As we welcome 2025, we take a moment to reflect on an extraordinary year of progress and achievements in our sustainability journey at INTX. Sustainability has always been a cornerstone of our ethos, and in 2024, we made significant strides in deepening our impact, enhancing our practices, and laying the groundwork for a more sustainable future.

Advancing with Green Tourism

In 2024, we were thrilled to achieve the Green Tourism Silver Award, marking a significant advancement from our previous Bronze status. This recognition reflects the breadth of our sustainability efforts, including reducing single-use plastics in our office, transitioning to environmentally friendly cleaning products, and commencing the measurement of our emissions. These initiatives are part of our overarching goal to operate in a way that respects and protects the planet, and this award underscores our commitment to continual improvement.

A New Partnership with The Mersey Forest

After a fulfilling two-and-a-half-year partnership with Trees for Life, during which we proudly planted 1,967 trees in our corporate grove as part of their rewilding efforts, we transitioned to a new collaboration with The Mersey Forest in 2024.

The Mersey Forest, a local initiative dedicated to enhancing biodiversity and creating greener communities, aligns perfectly with our mission to support local environmental improvements. This partnership allows us to contribute directly to urban greening and woodland management projects in Liverpool and the surrounding areas.

Our team also embraced the opportunity to get hands-on with our new partner. Before Christmas, several of our staff spent a day volunteering, assisting with woodland management tasks and seeing first-hand the incredible impact of The Mersey Forest’s work. This experience deepened our connection to the local environment and left us excited about the potential of this partnership in the years ahead.

Engaging in Global Goals Week

In September, we were proud to participate in Liverpool’s Global Goals Week, a series of events focused on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Kicking off the week, we attended a thought-provoking session hosted by 2030hub titled Global Goals Chat: What’s the Amazon Rainforest Got to Do with Liverpool?

At this event, Sophia Polson, Global Goals Week ambassador and local photographer, shared her powerful experiences living among the Indigenous Kayapo people in the Amazon Rainforest. Her stories highlighted the interconnectedness of our global actions, emphasising that decisions made here in Liverpool can ripple across the globe, impacting critical ecosystems like the Amazon.

Measuring Our Carbon Footprint

One of the most transformative moments of the year was completing our first-ever carbon footprint analysis for the 2023–2024 period. This crucial step provided us with a clear understanding of our environmental impact and set the stage for the development of a comprehensive emissions reduction strategy. As we work towards establishing a pathway to net zero, this analysis serves as a vital foundation for meaningful, long-term change.

Supporting FareShare’s Vital Work

Community support remained at the heart of our sustainability efforts in 2024, and our support for FareShare, the UK’s leading charity fighting hunger and food waste, was a highlight of the year.

• In March, we participated in the Miles for Meals Challenge, raising £645 and logging over 1,800 miles, enough to provide more than 3,000 meals to those in need.
• In November, we joined FareShare’s 30th Anniversary Big Birthday Fitness Challenge, raising an additional £315 and contributing to their critical work during the winter months.

Together, these efforts provided over 4,000 meals, a testament to the power of collective action and the generosity of our team and supporters.

Continuing Ethical Business Practices

This year also marked the third consecutive year of our Good Business Charter accreditation, reaffirming our dedication to ethical business practices, employee well-being, and sustainability. This accolade is a reflection of our ongoing commitment to operating responsibly and transparently while prioritising the welfare of our team and the communities we serve.

Engaging in Everyday Sustainability

Beyond our larger initiatives, we continued to embed sustainability into our daily operations in 2024:

• A significant milestone this year was the appointment of Rei Liddle as our Marketing Manager and Sustainability Lead. Rei’s role has been instrumental in driving forward our sustainability agenda. Responsible for overseeing our environmental initiatives, Rei has worked tirelessly to integrate sustainable practices across all areas of the business.
• We continued our monthly sustainability newsletter, keeping our team informed and engaged in our journey.
• A responsible visitor charter encouraged our clients to make sustainable choices during their travels.
• We transitioned to environmentally friendly products and practices, ensuring our office operations align with our environmental values.

Looking Ahead to 2025

As we reflect on the past year, we are filled with pride and gratitude for the progress we’ve made. From completing our first carbon footprint analysis to deepening our community partnerships, 2024 was a year of meaningful action and impact.

In 2025, we look forward to building on this momentum. Our focus will be on implementing our emissions reduction strategy, advancing towards net zero, and continuing to support local and national initiatives that drive positive change.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to our team, clients, and partners for their unwavering support. Together, we’ve shown that small actions can lead to significant change. As we move forward, we remain committed to building a sustainable future that benefits both people and the planet.