Environment Policy
We have created and implemented an environmental policy appropriate to our business, we are aware of our environmental impact as a business and have taken appropriate steps to mitigate that impact, including setting environmental objectives and targets, implementing procedures and providing training so employees and contractors understand their environmental responsibilities and can seek to improve our environmental performance. This is structured around the core principles of reduce, re-use and re-cycle. The policy is constantly reviewed to ensure we are maximising all opportunities to reduce our impact on the environment.
We are proud to work in partnership with My Climate to offer clients the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions from their events and make them carbon neutral.
Reduce
- Our suppliers requested to deliver our produce in minimal packaging
- Select suppliers who source their produce from within the UK and as far as possible from within the south of the UK to reduce food miles
- All menus are seasonal to reduce food miles and champion British produce
- Staff lunch made from left over food (saved and prepared within health and safety guidelines)
- All vehicles in the fleet have been replaced in 2021 to meet the clean emissions regulations and 2 are electric vehicles
- Staff use public transport for meetings and events
- Staff use filter water bottles and drink tap water rather than having a water cooler installed
- Turn off lights, computers and heating when leaving the office
- Print on both sides of the paper and re-use scrap for notes
- Paper quotes are no longer sent unless specifically requested
- We no longer produce printed marketing brochures
- Remove names from mailing lists to stop receiving unwanted brochures
- Washable cloths to replace blue paper roll where possible
- Re-sealable containers to be used rather than cling wrap where possible
- We have introduced of bio-degradable straws and no longer use the ones that cannot be re-cycled
- We have committed to offsetting our fuel emissions via the MyClimate offsetting system.These credits are then invested in projects such as woodland creation or overseas projects – and this enables us to compensate for our emissions and meet our carbon reduction goals.
- We are working with a partner supplier to offer clients the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions from their events. This will be offered as standard for clients to opt out from 2023.
Re-use
- Old design items that are no longer being used for events are donated to charity
- China plates and cutlery are now provided and washed rather than disposables being used
- Old paper scraps to be used for notepads
- All flowers from our events are delivered to Floral Angels who make them into bouquets and arrangements for local hospices, retirement homes etc.
Re-cycle
- Re-cycled products are selected where possible
- All paper, cardboard, plastics, aluminium, tin and glass is recycled
- Water bottles used at events are all recyclable and we separate paper and plastic on site for re-cycling.
- All plastic containers were sent to a local 3D printer for use in their work but they stopped operating post covid so we are looking for an alternative
- All food waste is removed and reused in other processed meaning that we have zero waste to landfill.
- Food that can be used is donated to a local soup kitchen or to the Felix Project.
- Cooking oil is professionally removed from site and re-cycled into bio fuel
- Toner cartridges are re-cycled
- Batteries are recycled through a local network
Proud holders of ISO 14001
The reduction and offsetting of carbon emissions is a critical part of our ongoing sustainability goal. The Admirable Crichton, as part of Group Genuine is an ISO 14001 accredited company and as such we have many environmental initiatives across our business that we share with our clients to ensure that we are reducing our emissions together, with a coordinated approach. We deliver many layers of strategies to reduce our impact on the environment, these are just a few we are focusing on this year.
- Reducing the use of single use plastics and disposables in the back of house operation by 20% (single use plastics are not used in any of our front of house operations)
- Farm to plate purchasing – 80% of our produce is from the UK, we can provide farm to plate miles for all of our dishes
- Seasonality is key – ensuring our chefs know what to buy and when but also how climate change and local weather conditions have impacted produce in particular years
- We only purchase from suppliers with environmental accreditations or who demonstrate the same commitment to the environment as us.
Initiatives achieved
In 2019 we removed all plastic straws from our on site events and in 2020 we took further steps to remove single use plastics from our business by only using tea bags that are 100% plastic free. We set ourselves the following aims for 2021-2022 and have achieved all of them.
