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Blog: Defra digital, data, technology and security
Organisations:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Environment Agency, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Natural England, Animal and Plant Health Agency

Why sustainable ICT is vital

Posted by: Adam Turner, Government and Defra Sustainable Technology Lead, Lydia Tabbron and Florian Paviot, Posted on: 23 February 2023 - Categories: Defra digital, ICT sustainability
On the left, a man with curly hair, glasses, beige shirt and brown trousers, centre, a woman in a blue and green floral dress with hair tied back, and right, a man with short dark hair, glasses and beard, wearing a blue hoodie and jeans.

Adam Turner, Lydia Tabbron and Florian Paviot explore the concept of Sustainable Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and ask some searching questions about what it really means.

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What sustainability means to me

Posted by: Simone Burke, Posted on: 22 February 2023 - Categories: Defra digital
Two ladies, dressed in cycling clothing, stand in front of a bicycle with a dog basket attached to the front.

In the first instalment of our new Sustainability Heroes series, Simone Burke shares her motivations for trying to enjoy a more sustainable life, along with insights into some of the changes she’s made on her journey.

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Why I enjoy being a mentor

Posted by: Joya Snowden, Capability Development lead, Posted on: 17 January 2023 - Categories: Defra digital
A lady with short brown hair, parted in the middle, and red lipstick, smiling.

On International Mentoring Day, Joya Snowden shares her own mentoring journey, including her motivations for becoming a mentor, how she got started and some tips for finding your own mentor.

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My experience with technology and being autistic

Posted by: Christopher Cotmore, Posted on: 3 December 2022 - Categories: Smarter working
A man with short hair, black glasses, and wearing a light-coloured plain shirt., with a window in the background to the right, and a plant partially visible to the left.

On International Day of Persons with Disabilities Christopher Cotmore reflects on his autism spectrum diagnosis and the impact of technology on the way he works.

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Remembrance Day – what it means to me

Posted by: Tony Horseman, Posted on: 11 November 2022 - Categories: Defra digital
A red poppy flower with a green stem

Defra IT Training Lead, and Royal Air Force (RAF) veteran, Tony Horseman, explains what remembrance means to him and why he attends the annual service at The Cenotaph each year.

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Rose Grant: Why my family history is important to me

Posted by: Rose Grant, Posted on: 31 October 2022 - Categories: Defra digital
A lady with long dark hair, wearing a pink t shirt.

In Black History Month, Rose Grant shares some very personal reflections of her family’s journey from the Caribbean to London as part of the Windrush generation and how this has made her the person she is today.

Read more of Rose Grant: Why my family history is important to me - 1 comment

Why I keep talking about mental health

Posted by: Kata Papunen, Posted on: 10 October 2022 - Categories: Defra digital
A lady, standing in front of a yellow and red poster, wearing a white vest and sunglasses, and holding up a sign that says ‘What I want to say, be proud of your story, hashtag time to talk’.

On World Mental Health Day, Kata Papunen reflects on the value of such initiatives and considers her own journey, including personal struggles which have been helped through having access to a range of workplace assistance and resources.

Read more of Why I keep talking about mental health - 3 comments

The value of feedback: Part Two - top tips on giving and getting feedback

Posted by: Leyla Kee-McParlin, Posted on: 7 October 2022 - Categories: Defra content design, User centred design
A picture containing two people, sitting outdoors, one holding a mobile device while showing the other person something on the screen.

In the second part of her blog on feedback Lead Content Designer Leyla Kee-McParlin shares some top tips for giving and receiving feedback, and the things you can do if you want to explore this topic further.

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The value of feedback: Part One - why you need to give and get it

Posted by: Leyla Kee-McParlin, Posted on: 3 October 2022 - Categories: Defra content design, Defra digital
A lady, smiling, with dark hair and dark eyes, wearing red lipstick.

In the first instalment of a two-part blog Lead Content Designer Leyla Kee-McParlin explains how feedback is essential to self-development, and explores how you can give and receive feedback in the most productive and sensitive ways.

Read more of The value of feedback: Part One - why you need to give and get it

Same difference: the two sides of the same internship coin

Posted by: Elora Perocki and Zach Shiels, Posted on: 26 September 2022 - Categories: Defra digital
A girl with glasses, long dark hair, and wearing a patterned jumper, with a computer screen behind her.

In National Inclusion Week, two young professionals, Zach Shiels and Elora Parocki, who recently spent time in Defra  through different internship schemes, reflect on their experiences and the things they learned.

Read more of Same difference: the two sides of the same internship coin
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