We strive to do business in a more enlightened way, where we take responsibility for the impact of our business on society and the environment, aiming to move these impacts from negative to neutral or (better still) positive.
There are no black and white answers as to what is good and what is bad. It depends on where, when and how the food is produced, how it is transported, how much is wasted (either along the supply chain or in your own home).
We are acutely aware of the impact we have upon society, the environment and nature. In order to minimise negative factors we frequently review, and change as necessary and where possible, our production methods and processes.
To date we have taken steps towards reaching our goals, including our use of renewable sourced electricity across the whole company. The additional costs are worth it in our view to promote sustainable, responsible and more environmentally friendly methods of doing business.
We utilise more effective, longer lasting and more energy efficient LED lighting for 100 per cent of our needs.
Sustainability goes beyond energy use and to that end we have a section of our website dedicated to palm oil free products. In fact there are over 100 such products to choose from!
What have we achieved?
We have achieved significant levels of environmental contributions within our organisation. The utilising of renewable energy, recycling wherever possible and moving away from products that have a somewhat unforeseen impact. This is particularly so in relation to Palm Oil which in many areas has had a huge effect on the lands where it is produced.
We now have 100% LED lighting on all our premises.
Last year we recycled 80 tonnes of cardboard.
Our site has a designated palm oil free page with over 100 products listed.
Our aim here is to utilise sustainable materials in our packaging wherever possible. These materials of course have to give adequate protection for our quality products but other factors are taken into consideration.
Is the packaging biodegradable, recyclable or even both?
Does the packaging match the product? This quite simply means using only the necessary weight and amount of packaging to ensure safe arrival of the items enclosed.
What have we achieved?
We are delighted to be in a position to say that all our cartons are made from 100% Forest Steward Council (FSC) certified cardboard. In short this means the paper used comes from forests that meet high environmental standards. This includes fair treatment of the forestry workers and investment by the owning companies in the long term future of the forests.
More information about about the great work of the FSC can be found at; www.fsc-uk.org
Our Friars signature boxes are quite special taste wise, but now they are 100% recyclable and biodegradable as well. Both the FSC certified box and the tray the chocolates sit in are biodegradable and recyclable.
The ever popular chocolate tasters sit in a 100% recyclable and biodegradable tray which is then packed in a bag made from NatureFlex, which is an alternative to the traditional polypropylene bag and is made from wood pulp. If you want to read more about NatureFlex then visit https://www.natureflex.com/uk/
Historically we used plastic air pockets in our parcels, however, we have now swapped this for recyclable paper void fill so you won’t get any nasty plastic padding in any parcel that your receive from us. Just amazing chocolate!
As a company all our decision processes include consideration of the environment and the potential implications of our actions. We are looking to provide and achieve a ‘more chocolate less packaging’ ethos, which ultimately meet the demands of our future conscious consumers.
We look forward to working with our partners to further our development and aims in this important area.
We really do want to leave a lasting impression, with our chocolate, not our waste.
