KeyMash Tree Planting Scheme Launched

I’ve been wanting to make this post for nearly 3 years and am so excited to finally make it.

When KeyMash was founded in April 2018, I had two main goals in mind:

1. To provide the best possible quality Testing for our clients
2. To make a company that didn’t damage the Earth in the process and was as environmentally friendly as possible

I listed all the smaller things we’ve been doing to help with the second point before, for example, 100% renewable electricity and 100% carbon offset gas. These haven’t changed, but I’ve always had one bigger initiative in mind. One that, until now, I’ve not found a suitable solution for. For 3 years I’ve had this mind and not been able to action until now.

… pause for effect…

Today, I can announce that we’ve gone one step further in ensuring that KeyMash is as environmentally friendly as possible. I’m very happy to announce KeyMash’s tree planting scheme! I had the idea before KeyMash was founded that for every invoice that was paid, a tree would be planted in that client’s name. We would have a “KeyMash Forest” made up of our own and client trees. I had the idea before BrewDog did and made it cool, by the way. I’ve retrospectively gone through all of the invoices that have been paid and a tree has been planted for each of them. Not being fully happy with that, sometimes I’ve gone through a third party agency and where that applied, a tree has been planted for the Recruitment Agency AND the end client. In some cases, services were provided through a Recruitment Agency and then a Development Agency for the end client. So in this instance, we’ve planted 3 per invoice!

We’re obviously going to continue this going forward and for every client payment we receive, we will plant a tree on your behalf. Clients will get a copy of the certificate so that they can include that in their records. So by using us, you’re helping the environment.

We’re not stopping there though. Oh no!

Most of the contracts have been working from home, however, some of them have needed a lengthy commute. All of the business miles travelled by planes, trains and automobiles since the company was formed have now been offset. It was actually pretty difficult to get an accurate figure for carbon generated for a specific train journey. When I added all my train travel up it came to something like two trees. So, not being happy with that, I made a new rule. For every train we take, we plant a tree. For example, if I travel to London from Nottingham and have to change somewhere, that is two trains and therefore two trees. Obviously, I’ll need to get back home, so that’s another two trees/trains to get home. In total, four trees will be planted for that journey.

This is just the start and something I want to continue going forward. I want this not to be a gimmick that we made a flashy Blog post over and then forget about, but something that becomes at the heart of what we do. For example, at company parties, why not plant a tree per drink? Staff birthday? Plant a dozen trees. Townhall meeting? Trees. Friday? Trees.

To date, a total of 219 trees have been planted! You can see KeyMash’s every growing forest here.