by 2040

The ICR is committed to reducing its carbon footprint to net zero by 2040. This means we will reduce our emissions by at least 90% by this point.

To do so, we will set and implement a decarbonisation plan that will be reviewed and updated on a yearly basis.

When we talk about carbon footprints, emissions fall into 3 main areas:

• Scope 1 – emissions from combustion of gas in heating boilers, emissions from burning fuel for back-up generators, leakage of cooling system refrigerant gases and emissions from our own vehicles
• Scope 2 – emissions associated with the consumption of purchased electricity from the national grid
• Scope 3 – our wider value chain including emissions from procurement, waste management, commuting, business travel (this is by far the main source of emissions)

Governance, accountability and reporting

Supporting governance and the participation of all people at the ICR will support the success of this sustainability action plan.

Achieving this sustainability plan is also a big challenge and we need to be transparent on our progress. We are developing a sustainability dashboard to monitor our progress against the different objectives, such as our carbon footprint and our decarbonisation plans, and will be communicating our progress externally on a regular basis.

• Carbon footprint calculated quarterly and reported
• Development of plans for decarbonisation
• Report progress externally

Training and capacity

It is important that all ICR members have an awareness of sustainability issues and how they affect their role, and understand how they can help in the delivery of this plan.

Sustainability training is made available to everyone at the ICR and all new staff and students will have a sustainability briefing as part of their induction.

Our Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) accredited training session - Sustainability at the ICR - are made available at least twice in each academic year.

Looking after our people

Creating an inclusive and supportive culture where everyone can thrive is essential to the ICR and our values.

We are expanding our work on gender, social and racial equality, diversity and inclusion within the institute. We are aiming to achieve the Athena SWAN award at silver or gold level by 2024 and increase the proportion of students and postdocs from non-white backgrounds by 30%. We are also committed to ensuring that all our contractors are London Living Wage Employers.

Read our Health, Safety Environment Policy Statement

Our communities

From visiting schools to discuss careers in science and cancer research, hosting workshops or interactive demonstrations for members of the public to engaging with patients about our research – it is our responsibility to share our discoveries and the benefits of research with the public.

Engaging with our communities is important for us. We will continue to engage with local schools and more widely with students and young people to encourage scientific research careers – especially from backgrounds currently under-represented in research science.

We will connect with a range of audiences within our local and neighbouring boroughs, ensuring that our audiences for engagement reflect the diversity of our local communities.

Science is at the heart of the ICR. Scientific research has historically had a large carbon and waste footprint – laboratories by their very nature can use a lot of energy and water and produce significant amounts of waste.

Our sustainability action plan includes actions around:

• Undertaking research into the environmental impact of laboratory processes
• Reducing over-ordering of laboratory consumables
• Increasing usage of in house-produced laboratory media instead of buying in
• Buying greener alternatives for laboratory equipment and consumables and engaging with our supply chain in doing so
• Building capability within our research divisions for our scientists and researchers to understand sustainability and labs
• Reducing quantity of laboratory wastes and their sustainable management – including specifically reducing the quantity of waste going for high-temperature incineration.

Laboratory practices

Together with our scientists, we are working hard to get all of our labs signed up with laboratory sustainability certification schemes, including the UK-based higher education Laboratories Environmental Assessment Framework (LEAF) and the international science sector initiative MyGreenLab.

These programmes will support lab teams to reduce energy consumption, carbon emissions and waste in line with our net zero and other sustainability objectives.

We will investigate the energy consumption and carbon footprint from different types of laboratory equipment and look at ways we can reduce their impact. For example, we have identified significant energy and carbon saving opportunities from the way we maintain and operate ultra-low temperature freezers.

In terms of lab waste, we are looking to reduce the waste we generate and to segregate waste more effectively, in order to recycle more and incinerate less. We want to reduce the quantity of non-hazardous, non-clinical waste entering the hazardous/clinical waste stream through better signage and consistent visual identity, which will be updated annually.

Collaboration

We are collaborating with other universities, pharmaceutical companies, research institutes and hospitals – including our neighbour, the Royal Marsden NHS Trust – to share knowledge on best practice for sustainable laboratory practices and research science.

We will make sure our researchers have the necessary knowledge and tools to make more sustainable choices in labs by providing sustainable procurement guidance for laboratory equipment, such as recyclable or reusable laboratory consumables.

We also have supporting training from MyGreenLab and our Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) accredited Sustainability training.

Our work towards becoming more sustainable starts with our buildings, estates and facilities.

