A total of 184 panels have been fitted by Low Carbon Energy, a company with more than 30 years of experience in renewable energy solutions, and they are expected to generate more power than our building’s annual usage. The panels will add to an already busy rooftop - we have hosted hives since the opening of our custom-built office and warehouse in January 2013. The roof is currently home to two bee colonies, which have had a few years of very successful honey harvests.
We first achieved Carbon Neutral status with the Carbon Footprint association in 2013, before building on that commitment by becoming Carbon Neutral Plus in 2021, the first UK wine importer to do so, then achieving Carbon Neutral Plus re-certification in 2022. This involved making logistical improvements like transferring European shipments from road to rail, alongside investing in international projects with a positive environmental impact such as reducing deforestation in the Amazonian rain forest, and installing and maintaining wind turbines in Maharashtra, India.
Managing director Tom Platt says: “Our sustainability strategy comprises real action with a measurable impact. The solar panel installation is the next step in our ongoing commitment to meaningfully change the way we do business, not to tick boxes. Our London office and warehouse is already powered 100% from renewable sources, and the panels will give us a further significant annual carbon saving.”
Our Environmental Committee continues to drive ambitious sustainability targets and to educate staff on energy-efficient behaviours. All of our office and warehouse waste is recycled or used to generate electricity, and a fully electric van is now in daily use for London deliveries. Liberty Wines is also recognised as a sustainable supplier by the Sustainable Restaurant Association, with whom we have been affiliated since 2015.