Q&S Facilitates the 1st Financial Services Wildlife Trusts’ Biodiversity Benchmark

Huge congratulations to our Kingswood Fields team as they take rightful glory for client Fidelity International becoming the first financial organisation to win the notoriously rigorous Wildlife Trusts’ Biodiversity Benchmark - the ISO equivalent standard for biodiversity.

The only award to certify the management of a commercial site for wildlife, the benchmark serves to leverage business as a positive force for nature’s recovery. 

Quite literally, celebrating excellence in the field. 

Or in this case, 28 acres of business campus, green space and ancient woodland.

The award marks the culmination of 18 month’s hard work by the team, their grounded approach to gardening and an unwavering commitment to biodiversity. Implementing organic gardening processes at Kingswood from Day #1, maintaining the gardens to a very high level and leading the award process under the expert ecological guidance of James at JW Biodiversity, with full support from Fidelity.

The Q&S team had to ensure biodiversity – and potential environmental impact – remained at the heart of every land-management decision.  From risk assessments ahead of gardening activities – checking hedges are free of nesting birds before trimming - to developing biodiversity-focused policies and procedures and training employees, clients and tenants on biodiversity and the importance of protecting wildlife, flora and fauna.

Managing Director, Sue Payne explained, 

“This award is notoriously tough to achieve and maintain, but Fidelity’s win reflects Q&S’s commitment to minimising impact on the environment and promoting biodiversity. Our on-site gardening team are rightly proud that their dedication to biodiversity has been recognised. The team at Kingswood Fields work extremely hard to create a fantastic environment for all and it is living testimony that commercial and biodiversity interests can live harmoniously together with mutual benefits.”

Indicative of how rigorous the Wildlife Trust standards are, there are still only 16 organisations (with certified sites in the UK) who have won and retain the Biodiversity

Benchmark Award.

When asked for their feedback on the Kingswood Fields site, a Wildlife Trust spokesperson said “it is so impressive that Q&S’ gardening team are involved in shaping the system in this way. Our assessor was very impressed with the clear commitment of the team to putting in place and implementing a management system which will achieve continual biodiversity enhancement and protection on the site.  This permeates throughout the team and by this differentiates it from many other sites we visit."

In response David Hill, Head of Business Management at Fidelity International commented “I’m delighted that our Kingswood Fields campus has been accredited with the Wildlife Trust’s Biodiversity Benchmark award – and proud that Fidelity is the first financial organisation to have met their rigorous standards.  Whether it’s driving into the site in the morning or going for a lunchtime walk, the fantastic work from the gardening team at Q&S has made everyone’s day here that little bit brighter.  My thanks to everyone who has made the grounds at our Kingswood (all 28 acres of it!) a biodiverse and beautiful place to work.”

Chris O’Connell, Hard Services Lead (CBRE) added: “Quality & Service are Biodiversity champions; with a dedicated and enthusiastic team who are all very knowledgeable horticulturalists.  We have worked with them to achieve the Wildlife Trusts Biodiversity Benchmark Award – which is a remarkable achievement and highlights how Q&S’ organic maintenance regimes have made a dramatic improvement to the landscaping and biodiversity across Kingswood Fields.  The whole team engage with the staff providing woodland walks and loads of other Mental Wellbeing initiatives.  It really is a pleasure partnering with Q&S”