Every day our facilities rely on resources such as energy and water to carry out our research and we also generate quite a lot of waste, so our carbon footprint carries a significant environmental impact. Besides reducing the impacts from consumption, it is important for us to make sure our facilities are climate resilient to future heat-waves, water shortages and other future risks.

Carbon emissions from buildings

The ICR has a significant energy and carbon footprint from its buildings - approximately 80% of our floor space is laboratories, which typically consume five times more energy for their equivalent floor area than office buildings. This is due to the specialised ventilation, lighting and cooling systems needed for labs, as well as the laboratory equipment such as fume cupboards and ultra-low temperature freezers.

In line with our net zero objective and science-based target, we are committed to reduce our carbon emissions from buildings by 42% by 2030 and 90% by 2040 (over a 2019/2020 base year).

To do so, we will carry out surveys to investigate the potential of renewable energy generation and develop an estates decarbonisation plan for the retrofit of existing buildings. The ICR is already purchasing 100% certified renewable electricity through the grid through joint purchasing consortium with other London universities.

We are developing a Sustainable Construction Project Plan to ensure our buildings are energy-efficient, low carbon and climate resilient.

Waste

Sustainability for the ICR means an overarching focus on waste reduction (such as through behaviour change and procurement initiatives) and moving towards circular economy practices.

Our waste streams include:

• Dry mixed recycling and cardboard
• Chemical wastes
• Construction project wastes
• Cytotoxic and hazardous clinical waste

During the academic year 2020/2021, the ICR generated 318 tons of waste, we recycled 41% of waste, 36% went for energy recovery and 23% was incinerated.

We are working hard to reduce, reuse and recycle. We are committed to reducing the amount of waste we produce by 4.2% per year until 2024/25 and to recycling at least 50% of site waste by the end of 2025.

Water

The UK is subject to water stress due to the availability of water resources and the population density. Laboratory processes use significant quantities of water and we also use water for grounds maintenance.

In 2020/2021, the ICR consumed 28,907 cubic meters of water, enough water to fill an Olympic swimming pool 11 and a half times.

The ICR is committed to reduce its water use by 10% per ICR member by 2029/30. We are developing a water reduction plan, water-use audits and putting in place programmes to reduce water 

Commuting and visiting the ICR

Travel to the ICR is a significant sustainability issue giving rise to greenhouse gas emissions and potentially contributing to local congestion and air quality.

We have developed and implemented a Green Travel Plan which is reviewed on a regular basis. We also carry out a staff travel survey every two years. Our transport aims include:

• Increase cycling to and from the ICR
• Increase walking to and from the ICR
• Increase travelling to and from the ICR by public transport (in particular, by train and shuttle bus)
• Increase car sharing to and from the ICR
• Improving our electric vehicle charging facilities at our Sutton site.

As part of working towards our net zero target, we aim to reduce the carbon intensity of commuting by 4.2% per year. We're also looking at reducing carbon emissions from business travel, such as when our researchers travel to conferences, which can have a significant carbon footprint.

Enhancing biodiversity and nature

At the ICR we have external areas at Sutton which can be used to enhance and complement local biodiversity as well as improving the attractiveness of the campus and contributing to wellbeing.

Working with our partners, including Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals, the Royal Marsden and the London Borough of Sutton, we will continue to place nature and biodiversity at the heart of our decision making and develop at least two new areas of nature-enhancing habitats at our site in Sutton.

The ICR’s supply chain is varied, consisting of facilities services, laboratory equipment, laboratory consumables, construction materials and many other types of products. The environmental and social risks and opportunities from such a diverse supply chain are complex and wide-ranging.

It is important for the ICR to tackle these and take a focused approach in doing so – particularly because approximately 90% of our climate impacts are from procurement. Decarbonising the goods and services we buy will not be easy, but it is now a priority, and we are ready for the challenge. 

The ICR is part of the London Universities Purchasing Consortium (LUPC), who have mapped out social related risks from issues such as child labour, modern slavery, illegal work practices and others. We also comply with the Modern Slavery Act 2015, including publishing our assessment of slavery risks in our operations and supply chain.

The ICR is also a member of Electronics Watch – the independent monitoring organisation that aims to improve workers’ conditions in global electronics supply chains. This affiliation and our ongoing collaboration with the LUPC, fellow members and the wider sector will enhance our focus on responsible procurement and support work to mitigate human rights abuses in supply chains.

Supplier engagement

We are mapping our suppliers and contractors against sustainability risks – for example, identifying carbon hotspots from our purchased goods and services. We communicate the ICR’s sustainable procurement policy and guidelines to key suppliers and we are introducing sustainable procurement criteria in all competitive tenders.

