Join the Global Movement for Earth Day 2024

Since the very first Earth Day in 1970, millions of people from more than 190 countries worldwide have come together every April 22 to stand up for the planet and champion a greener, more equitable future for us all. Now in its 54th year, Earth Day serves as a reminder of our collective responsibility to safeguard the environment and our own future. I believe it’s imperative that we actively pursue a world that aligns with the ecological expectations of my generation—a planet where sustainability is not an option but a necessity and is protected for generations to come.

Planet vs. Plastics

This year’s Earth Day theme is centred around tackling the plastic crisis head-on, demanding a 60% reduction in the production of plastics by 2040 with the goal of building a plastic-free future. At Kent, we are committed to this vision, aiming to reduce and ultimately eliminate single-use plastics across our operations. We have taken steps, and even though we still have a long way to go, we are proud of our achievement. Our HSSE team are in the process of carrying out a single use plastics survey from our operations globally so that we can establish the baseline usage and take a targeted approach to eliminating single use plastics across our operations by 2025. We have identified what single use plastics we use and are actively seeking sustainable procurement options to replace them.

Businesses Vital Role

Businesses play a pivotal role in addressing the anthropogenic effects of climate change to raise awareness and implement change. Actively participating in events such as Earth Day help us reflect on the place that we are and the importance of the decisions we make in the future. Sustainability. by Kent takes on an approach that allows our employees globally to get involved with our sustainability journey at a grassroots level. Some of the initiatives our employees are actively engaging with include:

• Sustainable Travel Policies: As part of our ongoing Sustainability commitments, we have a responsibility to consider the environment when travelling, especially concerning the CO2 equivalence of any journey. At Kent, we encourage our employees to adopt travel methods that reduce environmental impact. For instance, in the UK, we have implemented a travel policy that prioritises virtual meetings to minimise the need for physical travel and when travel is necessary, choosing rail over air travel wherever feasible. We also have incentives to encourage cycling to work and the use of electric vehicles.

• Clean-Up Campaigns: Across Kent offices worldwide, we actively participate in local clean-up efforts to remove litter from parks, beaches, rivers, and neighbourhoods. These campaigns help us raise environmental awareness among our employees and the community. Participation in such initiatives is a crucial part of our commitment to the communities where we operate and the planet, fostering a culture of responsibility and care towards the environment within our workforce.

• More Sustainable Operational Sites: We are piloting various sustainability initiatives at different operational locations with plans to expand them further. Our initiatives include embracing solar energy to power our operations, upgrading to more energy-efficient generators, and shifting to hybrid vehicles wherever possible. These efforts are part of our commitment to achieving a 30% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2027. By testing and refining these initiatives at pilot sites, we aim to develop effective, scalable solutions that can be implemented across all our operations, significantly enhancing our overall sustainability footprint.

• Kent Forest Initiative: A few years back, we started our Kent Forest initiative. As of now, we've planted over 10,000 trees, resulting in a total of 713.4 tonnes of carbon dioxide sequestered (not offset).

Let's Make Every Day Earth Day!

Earth Day is not just a single day of celebration but a constant reminder of our ongoing responsibility to protect and preserve our planet. By acting today, we can create a more sustainable and resilient future for all. If you want to learn more about what we’re doing at Kent to support the planet, visit: kentplc.com/sustainability