The Sash Window Workshop has achieved Carbon Neutral Plus status. The company, that was earlier this year audited to have reduced its emissions by 39%, then went on to not only offset all its own emissions but then go on to offset additional carbon from the atmosphere.

The timber window manufacturer now believes it is the first of its kind in the UK to achieve Carbon Neutral Plus status, which means that it is required to offset 125% of its carbon emissions.

With the assistance of Carbon Footprint Ltd, the Berkshire-based company set out to invest in carbon offsetting projects that were Gold Standard CERs, Gold Standard Verified Emission Reductions (VERs) or Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) certified. After assessing the different options, it decided to invest in two offsetting projects, one of which focused on reducing deforestation in the Amazon and a second which helps provide improved cookstoves in Uganda.

The largest remaining rainforest on our planet, the Amazon is known for its biodiversity. The project works to prevent unplanned deforestation in native forests, caused by logging, squatting and attempts to implement pastures, and provides legal land-use permits for villages that actively participate in forest protection.  It is expected to help avoid over 22 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over a 40-year period by managing the land to reduce deforestation, through rigorous monitoring and enforcement.

Wood fuels for cooking is one of the major causes of deforestation in Uganda. Over 95% of the population of Uganda rely on fuels such as wood or charcoal for cooking on fuel intensive traditional cooking stoves, which emit high levels of carbon.  The cookstoves project helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by distributing fuel-efficient stoves which reduce fuel consumption and reduce the cost for poor families while improving health by reducing pollution.

Managing director Richard Dollar said: “We are proud to be leading the timber window and door industry in reducing and offsetting carbon emissions and hope to encourage others in the industry to follow our footsteps and become more environmentally friendly.

“In the future we hope to reduce our carbon emissions further still and, as the technology continues to improve, we will look to make the necessary changes to achieve this.”

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