Here's a little about some of the steps we're taking
We’re proud of our Net Zero ambition and Cleaner Climate Promise. We’re taking action to reduce our carbon emissions and impact – while supporting renewable energy projects and innovation. We’ve been recognised with awards for raising awareness around water and our water efficiency approach, too. We care about protecting and enhancing the environment and communities we work in. We engage with the community near our offices and each year raise money for local charities. In 2023, we’re supporting more projects, after supporting the planting of 500 trees in the UK in 2022, with each one “buddied” to a renewable energy project, including hydropower and solar panel farms, that have prevented 500 tonnes of carbon emissions*.
So far, we have:
- planted trees at a Glasgow school and another in Cumbria, sharing water-saving advice with them too.
- supported peatland restoration in 2021, to prevent 400 tonnes of greenhouse gases being released in the UK, verified under the Peatland Code.
- started a partnership with Trees for Cities in April 2021, increasing trees in the UK, along with funding 1 hectare of new native woodland, through the Woodland Trust and creating 2,023m2 of woodland, by backing The National Trust’s Plant a Tree fund.
- made changes at work – including: providing everyone with reusable cups when we moved to our new office in May 2021, electric car charging, recycling points throughout our offices and regular communications on reducing environmental impacts, to name but a few.
- and, as part of our engagement with organisations to increase water efficiency and reduce impacts we can all have, we are Green World Ambassadors in 2023, with 100 extra trees being planted to mark this - after first becoming Green World Ambassadors in 2022.
In 2023, Water Plus contributed towards Seawilding’s core operating costs to help their team develop seagrass and native oyster restoration projects for the UK. The charity works to restore the natural seabeds, which helps store carbon from the atmosphere, along with supporting biodiversity. Through helping with the charity’s core costs, Water Plus is helping enhance biodiversity in Loch Craignish, Argyll, in Scotland, and supports the monitoring and surveying that goes alongside the seagrass and oyster restoration work.
We review our Environmental Policy each year and publish yearly updates under the Cleaner Climate Promise. And of course, we’ll continue to help all our customers with ways to save water and save energy. There’s more information about things to keep in mind with water for organisations on our Help section.
*Carbon Footprint Ltd are retiring Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) credits for 500 tonnes of CO2e, which have been prevented through Water Plus’s support of the renewable energy projects, in recognition of emissions linked to us as a water retailer. The VCS credits, that Carbon Footprint Ltd can provide, meet requirements under the BSi's PAS 2060 guidance on carbon neutrality.** The 400 tonnes of greenhouse gases being prevented is the equivalent of the emissions linked to Water Plus for the 19/20 and 20/21 financial years, as stated in the Water Plus Group Accounts.
Other projects we've supported
More information about AquAid can be found on their website.
In 2022, Water Plus sponsored 25 trees to be planted at healthcare sites in England - and another 25 trees to be planted in 2023 - as part of the NHS Forest project. This initiative aims to increase biodiversity and inspire and support healthcare sites in transforming their green space for health and wellbeing. 25 of the NHS Forest saplings were planted in 2023 at an ambulance station - with the rest going into the ground during the 2023-2024 planting season.