Saltaire marketing agency, Xpand, have signed conservation trailblazers Biodiversity UK, to work with them on their digital marketing strategy and communications.
Jag Panesar, director of Xpand, said: “We’re thrilled to be working with the team at Biodiversity UK. They’re a brilliant organisation and we’re excited to help spread the word about the significant social impact businesses can make by partnering with them.”
Biodiversity UK was founded in 2022 by Yorkshire entrepreneur, Bob Procter. The organisation enables businesses to contribute to biodiverse conservation by creating nature-positive projects that show valuable environmental impact. They currently have multiple sites across the north of England, with additional projects in schools and other organisations.
Xpand was founded by Bradford businessman, Jag Panesar, in 2007. It has since gained a reputation as a high quality, results-driven agency known for building strong, long-term relationships with its clients. Its offices are located in the heart of Saltaire, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001.
Bob Procter said he is excited about working with the team at Xpand: “It was clear from our first conversation that their values and priorities align with our own and they immediately understood the importance of the work we do at Biodiversity UK. We’re confident that Xpand’s expertise will help us in our aim to be front and centre in the minds of businesses that want their social responsibility to be more than just a box-ticking exercise.”
Danni Johnson, who is Head of Digital at Xpand, said she is delighted to be managing the account: “It’s the genuine passion driving the team at Biodiversity UK that I find most exciting,” she said. “They make themselves accountable every step of the way, using the latest agricultural technology to provide detailed data that clearly demonstrates the impact their projects are making. I’m keen to help get their message out there. It’s inspiring stuff!”
The UK has lost almost half of its biodiversity since the 1970s and is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. A report published in 2023 by the State of Nature Partnership, which is composed of scientific, wildlife and conservation organisations along with statutory nature bodies such as Natural England, highlights the importance of increasing biodiversity in Great Britain as a matter of urgency.
Biodiversity UK’s aim is to become a “one-stop shop” for businesses who want to support environmental conservation but lack the expertise to build these kinds of impactful projects themselves. The data and reports that Biodiversity UK provides to organisations they partner with include evidence of each project’s social value, enabling businesses to demonstrate the accuracy of their corporate social responsibility claims.
“What our organisation shows is that you can be in business and have a positive impact on the environment,” said Bob Procter. “We want to help as many businesses as possible achieve their aim of making a difference that is meaningful not just for that year, but for generations into the future.”
The UK government is expected to bring in UK Sustainability Reporting Standards (UK SRS) in 2025, meaning that many companies will be compelled to report on and disclose their environmental impact and sustainability efforts as part of their corporate social responsibility.
