WPR Is Now Carbon Neutral

WPR has marked Earth Month 2022 by becoming a carbon neutral company. The agency has offset the emissions of the entire team, across their personal and professional lives, as one of the first planet pledges made in the 30 Positive Impacts at 30 initiative.

Partnering with Carbon Neutral Britain, WPR is measuring the agency’s carbon footprint and investing in carbon offsetting projects across the world. These projects are certified to the highest standards through the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), Gold Standard Voluntary Emissions Reduction (VER) and Certified Emission Reductions (CER) programmes. WPR is also funding projects in the developing world that provide education, employment, clean water and energy to communities, as well as making a positive impact on the local wildlife and ecology.

WPR managing director Jane Ainsworth said: “We’ve long been aware that businesses should be trying to reduced their negative impact on the planet but this year we felt an increased sense of urgency and decided it was time to be more ambitious about what we could achieve.

“As well as offsetting the business’s carbon footprint, it was important to us to offset the personal footprint of our entire team as well because we know this is something our people care passionately about. Even at our comparatively small size, on the personal offsetting alone, we’ll be planting the equivalent of close to 14,000 trees a year – or over 50 acres of rainforest – which shows what can be accomplished by organisations of all types and sizes when they take positive steps.

“We’re really proud to say we’re carbon neutral but this is just part of our wider commitment to minimise our impact on the planet, which also includes being a plastic-neutral workplace by the end of this year. Ultimately, our goal is to be a carbon-positive company in a matter of years.”

WPR’s 30 Positive Impacts at 30 include pledges focused on five core themes: planet, people, community, society and future. As well as working with local charities and changing recruitment processes as part of a focus on diversity and inclusion, WPR has already ceased purchasing any products containing palm oil and has begun replacing all consumables with plastic-free alternatives.