22 April 2024
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The UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world, with more than one in seven native species facing extinction
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Funding Circle partners with GreenTheUK across 2024 and 2025 to support nature and wildlife projects across the UK
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As part of its Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) efforts, Funding Circle continues to champion environmental initiatives, making a positive impact across the UK
London, Monday April 22, 2024: The UK’s leading lending platform for small businesses, Funding Circle and GreenTheUK announce a new partnership with the mission to support nature and wildlife projects in 2024 - 2025, across the UK.
Globally, nature has been under threat and wildlife populations have plunged by an average of 69%* between 1970 - 2018 and according to leading UN experts, changes in land and sea use, exploitation of natural resources, global heating, pollution and the spread of invasive species are the five main drivers of this loss of life. This means extinction risk is growing, with almost half of coral reefs, 30% of mammals and more than a fifth of birds at risk of extinction. As for the UK, it is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world*, with more than one in seven native species facing extinction and more than 40% in decline.
By joining forces with GreenTheUK, Funding Circle is able to support wildlife projects across the UK where they can have the most impact. During the partnership, volunteers from Funding Circle - known internally as Circlers - will have the opportunity to engage and create positive change for nature and local communities by taking part in a number of volunteering projects.
Funding Circle x GreenTheUK projects:
Protecting and restoring temperate rainforests in Cornwall and Devon
Temperate Rainforests are one of the UK's rarest biomes, yet one of the most biodiverse, which requires a unique mix of high rainfall, cool summers, and warm winters like those found on the West Coast of Britain. It is home to species found nowhere else in the world but due to a myriad of pressures including tree disease and invasive species these and their precious habitat are under threat. This project is delivered in partnership with Plantlife, the global charity working to secure a world rich in wild plants and fungi.
Restoring native oysters in the Solent waters
The reintroduction of native oysters and creation of reefs will have positive knock-on effects improving local fisheries, and eventually lead to the return of native oyster fishing in the area providing a boost to the economy. Multiple different authorities and local organisations are involved in ensuring the success and safety of the project. This project is delivered in partnership with Blue Marine Foundation, a charity dedicated to restoring the ocean to health by addressing overfishing.
Supporting crab and lobster survey studies on the Sussex Coastline
As kelp forests on the South Coast begin to recover, iit is expected that a revival of local crab and lobster stocks will be possible. Survey sites will monitor changes in crab and lobster populations. This work will support research and contribute towards socio-economic benefits for local fisheries. This project is also delivered in partnership with Blue Marine Foundation.
In 2021, GreenTheUK launched to encourage UK businesses to collectively aim to be greener, with the ambition to benefit local communities, biodiversity, and the UK environment. To date, GreenTheUK has partnered with hundreds of businesses and many expert UK wildlife charities to support a wide range of habitats and species. By supporting these wildlife initiatives, ranging from climate resilient tree planting, herb, vegetable and wildflower gardens in schools and kelp recovery, GreenTheUK delivers measurable local and environmental impact.
As part of its wider ESG framework, Funding Circle seeks to support powerful environmental initiatives that also help deliver meaningful impact for the business, its customers, and communities. In 2023-2024 Funding Circle expanded their partnership with Earthwatch Europe, co-funding six Tiny Forest projects across the UK.
Xanthe Caldecott, Co-Founder and MD at GreenTheUK said, “we are thrilled to partner with Funding Circle on this initiative - they are leading the way, as well as giving back to their team, local communities, and local wildlife. The charities they are supporting - Blue Marine Foundation and Plantlife - are addressing challenging problems across key UK habitats and turning the tide on the destruction of biodiversity.”
Reem Akl, ESG Manager at Funding Circle said, “Our partnership with GreenTheUK enables us to back meaningful projects delivering tangible outcomes for nature in the UK, as well as for the local communities that depend on it. As a business, Funding Circle is on a journey to understand and address its own climate impacts, and given the urgency of the climate and biodiversity crises we’re pleased to champion projects achieving real benefits in a way that connects people and nature.”
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ABOUT FUNDING CIRCLE
Funding Circle is a lending platform for small business borrowers. Established in the UK in 2010, and now the leading lending platform to SMEs, Funding Circle has provided £16.9bn in loans to c.150,000 businesses globally.
For small business borrowers, Funding Circle provides a leading-edge customer experience, delivered through its technology, machine learning, and data science, coupled with a human touch. Its solutions continue to help customers access the funding they need to succeed. For lending investors, Funding Circle provides access to an alternative asset class in an underserved market, and delivers robust and attractive returns.
ABOUT GREENTHEUK
GreenTheUK helps businesses support local UK wildlife projects run by charities and experts in their field. Businesses choose to support a wildlife project ranging from planting trees to wildflower meadows or restoring native oyster reefs and temperate rainforests in the UK. The wildlife projects directly benefit local biodiversity, communities and the environment resulting in a measurable impact. These positive results are impressive case studies for businesses.
For more information go to https://greentheuk.com/
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