Staff at Nottingham-based Capital One are welcoming a huge number of new recruits into the business, 160.000 to be precise… bees that is.

The roof of credit card company, Capital One’s city centre offices now hosts one of mankind’s more essential friends. As a member of Capital One’s green team, Stephen Goad says the organisation has challenged itself to play an active role in ensuring the survival of the honey bee. He said: “We have 160,000 bees on our roof which at first may sound strange but actually what we’re doing is very important. Bee numbers are in decline and we see this as an opportunity to go above and beyond our environmental and sustainability goals.”

Threatened with extinction, the honey bee is crucial to the pollination of fruit, vegetables and crops that ultimately end up on the dinner table. Numbers in the UK have diminished significantly in the past 25 years with experts claiming the decline is a result of disease, agricultural pesticides and a lack of protein in a bee’s diet. * It is hoped the bees become more than a fascination for staff and play a role in helping a worthwhile cause. Stephen continued: “Our expectation is that the bees will integrate with local plants and shrubbery and, after a period of time, produce honey which we can then sell, with all proceeds going to charity. Our staff have responded well, recognising the value of the scheme and judging by their reaction we might have some budding beekeepers in our ranks!”

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John Beavan, compliance manager at Integritas Landscapes, advised on the installation of the polystyrene hives and praised Capital One for leading the way in the city. He said: “This is a very forward-thinking move by Capital One, the organisation is leading the way in natural sustainability by becoming the first company in the city to play host to bees and we hope more companies in the county will take up this ecological cause. The bees are expected to provide vital pollination in the city centre, aiding plants, birds and the wider ecosystem.”