Nation’s favourite breakfast maker outlines plan for an even more sustainable future
Weetabix has published a new Sustainability Review, which sets out what the company is doing to improve on its environmental achievements and ensure it is meeting the highest sustainability standards in the industry.
Last year, the Weetabix Sustainability Steering Group drove a refresh of the company’s approach to sustainability, reinvigorating the thinking that has guided the company for 87 years. The new ‘Change for Better’ framework will focus the company’s work in four key areas:
- Sustainable ingredients
- Reducing packaging waste
- Efficient operations
- Health and wellbeing
As well as reaffirming the commitment to sourcing all Weetabix wheat from British farms within 50 miles of its Burton Latimer mill, the report details the steps the company is taking to reduce plastic packaging, cut energy and water use, as well as producing healthy products and looking after the wellbeing of its people and those in the communities in which it operates.
Among the highlights are that Weetabix:
- Is one of only 280 companies in the world to receive Standard Corporate Certification for its supply chain from The Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply;
- Has reduced its plastic packaging by 12 per cent since 2007 and plans a further 18 per cent reduction by 2025;
- Aims to introduce 30 per cent recycled plastic (rPET) into its Weetabix On the Go breakfast drinks bottles;
- Zero waste to landfill from our manufacturing and distribution sites since 2016 and working towards reducing total annual food surplus by 20 per cent by the end of 2025.
John Petre, Supply Chain and Technical Director, who leads the Weetabix Sustainability Steering Group said: “We have always aimed to do the right thing even when no one’s looking. Now more than ever, consumers are concerned about whether a company like Weetabix is behaving responsibly before they commit to buying our products or rewarding us with their loyalty. They want to understand how we are acting in ways that are good for them, better for the environment and valuable for society.
“We are proud of our heritage as a responsible business that has nourished the nation since 1932. This review marks the next step in our journey, outlining the work we have done and how we will continue to deliver change for the better across four areas of environmental and corporate social responsibility – reaffirming our commitment to continuous improvement in sustainability.”
Weetabix plans to publish a more expansive and detailed report later this year that will include more performance data and further targets for improvement. It is also expecting to announce more ambitious plans to further reduce the environmental impact of its packaging.
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