Sustainability in action
Our sustainability agenda is at the heart of our business. We
have a strong programme of initiatives and we share progress and
best practice with our stakeholders inside and outside the
business.
We have a cross-functional environmental steering group, with
Board sponsorship, which sets the environmental strategy and
direction for the business. This is communicated via our
environmental policy and underpinned by our environmental
management system, which is based on the requirements of the
International Environmental Management System Standard,
ISO14001.
Industry firsts
In June 2009, Kingsmill became
the first - and, so far the only - bread brand to be allowed to
carry the Carbon Trust's Carbon Reduction Label on our packaging.
We have just completed a two-year carbon footprint reassessment and
have been recertified enabling Allied Bakeries to continue carrying
the Carbon Trust's Carbon Reduction Label. This is a demonstration
of our commitment to an ongoing reduction in our carbon
footprint.
Another industry first is the introduction of bread bags made
from 100% recycled virgin waste on Crusts Away! and Little Big
Loaf. These brands also help reduce consumer waste: with Crusts
Away!, we cut off the crusts, which are used for animal feed.
Little Big Loaf is the only loaf with full-size slices, just fewer
of them, thus reducing waste in households that eat less bread.
Environmental commitment
We've made a commitment to environmental sustainability with our
Allinson and Burgen brands.
Both are certified by Conservation
Grade, a scheme that encourages forward-thinking farmers to
help restore sustainability to commercial farming.
We support the Love
Food Hate Waste campaign and we're signed up to the Courtauld 2
Commitment. This is a voluntary responsibility deal that aims
to improve resource efficiency and the overall environmental impact
of the retail grocery sector by reducing packaging, food waste in
the supply chain and consumer food waste.
On the road
Since November 2008, we've measured, managed and reduced the
product carbon footprint of the three biggest-selling varieties of
Kingsmill bread.
Having measured the greenhouse gases emitted throughout the supply
chain - from growing wheat, through baking bread, delivery to the
retailer and use in the consumer's home - we are working to
continually reduce emissions. We do this by implementing carbon
reduction actions such as replacing chillers with units that have
minimal refrigerant losses, and fleet vehicles with those fitted
with Euro V Environmentally Enhanced Vehicle (EEV) technology
diesel engines.
We've invested in 'teardrop' trucks that reduce carbon and other
engine exhaust emission levels through their streamlined body
shape, which gives optimum aerodynamic efficiency. We also have
initiatives to influence driver behaviour, such as automatic engine
cut-off when idling.