Environmental & Sustainability Policy Statement 2023

Richardsons are aware that all business activities impact upon the environment. We strive to be as sympathetic as possible to the planet in all our business choices. As a business we are aligned with the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals. ( SDGs ) to support a more sustainable future for all by 2030.

Here at Richardsons we are committed to:
  • Complying fully with all relevant legal requirements, codes of practice and regulations
  • Continuing to invest sustainably in our business and our supply chain to reduce scope 1 & 2 emissions and work with our suppliers to reduce our scope 3 emissions.
  • Long term relationships with our Irish growers and support them throughout the season and do not substitute with imported cheaper product
  • Assessing the environmental impacts of our operations
  • Continuously seeking to reduce our impact on the planet and improving our resource efficiency through reduction of energy use and waste
  • Promoting environmental and energy awareness with our employees through participation and training
  • Working with our customers to make more environmentally sensitive choices
  • Monitoring our progress to ensure ongoing improvements in our environmental performance
  • Communicate this policy to stakeholders and the public and work with our neighbours to improve the community

Energy

  • Reducing our carbon footprint as part of a carbon management strategy
  • Solar Panel installation 2022 of 38KW capacity on our warehouse roof
  • In 2016 we moved to our new purpose-built distribution centre improving the energy efficiency of our operations by over 30%
  • This has been achieved through better building design and investment in energy efficient equipment and technologies including
    • Maximized use of natural light
    • Purpose fitted LED lighting with light and motion sensor controls
    • New Staff area has natural ventilation and electric heating eliminating the need for fossil fuels
    • Installation of new high efficiency refrigeration plant 
    • Newly constructed cold-rooms using best in class insulation and refrigeration units
    • Installing curtain strips to the doors of our cold rooms
  • Optimising energy efficiency and conservation in all operations through better energy management
  • Benchmarking our performance on energy efficiencies with clear key performance indicators in place
  • Promoting energy efficiency across our team

Transportation

  • Reducing the impact of transportation of our goods by optimising all our routing plans
  • Back hauling products from our growers and suppliers 
  • Efficient use of vehicles, including monitoring software to measure daily driver performance 
  • The introduction in 2022 of a fully electric vehicle for our Sales Team and charge point installed on site for staff use
  • We will explore future developments in commercial vehicles for further new Fleet additions

Food Waste

  • We have reduced our food waste by over 44 % over the past 3 years - achieved by better stock planning, better internal warehousing and stock rotation practices
  • We have a policy not to allow useable food to go to waste. We donate to local charities to achieve this
  • All other waste food waste has been diverted from Landfill to anaerobic digestion by segregating and placing in the brown food waste bin

Product Packaging

  • We measure the use of packaging across the business to identify areas of improvement
  • We have reduced the packaging we place on the market by over 85% in the last 5 years from 2017 - 2022
  • We have achieved this through several initiatives including:
    • Introduction of re-useable plastic crates with our key customers
    • Re-using inbound product packaging we decant from
    • Back hauling of reusable packaging from our customers after use
  • We minimise waste generation and unnecessary resource usage during the planning stages and collaborate with our suppliers to eliminate and minimise secondary packaging and pallet wrap
  • Over the last 5 years we have eliminated the use of polystyrene packaging and reduced the use of single use wooden crates within the supply chain
  • We’ve reduced paper usage by over 60% in the last 12 months by embracing paperless/digital processes

Continuous Improvement

  • Setting yearly specific improvement targets, monitoring progress and communicating results internally
  • Promoting continuous improvement by setting, monitoring, and reviewing our environmental targets and objectives
  • Implemented LEAN management across the business to minimise all non-value adding “wastes”, contributing to positive environmental outcomes

Sustainable Sourcing

  • We are committed to sourcing and supplying Irish produce when it is in season and available
  • We have long term relationships with our Irish growers and support them throughout the season and do not substitute with imported cheaper product
  • Choosing suppliers that adopt best environmental practices and make this part of our procurement policy
  • Purchasing products and services that have the least environmental impact, where this is feasible
  • Encouraging suppliers and contractors to implement sustainable environmental systems
  • Eliminating the use of hazardous chemicals and solvents within the business
  • Supporting local suppliers, contractors, and partners where possible

Employee Engagement

  • Encouraging environmental awareness among our employees and customers through appropriate communication and training programmes
  • Promoting environmental awareness throughout our business
  • Ensure that all employees understand our environmental policy and strive to meet and exceed these standards
  • Gender equality is supported throughout the business
  • We employ people from diverse backgrounds, providing them with the necessary training and supports they need in their career journey

Biodiversity

  • Richardsons are working with their Irish producers to look at ways to improve their sustainability and regenerative agricultural practices which help maintain productivity while protecting ecosystems and human health and preserving soil and other natural resources

Environmental & Sustainability Policy Statement 2023

Richardsons are aware that all business activities impact upon the environment. We strive to be as sympathetic as possible to the planet in all our business choices. As a business we are aligned with the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals. ( SDGs ) to support a more sustainable future for all by 2030.

