You do not typically associate a steel manufacture as being a leader in terms of contributing positively to biodiversity, but that’s exactly what Simon Nurse and his team at Capital Coated Steel set out to do.
Simon’s enthusiasm and innovative approaches to his work, show how you can make space for nature in the unlikeliest places with incredible results.
Reclaiming space for nature
The inspiration for the garden was provided by the space itself, where the Victorian walls presented an opportunity to think about the area differently. Simon was also inspired by the book, ‘Islands of abandonment’ (Cal Flynn), and this led him to think about how places can revert to their previous state. Finally, the desire to do something positive and meaningful that would have internal and external benefits, helped to put a plan into action.
The idea was to create a biodiversity and well-being garden, designed to acknowledge the lengthy industrial heritage of the site and also to restore the area to a bio-productive space by introducing nesting boxes, bee hives, planters filled with pollinator friendly flowers, two ponds and a canopy with a green roof.
Advice came from lots of quarters; including Project Nestbox and the Sirhowy Bee Company, and also from gardeners from within their team, alongside friends and family.
“We have also never stopped listening to ideas and are currently working on an edible gardening journey to share crops with our staff.”
The garden was developed as a multi-faceted tool for sustainability, it:
- Gives nature a place to thrive
- Is part of a wildlife corridor on site
- Offers a real-world example of nature alongside industry
- Is a mechanism for training
- A clear embodiment of our sustainability aspirations
- An inspiration for other businesses
Balancing business and bees
The biggest challenges came from the environment within which the garden is sited and also creating the ‘right’ balance between core business activities and maintenance. Would the bees thrive? Which plants are hardy, low maintenance and good for biodiversity? Could they allocate sufficient resource within weather windows? (they are after all, a steel company and not a botanical garden, so there is only so much time they could devote to the garden itself). However the latter point is almost moot – where there’s a will there’s a way.
Beyond business benefits
The benefits have been significant. Simon reflects on some of the successes so far:
“On the environment – we have returned life to a formerly barren area. The space is now full of flora and fauna, most obviously flowers, shrubs, birds, bees, insects and amphibians.
On the workforce – I can’t think of a better project that’s communicated the values of sustainability and the importance of biodiversity, from materials re-use to eco-systems.
On the organisation – it has been a real success in convincing the outside world that we listen, think, plan and act on sustainability. This has manifested itself in improved relations with key stakeholders and customers. Banks in particular, value organisations who take their responsibilities seriously.”
How to start your own biodiversity journey
Simon and his team are proof, that even the smallest space can have big impact and the momentum and growth of the project shows that just starting where you are can be enough. As Simon say:
“The big takeaway from project is no matter what resources you have – or don’t have – at your disposal, do what you can with what you’ve got. Any area can be used, waste can be upcycled. Imagination and commitment are more important than financial resources.”
Capital Coated Steel is a processor of pre-finished steels and metals, offering slitting, decoiling, profiling and shearing services. A Welsh owned company established in 1972, Capital serves multiple markets including building envelope, domestic appliance, cold rooms and general manufacturing.
They regularly work across many sustainability initiatives and in 2025 achieved the Ecovadis sustainability rating Silver award.
Simon regularly shares progress on the garden on Linkedin and is well worth a follow.
Not sure where to start on your own biodiversity journey? Check out our Nature Wise course to learn about the links between human activity and ecosystem disruption. Our eco-literacy training will help you develop the knowledge to enable you and your organisation to take action for nature recovery.
