Our Harrogate home

We like to do things properly, and we know that sustainable energy initiatives have to start at home.

That’s why all of our new on-site development follows the Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment (BREEAM) method. This special design philosophy is meant to put environmental consideration at the forefront of design, and it has encouraged us to implement some really forward-thinking elements. 

We built huge windows and skylights into our factory so that we can cut down on the need for electric lighting. We’ve also installed a large biomass boiler — so that we can burn FSC-certified wood chips to heat our factory.

We also make good use of the resources we’re exposed to and have installed big sets of solar panels on our factory roofs.

Combined — our solar panels will generate a whopping 387,000 kWh of energy. That’s the same amount of energy needed to run around 80 UK households per year and quite an achievement, when you consider the unpredictable nature of our infamous British weather. 

As a modern business, we always look to technological solutions where we can. BEMS is one such clever innovation that we use. BEMS stands for Building Energy Management System, and it’s all about being smarter about energy use. BEMS allows our property team to control the hours and conditions in which heating, cooling and lighting systems operate.

This really helps to minimise energy consumption by making sure that gas and electricity are only being used when they’re required. It also ensures that people working in and visiting our buildings can enjoy a comfortable environment all year round. It’s a win-win, and it really helps to keep our carbon footprint in check.

As well as making our sure our own buildings are powered by renewable sources through our green energy contracts, we’ve found ways to help our staff make a difference in their own homes. We partnered with Big Clean Switch – a not-for-profit organisation who provide a platform for people to switch their gas and electricity contracts to a clean energy one and potentially save money. Since then, we’ve had 38 people across the Group switch via the platform, saving over £10,000 on their energy bills in total and raising over £600 for charity through the commission.

We also use modern technology to reduce emissions in our supply chain. Every day, trucks haul tonnes of tea and coffee across the country, and burn quite a lot of fuel in the process. We want to make sure that our trucks operate as efficiently as they possibly can, which is why we use ultra-modern vehicles with engines that are designed to maximise fuel economy, and cut down on harmful emissions. 

We also take care to maintain our vehicles, and use ADBLUE to reduce nitrous oxide emissions across our fleet. 

And if that wasn’t enough, we’ve equipped all of our vehicles with on-board telematics that allow us to monitor fuel consumption, and spot any problems before they cause undue damage to the environment. Working like this, we hope to cut down on unnecessary waste wherever we can, and build a cleaner, greener business with a neutral carbon footprint.