Bartlett Mitchell, one of the UK’s leading independent caterers, has today published its latest CSER report, announcing that it will align its sustainability activity to the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Every year, the company sets measurable objectives to ensure continuous improvements in its sustainability performance, charted in its annual CSER report Fruitful World.
In this year’s report, targets will now be aligned with seven of the UN’s 17 SDGs, including pledges to end hunger, promote good health and wellbeing, ensure sustainable production and consumption patterns, and take action to combat climate change.
In doing so, BM has strengthened its contribution to the wider international agenda for sustainable growth.
As published in its report, the company has committed to: reduce deliveries to its sites by 5% in 2019 through its maximum drop campaign, a programme which sets a delivery target for each site (2018: 7.4%); reduce food waste by 4% (2018: 2.63%); and recycle at least 20% of waste cooking oil (2018: 18.75% of waste oil recycled, saving 70 tonnes of C02).
In addition, since its inception, BM has continuously recognised the role its people play in its growth, as demonstrated by being named a ‘Best Company to Work For’ every year since 2013.
In the past year, the company has continued to invest in the training and development of its team members. Significant achievements outlined in the report include:
- 100% of BM’s direct employees being paid at least the London Living Wage or National Living Wage.
- 40% increase in team members being accepted on the three-year apprenticeship programme.
- 100% of senior operations managers attending the PEAR (Performance, Engagement, Achievement, Recognition) leadership academy.
- 85% of team members attending at least three training sessions, with leadership modules introduced for 150 managers, including coaching, training, mentoring and leadership styles.
In order to continue driving team retention through career progression, BM will also set up a diversity committee, launch a female chefs forum to develop more women into senior chef positions, increase the number of apprenticeships by 10%, and provide 18 more opportunities for ‘BM Inc’ food start-up entrepreneurs.
Wendy Bartlett, founder. Bartlett Mitchell, said, “Sometimes it is better to do simple, small things and do them very well, as that ultimately has the most impact. This has been our approach to CSER. By linking our targets to UN’s SDG means that we can quite clearly measure how we are progressing in line with our sustainable growth.
“We have a mantra, ‘what gets measured gets done’. By aligning with the SDG, we can quite clearly prove what we are actually ‘doing’. It helps to give us a clear purpose.”