We are also implementing a project to request our suppliers to provide us with supplier-specific carbon data, which will help identify where improvements can be made.

As a result, we expect that 100% of our suppliers will be aligned with our Net Zero target by 2030. We hope to make a real difference in our supply chain and support our suppliers to take the same path.

Engaging with ICR staff and students on sustainable choices

A key part of our strategy is to give all our staff necessary training and guidance so that they can make more sustainable choices to decrease their environmental and social impacts. ICR researchers, staff and students will be able to identify what is not necessary to buy and to understand the sustainable alternatives to purchase.

Facility-wise, we have been buying renewable electricity via the higher education purchasing group TEC. We will continue to make sure we purchase only 100% of our energy from reliable renewable sources.

Greener business travel

Reducing carbon emissions from business travel is an important part of our net zero target, and we provide guidance for our people to assess when it is possible to avoid business travel or take lower carbon transport modes of transport.

For example, this could include looking at sustainable transport choices such as long-distance rail instead of flying, or questioning the need for travel at all and using video conferencing, virtual meetings and other forms of technology instead.

The large laboratory footprint and the associated resource use, energy, single use plastics and water this incurs, makes laboratory certification a key element for delivering sustainable science. The ICR’s grant funders, Welcome and CRUK are both signatories of the concordat and will require laboratory certification to Silver level for Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF) or My Green Lab by the end of 2025 for funding. Currently in Chelsea 24% of labs have LEAF bronze and 59% have LEAF silver, in Sutton 25% of labs (140 scientists) have My Green lab certification (2 Platinum, 6 Green). Additionally, the ICR will be launching Green DiSC certification, in the aim of reducing the environmental impacts of computational activities, in dry labs or within the core digital services function.

26 June 2024

The Institute of Cancer Research

Letter of commitment to the priorities of the Concordat for the Environmental Sustainability of Research and Innovation Practice

I, Professor Kristian Helin, on behalf of the Institute of Cancer Research confirm our commitment to the priority areas outlined in the Concordat for the Environmental Sustainability of Research and Innovation Practice.

The Institute of Cancer Research fully supports the priority areas outlined in the concordat. We will deliver against all the priorities in practice and recognise our responsibilities as a signatory, as set out in the concordat.

By signing this concordat, we recognise the need to change how we conduct research and innovation as well as promote wider solutions. We also agree to take shared action now and into the future to reduce and eliminate our own environmental impacts and emissions and achieve the transition to sustainable practices.

Sustainability at the Institute of Cancer Research means ‘acting now, in line with the UN Sustainability Development Goals, to manage economic, social and environmental issues within our organisation and globally, so that both now and in the future, we can continue to make the discoveries to defeat cancer’. We believe that we need to embed sustainability in everything we do, to deliver world leading cancer research with minimum environmental impact. We embrace the priority areas set out in this document, many of which are mirrored in our current sustainability action plan and acknowledge the importance of this concordat for driving sustainability for all organisations in the research and innovation sector.

Yours sincerely

Professor Kristian Helin

Chief Executive and President 

The Institute of Cancer Research is educating the next generation of cancer research scientists and we have an excellent reputation for developing Postdoctoral Research Fellows. We are committed to meeting the 'Best Practice' standards of The Concordat, first published in 2008 and revised in September 2019 to support the Career Development of Researchers, becoming signatories in August 2020.

As such, we hold the HR Excellence in Research Award from the European Commission since 2010. This award demonstrates how we are committed to developing our researchers in accordance to the 2008 Concordat and involved an external review every two years. 

In becoming signatories of the updated Concordat we commit to regularly reviewing our progress against its principles to recognise and value researchers for their contributions in research and beyond, support them in their professional and career development and equip them to succeed in their chosen careers.

Annual Report for the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers

Concordat to Support Career Development 2024

2023 HR Excellence in Research twelve year review

HR Excellence in Research – 12 year report

HR Excellence in Research – updated action plan

HR Excellence in Research - forward action plan

2020 HR Excellence in Research ten year review

HR Excellence in Research – 10 year report

HR Excellence in Research – Updated action plan

HR Excellence in Research – new action plan

2018 HR Excellence in Research eight year review

HR Excellence in Research – eight year report

HR Excellence in Research – update on the last action plan

HR Excellence in Research 2018-2020 – New Action Plan

HR Excellence in Research 2018 Case Studies

2016 HR Excellence in Research six year review

HR Excellence in Research – six year report

HR Excellence in Research – update on the last action plan

HR Excellence in Research – new action plan 2016-20

2014/15 HR Excellence in Research four year review

HR Excellence In Research – four year report

HR Excellence In Research – update on the last action plan

HR Excellence In Research 2014 Case studies2015

HR Excellence in Research report from the peer review panel

Previous submissions

2012 HR Excellence in Research action plan

2010 Researcher concordat action plan

The Freedom of Information Act gives anybody the right to seek access to information held by public authorities. The Institute of Cancer Research, London, (ICR) is a public authority subject to the Act.

