Friends Provident International’s commitment to creating an environmental conscious Company has taken another step with the launch of a summer-long series of events geared to raising awareness of the consequences of global warming.
The life and pensions Company is piloting an environmental programme with Global Action Plan, an independent charity that works with businesses, schools and the wider community to help change their impact on the environment for the better.
As an integral part of the programme, GAP recruited a dozen FPI volunteers who have been trained as Environmental Champions to promote the scheme locally in the coming months.
The Champions launched their summer programme at the Company’s Royal Court headquarters in Castletown last Friday by inviting along a healthy number of environmentally conscious Isle of Man charities and small businesses.
They included Manx Organic Network, Greeba Mushrooms, Zero Waste Mann, Energy Doctor and One World Centre.
FPI has also been working closely with the DTI on ways to reduce the business’s impact on the environment and the event was supported by Chief Minister Tony Brown, Phil Gawne MHK, Tim Crookhall MHK, Castletown Commissioner Eddie Convery and Howard Benson, Santon Commissioner.
“We were delighted with the interest that our Launch Day has generated,” said FPI’s General Manager Jonathan Hall.
“It has been our aim to spread the environmental message throughout the local community and it will be up to our Champions to really drive this project forward over the summer focussing on three key areas where we can make a difference; energy, waste and resources.”
Friday’s Launch Day also provided FPI with the opportunity to unveil two fund raising appeals; one to support the World Wildlife Fund both with their campaigning at intergovernmental level and sponsoring a polar bear and the other to support Save the Children, in particular in the efforts to address the consequences of climate change by sponsoring a child in Bangladesh, a country particularly vulnerable to the effects of global warming.
Meanwhile, the FPI Champions are planning a number of events in the next few months to help raise awareness of environmental issues at a local level and, in doing so, prompt and support changing behaviours.
Pictured (l - r): Jonathan Hall General Manager, Phil Gawne MHK, Karen Griffiths and Rachel Charker from Simply Scrumptious, Tim Crookhall MHK and Chief Minister Tony Brown MHK.
