Fooditude, a contract catering company based in London, has achieved The Planet Mark Certification.
First year certification to The Planet Mark is based on the commitment to continuous improvement in sustainability in its business operations by measuring and reducing its carbon footprint and engaging its stakeholders.
Steve Malkin, CEO of Planet First and co-founder of The Planet Mark, commented; “We are thrilled that Fooditude has achieved its first year’s certification to The Planet Mark and in doing so, committed to operating in such a way to reduce their carbon emissions. Food lies at the intersection of some of the world’s greatest environmental and societal challenges. In certifying with The Planet Mark, Fooditude is demonstrating how it’s possible to make a strong business case for sustainable meal provision. This is wonderful work from a really committed team of people”
Cristina Covello, Head of Strategic Growth, Fooditude: “The hospitality industry is resource intense and the way we produce and consume food is at the forefront of some of the ‘grand challenges’ of our time. We’ve done a lot of work developing the social value side of our responsible business strategy but we need help when it comes to reducing our environmental impact. We joined The Planet Mark to get that help and to make sure we’re held accountable for the environmental commitments we make. We’re just starting on this journey but we can’t wait to learn from their recommendations and the work of other members and to see the positive impact we can make.”
This is Fooditude’s first year of business carbon footprint reporting. It first calculated the carbon footprint of its Angel, Ormside and Ilderton operational sites (following a mid-year move from Angel and Ormside to Ilderton) for the year ending June 2019 and set a target to reduce emissions by 5% annually. This year’s footprint includes emissions from purchased electricity, natural gas, water, fuel used by the fleet, waste and printing paper for its sites.
Fooditude total carbon footprint in year ending June 2019 was 234.4 tCO2e and the relative carbon footprint was 2.4 tCO2e per employee. Electricity accounts for 44% of the total carbon emissions, waste-landfill accounts for 29% and natural gas accounts for 15%. If Fooditude were to attain its carbon reduction target, this would save carbon the equivalent of 10 return flights from New York to London.
The Planet Mark Certificate recognises Fooditude’s good practice in sustainability, including:
– Measuring 234.4 tCO2e from its building, waste, and procurement, the equivalent of 2.4 tCO2e per employee
– Storing 260 tCO2 in one acre of protected rainforest
– Making a commitment to engage employees and suppliers to drive sustainable improvement in the company, including setting a target to reduce carbon emissions by 5% annually
– Investing in the Eden Project to support continuing education on climate change
Recommendations Fooditude has been advised to implement to continue on their sustainability journey include:
– Regular ‘energy audits’ to identify where most energy is used and potential wastage.
– Take regular readings of utilities on the last day of every month and investigate the installation of smart meters.
– Waste management audit to understand the waste being produced, and its best route.
– Choosing fuel efficient vehicles when replacing fleet, including hybrid or electric vehicles.
– Organising annual sustainability workshops to raise awareness among staff and stakeholders.
About The Planet Mark
The Planet Mark is a sustainability certification which recognises outstanding achievements, encourages action, and builds an empowered community of like-minded individuals. Holders of The Planet Mark deliver results that go beyond compliance, reaching new levels of sustainability and engaging their people in the process.
If you’d like to learn more about our sustainable initiatives, please tweet to us on @WeAreFooditude or write to us on sustainability@fooditude.co.uk
Previous post