The Act provides two types of access to information held by the ICR:

1. Information made routinely available to the public as explained in the Publication Scheme
2. Any other information held and recorded by the ICR, subject to various exemptions in the Act

Environmental Information Regulations 2004

The Environmental Information Regulations provide a general right of access to environmental information. Environmental information is recorded information, in any form, in an area concerning environmental issues.

The ICR has combined the implementation of the Regulations with the Freedom of Information Act request handling procedures.

How to request information from The Institute of Cancer Research

We already make a lot of information available to you. Before you consider making a request, please try:

1. Searching our website for the information using the search box on the homepage.
2. Downloading and checking our Publication Scheme and Guide to Information. 

Publication Scheme

Guide to Information

If you still can't find what you are looking for you may ask for it under the Freedom of Information Act by emailing us, or by writing to: Head of Information Governance, 123 Old Brompton Road, London, SW7 3RP.

Please be specific about the information you want, as this will help us to find it for you. We are obliged to reply promptly and in any event within 20 working days.

• We may charge a fee for this service. When that happens, we will send you details in writing.
• Some information may not be available because it falls within one of the exemptions of the Act. When that happens, we will tell you which exemption applies and, in most cases, why the information cannot be released.
• If your request for information includes personal data relating to another person, an exemption in the Act may apply.

Fee Policy under FOIA 2000 (PDF, 36KB)

Complaints Procedure under FOIA 2000 (PDF, 22KB)

The ICR is a founding signatory of the Technician Commitment and committed to meeting the best practice standards to support the careers of our highly qualified technical staff. Our most recent submission was for stage 3 in January 2024. The ICR’s 36 month action plan is linked at the bottom of this page. It focusses on the four areas of development outlined by the Technician Commitment:

• Visibility - ensuring technicians at the ICR are identifiable and their contribution is visible within and beyond the institution.
• Recognition - Supporting technicians gain recognition through professional registration and external awards schemes.
• Career Development - Enabling career progression opportunities for technicians through clear, documented pathways.
• Sustainability - Ensuring the sustainability of technical skills across the ICR and that technical expertise is fully utilised.

Female scientist in goggles. Credit: Andrew Brookes.

Technical staff at the ICR

The ICR employs over 450 highly skilled technical staff with a broad range of expertise. They play a crucial part in the research achievements of the ICR and their work is vital in making the discoveries that defeat cancer. Technical staff at the ICR are made up by Scientific Officer grades (55%), Research Management grades (29%), Analytical Scientists (11%) and the Biological Services Unit (5%).

What we've achieved so far

Since we signed up to the Technical Commitment, we have expanded our career development support for scientific professional roles. We’ve built cross-institutional partnerships with our Research Institute Technician Commitment Group (RITG) partners; The Babraham Institute, Francis Crick Institute, John Innes Centre, MRC Harwell Institute, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Science Technology Facilities Council and the Wellcome Sanger Institute. Together we’ve run multiple events supporting career development of technical staff, including the RIT Symposium a biannual conference which is in planning for the 2025 (4th) iteration and includes an awards ceremony celebrating technical staff. 

Our Professional Registration Programme, awarding staff external, independent recognition of their skills and competencies is funded by the Scientific Officer Association. Now in its 3rd year, it has had 10 participants supported by events and a mentoring scheme. The programme will be expanded over the next 36 months, with additional individuals funded by a Wellcome Trust Research Culture grant.

We’ve had fifteen delegates at the Herschel Programme For Women In Technical Leadership, established a mentoring scheme for Scientific Officers applying for promotion, and established a wider Technician Commitment Steering group with faculty members, core facilities and human resources input. This group raises awareness of the issues that affect technical staff and supports the Technician Commitment.

Technical roles have become more visible within our organisation, we regularly publish articles on our external website, intranet and social media feeds celebrating scientific officers’ accomplishments, awards given and highlighting their roles in features.

The Scientific Officer Association continues to play a key role in uplifting Scientific Officers, including:

• Travel and training bursaries.
• The annual technical conference.
• The Lunch and Learn series.

