Curbing our Carbon
We’re always trying to make the world a better place, it’s kinda what we’re all about! It’s also why in 2016 we decided to make a commitment and join The Planet Mark™, an internationally-recognised sustainability certification programme. We wanted to prove it’s possible to run a competitive business AND be one of the good guys.
Saving the planet seems like a big task, and certainly not one we can do alone! But we never say no to a challenge, and last week we received some exciting news that we’re absolutely delighted to announce…
…we took home the Absolute Carbon Reduction Award at The Planet Mark™ awards!
What We Did
The award was for making the greatest percentage reduction in absolute carbon in 2017 – all those bad things that lead to greenhouse gases and climate change.
We managed to achieve a:
- 41% reduction in electricity emissions, and
- 79% decrease in business air travel emissions.
Given that our business was growing during this time, we’re really proud of these figures! It involved a series of small steps and every member of the team playing their part.
Our first step was to measure our electricity usage (by installing a meter) and update our appliances with energy efficient ones. We then took steps to reduce our usage e.g. ensuring our heaters were on timers, installing energy saving lightbulbs, being mindful to switch off lights/computers/monitors, and turning off at the plug!
We replaced air travel with other communication methods. It turns out that face to face isn’t always best or necessary – the traditional dog and bone (phone) and video conferencing works just as well!
This win is a huge milestone for the entire Giant Peach team and goes to show that by committing to change, it is possible to make an impact. Go, team!
What Happened On The Night
At the ceremony, Planet Mark co-founder Sir Tim Smit said:
“We are all psychotically hooked into a world where we don’t know when to say stop. We are better than being just consumers, we are citizens and we have future generations to keep in mind”
Every single organisation that is part of The Planet Mark™ is doing something to make the world better while still building a successful business. Heroes! We were up against two fantastic businesses, Eight Associates (who took home the Carbon Reduction Per Employee Award) and Oktra, who have both made huge achievements.
The achievements celebrated on the night were simply inspiring, with 12 overall winners selected from 38 shortlisted finalists.
Why We Love The Planet Mark™
Launched just 5 years ago in association with the Eden Project, The Planet Mark™ Certification is a movement that’s incredible to be part of. Every member is committed to sustainability and making the world better, you can’t help but be inspired! We chose Planet Mark to align ourselves with a set of goals that reflected our own ethical values and visions. You can read about why it was the right fit for us here. It’s safe to say that we are even more empowered and motivated to continue to do better!
What’s Next?
It doesn’t end here – we’ve committed to doing business ethically and sustainably. You could say it’s the thing we’re most passionate about! And it’s not just about achieving the figures and winning awards. It’s about cementing our values into everything we do, from the clients we work with to the way our team operates. Just because business has always been done a certain way, doesn’t mean it’s the right way. We’re out to prove that things can always be better!
If you share the same vision and values, then get on board and join The Planet Mark™.