Green Light for Landmark

Annual Green Week initiative drives employee engagement in corporate responsibility and how to reduce environmental impact

We have underlined our green credentials through our recent participation in DMGT’s Green Week. The annual initiative is a cornerstone of DMGT’s Corporate Responsibility programme, raising awareness of sustainability and climate change issues and educating employees on how they can become more environmentally responsible.

Taking place across five days, the team at Landmark structured our participation so that each day reflected a specific theme, ensuring initiatives were as engaging and inclusive as possible. From Meat-Free Monday and Travel-Light Tuesday, through to Waste-not Wednesday, Switch-off Thursday and Fossil-Fun Friday, employees were encouraged to participate across a number of different activities, raising money and supporting local charities in the process.

As well as energy-saving initiatives such as turning out office lights for periods of time, a reduction in travel to meetings and the new solar panel roof in Exeter, which between May and July alone generated 15,000 kwh of energy used directly by Landmark’s data center, we also got involved with activities such as the Great Green Bakeoff to encourage less food waste, talks by local farmers to encourage sourcing local produce, and the Grow a Mr Grasshead competition. This saw over 100 grass heads nurtured by our employees, growing an estimated 5 meters of grass.  

We also set-up donation points whereby 13 pairs of unwanted spectacles were donated to World Vision; clothes, books and household items were recycled amongst staff and remaining items were donated to British Red Cross and Oxfam; five bikes promised to the charity The Bike Bank, which recycles old bikes by donating them to those who are unable to afford one, but who would benefit either physically or financially (e.g. by being able to cycle to work) by owning one.

As well as helping employees understand how they can be “more green”, the week also raised nearly £200, which will be donated to Woodlands Friends and Compassion in World Farm.  The Green Tea Party in Brighton raised £40 which was donated to eForests and eight trees will be planted in East Sussex.

The positive impact of Green Week continues to resonate beyond the week itself, with well over half of our employees (59%) reporting that Green Week has reminded then how to be more green in future, and a further quarter (24%) saying that it has made them both more aware of their personal impact on the environment, as well as the impact of Landmark Information Group as a whole.   

Claire Chapman, General Counsel and Company Secretary at DMGT plc commented: “DMGT has successfully cut their carbon footprint by 20% over the last six years and Landmark has played an important part in this.  Initiatives such as moving from paper to e‑billing within Finance, from paper to electronic reports within production, a car share scheme, travel plan and cycle to work policy, and using video conferencing facilities have all worked towards reducing CO₂ emissions and environmental impact.  Initiatives such as DMGT Green Week are a fantastic way to raise internal awareness and help to secure involvement from employees across our entire network.”

Mark Milner, CEO of Landmark, added: “Landmark’s commitment to environmental awareness and reducing our carbon footprint continues to grow. We have been recognised in achieving and maintaining the ISO14001 accreditation and our continued pledge to reduce waste, reduce consumption and re-use or recycle is ongoing.  It is thanks to initiatives like DMGT Green Week that show it is often the simplest measures that can help to make a demonstrable difference, and we all have a responsible role to play”