Global professional services provider, JTC, has met its commitment of becoming Carbon Neutral by the end of 2021 through a partnership with Carbon Footprint Limited, an independent accreditation firm.
Carbon Footprint is a founding member of the Quality Assurance Standard for carbon offsetting. It is the chosen provider of the UK government for offsetting their travel emissions, and they work with many leading blue-chip firms.
Through the partnership, JTC will be able to make a demonstrable difference through a series of carbon offsetting projects, offering financial support to schemes around the world that help provide solutions to climate change. Working with Carbon Footprint, JTC has chosen to help fund specific, verified projects that offset their own carbon emissions:
- A UK tree planting scheme which at the same time supports emission reductions in the Brazilian rainforest by helping preserve parts of the forest and supporting local communities there.
- The installation and operation of a solar power project in two villages in India, which feeds into the power generated to the state grid in India.
- Native tree planting in the Great Rift Valley in Kenya in a scheme which also helps people living in the location to make their livelihoods from the project, which is linked also to further support for emission reductions in the Brazilian rainforest.
In addition, a proportion of JTC’s contribution will be earmarked to a multi-million-pound prize fund designed to motivate and accelerate the development of sustainable aviation. The Freedom Flight prize will be awarded for the first zero carbon plane capable of carrying 100+ passengers across the Atlantic.
Projects supporting the preservation of the Brazilian rainforest were particularly pertinent as the firm recently provided a £5,000 donation to Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in Jersey, in lieu of printed and posted Christmas cards. Durrell intends to direct these funds to the planting of 1,000 trees in the Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil, one of the richest and most diverse ecosystems on the planet.
Meeting this Carbon Neutral target also aligns well with the Jersey government’s recently announced draft Carbon Neutral roadmap, designed to help the Island reduce its carbon emissions and a pathway to net zero.
Nigel Le Quesne, CEO of JTC, said: “Through our partnership with Carbon Footprint, we have kept an important pledge which we outlined in our annual report which was to become Carbon Neutral by the end of 2021.
“We must all work in a more sustainable way and this move is an important step that demonstrates to our people, clients, investors and our partners that we take our responsibilities seriously in making a positive contribution to our planet. At the same time, it aligns perfectly with our shared ownership ethos, another long- term commitment that lies at the heart of our culture.
“Of course, we appreciate that this is the start of a longer journey and we will immediately begin examining next steps in the process including setting a target for achieving Net Zero and how we achieve that goal.”
