One of the ways we can help solve the climate crisis is through innovation and, thankfully, there are tens of thousands of businesses focusing on exactly that. Here are Play It Green’s top three good news stories from this week focusing on sustainable business and innovation.
Our first good news story comes from the UK, where SimplyHealth, a provider of health and dental insurance in the UK, made history by becoming the first health insurer to be certified as a B Corp.
The company received 91.9 out of a possible 100 points on the B Impact Assessment; organisations must receive at least 80 to be certified. The evaluation gauges a company’s beneficial effects on its personnel, suppliers, clientele, and environment.
SimplyHealth has established a 2030 net-zero goal and is already certified as carbon neutral. Additionally, it has been attempting to reduce waste, promote recycling, decarbonise staff travel, enhance energy and water efficiency, and obtain sustainable energy.
While the company is “very proud to have obtained a high score in their B Impact Assessment,” Simplyhealth’s Chief Executive Dr. Sneh Khemka remarked that it will “continue to challenge itself to do more.”
That’s quite an achievement.
Our second exciting sustainability news comes from Little Freddie baby food manufacturer, who this week introduced the first pouch in its industry that UK residents can put straight in their plastic recycling.
The pouch is made of single material polypropylene, meaning it can go in the recycling whereas flexibles (the packaging on most baby food) are frequently made of multiple materials and are difficult to recycle. The pouches have an on-pack label notifying customers that they are completely recyclable, even with the cap on.
In the coming 12 months, the baby food manufacturer expects to sell 350,000 servings of baby food and it is now available for purchase at Sainsbury’s and Ocado. A lot of plastic is being saved from landfill – well done Little Freddie.
Our final sustainability innovation news story of the week looks at GreenFleet’s Great British EV Ralley which was held from 4th to 8th July.
The Great British EV Rally (GBEVR) is, to put it simply, a “demonstration” of UK EV infrastructure in conjunction with green and cutting-edge car technology.
Over 50 drivers competed in the rally, covering more than 1,200 miles from John O’Groats to Land’s End, to demonstrate the potential of electric vehicles (EVs) and the strength of the UK’s charging infrastructure. The event was sponsored by companies such as Ovo Energy, Mitie, DPD, and BP Pulse.
Whilst every driver completed the event, some did find that they had to wait longer than anticipated for an EV charging station to become available.
Still – it’s no mean feat to send 50 drivers more than 1200 miles and not one drop of fossil fuel was burned in the process of driving the cars. It gives you hope for the future.
All of the businesses in this article are going above and beyond for the environment, but it will take every business doing their part to solve the climate crisis. That’s why at Play It Green we partner with businesses to help them reduce their footprint, repair the planet, and regive to causes that mean the most to them.
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