Caterforce is on track to meet its CSR (corporate social responsibility) goals, which were set in 2019.
Managing director of Caterforce, Gary Mullineux, said: “In 2019, we chose to prioritise health, welfare and sustainability across the whole group. We overhauled our Chefs Selections products and insisted upon full supply chain traceability.
“It is fantastic that in 2021 I can confidently say that all our white fish is MSC-certificated. Our tuna is sustainably sourced. We only use sustainable palm oil and none of our products contain any GM ingredients or hydrogenated fats. In addition to this, we have removed 99% of black plastic from our packaging and by 2025 all our packaging will be either recyclable or reusable.”
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Several Caterforce members have also implemented sustainability improvements in recent years.
Hunt’s Foodservice aims to reduce its carbon footprint, implementing tree planting to offset as much as possible. The foodservice is also in the process of installing solar panels in their head office depot in Sherborne, planned for completion in Spring 2022.
Phillip Dennis invested in 80 metre high 500kw wind turbines at their South West depot, which produces over 60% of the depot’s electricity supply. Every year, their three depots recycle over 150 tonnes of waste, and they prioritise obtaining products from local sources to minimise food miles while supporting local farmers.
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CSR & training manager at Castell Howell, Edward Morgan, said: “We have installed solar panels and LED lights and are introducing hybrid vehicles into our fleet. Our commitment to reducing carbon emissions resulted in a 42% decrease per delivered unit last quarter. We also focus heavily on recycling on site and all EPS waste is converted into briquettes and sold as recycled material to the construction industry.
“In addition to these energy saving initiatives, we are currently in talks with the National Botanic Garden of Wales to collaborate on a horticulture/biodiversity project, to help promote their work with pollinators and the National plant DNA database. Our intention is to be able to provide a selection of Welsh grown organic veg to some of our public sector customers next year.”
