Protecting the environment

Our strategic partnership with the London Wildlife Trust, which began in 2024, follows six years as a corporate member.

Keeping it Wild programme

A key component of this partnership is supporting the pioneering Keeping it Wild  programme, which empowers and inspires young people aged 16-25 from under-represented backgrounds by providing targeted paid traineeships. Since we started working with the London Wildlife Trust, we’ve funded 7 trainees to gain vital skills for careers in the environmental sector and 6 of them have gone on to green careers.

Wild Work Days

Investec employees are offered the opportunity to get outside and support nature recovery in London on one of the Trust’s nature reserves. Since 2018 we’ve provided 760 volunteer hours across key reserves including Hutchinson’s Bank, Walthamstow Wetlands and Gunnersbury triangle.

Chalkland Project

Chalklands provide a habitat for diverse plant communities and support a wide range of wildlife, including wildflowers, insects, mammals, and birds. Many of these species are unable to survive in any other environment. To address these challenges, we’ve funded the protection and improvement of 40 hectares of chalk downland. This involves managing the area to support wildflowers, butterflies, and other invertebrates, improving the habitat condition to benefit a diverse range of species, and collecting wildlife survey data to inform potential future reintroductions of downland species to these sites.

Further initiatives

We’ve also supported two Green Career Fairs, which had over 300 attendees, funded a residential weekend for 12 youth board members, supported 36 butterfly surveys on the Trust’s chalk downland reserves as part of the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme, and delivered 61 local community volunteering opportunities.

In 2023, we embarked on an exciting new partnership with The Conservation Volunteers (TCV), a renowned charity dedicated to enhancing the UK's green spaces and engaging communities in conservation efforts. Our collaboration features corporate volunteering days, where our volunteers engage in impactful conservation work under expert guidance, benefiting both local communities and the environment. These bespoke team-building programmes are designed to bolster team dynamics and staff morale, while also providing a platform for our teams to acquire new skills, forge connections with local communities, and enjoy a refreshing break from the office setting. TCV's tailored conservation activities align with our environmental objectives and are adapted to meet the specific needs of each site.

Since September 2024, 138 of our employees have participated in various activities, from habitat creation to pond maintenance. Impressively, 92.3% of our staff volunteers expressed that they are more likely to recommend volunteering to a colleague after experiencing a TCV volunteering day.

These efforts not only contribute to the preservation and improvement of local ecosystems but also offer a wealth of benefits for our employees, including increased motivation, enhanced skills and self-confidence, improved team building and communication, and the fulfilment of our ESG commitments. Through this partnership, we support the vital work of TCV and demonstrate our dedication to environmental stewardship and community engagement.

Since October 2022, Investec has partnered with The Felix Project, a London-based food redistribution charity, to tackle the UK's significant food wastage. The Felix Project rescues fresh food that would otherwise go unsold, prepares nutritious meals, and redirects them to charities and schools in London that need them most. Supermarkets often overstock, and farms are required to over-produce, leading to substantial amounts of edible food being discarded. By recognising the interconnected nature of these issues, Investec and The Felix Project work together to channel surplus food to those in need, effectively addressing one problem by mitigating another. This collaboration supports vulnerable communities and reduces environmental impact by preventing food from ending up in landfills and promoting the circular economy.

In the past financial year, 206 Investec volunteers dedicated over 1115 hours assisting with meal preparation and the distribution of food orders to various charities and community groups within London. 77% of staff who volunteered with The Felix Project said that they are more likely to take part in more volunteering activities. Our involvement in these initiatives reflects our commitment to social responsibility and dedication to environmental sustainability.