As the UK's leading provider of experience days, we want to set the bar high on what responsible business in our industry should look like – today and in the future. Being a responsible company starts with safeguarding our environment this is why we have worked hard to become climate neutral and we determinedly strive to continue finding new ways to reduce our emissions.
Following a thorough process of measuring our carbon footprint and the purchase of carbon credits, we’re immensely proud to say that we continue to be a carbon neutral company- and have been officially awarded the status of Carbon Neutral Company! In addition, we also took the decision to calculate and take responsibility for all the emissions created as a result of the experience days taken so we have also achieved the Carbon Neutral Services status.
With our experiences designed to cut down on the amount of ‘stuff’ we consume, you can confidently shop knowing full well that our gifts aren’t contributing to unnecessary waste. Sustainability truly is the best present you can give someone this year! By choosing experiences from Buyagift, you can rest assured that you’re supporting a better, cleaner future.
Our Sustainable Projects
To offset the carbon we produced last year, we’ve invested in a wide variety of forestry and renewable energy projects.
Darkwoods Forest Conservation
Forestry and Landcapes North America
Darkwoods is located deep in British Columbia in Canada. The project seeks to protect and preserve over 135,000 acres of temperate rainforest in a high-impact logging area. The forest is home to a delicate balance of native species of flora and fauna and the project seeks to preserve the natural ecosystems from invasive or damaging activity. This project particularly appealed to us at Buyagift because of its focus on preserving established forest biomes, by far the most effective method of sequestering carbon, and natural to boot. It also shares common objectives with our long-term charity partner Cool Earth who also seek to protect established rainforest, who focus on areas in the developing world such as the Amazon rainforest.
Clean Water and Sanitation | Climate Action | Life on Land
Delhi Electrical Rail Systems
Transportation Asia
This project seeks to reduce emissions by the introduction of sustainable innovations in transport. India has one of the most heavily used public transport systems in the world, transporting billions of passengers annually. The development of low-intensity infrastructure like these electric trains reduces greenhouse gas emissions per passenger-kilometre as well as improves standards of living for the residents of Delhi which has the highest death toll from air pollution in the world. This project appealed to us at Buyagift as we felt it introduced an additional technological element to our offsetting portfolio.
Good health & wellbeing | Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure | Sustainable cities and communities | Climate Action | Partnerships for the goals
Renewable Energy Projects
Renewable Energy Development Global
Global demand for energy is increasing at the same time as emissions from harmful fossil fuels are becoming critical. One of the most powerful tools we have to craft a solution to this issue is the investment and growth of renewable energy infrastructure. These projects include a range of wind and solar developments across the world which seek to provide clean energy from our natural renewable sources permanently replacing the use of greenhouse gas emitting fossil fuels.
Affordable and clean energy | Decent work and economic growth Industry | Innovation and Infrastructure | Climate Action
North Doddington
UK reforestation Northumberland
As well as supporting global forestry and renewable energy projects to offset our carbon emissions, we also wanted to invest in a UK-based reforestation project to improve the biodiversity, here at home. The Doddington North reforestation project focuses on mixed conifer and native broadleaf productive woodland. It’s a 'close to nature' forestry project allowing gradual thinning of the forest, coupled with replanting that results in an all-age forest with significant biodiversity benefits. This project aims to provide sustainable timber sources to the UK market, reducing our dependence on international imports.
UK based sustainable forestry
Cool Earth Rainforest Protection
Rainforest Protection Global
Buyagift has been working with Cool Earth for over a decade to protect the world's rainforests. Cool Earth works with local communities to support them protect their own forests, halt deforestation and develop sustainable sources of income and development. Rainforests are home to almost 70% of the world’s 250,000 plant species. The 59,243 hectares we’ve been helping to protect, safeguards over nine million tonnes of carbon stores.
Global Forestry | Climate Action
Our Footprint
Our carbon footprint is calculated annually following the World Resources Institute and World Business Council for Sustainable Development Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, the internationally-recognised standard for corporate emissions reporting.
Our footprint is based on all not just the gas and electricity used to heat our offices and warehouse (scopes 1 & 2) but also includes all emissions resulting from our business including elements like packaging, business travel, transportation, office equipment, working from home and waste created as a result of our operations and employees (scope 3 emissions).
In addition, we took the decision to include the emissions generated as a result of the experiences our customers take with our third party providers, so that our customers could relax and enjoy their experiences knowing that we had taken care of any carbon impact created. For the year 2021, which was heavily impacted by COVID related closures our total carbon footprint was 3,921 tonnes of CO2 emitted.