Announced today to coincide with World Bee Day, the programme will see CMS establish “bee clubs” where staff will have the opportunity to look after the bees and learn the basics of beekeeping, overseen by professional beekeepers.

Beehives will initially be housed across the firm’s Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow, London, Bristol and Sheffield offices, with plans to extend the programme to Manchester and Liverpool and finally its international offices next year.

Alongside housing the hives, the firm will provide enough pesticide-free, nectar rich flowers and trees in the vicinity so the bees won’t need to travel significant lengths to find their food or compete with nearby hives.

Barbara Mendler, managing director for operations and strategic projects at CMS, said: “Biodiversity ensures we have functioning ecosystems that are essential for all life on earth. Bees play a vital role in maintaining and promoting biodiversity, pollinating the food we need to survive and many of the trees and flowers that provide habitats for wildlife.

“However, their numbers are declining. By bringing bees to CMS, we are doing our part to sustain our vital ecosystems and enhance biodiversity in the communities we operate in.

“We want our staff and clients to be fully involved in this wonderful initiative and will be offering them the opportunity to learn about beekeeping and the importance of bees and other pollinators, and the ways we can support these insects at home. We are incredibly passionate about our Bee programme, which is just one of the many projects that we are undertaking as part of our sustainability drive.”