- Reduce food waste by at least 10% by identifying and then reducing areas of waste
- Donate even more surplus food to The Felix Project and the Brixton Soup Kitchen
- Complete the replacement of all non ULEZ compliant vehicles in our fleet
- Reduce supplier deliveries and therefore vehicles on the road by improved ordering
- Encourage clients to consider more plant based options for starters and canapes at events
- Actively promote our carbon offsetting programme for events and increase the number of clients who take up this opportunity.
Initiatives for 2023-2024
We are constantly reviewing our procedures and practices to limit our impact on the environment and this year we aim to:
- Introduced a zero waste canape to our menu – our fishcakes are made from off cuts from the fish we use in other areas of our production as are the breadcrumbs for it.
- Change our house beer to Toast as it is a British beer brand, they are carbon neutral, zero waste and it is made from surplus bread rather than manufactured yeast which helps reduce food waste, water usage and energy emissions. The company are targeting net zero by 2030. All of their profits go to charity to help fix issues within the food system.
- Take further steps to monitor our waste and review areas we can reduce further
- Target 15% of clients offsetting the carbon emissions from their events. This will move to be automatically applied for 2023 and clients will have to opt out of the initiative.
- Move to an opt out system for client to off set their carbon emissions to be in place by January 2024 rather than the opt in that we currently have.
- Replace staff water bottles at events with cartons or starch bottles of water
Key supplier initiatives
We are proud to work with suppliers who share or commitment to reducing our impact on the environment. These are some of their latest initiatives.
Our fresh produce supplier Foodari have partnered with the Woodland Trust to introduce a rewilding programme to plant saplings that are providing a new habitat for wildlife to help offset the carbon emissions and natural habitat damage from their work.
Our coffee partner Mozzo set up a fund to ensure that every purchase of coffee directly and positively impacts the community it came from, having achieved their goal of supporting financial self sufficiency for the first ever maternity clinic on Idjwi Island in the DRC they have now moved the project to Nicaragua.
We are proud to support small local suppliers throughout our business such as Paul Rhodes Bakery, Myatt’s Field’s cocktails and Hackney Gelato.
Supporting our community
Within our Business
We have a very strong focus on employee welfare and are proud to be a London Living Wage employer. We have a diversity inclusion policy that informs our core values as a business. All employees have a personal development plan which includes formal and informal training plus timelines for career progression.
In an effort to tackle the usually poor work life balance in the events industry we offer paid overtime, fully paid sick leave and paid wellness days for employees to take as they wish and at short notice. We also have regular team outings for both educational and entertainment purposes and offer massage therapy in house.
All employees have access to a mental health first aider as well as confidential access to the UK Hospitality Advice Line. We work with our parent company to support JAAQ.
We offer nutritious meals at work and cater for all dietary requirements. There is free access to water and hot drinks, fresh fruit and snacks throughout the day. We also offer a range of discounts for staff members.
There is a positive culture of access to the highest level of management for all employees where issues can be reported in confidence and managed appropriately.
Within our Community
We recruit from the local community and offer flexible working hours to support the needs of the employee where required.
We are responsible neighbours and don’t unload vans late at night, turn the radios off in vehicles returning late at night so as not to cause noise pollution for our neighbours.
We support locally based charity Floral Angels by donating the flowers from our events to them, these are then made into bouquets and arrangements for hospices and care homes.
We are proud to support small local suppliers throughout our business such as Myatt’s Field’s cocktails, Toast Brewery, TLC Stores, Pinstripes and Peonies Florist, Floral Angels, Paul Rhodes Bakery, and Hackney Gelato.
Within our Supplier Community
We are proud to be an ethical supplier and customer, ensuring supplier payment terms are met and partnerships valued.
All of our suppliers are required to provide a Modern Slavery Statement, Insurance certificate and environmental policy that supports our own sustainability goals.
We would also encourage them to be a London Living Wage employer.