Behind the scenes of the impactful roles we place, the teams we build, our dedication to tackling climate change and sustainability challenges, is our ever-growing and passionate team. In our ongoing ‘Faces of Acre’ series, we want to shine a spotlight on the people who make up the Acre team and give our employees a platform to share their passions, speak up on important topics and talk about the pro bono work they take part in.
The Acre Foundation is our charitable arm, supporting a range of good causes and is something our employees embrace as a team outside of work hours - making a difference is in the DNA of our Acre employees. In our latest Faces of Acre instalment, we sat down with Lawrence Hallett, Consultant in our Sustainable Business team, to discuss the WWF ‘100 Miles in March’ challenge that he is taking part in. Lawrence shared how his passion for the natural world from an early age has encouraged him to make a difference in all aspects of his life – his career, his lifestyle choices and now taking part in charity events to raise awareness and funds.
Tell us more about the WWF 100 Miles in March challenge you are taking part in and how you are finding it so far?
The challenge involves reaching 100 miles in March and you can take part in any form of movement whether it is running, walking, swimming, cycling or even dance; that equates to achieving the 100-mile target. I thought it would have been too easy if I cycled as I could achieve the target in a shorter period, I wanted to challenge myself, so I decided to run the 100 miles. It has been great for my wellbeing, I have been getting my miles in at lunchtime which allows me to refocus, get some fresh air and get my body moving.
Why did you choose to support WWF?
I have always loved animals and wildlife, especially big cats. Throughout the world, there are only around 7000 cheetahs and just under 4000 tigers left – this has been drastically decreasing for a long period of time. Thanks to charities like WWF that work with local communities in India and Bangladesh, the tiger numbers are slowly increasing. WWF can continue to help local communities conserve the natural resources they depend upon; transform markets and policies toward sustainability; protect and restore species and their habitats, and that’s a huge motivator to go out running every day and raise money. Acre has also had the opportunity to work with WWF UK and WWF International, placing roles that will continue to make a huge impact globally.
Aside from your love of wildlife, where did your interest in Sustainability come from?
I have always felt very connected to nature and the world around me. Throughout school my favourite subject was geography, I loved learning about the natural world, different cultures, gaining an understanding of people and how they interact with each other and the environment, but most importantly what the consequences are. This led me to study Geography with Environmental Studies at university where I learnt the importance of sustainability and how we must do everything in our power to protect the world we live in. Last year I decided to give up red meat and then this year I became a vegetarian, whilst also giving up most dairy products. It is a small step but a step that I needed to take.
Why did you decide to take the step to become a vegetarian full time?
It is something that I have been thinking about for a while and the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. We are conditioned to eat meat, when in fact there are so many healthier alternatives that lower your environmental impact and do not cause harm to animals. Since making the transition I have learnt so much about the food I am consuming which has resulted in me feeling a lot happier in myself, healthier and more educated.
They say you are a product of your environment and the people you surround yourself with. Since working at Acre I have naturally and unknowingly made choices to help make an impact. Whether it's changing my diet or deciding one day to start fundraising for a charity I am passionate about. I feel like if you surround yourself with like-minded people you start to become the best version of yourself. I also have my parents to thank as they also inspired me to make this lifestyle change. They both became vegan two years ago and though they made this change late in their life, it made me think, if they can do it, why can't I?
If you would like to support Lawrence, you can donate via the following link.
To discuss upcoming opportunities, please contact Lawrence via lawrence.hallett@acre.com
