Toyota (GB)’s Surrey headquarters awarded The Wildlife Trusts’ Biodiversity Benchmark

Toyota (GB)’s consistent development of its Surrey headquarters into a haven for plants and wildlife has been rewarded with a fourth Biodiversity Benchmark for land management from The Wildlife Trusts.

The accreditation was awarded because of the high standards of nature enhancement and protection achieved at Toyota’s 14-acre/five-hectare headquarters near Epsom, Surrey. Annual surveys of wildlife and habitats are undertaken by Surrey Wildlife Trust which also provides expert advice to the site’s land management team.

The grounds contain a mix of lawned areas linked by paths and trails, interspersed with ponds, orchards and wooded areas, which staff can enjoy on their breaks. They are maintained by local company, Nurture Landscapes, and by Toyota staff volunteers who have been championing wildlife for years, for example, by making bat boxes and bug hotels, and planting up recycled tyres and raised vegetable beds.

The accreditation certifies the management of a company’s grounds for continual nature enhancement and protection – and complements ISO14001, the international standard for environmental management systems. Toyota GB is one of only 15 UK companies that currently hold this challenging award for land management.

Emma Price Thomas, Head of Corporate Partnerships at The Wildlife Trusts said: “I am delighted that Toyota has maintained Biodiversity Benchmark certification again at its head office site in Surrey.

“Seeing a 180 per cent increase in the abundance of bats shows that wildlife across the grounds is flourishing. This is testament to the hard work of Toyota GB’s HQ and its employees’ commitment to protecting and improving the nature of the site.

“We look forward to Toyota GB’s HQ continuing to care for its land to benefit wildlife and maintaining The Wildlife Trusts’ Biodiversity Benchmark at the site each year and for the long-term future.”

Developing an eco-friendly headquarters helps fulfil Toyota’s commitment to building a better world, underlined by its Environmental Challenge 2050, in which the company aims to achieve carbon neutrality at a global level by 2050, and in Europe by 2040.

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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