Wildanet and Nokia staff team up to give hands-on support to Cornwall environmental project

The event at Cabilla Cornwall saw staff from both companies immerse themselves in the unique setting of Cabilla’s wellbeing retreat on Bodmin Moor and take part in activities in support of its efforts to preserve and enhance the rare ancient woodlands and temperate rainforest which the estate plays home to.

Wildanet and Nokia will be working closely together in Cornwall after Wildanet announced in July a groundbreaking new partnership agreement with the global telecoms giant which will accelerate the roll-out of Wildanet’s new gigabit-enabled Full Fibre network for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

With sustainability being a key focus for both companies, Cabilla was the perfect location for senior execs and staff from across both organisations to get to know each other while rolling their sleeves up for some hands-on environmental volunteering.

One area of activity was inspecting and maintaining some of the 1,000 plus trees – the ‘Wildanet Woodland’ - planted in February 2023 during a three-day event which brought together Wildanet colleagues, stakeholders and corporate partners, including Members of Parliament, Cabinet members of Cornwall Council, local further education leaders, the Wildanet ESG Committee, business partners and other organisations who share Wildanet’s passion for nature recovery at the site.

Wildanet has taken a leading role in advocating sustainability and ethical business practice both regionally and on the national stage and earlier this year became the first UK-based AltNet (Alternative Network Provider) to become a certified B Corporation.

Justin Clark, Wildanet’s Chief Strategy & Technology Officer, said: “Wildanet are absolutely delighted to go into partnership with Nokia. We feel as organisations we have shared values and a vision of what good could look like for building a fibre optic network in Cornwall

“So, it was great to be together at Cabilla Cornwall supporting the initiative around Cabilla’s Thousand Year Trust to nurture the existing rainforest here and actively restore 200 acres of new woodland.”

Nokia is also a company with strong values and was this year named one of the top 500 sustainable companies in the world by Statista and TIME in recognition of its commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG).

Paul Alexander, Head of Cloud Infrastructure Business, Europe, at Nokia, said: “Our partnership with Wildanet is built on a shared vision to bridge the digital divide and bring cutting-edge connectivity to underserved regions. Nokia's proven technology and expertise in Full Fibre networks will enable faster, more reliable internet services in Cornwall, empowering businesses and communities. Together, we're committed to driving innovation and enhancing customer experiences while upholding the highest standards of sustainability and performance.”

Julie-anne Sunderland, Wildanet’s Chief People Officer, said: “It's hugely heartwarming to see our new friends from Nokia joining us.

“Nokia has huge credential on the international stage around being an ethical company, who are great to work for, but also looking after their environment.

“If we can bring that to life just in a little way here at Cabilla, it means that we have a real partnership growing. This isn't something that takes place through a computer or through a contract. It's from people to people, person to person and tree to tree. That's how we build together.”

Under the partnership agreement announced in July, Wildanet will commission Nokia to project manage the delivery of the next phase of its Full Fibre network, from initial planning and design, right through to build, commissioning, testing and hand-over.

The move will streamline the whole process, with Nokia’s technology and project management experience providing a turnkey solution for Wildanet.

As a global technology leader, Nokia has a proven, tried and tested methodology in delivering Full Fibre networks and has many years’ experience of rolling out Full Fibre networks for AltNets across mainland Europe.

As part of the arrangement, international network infrastructure specialists Xantaro will source, build and install all necessary communications cabinets, further increasing the speed and efficiency of the build. Xantaro will also be providing professional services to Wildanet, to ensure a professional configured network with minimal disruption.

About Cabilla Cornwall

Cabilla Cornwall is a wellness retreat location in the heart of an ancient temperate rainforest on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall that provides holistic and restorative retreats to business leaders, wellness practitioners, veterans and healthcare workers.  To learn more please go to www.cabillacornwall.com.

The Thousand Year Trust is the only charity in the UK dedicated to the restoration, protection and expansion of our Atlantic temperate rainforests.  These vital habitats are a pinnacle habitat for fighting climate change, restoring biodiversity abundance and benefitting the health and wellbeing of the humans who wander beneath their canopy.  The charity’s mission is to catalyse the movement to triple the amount of temperate rainforest growing across the UK over the next thirty years from 330,000 acres back up to a million acres.  To learn more please go to www.thousandyeartrust.org.