Celebrating Earth Day

This Earth Day, we’ve been reflecting on the role businesses like ours can play in reducing environmental impact.

At WRS, we don’t have all the answers, but we’ve been trying to make more conscious decisions, both as a company and as individuals.

We’re learning that small, steady steps can make a difference. Some of the changes we’ve made have come easily. Others have taken a bit more thought. All of them are part of a bigger effort to build a business that works more sustainably for our team, our customers and the planet.

Support network

In 2024, we joined the National Green Impact Scheme to help us focus on making real improvements in how we operate. It’s helped us look at our business through a different lens, and we’ve already seen the benefits. There’s more awareness within the team, some cost savings, and some promising early reductions in carbon emissions.

As our CEO David Jackson puts it:

“The environment is a key priority for WRS and we see sustainability as a fundamental part of our business strategy. The Green Impact scheme has helped us focus on meaningful, tangible changes and over the course of 2024, we’ve seen significant behavioural shifts, cost savings and a noticeable reduction in carbon emissions. It’s a programme we strongly recommend to businesses looking to take their first steps on the path to sustainability.”

Powering our office with solar

One of the bigger steps we’ve taken is installing 126 solar panels at our Isle of Wight HQ. These generate around 50,000kWh of electricity a year. That’s enough to power our building during the day and charge electric vehicles, with surplus going back to the grid during warmer months. Our thanks go to Island Renewables for making the install process smooth and straightforward.

Supporting staff to travel differently

We’re trying to support our team in making greener choices when they can. In 2022, we introduced an electric vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme through Vehicle Consulting Solent. We now have several EVs on the road, and we’re pleased it’s proving a useful option for our team.

“It’s an easy process where you get a new car with the peace of mind knowing it’s fully maintained. Knowing that you are playing a small part in reducing emissions is a really satisfying feeling,” explains our colleague Luke.

We’ve also rolled out the Cycle2Work Scheme and continue to encourage car sharing where it’s practical. The Isle of Wight is a great place to cycle, and we’re lucky to be based in such a scenic spot.

Small steps that add up

Not everything is about infrastructure or investment. We’ve made some simple changes like donating used coffee grounds, setting up bird feeders outside the office, and joining in with local beach cleans through Rubbish Networking. These events are a reminder that it doesn’t take much to make a positive contribution.

We also have a clear WEEE policy in place, making sure our old electrical equipment is collected and processed properly by authorised providers.

Still learning

Our aim is to be net zero by 2030, this is a ongoing project and we have already made strides toward this goal, we are now looking further into our supply chain to work with them to also achieve this goal.

We know we haven’t got everything right, and there’s still more we can do. But we’re committed to learning, adjusting, and finding practical ways to build sustainability into how we work. Happy Earth Day!