Welsh Ambulance Service accredited with prestigious environmental management standard

03.06.26

The Welsh Ambulance Service has been recognised for its commitment to reduce its environmental footprint and improve performance.

The Trust has successfully achieved ISO 14001 accreditation for another year, meaning it is still the only ambulance service in the UK to hold this environmental accreditation.

ISO 14001 is an internationally recognised standard for environmental management systems, which supports organisations in identifying, managing, monitoring and controlling environmental processes.

Leading the work has been Environment and Sustainability Manager Chris Davies, who said: “I am so pleased to say that following a week of detailed audits and interviews, the Welsh Ambulance Service has kept the ISO14001 accreditation for 2026.

“The audit this year was a recertification audit, which is harder to attain as it dives deeper into the Environmental Governance System (EGS) and is subject to higher levels of scrutiny than standard audits.

“Given this, I’d like to take this opportunity to emphasise just how much of a team effort this has been and it would have been impossible to achieve without the support of colleagues from across the Trust.”

The Trust was accredited following an audit which took place at a sample of stations and office buildings across Wales during May, including Pontypool, Aberdare, Parkwall, Newport, Tredegar and Bargoed.

Key highlights from the audit report noted that the Trust’s management system continued to demonstrate effective compliance with the requirements of ISO 14001 and arrangements were also effective in ensuring that organisation objectives were met in line with strategic direction and business planning.

The audit report also noted that the operational processes sampled throughout the assessment were found to be well implemented and their effectiveness was clearly demonstrated throughout the assessment at various stages.

Richard Davies, Assistant Director of Capital and Estates, said: “To retain accreditation for another year is a fantastic achievement.

“It recognises the great work headed by the Estates team and the Operations Directorate.

“Thank you to all those who have supported and delivered on this.”

Chirs Turley, Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Resources, added: “I’m very proud of the team and the Trust.

“Retaining the accreditation for another year is no easy thing and the fact that we are the only ambulance service in the UK to currently hold it is testament to the work we have done and our long-term goals for environmental sustainability.

“Well done to all involved, they should be rightly proud of their achievement.”