Lakes has been awarded Carbon Neutral Plus certification for its UK operations in recognition of the company’s continued commitment to reducing its impact on the environment.
Lakes was awarded the Carbon Footprint Standard in March 2019. Since then, the company has gone above and beyond to reduce its carbon emissions even further, offsetting more CO2 emissions in 2019 than its UK operations generated.
More than half of the CO2 emissions offset by Lakes in 2019 were attributed to tree planting schemes in Kenya and in the UK, including the planting of over 200 trees at a local school in Gloucester. Lakes is also supporting projects to protect the Amazon rainforest, provide water purifiers for Cambodia, and improve boreholes in Uganda to provide clean drinking water.
As well at its focus on UK and global environmental projects to offset its carbon emissions, Lakes has been working to be more resource responsible, and the company leads the industry in its commitment to reducing waste. Last year, Lakes introduced 100% recyclable packaging to remove approximately 2,000 kilometres of banding and nearly two million pieces of polystyrene a year from landfill. It also committed to 100% recycling all of its product waste (primarily glass and aluminium) and all recyclable site and office waste. Thanks to these proactive steps, Lakes has already saved 298 trees from paper and cardboard production through the recycling of 76% of its waste this year1.
Mick Evans, Lakes Operations Director, says: “We are absolutely thrilled to be certified as Carbon Neutral Plus. The sustainability of our business has been a significant focus over the last 18 months and one that we will remain strongly committed to. We’ve introduced big changes in our packaging and processes to reduce waste and invested in projects which improve the environment in the UK and further afield. There is no planet B, and we all have to go above and beyond to make a difference and lessen the environmental impact we make, while still delivering the high-quality products and first-class service our customers and partners expect from us.”
Zoe Booth, Environmental Consultant at Carbon Footprint Ltd adds: “Lakes has taken leading and responsible steps to mitigate the current climate emergency, going above and beyond to offset more CO2 than their UK operations produced.”
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