Sustainability Initiative of the Year 2022 finalists named

Sustainability should be more than just an ambition, and these three finalists are showing how to put good intentions into practice when it comes to the environment.

This award, sponsored by Macphie, aims to highlight businesses and initiatives making the sector a more sustainable one.

Here are the finalists in the Sustainability Initiative of the Year 2022 award:

Earth & Wheat

Earth & Wheat was launched by Signature Flatbreads in March 2021 as the world’s first ‘wonky’ break subscription service. Its mission is to reduce food waste at the point of production by rescuing baked goods which would otherwise be binned due to their odd shape.

The service is aimed at environmentally conscious consumers and families who subscribe from among several delivery options to receive a box on next-day delivery that contains a random mix of baked products – everything from wonky crumpets and pittas, to pancakes and naan bread. At the time of entering, the company reported over 500 tonnes of baked goods had been ‘rescued.’ “Very enterprising,” said the judges.

Jacksons Bakery – Bread for a Better World

In May 2021 Jacksons pledged to deliver on seven key sustainability targets. These comprised a reduction in emissions from transport and factories; a reduction in plastic packaging; traceability of ingredients; reduction of food waste; product labelling – helping consumer to make healthier and more sustainable choice; community support and finally, a real living wage. It took a holistic approach, bringing a multi-function team together to tackle the multiple interlinked targets.

The achievements are wide ranging, including a significant reduction in road miles per loaf; solar panels on the Corby bakery roof; increased vehicle capacity; a 24% year-on-year reduction in emissions; zero food waste and a 21% reduction in use of plastic saving 140 metric tonnes. “So impressive,” said the judges.

Simply Doughnuts – company-wide waste reduction and resource efficiency

Simply Doughnuts conducted a top-to-bottom review in 2021-2022 to improve sustainability, transparency, accurate measurement, and ethical business practices. One of the notable outputs of the review included NPD work to extend the shelf life of its doughnuts to 34 days compared to the two days typical for doughnuts.

One supermarket customer reported Simply Doughnut products had an average waste score of 0.5% vs the category average of 5% to 20%, and the WRAP industry average of 11% for fresh baked items. The company also reduced plastic used in packaging and in transit. “Strong figures and impressive results,” said the judges.