In celebration of Great Big Green Week (8 – 16 June), the UK’s biggest celebration of community action to tackle climate change and protect nature, global asset management firm Invesco provides an update on the progress made with climate mitigation strategies at its EMEA head office in Henley on Thames.
Invesco’s UK HQ in Henley has long been recognised for promoting biodiversity, with a focus on protecting bee populations. Bees are pollinators that play a critical role in our environment and food systems. The site features four beehives, bee and insect hotels, a flower garden and 10 fruit-producing trees. The Henley hives now house over 70,000 bees in each hive and in 2023 produced 356 jars of honey, which were sold with all proceeds going to Invesco’s charity of the year, Dementia UK.
A partnership with Wildfowl and Wetlands trust (WWT), the UK’s leading wetland conservation charity, wasfirst announced in September 2023 and supports leading research alongside the largest wetland regeneration project in the UK – aiming for 100,000 hectares by 2050. Over the last 300 years, 87% of the world’s wetlands have been lost. Staff from the Henley and London offices volunteer regularly at the WWT London Wetlands Centre restoring and maintaining areas of the site to support the huge array of wetland plants and animals.
On 6 June this year, WWT lead a group of staff volunteers in a project to transform a pond area on the Henley site into a mini wetland with the aim of providing an essential water source for birds, animals, amphibians and insects. Providing access to such nature areas is also proven to boost mental health and staff wellbeing.
Both the Invesco Henley and London offices partner with Fruitful Office to provide fruit baskets for employees, and for every basket purchased, a fruit tree is planted in Malawi. So far over 1,300 fruit trees have been planted as a result of this partnership.
This summer will see the launch of the Invesco Sustainability Network which aims to bring together, involve and upskill employees interested in sustainability, highlight Invesco’s impact through corporate practices and investment strategies, and serve as a forum for discussion and engaging events. In support of the local community, Invesco’s Green Team has previously organised an annual litter pick, and last summer they collected nearly 50kg of rubbish along the riverside after the Henley Regatta and Henley Festival.
The Henley site is powered by 100 percent renewable gas and electricity, including self‑supplied electricity generated by site‑based solar panels. The facility also has five EV chargers and a shuttle bus service to support sustainable commuter journeys.
In Q1 of this year, the Invesco Single Use Plastic (SUP) reduction project was launched globally. The analysis has shown that Invesco is 69% of the way to being SUP free, with plans in place for how to reduce this further across the company. Plastic reduction initiatives have been pushed to the forefront of the firm’s corporate social responsibility agenda, alongside the commitment to reducing emissions across corporate properties and corporate functions, with target of reaching Net Zero by 2050 or sooner.
Louise Gow, Global Health and Safety Environmental Manager at Invesco, said: “Biodiversity is fundamental to the healthy ecosystems we rely on, to enable us to breathe the air we breathe, eat the food we eat and drink the water we drink. Our Henley site serves as an inspiration with its environmental initiatives and commitment to conserving biodiversity, and Invesco continues to adopt and enhance sustainable practices throughout our corporate properties globally.”
