At the Devon & Plymouth Chamber, one of our key strategic priorities is climate change and the environment. As such, we are constantly working to improve our sustainability.
Our major office refurbishments last year gave us the opportunity to make significant energy efficiency improvements, including switching all our office lighting to LED, installing a new efficient boiler, and replacing window seals to reduce heat losses.
More recently, we have installed bike storage units and electric vehicle charging points at our office, to promote low-emission travel for both staff and visitors.
This was made possible thanks to aWorkplace Travel Grant Scheme by Plymouth City Council.
In the next stage of our journey to Net Zero, the Chamber has taken on a new intern through Future Shift – Low Carbon Devon’s internship programme.
Katie Upton is our B Corp and Sustainability Intern. She is with us for three months and has been looking at the sustainability of our operations, how best we can support you as our members on your own sustainability journey, and B Corp Certification for the Chamber.
This is one of the highest environmental and social certification standards for businesses and is a growing movement of change – using business as a force for good.
Certification involves undertaking the rigorous B Impact Assessment, which Katie has been working through and providing recommendations for changes to our operations to improve our social and environmental performance.
If you are interested in hosting a fully-funded intern yourself, contact sustainabilityhub@plymouth.ac.uk
In the run up to COP26, we hosted Net Zero October – a series of events exploring the climate crisis and how business in the region are tackling this.
We also launched our Net Zero Hub, where you can find tools, resources, and local support for reducing your business’ carbon emissions, as well as highlights from our Net Zero Live broadcast.
As you may have seen at our City Conversations event at the National Marine Aquarium, Raleigh have very kindly given the Chamber our own electric cargo bike.
This is available until February free for all members to test ride or book out for use.
If you would like to get involved in this great opportunity for the promotion of zero-emission deliveries, please get in touch with Katie via email at katie.upton@devonchamber.co.uk
