EAST OF ENGLAND CO-OP SUPPLIER RECEIVES AWARD FOR SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PRACTICE

East of England Co-op Sourced Locally supplier, Fairfields Farm Crisps has received a silver award from the Suffolk Carbon Charter in recognition of its work to measure and reduce its carbon footprint.

Fairfields Farm Crisps has been a Sourced Locally supplier of the East of England Co-op since 2007, with products stocked across the region. It is well known for its range of popular handcooked crisps and farm-fresh potatoes.

As part of the retailer’s commitment to supporting its supply chain in developing sustainable business practice, the East of England Co-op’s Sourced Locally suppliers are provided with membership to the Suffolk Carbon Charter. The Charter provides support and recognition to small and medium sized businesses throughout Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex that commit to and adopt carbon reduction measures and sustainable business practices. A silver level award is only awarded to organisations that, in addition to implementing measures to manage and reduce energy use, have implemented measures leading to clear reductions in carbon emissions.

The Suffolk Carbon Charter Panel stated in its report that ‘Fairfields Farm demonstrates exceptional commitment and is making very strong progress towards being an exemplar of sustainability.’ The producer was called out for its strong communication to customers, comprehensive emissions measuring and reporting, supported by a robust policy and plan.

Robert Strathern, co-owner of Fairfields Farm comments, “Really getting to grips with our carbon footprint has been a journey – and continued to be. Understanding where our emissions come from takes time and effort but is well worth it to understand where our business has the most impact and helps us to prioritise our efforts. I’m really proud of our team and the steps we’ve already taken, such as adopting less intensive farming methods and carbon neutral packaging for our crisps. I’m even more excited about what’s yet to come!”

Steven Fendley, Head of Sustainability at the East of England Co-op said: “This is a well-deserved recognition for Fairfields Farm who have worked hard to minimise their impact at home at the farm and right through their supply chain. We were pleased to be able to support one of our best-known local suppliers with their successful Carbon Charter application.

“The East of England Co-op is 100% committed to reducing our carbon footprint and last year we announced our ambitious plans to be carbon neutral by 2030. That means we are looking at every part of our business operation to find cleaner, more sustainable ways to operate and that does not just involve our own premises and practices. We want to help every part of our supply chain to do the same through schemes such as the Carbon Charter. By working together in this way, we can make a real difference.”

For more information on the East of England Co-op’s involvement in the Suffolk Carbon Charter, visit https://www.eastofengland.coop/about-us/our-co-op-today/sustainability/suffolk-carbon-charter.