A leading veterinary group is urging teams at its practices to ‘switch off’ as part of a determined sustainability drive.

Linnaeus, which has which has 44 primary care and 16 referral practices across the UK, has launched Paws to Turn Off, a campaign urging its practices to turn off unnecessary lights and air conditioning in a move which has the potential to slash its annual electricity consumption by 14 per cent.

As part of the campaign, Linnaeus has sent around 2,000 stickers to its practices which can be placed by switches to encourage the behavioural changes.

The stickers are all made from mineral and plant-based ingredients, PVC-free and made with a glue-free, water-based adhesive, along with being vegan-certified with the ‘V label’ quality seal.

Ellie West, an RCVS and EBVS specialist in veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia at Davies, is the environmental sustainability lead at Linnaeus and leading the Paws to Turn Off campaign.

She said: “From our energy audits in 2019, we know that across our practices, up to 60 per cent of electricity being used powers lighting and air conditioning.

“While we look forward to working with practices on exciting energy projects as part of our sustainability measures, we know this simple behavioural nudge can reduce electricity consumption by 14 per cent.

“Behavioural nudges are more successful if they are in people’s awareness; for example, in one study, when voters were asked whether they intended to vote, the probability of them voting increased by up to 25 per cent, which is why we have developed these sustainably-sourced stickers for our teams.”

The campaign is the latest in a determined drive towards placing sustainability at the heart of Linnaeus’s future plans.

Last year, the group was the first veterinary company to partner with the Investors in the Environment (iiE) accreditation scheme, with up to 50 per cent of its practices initially taking part in the programme, which was created to help businesses assess and reduce their environmental impacts.

Ellie said: “With environmental sustainability in veterinary practice, our future is in our hands. We can all do our bit by supporting good governance, educating our colleagues and clients and thinking about how we can change the way we practice, such as implementing lower-carbon anaesthesia.

“Linnaeus has a strong focus on quality of care and this extends to being a sustainable business and fulfilling our commitments to our clients, Associates and communities.

“I am so excited to be part of this ambitious sustainability agenda, which will work to deliver a better future for everyone.”

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