Sustainability
At The Wholesale Group, we are committed to fostering positive social and environmental impacts. Our initiatives focus on responsible business practices, community engagement, and sustainability, ensuring a lasting legacy of corporate responsibility.
ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance)
At The Wholesale Group we have adopted a comprehensive approach to foster sustainable business practices and create enduring value. It encompasses environmental, social and governance practices and seeks to provide benefits beyond economic gains, looking to enrich society through engaging with customers, employees, the community, and the environment in a more holistic and meaningful way. We have implemented several policies that directly contribute to our sustainability targets and goals.
- Head Office: Heat Pump | Solar Panels |LED timed lights | Electric/hybrid cars | Work from home/office balance to reduce road miles | On-line where face to face is not required | Carbon Neutral Business 2024
- Members & Own Brand: Brown boxes made from unbleached material | Plastic Policy | Moving away from printed literature and adopting digital | Members Scope 1 & 2 emissions reviewed annually | Environmental Policy | ESGnius platform to assess own brand suppliers for ESG credentials.
- Modern Slavery Statement
- Donating surplus food to FairShare and local food bank
- Responsible producer, safety of own brand products is paramount - manufactured in BRC approved premises and distributed by accredited wholesalers
- Accounts audited by independent 3rd party
- Business strategy communicated to stakeholders (members) - Board Meetings
- Bribery Policy - ethically undertaking business
The UK wholesale sector ambition:
Net-Zero emissions by 2040
The climate crisis poses a serious threat to our planet and is already causing significant disruption to society. To avoid the catastrophic impacts of climate change, greenhouse gas emissions must be significantly reduced, as quickly as possible. In response to this urgent need for action, the UK wholesale sector, supported by the Federation of Wholesale Distributors, has set a sector-level ambition to reach net zero Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions by 2040. This ambition aligns with other key partners from across the UK’s food and drink sector.
Research conducted for the FWD net-zero roadmap estimated that the UK wholesale value chain was responsible for approximately 18 MtCO2e in 2020. Approximately 4% of these emissions occur in the operations of wholesale businesses (Scope 1 & 2), with 96% occurring upstream and downstream (Scope 3).
Scope 1
- road transport
- electricity use in depots and offices
Scope 2
- fuel used to heat buildings
- refrigerant leakage from storage
Scope 3
- production of ingredients
- manufacturing of products
- storage and preparation of food in end consumer homes
We are actively working with our members to achieve Net Zero industry target. In developing a credible transition plan for our group and members we have implemented a staged approach:
Baseline Current Position
- Baseline year 2023
Set Ambition
- Net zero by 2040
Develop Action Plan
- Solar panels
- 100% renewable electricity contracts
- Utilise 3rd party expertise (Procure Smart, Enexus)
Verify Delivery
- Calculating emissions for 2024
Cycle Challenge Fundraising
For the past 5 years, the buying group has supported the MAG Charity by someone from the team taking part in the gruelling 500k cycle through countries affected by landmines. We have helped raise an amazing £1million for the charity and have not stopped yet!
This year, Retail Controller Kirsty Winkel is heading to Tanzania. To support her fundraising, please see below
Social Impact
We also support food charity Fareshare with all our excess stock from events being donated to the cause. The team also spent a day at local SOFEA to pack pallets of charitable donations for local foodbanks.
The team planting trees at Forest of Hearts, outside Stratford Upon Avon
