About Heron Manufacture Ltd

HML is committed to environmental sustainability and biodiversity conservation. The company has integrated biodiversity-friendly initiatives into its business practices, ensuring long-term environmental stewardship. As part of the BITCNI Business & Biodiversity Charter, HML aims to enhance local ecosystems while engaging employees in meaningful conservation efforts.

The issue

The company identified underutilized green spaces across its Cookstown premises that could be transformed into thriving biodiversity zones. Additionally, there was a great opportunity to engage employees and promote biodiversity awareness through volunteer days and training programs. Key challenges included the following:

• Lack of structured biodiversity volunteering initiatives
• Need for habitat restoration, including tree planting and pollinator-friendly areas
• Presence of Giant Hogweed, an invasive species requiring removal
• Compliance with the BITCNI accreditation framework for biodiversity commitments
• Lack of employee awareness

What Heron Manufacture Ltd did

To address these challenges, HML developed a structured Biodiversity Action Plan and took the following key actions:

• Assessing our impacts – such as land use, habitat management & employee engagement
• Audit – Ulster Wildlife carried out an audit to give us a baseline of what we have and what we can do
• Employee engagement & volunteering – Biodiversity awareness through training and hands-on volunteer experience for staff to start our journey on biodiversity. Setting up a greenhouse.
• Tree planting – native trees were planted in areas A&B on our premises, to enhance wildlife corridors
• Installing bird boxes – Encouraged local bird populations by adding nesting sites in designated areas
• Planted pollinator-friendly wildflowers – Throughout multiple areas of the premises we built planters and planted native wildflowers to support bees, butterflies and insects
• Removal of invasive species – Eliminating Giant Hogweed from the outskirts of the premises

 “AT HERON MANUFACTURE LTD, WE BELIEVE THAT BUSINESSES HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO GIVE BACK TO NATURE. OUR BIODIVERSITY VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES NOT ONLY ENHANCE LOCAL ECOSYSTEMS BUT ALSO FOSTER A SENSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY AMONG EMPLOYEES.”

DAVY HIGGINS, OPERATIONS MANAGER, PROMOULD (HML GROUP)

How BITC helped Heron Manufacture LTD

BITCNI has been instrumental in guiding us through the Business & Biodiversity Charter. By participating in this Charter, we received comprehensive guidance on assessing our biodiversity impact and understanding how our operations affect local ecosystems. Developing targeted action plans and implementing strategies to mitigate negative impacts and enhance biodiversity. Engaging employees and promoting biodiversity-related activities that offer health and wellbeing benefits. Fostering community links and collaborating with environmental organizations and the broader community. Through BITCNI’s support, we have advanced in the Charter’s accreditation levels, achieving external recognition for our biodiversity initiatives. This collaboration has not only enriched our environmental stewardship but also strengthened our community and employee engagement efforts.

Impacts and Outcomes

• Biodiversity Increase: Wildflower meadows and hedgerows provide new habitats for pollinators, insects and birds
• Employee Engagement: 15 employees participated in biodiversity volunteering
• Accreditation Progress: Actions contribute directly to Biodiversity & Business Charter
• Sustainability Commitment: Ongoing monitoring ensures long term biodiversity benefits and continued employee participation