Support

Supporting the economy

As a major visitor attraction we bring visitors to the area and are beneficial to the local economy.

We have recently rolled out a new company-wide supplier questionnaire and criteria to make procurement more sustainable.

We use local suppliers e.g. printers and use local websites to advertise jobs including Bristol University, Destination Bristol, Bristol Disability Advice Centre.

For catering, we source local food where possible e.g. local butchers who source from farms in the South West. We’re running a project with our caterers, Digby Trout, to translate this information into food miles on menus to inform our visitors.

All tea and coffee for staff and sold in the café are Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance certified.  Printed marketing materials and wood for building construction is FSC certified. We sell recycled gifts in our shop.

We communicate this through signage in the café, on marketing literature and on our website.

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Supporting the community

Our vision is to make science accessible to all, and we have an Access, Inclusion and Diversity policy and working group that works to engage with the community, especially groups that find us hard to reach:

• Community membership (reduced entry for community groups)
• Free community days
• School engagement programme (schools can apply for a free visit)*

We run outreach activities with communities who may be able to visit e.g. hospices, hospitals, prisons.

We play an important part in Bristol’s cultural scene*, hosting and participating: 

• Harbourside Festival
• Festival of Nature
• Festival of Ideas
• Bristol’s Biggest Bike Ride
• Bristol Half Marathon
• BBC Big Screen events 
• Organic Food Festival

We run a Sustainability Internship programme for people who want to work in this area.
    
We are members of Destination Bristol, and work with them and their members to share information and experiences.