One of the world's most important international conferences, the Conference of the Parties, is being hosted by the UK from 31 October until 12 November. Known as COP26, the event will see representatives from across the globe come together to negotiate the best ways of tackling climate change.

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges of our time and it demands global collaboration. COP provides an organised environment for parties to gather and discuss how best to tackle climate change together. It unites rich and poor countries, high emitters and low emitters.

Pledges made at summits like COP affect us all. In the UK, it has been made law that the country becomes carbon neutral by 2050 and only radical change will get us there. Government and big businesses are a key part of this journey, but we all have a role to play.

The Sunflower has introduced a carbon capture scheme for our business members. In partnership with the Woodland Trust, and alongside our merchandise partner, Tabbers Green, the weight of each Sunflower item sold is calculated and for every tonne of products sold, a tree is donated to regenerate woodland in the UK.

The Woodland Trust's aim is to protect and develop natural woodland throughout the UK, thereby protecting our natural heritage. In the UK, we have just 13% woodland cover, that's compared to the European average of 37%. The Woodland Trust owns and manages over 1000 free-to-visit woodland sites across the country.

So far in 2021, the Sunflower has captured enough CO2 emissions to create 392.7 m2 of new native woodland in the UK with the planting of 79 trees.

Why should you get involved?

  • The pressure on organisations to demonstrate good emission management and sustainability initiatives is growing, highlighted by the UK hosting COP26
  • Businesses are increasingly expected to report their green credentials, from annual reports, to sales tenders and external communications
  • Quoted companies on the London Stock Exchange are required to report their annual greenhouse emissions
  • Government agencies, local authorities, the education sector, large and small businesses are already committed to carbon reduction initiatives and are benefitting from demonstrating their environmental values to stakeholders.

How can my organisation get involved?

In October 2021, the Sunflower launched its new membership model, a place to be. By joining as a professional or corporate member, we will automatically begin to capture the CO2 emissions for each, and every, product you purchase and, on your behalf, donate this captured weight in the form of a tree to the Woodland Trust. Upon becoming a professional or corporate member, you will receive a brochure describing how the scheme works, an annual certificate showing the weight of CO2 captured and you will even be invited to one of our annual tree planting days to plant your own trees!

For more information on joining the Sunflower membership, visit our site here: Join the Sunflower (hiddendisabilitiesstore.com)