In March, SYNETIQ, an IAA company, collaborated with Doncaster Council to plant a total of 60 young trees in a children’s play area in the rural village of Skellow, Doncaster.

Ten green-thumbed colleagues put their spades into action to support fellow Carbon Literacy Catalyst winners Doncaster Council to help plant trees to transform the local community and green space within Skellow as part of SYNETIQ’s corporate volunteer days.

With sustainability at the heart of the business’ ethos, SYNETIQ is focused on long-term sustainable growth, dedicated to managing environmental and social impacts throughout the value chain, and driving sustainability initiatives forward as part of its sustainability roadmap, Our Road to Tomorrow. At their Doncaster headquarters, where a large proportion of the overall business’ vehicle operations are processed, approximately 25% of the annual electricity requirements are met by solar PV systems. The planting was one of a number of initiatives driven by SYNETIQ as it seeks to reduce its carbon emissions and create a climate-conscious culture across its workforce.

Funded by the Woodland Trust, the play area was selected for Doncaster Council’s Woodland Creation project as it was in need of increased biodiversity and tree canopy cover.

Helen Carling, Marketing Director, who took part in the planting day said: “It’s a great initiative and it’s wonderful to be part of a business who really walks the walk when it comes to sustainability and encouraging everyone to take action. It was a fantastic day and really great to be a part of a legacy, something that gives back to the community where they can watch it flourish for years to come.”

Elisa Caton, Sustainability Manager at SYNETIQ said: “We’re passionate about making a positive impact on the communities and local areas where we operate, so we were delighted to join Doncaster Council on the day. The session not only benefited the wellbeing of our colleagues and their teams by getting them outdoors for a couple of hours, but also allowed them to make a significant, positive difference to our natural environment and in our local community.”