At Peros, we have made a long-term commitment by becoming a Carbon Zero Certified Organisation.

The first step for us in achieving CarbonZero® status was to carefully calculate our existing carbon footprint, taking into account the energy usage at our two centres at High Wycombe and Brigg, as well as the travelling costs associated with the sales and distribution of our products. Working with a leading carbon management company, co2balance.com, our next step was to invest an amount equivalent to our footprint in carbon-saving projects around the world effectively offsetting our carbon footprint.

To become a CarbonZero Company this we are supporting co2balance's Energy Efficient Oven Project in Kenya,

As a result of our carbon commitment, an energy saving oven has been built in Kingwede Secondary School. The school is located on the coast of Kenya and has 530 students, 20 teachers and 16 workers.

Before the energy saving stoves were built, the school bought bread from Mombasa, which is 45 km away, and had only two improvised stoves that forces them to use open fires to cook school meals with. The new Energy Efficient Oven has reduced the need for firewood by 70%, and means that they can cook their meals and bake bread indoors.

In addition, 16 energy saving stoves have been built for local families in the Msambweni region of Kenya (on the Kenyan coast). As with the School Oven, the stoves will reduce the amount of firewood used and therefore carbon produced.

As well as saving carbon emissions, the projects have benefits to the community as it will reduce the amount of time spent collecting firewood, was built locally (creating employment), and the reduced need for firewood helps prevent deforestation.

"Achieving the CarbonZero® status is only a starting point for us though. We must now work harder at not only offsetting our carbon footprint, but also look at ways of reducing our usage in the long term," says Peter. "This is likely to take a number of forms, such as finalising our switch to renewable energy and giving staff incentives to reduce carbon emissions. We have already started this process by using sensors in our offices that automatically switch off lights in unoccupied rooms and by introducing hybrid vehicles into our fleet," he adds.

• We have successfully offset our carbon footprint, by investing in projects in Kenya and East Africa.
• As well as saving on carbon emissions, these projects all have great spin-off benefits for the local inhabitants.

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