SES Water achieves second biodiversity award

SES Water has gained the Wildlife Trusts’ biodiversity benchmark for a second site in its region as it works to add a third award by 2025.

Fetcham Springs, a water supply site in Surrey, was awarded the mark for the work SES has undertaken to enhance and protect biodiversity.

The benchmark is a certification process to help organisations manage land biodiversity and assess their environmental impact.

The company was the first – and remains the only – organisation in the water sector to attain the accreditation for its Elmer Water treatment works in January 2021.

Fetcham Springs supports five significant habitats over 13 acres that are maintained as part of the accreditation. These include: semi-improved grassland, standing water and vegetation, running water, semi-natural woodland and dense scrub, as well as scattered trees – all of which support invertebrates, birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.

The company will continue with biodiversity work across its sites and it aims to gain the Benchmark for the Bough Beech treatment works in Kent before the end of AMP7.

SES wholesale director, Tom Kelly, said: “This is another fantastic achievement and one which has only been made possible through the hard work and dedication of our biodiversity leads and operational teams.

“Being recognised with this award for our second site underscores just how important improving and protecting biodiversity is to us as a business and puts us firmly on track to meet one of our key environmental aims – to have three sites accredited with the Biodiversity Benchmark by 2025 – while also laying firm foundations for our longer-term strategy.”

The company set its sights on gaining the benchmark during AMP7 after making biodiversity protection and enhancement a key focus in its 2020-25 business plans.

The Wildlife Trusts assessor Colin Menendez, said the water supply sit was especially attractive for habitat as it is located amongst housing areas.