Here at Richardsons we are committed to:
  • Complying fully with all relevant legal requirements, codes of practice and regulations
  • Continuing to invest sustainably in our business and our supply chain to reduce scope 1 & 2 emissions and work with our suppliers to reduce our scope 3 emissions.
  • Long term relationships with our Irish growers and support them throughout the season and do not substitute with imported cheaper product
  • Assessing the environmental impacts of our operations
  • Continuously seeking to reduce our impact on the planet and improving our resource efficiency through reduction of energy use and waste
  • Promoting environmental and energy awareness with our employees through participation and training
  • Working with our customers to make more environmentally sensitive choices
  • Monitoring our progress to ensure ongoing improvements in our environmental performance
  • Communicate this policy to stakeholders and the public and work with our neighbours to improve the community

Energy

  • Reducing our carbon footprint as part of a carbon management strategy
  • Solar Panel installation 2022 of 38KW capacity on our warehouse roof
  • In 2016 we moved to our new purpose-built distribution centre improving the energy efficiency of our operations by over 30%
  • This has been achieved through better building design and investment in energy efficient equipment and technologies including
    • Maximized use of natural light
    • Purpose fitted LED lighting with light and motion sensor controls
    • New Staff area has natural ventilation and electric heating eliminating the need for fossil fuels
    • Installation of new high efficiency refrigeration plant 
    • Newly constructed cold-rooms using best in class insulation and refrigeration units
    • Installing curtain strips to the doors of our cold rooms
  • Optimising energy efficiency and conservation in all operations through better energy management
  • Benchmarking our performance on energy efficiencies with clear key performance indicators in place
  • Promoting energy efficiency across our team

Transportation

  • Reducing the impact of transportation of our goods by optimising all our routing plans
  • Back hauling products from our growers and suppliers 
  • Efficient use of vehicles, including monitoring software to measure daily driver performance 
  • The introduction in 2022 of a fully electric vehicle for our Sales Team and charge point installed on site for staff use
  • We will explore future developments in commercial vehicles for further new Fleet additions

Food Waste

  • We have reduced our food waste by over 44 % over the past 3 years - achieved by better stock planning, better internal warehousing and stock rotation practices
  • We have a policy not to allow useable food to go to waste. We donate to local charities to achieve this
  • All other waste food waste has been diverted from Landfill to anaerobic digestion by segregating and placing in the brown food waste bin

Product Packaging

  • We measure the use of packaging across the business to identify areas of improvement
  • We have reduced the packaging we place on the market by over 85% in the last 5 years from 2017 - 2022
  • We have achieved this through several initiatives including:
    • Introduction of re-useable plastic crates with our key customers
    • Re-using inbound product packaging we decant from
    • Back hauling of reusable packaging from our customers after use
  • We minimise waste generation and unnecessary resource usage during the planning stages and collaborate with our suppliers to eliminate and minimise secondary packaging and pallet wrap
  • Over the last 5 years we have eliminated the use of polystyrene packaging and reduced the use of single use wooden crates within the supply chain
  • We’ve reduced paper usage by over 60% in the last 12 months by embracing paperless/digital processes

Continuous Improvement

  • Setting yearly specific improvement targets, monitoring progress and communicating results internally
  • Promoting continuous improvement by setting, monitoring, and reviewing our environmental targets and objectives
  • Implemented LEAN management across the business to minimise all non-value adding “wastes”, contributing to positive environmental outcomes

Sustainable Sourcing

  • We are committed to sourcing and supplying Irish produce when it is in season and available
  • We have long term relationships with our Irish growers and support them throughout the season and do not substitute with imported cheaper product
  • Choosing suppliers that adopt best environmental practices and make this part of our procurement policy
  • Purchasing products and services that have the least environmental impact, where this is feasible
  • Encouraging suppliers and contractors to implement sustainable environmental systems
  • Eliminating the use of hazardous chemicals and solvents within the business
  • Supporting local suppliers, contractors, and partners where possible

Employee Engagement

  • Encouraging environmental awareness among our employees and customers through appropriate communication and training programmes
  • Promoting environmental awareness throughout our business
  • Ensure that all employees understand our environmental policy and strive to meet and exceed these standards
  • Gender equality is supported throughout the business
  • We employ people from diverse backgrounds, providing them with the necessary training and supports they need in their career journey

Biodiversity

  • Richardsons are working with their Irish producers to look at ways to improve their sustainability and regenerative agricultural practices which help maintain productivity while protecting ecosystems and human health and preserving soil and other natural resources