Portishead based technology and innovation company Viper Innovations are leading the way in reducing their carbon footprint and are calling for more UK SME businesses to ‘do their bit’ to combat global warming through carbon offsetting and carbon footprint reduction. The company is passionate about reaching its goal to become carbon-neutral. To help them achieve this challenge, they have successfully purchased a 31.5-acre plot of land in the village of Stogumber, West Somerset. The land comprises 14 acres of existing woodland, which is a mixture of mature and younger trees.
The primary purpose of this land purchase is for carbon sequestration. It is intended that Viper and its employees will act as custodians for the existing woodland and work with the Woodland Trust and Forestry Commission to plant the majority of the remaining 17 acres (7 hectares) with new, mixed deciduous woodland.
To combat climate change, the UK government has established an action plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. As part of that plan, there is an urgent need for tree planting at a rate of 30,000 hectares of land every year.
This land purchase and woodland creation scheme will help Viper in its drive to offset its own carbon footprint and its move to net-zero emissions, whilst at the same time contribute to the overall target set by the UK government.
Edward Davies (Managing Director) at Viper Innovations commented:
“We are thrilled to be custodians of this beautiful woodland set in Stogumber. As a company, we are dedicated to environmental initiatives and have set ourselves an ambitious goal to become carbon-neutral. This latest large-scale project will certainly fast-track us to achieving this ambition and provide us with the opportunity to make a difference to the local environment. The project will also encourage staff participation. Our customers can be reassured that they are choosing a more sustainable supplier.”
It is also proposed that some of the land will be used for forestry research to compare the efficiency of planting versus natural colonisation. In addition to this, there is the opportunity for an element of meadow rewilding with some of the existing pasture land. Viper and the Forestry Commission will be using this project as a case study to show how a business with the right CSR focus can create a significant and positive impact on the environment.
The Woodland project will offer many benefits to the environment and the wider community – such as encouraging biodiversity, allowing for family and community education in the woodland, and providing an enhanced environment for wildlife. The project will also help with creating a diverse and protected habitat with a strong focus on ecology.
This is not the first occasion where Viper has been proactive in its Corporate Social Responsibility. To date, the organisation has undertaken several initiatives, some of which include the integration of an electric pool car, energy-saving solar window films at their offices, and supporting local environmental organisations such as ‘Turn The Tide Portishead’ to help reduce the amount of litter reaching surrounding coastlines., where Viper’s donation to the organisation was for new solar-powered compactor bins for Portishead Marina. These have the capacity to hold more waste and to trap the rubbish, therefore reducing the need for litter picking and pollution. In addition to these initiatives, some of Viper’s own products are positioned as ‘environmental alternatives’ for the Subsea and Rail Sectors. For example, their award-winning V-LIFE product is an alternative to replacing failing subsea electrical equipment, therefore helping to avoid subsea intervention and the need for installation vessels that can emit the equivalent of 100 tonnes CO2e in just one day.
Overall, the business has ambitious plans to further implement environmental initiatives into their organisation and ultimately reduce its impact on the environment whilst creating a rich habitat for wildlife within their new endeavour in Stogumber.
