At the Cumberland we acknowledge the need to embrace sustainability and to act in the interests of the planet that we all share.
We know that looking to the future must include a great deal of work on our sustainability and environmental impact, and we are making steps in that direction.
Today 100% of the electricity we use in our business comes from renewable sources and we do not use your money to lend to firms involved in fossil fuel production.
We have installed solar panels on the roof of our headquarters building in Carlisle to help meet our future goals. Additional electrical vehicle charging points have been installed at the same location this year and are proving to be highly popular with colleagues and visitors.
We also introdcued environmental efficiencies at our refurbished English Street branch in Carlisle. Heat recovery ventilation, solar panels (feeding electricity into the main grid) and low-energy lighting have been installed to minimise the branch’s carbon footprint.
Our commitment to the planet goes beyond meeting our carbon goals.
This year we donated £25,000 as part of our partnership with Cumbria Wildlife Trust. The donation is funding conservation work to protect endangered red squirrels, helping to employ a red squirrel ranger, Joshua Adams, who is working to monitor and protect reds in their Lakeland heartland between Grasmere and Grizedale. There are promising signs that his hard work is paying off with a significant uptick in red squirrel sightings.
You can find out more about our partnership with Cumbria Wildlife Trust.
Over 150 of our colleagues chose to make use of their annual volunteering day this year and many of those helped out at the Trust. Activities took place at locations throughout the region and included tidying footpaths, planting seedlings and helping to regenerate the local countryside and nature reserves.
An example of our colleagues doing their bit for the local environment can be found here.