Bakery chain’s second annual sustainability report highlights progress on green energy, food waste, recycling labelling, and supply chain engagement
Greggs has slashed its food waste, upped its use of renewable energy, and assessed the carbon footprint of its entire value chain, with the high street bakery brand now planning to establish its first science-based climate change targets later this year, according to its latest sustainability report.
Published today, Gregg’s second annual sustainability report reveals it has cut down on food waste across its 2,000 outlets nationwide by a quarter since 2018, and last year redistributed 28 per cent of its unsold food, including through the donation of 1,000 tonnes of food to charities.
The firm has also now assessed the carbon footprint of its entire value chain, completed a review of the use of soy across all of its ingredients, and signed up to the UK Roundtable on Sustainable Soya and the UK Soy Manifesto in a bid to enhance its supply chain deforestation policies.
Gregg’s is currently working on plans to become deforestation-free across its business by 2025, and plans to publish its own deforestation policy later this year, according to the report.
Moreover, the firm plans to launch a supplier engagement plan in 2022, in addition to launching a set of climate goals for its Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions that will be assessed via the Science-Based Targets initiative later this year.
The moves are aimed at supporting Gregg’s target, announced last year, to achieve net zero emissions by 2040, and power all of its operations using 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2025, up from over 96 per cent today.
Other commitments in the report include opening Gregg’s first ‘Eco Shop’ in 2022, having completed its design for the “shop of the future” last year with a view to gradually rolling out the approach as far as possible across its retail outlets in future.
In addition, the firm plans to introduce an On Pack Recycling Label across all its own-brand products in 2022, as well as publishing a roadmap towards adding the industry-wide consumer recycling information label across all branded products in its stores later this year.
Roger Whiteside, Greggs’ chief executive, said working towards the meeting the 10 sustainability commitments the company announced had helped it to “grow into a stronger and better business”.
“Although there is still work to be done, with our clear plan for the next year I believe we are well-placed to meet our ambitious targets for 2025 and beyond, as our business continues to grow and evolve and we work together to make the world a better place,” he said.
