Setting up Beco HQ

It was a warm summer's day. The dogs were bouncing off the walls and three team members were eyeing up the last chair in the kitchen. It was that moment we knew we needed to upsize.

And, with change comes opportunity. We were moving house and it was a chance to update how we do things. Starting with how we manage our impact, warm and cool the building, and change the fuel that powers us (and we’re not just talking about the coffee). 

Renovations can be carbon-intensive, so we included the project in our carbon measurement and took responsibility for the emissions. 

We found our blank canvas, a run-down warehouse in South London that needed a lot of TLC. We signed the dotted line and started the renovation. Nine months later we were ready to move in.  

On top of switching to a renewable energy provider, we installed a solar farm on the roof. So our new home is powered by 100% renewables, some of which is generated on-site.

We moved from gas-powered to all-electric.

By installing an air-source heat pump (stick with us, it's more exciting than it seems) we were able to move away from a gas powered boiler. Our new heat pump warms and cools our HQ using nothing but renewable energy. Equally, our warehouse machinery is all-electric and charged on-site too. 

It's about how we look after our team too.

We made a new canteen for everyone to enjoy and meet up for after-work drinks. More fridge space for everyone's lunches. And, last but not least, a karaoke machine so our head of finance, Wes, can shine like a superstar.

We've also installed showers and bike racks so the team can cycle, run or walk into work. And we help them out with the Cycle to Work Scheme if they want to get a new bike.

Our lovely team works so hard for us, so we have a duty to support in any way we can. 

As we grow, we hope (and plan) to do even better.

But for now, we’ll continue to power our HQ the best way we know how, with good coffee and renewable energy.