CMC Sustainability Impact Report 2023-24

Last year, we introduced an annual commitment to donate to sustainability projects through Pinwheel which support biodiversity and carbon reduction. We were genuinely thrilled to see the impact of our modest contribution and wanted to share the outcomes, to demonstrate how a little bit of funding in the right places can go a long way. We chose three projects to support:

Protecting turtle hatchlings with SEE Turtles: Sea turtles are a "keystone species" needed for healthy oceans. If a keystone species is removed from a habitat, the natural order can be disrupted. Our funds helped pay for local staff to patrol nesting beaches, build and maintain hatcheries and support equipment for beach patrols in Costa Rica.

Solar lights for rural communities with SolarAid: Millions of people in Africa, have to rely on kerosene lamps and paraffin candles after dark, which emit toxic fumes into their lungs and into the earth’s atmosphere. Through SolarAid we have provided 44 solar lights to rural communities in Zambia. This means 234 more people have been reached with safe, clean solar light, saving them £4,387 on expensive polluting fuels, and 195 people now feel safe and secure in well lit homes. 41 more children are able to study after dark.

Plastic recovery and recycling with Empower: Empower helps to make plastic collection and recycling profitable for some of the most marginalised and impoverished people in the world, creating jobs and stopping plastic from entering our rivers and oceans. Our funds have resulted in 860kg mixed waste being recovered from oceans and rivers in Nigeria and Indonesia, with improved education and support for fair market prices to be paid to shoreline waste collectors.

One of the best things about this project has been learning about the inspiring projects in the UK and around the world that are helping to reduce and tackle the effects of climate change, from the projects Pinwheel has highlighted, to the river testing and biodiversity initiatives taking place in my home town here in Warwickshire.

Huge thanks to our clients and associates who have enabled us to support these projects, and to the Pinwheel Team for making meaningful contributions accessible to small businesses.