Salix Finance has been handed a new challenge by the government – helping to fuel the country's economic recovery as well as cutting carbon emissions.

The not-for-profit organisation was established in 2004 to supply funding for public sector bodies to invest in energy efficient technology. It has backed more than 18,700 projects by 3,100-plus public sector bodies, which are estimated to reduce carbon emissions by 867,000 tonnes annually.

In September, the staff learnt that Salix would now be in charge of delivering a substantial amount of new funding for projects that will create jobs as well as drive down emissions and save money.

The workforce of about 80 is based in the City of London. In recognition of the additional challenges faced last year, staff were granted additional leave: a week in the summer and an extra day at Easter and Christmas. A bonus was paid at Christmas.

Salix provided a range of mental health workshops during the pandemic. For one, on the subject of resilience, staff watched the film Apollo 13. The actions of the astronauts were examined to help staff understand the value of helping one another.

Wellbeing was also boosted by fun activities such as virtual baking contests and the making of a video featuring clips of staff singing along to Taylor Swift's Shake It Off.

Salix's training and development plan is updated every year. Employees' latest studies included courses with the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership and the Chartered Institute of Marketing.