Heritage
Together, the five historic waterways we look after are
one of Scotland's most significant national collections. We
maintain a consistent, approved approach to heritage management on
Scottish Canals' estate. One of our key values is that all
heritage assets are given same level of beneficial treatment and
protection, whether designated (legally protected) or
non-designated.
Our policies, processes and standards are in place for anyone
managing, developing, disposing, maintaining or specifying works to
our heritage assets.
Heritage Policy
The heritage policy provides a framework for our structures,
processes and relationships to deliver positive heritage
management. It sets out 6 principles derived from Scottish
Government's policy Making
the Most of Scotland's Canals, Scottish Canals Vision: Safeguarding our
Heritage. Building our Future and Scottish Canals Heritage
Strategy.
Download the policy here.
Heritage Strategy
Our Heritage Strategy 2013-38 sets out a 25-year vision and
5-year plan for our canal heritage. Its aim is to help to shape the
future of our historic places, inspire the next generation and
celebrate our cultural legacy.
Go to our main website to view the
online strategy or download the PDF version.
Environment
Our environment is our physical world, common to everybody -
including air, water, land, flora and fauna. Our principles
address the whole of the environment and our interaction directly
or through our business activities with it.
Our canals are part of a working, living waterway network, used
for navigation and general recreation. We must integrate the
needs of those who visit and use the network with the actions
needed to conserve canalside wildlife and habitats.
While complying with legislation and regulation we aim to
continually improve our performance and consistently achieve good
practice - we aim to be the acknowledged expert in achieving the
most sustainable integration of the competing needs and uses of the
waterways. Where judgments have to be made between competing
resources and conflicting activities, we will take the long term
and strategic view. In doing so we presume that this will
favour the conservation of the environment.
We carefully manage our environmental impact, including reducing
the use of non-renewable resources, minimising waste, conserving
water resources, promoting biodiversity and prevention of pollution
throughout our activities. We are committed to the efficient
and beneficial use of our land resource, with conservation and
enhancement of the unique waterway landscape and character.
We regularly review of our policies, procedures and systems to
ensure that our environmental practices and performance reflect any
changes in business circumstances, relevant legal requirement and
customer expectation. We use the principles of environmental
management systems and will measure environmental performance
through objectives and targets including those within Corporate
Social Responsibility Lead Indicators. We will publicly
report on progress on these Lead Indicators, ensuring our
environmental performance is verifiable and auditable.
We will promote best practices amongst our employees,
contractors, suppliers, customers and partners. We will seek
suppliers, contractors and partners with standards consistent with
our own.