Phorest has always had a passion for environmental issues, but in 2019 we made an official statement of intent to take action on the climate emergency by establishing the Phorest CSR Team.
We have four areas where we drive our initiatives: The Salon Industry, The Phorest Workplace, through Volunteering and via Fundraising.
We know that even small changes will have a big impact on our planet, and the actions described below are only the beginning of what we strive to achieve. The Phorest CSR Team will continue to work on environmental initiatives and take action against climate emergency. #LetsGrow… sustainably!
Supporting Sustainability in Salons
Supporting the rising number of salons and spas across the world in their efforts to becoming more sustainable was important for us. Still, we also wanted to make sure our initiatives would help these businesses grow.
With that in mind, we started by introducing 4 Green Fridays to our already well-established 30Days2Grow campaign, helping salons carry out small tasks that had a positive impact on the environment. Next, we presented our clients with an option to use Eco-friendly Treat Cards and Gift Cards, instead of plastic ones. In the second half of the year, we held the first edition of Conscious Hair & Beauty, an event aimed at raising awareness and promoting sustainability in the industry. Finally, on October 24th, 2019, we invited salons around the world to take part in the Phorest Paperless Pledge.
Striving to become Carbon Neutral
Steps we have taken so far…
- We have switched to a renewable energy provider
- Installed solar panels
- Became a founding member of Irish Tech Go Neutral
- Started a tree planting project in Co. Wicklow, Ireland
Cleaning our own backyard
Volunteering activities
Another important aspect of our eco push was to get Phorest staff around the world involved in volunteering activities. A great highlight this year was to have several staff take part in a kayak clean on the river Liffey in Dublin as well as in litter picks in various locations around the UK and Ireland, including Sandymount beach in Dublin, and Preswick in Scotland.
Raising funds for The Ocean Cleanup
Our fundraising initiative (2019)
Lastly, our fundraising initiative in support of The Ocean Cleanup — a non-government engineering environmental organization aiming to clean up 90% of ocean plastic — raised €10,200, which would not have been possible without the incredible support of our wonderful donors. Donations were made through multiple events (quiz night, cake sale, movie night, raffle).
