A Newport-based recruitment and workplace management consultancy has underlined its commitment to environmental issues by linking up with the Marine Conservation Society.

Smart Solutions has agreed a ‘gold’ level partnership with the MCS, which will see every member of staff given a day of paid leave to participate in one of the charity’s employee volunteering schemes.

The company has also pledged to work with its clients in the waste and recycling sector, among others, to support marine conservation projects and awareness campaigns, as well as participating in a range of fundraising initiatives over the next 12 months.

Smart Solutions employs more than 230 staff in 50 offices across the UK and mobilises a flexible workforce of around 5,500 workers on behalf of clients in a wide range of industry sectors.

Since it was set up 2007, the company has maintained a strong affiliation with the waste and recycling sector, working with most of the major UK firms and partnering with local authorities across the country to deliver a range of services.

Matt Spaul, head of Smart Solutions’ managed services division, said: “We have been working for more than a decade to support the UK’s efforts to improve waste and recycling services and help local authorities to meet their recycling targets.

“This partnership is a way to re-enforce our commitment as a company to tackling the huge challenges that are facing our seas and coastlines.”

The Marine Conservation Society was established in 1983 with a mission to drive political, cultural and social change in order to promote healthy seas and coasts. The charity delivers a range of initiatives, from sustainable seafood, pollution and wildlife programmes, to wildlife recording surveys and education work. Its campaigns against microplastics and ‘unflushables’ have really captured the attention of the public in recent years and more than 15,000 MCS volunteers participate in charity beach cleans every year.

In May 2017, Smart Solutions was included in the London Stock Exchange Group’s ‘1,000 Companies to Inspire Britain’ listing.