Land Rover

Land Rover

Land Rover is an automotive company that specialises in the manufacture of four-wheel drive vehicles. It has worked in partnership with Earthwatch since 2007, as part of the company's commitment to developing their business responsibly and ensuring sound environmental practices across all of its activities. The partnership aims to support vital scientific fieldwork and provide opportunities for Land Rover employees to learn about environmental issues.

Partnership Elements

Employee Learning and Engagement

Every year, a team of Land Rover employees participate in Earthwatch field projects, providing them with the opportunity to experience environmental issues first hand and bring what they have learnt back into the workplace.  In 2010, the team went to Samburu and the programme was developed to include learning sessions, which linked this experience to Land Rover's sustainability policy and helped the employees develop their skills for communicating this upon their return.

In 2008, the Land Rover employee team visited  the Earthwatch project Icelandic Glaciers

Environmental Research

The first partnership activity was to supply a Land Rover Defender for work at Earthwatch's Samburu Field Research Centre in Kenya. This vehicle is currently helping with a number of projects, including surveying Grevy´s Zebras on community lands and within the Lewa Conservancy, as well as an in-depth study into the water resources conflict between carnivores and livestock.

Land Rover has since supplied an additional four vehicles to help support Earthwatch in the field. These are located in Costa Rica, Brazil, our Research Centre in the UK and a second vehicle at Samburu where they improve the quality and safety of the field research we undertake.

In addition to the vehicles themselves, Land Rover has also provided annual driver training sessions for Earthwatch staff.

Community Investment

Land Rover has supported Earthwatch's Capacity Development Programme, allowing a total of six early career scientists to participate in a bespoke learning programme between 2007 and 2009.