Our impact
on our
environment

Positive change starts with us.
This is how we practise what we preach.

Current action

What are we doing to become more sustainable?

Carbon neutral in 2022

This means that we will purchase “high quality” offsets to cover our current emissions. This will be as compensation until we can meet net zero through clean energy and demand reduction measures.

Science-based targets

We have set our own Science-Based Target (in-line with SBTi). Find out more about how we will be reducing our clients carbon footprint by 327,170 tonnes of CO2e.

Solar powered, on and offsite

We have already electrified our own office’s energy usage for heating/cooling; no natural gas is delivered or used at site at all. We already purchase green only electricity for our office, and to gain greater additionality for net zero we are exploring options for onsite solar generation and battery storage.

Sustainability changemakers

Supporting our sustainability changemakers – we are innovating and collaborating with our staff to help them reduce their own carbon footprints, from electric vehicle schemes, training and tools to support.

83%

10th

“The firm’s employees are proud of its record on protecting the environment, scoring 83% positive, in 10th place among our Best Small Companies to Work For”

The Sunday Times 2020

What we've done already

Since 2019 we’ve made lots of changes to reduce our environmental footprint and deliver a positive impact for our community.

Here’s what we’re proud to achieve so far.

Became powered by renewable energy
Gained Love My Beach certification (and helped with a few beach clean ups)
Our Plastic Planet Promise Policy
Our Environment-first Purchasing Policy
Multi-point, multi-type, recycling across all areas, and the removal of individual waste bins
Large card recycling program
Installed a range of internal doors to reduce heat waste and improve air circulation and cleaning
Commenced the upgrade of our HQ sanitation systems to reduce water such as installation of waterless urinals across the site
Physical marketing activity to be reusable, recyclable, biodegradable or rethought

Changed printers, and management technology, to dramatically reduce printing on-site
All lighting changed to LED systems
Introduced our electric vehicle (EV) payment scheme
Overhauled our cycle to work scheme to cover all budgets, and allow for electric bikes
Updated a range of environmental, social and governance policies to align with BCorp
Changed the way our volunteer system works so the team can have more flexibility in donating their time to local charities
Removed single-use plastic bottles, cups, and materials from everyday supply

Promoting a digital-first (where appropriate) meeting approach to reduce unnecessary road-miles.
Provided a range of internal, and external, educational materials to for national campaigns including Global Recycling Day, Earth Day, Earth Overshoot Day and Water Saving Week
Revolutionised our stationery provisions, from digital-first invoicing to eliminating printed business cards
Digitised our expenses system
We’re supporting grassroots local sports, by providing football kit to various junior mixed, male and female age groups in St.Annes F.C. sponsored as BiU (as the sponsorship started pre-Sustainable Energy First) and Project Net Zero

500

meals

Our HQ hosts a food bank box for staff to donate goods which we regularly donate to Fylde Food Bank. Over the years through donations, and fundraising efforts, the team are proud to have raised, or donated, the equivalent of 500 meals.

$5,000

raised

Recognised in 2020 by WWF Australia as a Partner in Conservation for our work supporting and fundraising over $5,000 in response to the Australian bushfires. A fundraising effort that saw our local commerce and service community come together to make a collective difference.

Our forest

In 2019, following the Amazon wildfires, a member of the team wanted to help with some tree planting. That year we planted 10 oak trees through the National Forest program.

Although we didn’t know it at the time, an annual tradition was born.

2019 10 oak trees in the National Forest
2020 10 lime trees in the National Forest
2021 10 wild cherry trees in the National Forest, and 10,000 bee friendly wildflowers sewn across the UK
2022 25 alder trees through Future Forest Co

Alongside our own initiatives, our suppliers have also planted trees through certified schemes for a range of projects they’ve enabled for us – this has seen an additional 200 trees planted in the UK and Europe, just through two suppliers alone.

ISO

14001

We were first certified as an ISO14001 business in 2008.

The standards help us, year-on-year, to maintain and improve our environmental performance and responsibilities.

B Corp

2023

2023 saw us complete our journey to become a B Corp.

We’ve already made significant changes to our governance since 2020 to enable better ESG impact internally and externally, and B Corp program allows us to use a measurable benchmark to be a better business and allow for continuous improvement.

Leading
the way

Proud to fuel sustainability changemakers, and enable social change across the UK, through our free-to-read resources – The Energy Advice Hub and Project Net Zero