Next steps

The Learning and Organisational Development team will deliver two Technical Career Development Programmes. These practitioner-led career development programmes will be delivered by ICR and RITG partners, for existing technical staff at the ICR and RITG Institutions for staff at Higher Scientific Officer level or equivalent, and Core Facilities Managers and Senior technicians. These will be designed to equip individuals to grow into senior roles with management and leadership responsibilities, or, enhance leadership development and maximise services provided respectively.

Enhanced Professional Registration Support, which will maintain and improve, the current provision for professional registration through the Science Council and Engineering Council.

Piloting an internal Technician Exchange Programme between ICR divisions enabling work shadowing.

Action plans

Find out more about what has already been achieved and what we plan to do next in our action plans.

2024-2027 ICR Technician Commitment Action Plan

2021-2023 ICR Technician Commitment Action Plan

2018-2020 ICR Technician Commitment Action Plan

The Institute of Cancer Research, London, has developed guidelines on Good Research Practice to emphasise the importance of integrity and rigour in all research carried out at, and in partnership with, the ICR, and to help ensure that all researchers are aware of their obligations with respect to proper scientific conduct.  This statement summarises good practice in research, signposting external references where applicable. It is intended mainly for external stakeholders such as funding bodies, patients and the general public to learn more about our policy on research integrity.

Download Good Research Practice guideline

Research integrity

Annual Statements on Research Integrity

The ICR is committed to the highest standards of research integrity and to transparency around any allegations of research misconduct that may arise.

The ICR subscribes to the Concordat to Support Research Integrity (Universities UK, 2019).

Download 2023 Annual Statement (PDF)

Download 2022 Annual Statement (PDF)

Download 2021 Annual Statement (PDF)

Download 2020 Annual Statement (PDF)

Download 2019 Annual Statement (PDF)

Download 2018 Annual Statement (PDF)

Download 2017 Annual Statement (PDF)

Misconduct in research

In August 2008 the UK Research Integrity Office (UKRIO) issued a 'Procedure for the Investigation of Misconduct in Research'. This step-by-step Procedure is aimed at all organisations engaged in research using funds from funding bodies such as the Research Councils and other government bodies, as well as from charities, overseas funding bodies and the commercial sector. The objectives of the Procedure are to:

• ensure that an investigation of alleged misconduct in research is thorough and fair
• demonstrate that, by using an agreed standard process, there should be fewer errors in the conduct of investigations; and
• reassure those who are under investigation that the process will follow a standard procedure adopted nationally by universities and other research organisations

The ICR's Board of Trustees agreed in September 2010 (Minute Reference B/9/10/11) that the Institute should adopt a similar procedure to deal with any case that may arise within the Institute.

A complaint of misconduct in research may be initiated by an individual (an Institute employee or someone outside of the Institute) or an external institution or organisation. Whatever the source, it must always be taken seriously so that justice is seen to be done to both the complainant and the respondent.

It is not easy to present a complaint against a colleague, and if complainants cannot be assured that bona fide complaints will be pursued with integrity, confidentiality, and without detriment, then misconduct may remain undiscovered.

Conversely, researchers are entitled to expect that their work is regarded as honest until shown to be otherwise, and that they will be protected against mischievous, frivolous or ill-founded complaints.

Contacts

• Named member of staff acting as a first point of contact for anyone wanting more information on matters of research integrity: Yuen-Li Chung, Research Operations Manager (Research Governance)
• Named senior member of staff overseeing research integrity and acting as confidential liaison for any person wishing to raise concerns about research integrity: Professor Clare Isacke, Dean of Academic and Research Affairs & Team Leader 

Download our Misconduct In Research policy

 Misconduct In Research (PDF)

The ICR has a proud history of academic discovery and innovation. We strive to reward and encourage the best and most innovative cancer research. As such, we want to ensure our procedures for assessing our research achievements are fair, transparent and robust.

The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment

In June 2018, the ICR became a signatory of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA). As set out in DORA, the ICR recognises that evaluating the scientific content of a publication is more important than where it was published.

The ICR is committed to ensuring that we do not consider journal impact factors when hiring or promoting academic staff. Our recruitment, tenure review and promotion policies include explicit statements that journal impact factors will not be used in these assessments.

Research strategy and policy

The ICR research leadership board handles our current research strategy and policy. It's chaired by the ICR's Academic Dean, Professor Clare Isacke. The board has members from all divisions in the ICR. This ensures we have representation from a wide breadth of disciplines and expertise. The research leadership board implements and embeds the principles of fair research evaluation.

Find out more

For queries or more information please contact Dr Rebecca Cook, Head of Research Support at [email protected].