Phoenix Group’s sustainability goal is to ‘put back’ what it takes out. It’s working toward this through initiatives such as investing in sustainable assets, creating a new ESG investment policy and helping to facilitate sustainable choices across the workforce.
Sustainable investment:
- The Group has invested in several green projects including:
- A £27 million investment in an offshore windfarm, that now provides clean energy to UK homes.
- Investment of £50 million in Anglian Water’s green projects to help mitigate climate change and improve water conservation.
- Phoenix Group is developing its own ESG policy setting out expectations/requirements from external asset managers, with the view that ESG and social impact investing is not only good for the planet and communities, but that it can also deliver better risk adjusted returns.
Sustainable practice:
- Phoenix Group uses only 100% renewable resources in its owned properties, and some offices now have subsidised electric vehicle charging points.
- Many of the offices direct 100% of their waste from landfill, with the Group’s London office even achieving an award for its waste management and minimisation achievements from the Clean City Awards scheme.
- Other sustainable measures the Group has introduced include individual quarterly printing reports, reducing the use of plastic and employee-led initiatives identifying areas where the company can further reduce, re-use and recycle resources.
Sustainably minded:
- As well as establishing corporate policies and targets, Phoenix Group also encourages employees to get involved with local conservation and environmental projects, including:
- Working with Bromsgrove District and Redditch Borough Councils, where Phoenix Group colleagues have donated 750 volunteering hours in 2018 to improving parklands in the Midlands. They have helped on projects such as creating bark path, building a wildlife hibernaculum, planting floral displays and removing the invasive Himalayan balsam from waterways.
- The Group has partnered with the Heart of England Forest, planting over 6,000 trees since 2013. The Group is proud to have its own ‘Phoenix Way Wood’.
- At one of the Edinburgh sites the roof space is now home to a colony of bees, where colleagues can meet the beekeeper and attend awareness sessions.
