Animalcare
has sponsored the planting of 200 trees in the grounds of Pocklington CE VC Infant School close to its York HQ, as part of its commitment to run its business more sustainably. The saplings, all native British species and UK-grown, include Aspen, Crab Apple, Field Maple, Goat Willow, Hazel, Rowan, Sessile Oak and Silver Birch. They were planted on Friday 23 April with support from Kai Crawshaw, Commercial Analyst, Felicity Caddick, Senior Veterinary Manager, both from Animalcare UK and a team of staff and pupils from the school. As they grow, they will create wildlife habitats, encourage biodiversity and offer educational experiences to the children.
During 2020, Animalcare worked with sustainability consultants Carbon Footprint Ltd to undertake an assessment of its carbon emissions before instituting the measures necessary to become a carbon neutral organisation. To support a further reduction of carbon in the atmosphere in the UK, the company has teamed up with Carbon Footprint and Tree Appeal, which organises the planting of native broadleaved trees on behalf of environmentally responsible companies, for the tree planting in Pocklington.
Commenting, Kai Crawshaw said: “We were delighted to support this tree planting project to help offset our carbon use. Trees sequester carbon and, in so doing, help to mitigate the impact of human activity. They also help to preserve the natural environment and we hope they will be greatly enjoyed by the school’s children and by many generations to come.
“Last year we made a commitment to plant more than 200 native trees in the local area – and we can’t thank Pocklington CE VC Infant school enough for allowing this to happen on their grounds. The kids were brilliant and so enthusiastic about nature and getting their hands dirty to plant the trees.
“Almost serendipitously, it was Earth Day last week, a day that inspires action towards the protection of the environment and the focus on the need for conservation. We believe we are the first UK pharmaceutical company to achieve carbon neutral status and we will continue to work to improve our performance in this area.”