Reducing our impact
We are delighted to be a carbon neutral company, the first in our sector to achieve this. In 2021, we committed to the United Nations
(UN) Climate Neutral Now initiative, launched in 2015 to increase climate action. We pledged to measure, reduce, and offset our carbon emissions with carbon credits every year. In addition, we voluntarily offset more than our estimated total emissions since Meadfleet first began in 1995.
We also support our 43,000+ customers in reducing their impact through initiatives such as free carbon reduction resources and the option to join us in donating trees as part of a sustainable planting project.Â
In 2022 we were awarded the Landscape Institute’s Landscape Legacy Award for Sustainable Open Space Management.  The award celebrates Meadfleet’s work in creating a sustainable legacy throughout our business and across our portfolio both in the work we do to provide biodiverse open spaces and via community engagement and educational projects.
Supporting wildlife
Supporting wildlife is at the forefront of our open space management. Not only do biodiverse open spaces support our native species, they also provide environmental benefits. New wildflower, trees and hedgerows are beneficial habitats, plus they help absorb carbon and water, reducing emissions, environmental temperatures, and the risks of flooding.Â
Working closely with nature charity partners including Buglife, our in-house ecologists ensure open spaces are managed to maximise the benefits to wildlife. Initiatives including our Bee Friendly campaign implement new areas of habitat on our open spaces, boosting their biodiversity value.
To both reduce waste and help wildlife, our teams work hard to repurpose materials onsite. They create wildlife shelters with tree and grass cuttings and build nature walkways with coppiced willows.
Inspiring communities
We recognise the importance of engaging with our customers, local communities, and other stakeholders in supporting wildlife and promoting sustainability. Our teams work with local schools and community groups, leading wildlife talks and planting days to inspire the next generation. We supply 1000s of curriculum-based planting packs to primary school children and offer free family-friendly resources to encourage interest in the protection and enhancement of areas for wildlife.Â
We implement new areas of tree and bulb planting and create community orchards and big bug hotels, improving the local environment both for residents and for nature.
We provide regular customer communications, activities and initiatives including giveaways of wildlife friendly seeds, bee hotels and bird nesting boxes.
Caring for trees and woodlands
A key element of open space management is the protection and enhancement of trees and woodlands. We value and promote the health of trees to ensure they provide the maximum benefit to the environment which include:
- The absorption of CO2 and release of oxygen.
- Helping lower risks of flooding and improve water quality.
- Provision of vital habitats and food to wildlife.
Trees in our management are regularly inspected by independent experts to identify issues and protect their lifespan. Meadfleet’s Regional Managers complete Lantra Award Basic Tree Survey and Inspection Training to carry out visual inspections in between independent assessments.
Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS)
With more than 250 SuDS in our management, Meadfleet fully understand the benefits and requirements of implementing a drainage strategy that supports new housing developments. SuDS are important structures mimicking natural drainage, designed to manage flood and pollution risks resulting from urban runoff, they include passive, infiltration, and attenuation features. These complex systems increase water storage capacity, improve water quality, and enhance the amenity and biodiversity value of the open spaces. We work together with developers to create SuDS management plans to help satisfy conditions during the planning process.
Quality and the environment
As a business, Meadfleet are continually looking at how we can improve both the quality of our developments, our service to residents and our environmental credentials. As a demonstration of this, the Meadfleet team have achieved independent certification of the internationally agreed standards, BS EN ISO 9001: 2015 Quality Management and BS EN ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management.
