The environment and green policies are a priority for many consumers, and increasing numbers of businesses are acting accordingly and formulating plans to behave in a greener manner. From reducing waste by recycling plastic bottles to using surplus loaves that would otherwise be binned, focusing on renewable forms of energy, and replacing plastic with an innovative array of natural and eco-friendly materials, and, of course, cutting carbon emissions, there’s a lot of business can do. Here are some of the best current examples of green businesses in Britain.
Toms
The first, but not last, footwear entry on our list of top eco-friendly companies in the UK is Toms. The firm has made half a dozen commitments with a target year of 2025, aimed to improve its products and practices. Top of the list is investment in earthwise™, which are products designed from the ground up to have environmental sensitivity in mind. Materials used in earthwise™ include organic and recycled cotton, recycled polyester, jute, hemp, linen, and recycled rubber.
Another Toms commitment is to improve its B Corp score (an assessment of factors including governance, workers, and environmental monitoring and recording). By 2025, the firm aims to source 100% sustainable cotton and to source 100% of packaging from sustainably managed forests. In addition, the firm plans to measure its carbon footprint accurately with a view to developing reduction targets in the near future.
Ladbrokes Casino
The hospitality sector is one where consumer choice is incredibly broad, as the activities involved are entirely optional, and many people are more than happy to embrace firms that share their concerns and shun those that do not. A major advantage that reputable UK online casinos such as Ladbrokes enjoy over brick-and-mortar alternatives is that their virtual premises inherently are greener for the environment. That is not to say there is no impact whatsoever, servers and staff still exist, but the heating and lighting costs are minimal compared to an expansive physical casino establishment.
Ladbrokes Casino’s parent company, Entain, has developed an ambitious sustainability plan that aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2035. The target was set in 2022 after the previous greenhouse gas emissions objective was met in 2021. Close to two-thirds of electricity consumption by the group comes from renewable energy sources. In addition to this, Entain has partnered with Brynk to support planting trees and reforestation efforts, and the Entain Forest has 1 million trees growing. The firm’s official position is supportive of the Paris Agreement and its objective of limiting global temperature increases to 1.5°C by 2050.
Toast Brewing
Sometimes, eco-friendly causes can have the reputation of being a bit doom and gloom, given the end that those concerned about the environment are seeking to avert. However, Toast Brewing proves that it’s entirely possible to go green and have a good time, as the firm brews using surplus loaves sourced from bakeries and heel ends from sandwich makers. This eco-friendly approach replaces around a quarter of the malted barley required, which means that Toast Brewing both stops unnecessary waste by using surplus bread and reduces its own needs by cutting back on malted barley.
The barley the firm does use comes from Crisp, which grows it using regenerative practices. In addition, 100% of hops are sourced from the UK. The firm donates 100% of its profits to charities, with partners including Feedback, Rainforest Trust UK, and the Soil Heroes Foundation. Toast Brewing has saved over three million slices of bread from waste and, at the time of writing, donated £106,000 to charity.
Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure
As the name implies, Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure is a firm dedicated to environmentally sustainable investments and following policies that aim to minimise the environmental effects of its business activities. The firm’s focus is renewable energy, and it has 2.2 GW operating assets in its portfolio. In 2022, renewables comprised three-quarters (75%) of the firm’s revenue, with other areas of interest including efficient natural gas/transmission infrastructure and water assets.
Naturally, a business focused on sustainability also has eco-friendly company policies as well. For Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure, this means a commitment to gradually cut back on the environmental impact of its activities. In addition to this positive but vague approach, the firm has set out a number of concrete targets. Using 2020 as a base year, Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per kWh of energy generated (gCO2/kWh) will be cut by 70% by 2035. Using the same time frame, Atlantica has a goal of halving its non-GHG emissions per kWh of energy generated (gCO2/kWh). The firm also aspires to achieve net zero by 2040.
Allbirds
Sustainability is at the core of the Allbirds brand, as indicated by the 2021 Allbirds Flight Plan, which sought to achieve a near-zero carbon footprint in 2030 and to halve it as an interim target by 2025. While ambitious, the firm has managed to reduce carbon emissions more rapidly than the Flight Plan timetable, with a 19% reduction in 2022 (compared to 2021) and passing the 60% threshold in 2023. As Allbirds points out, fashion can be highly polluting, especially when plastic is so commonly used. Yet this was not the case in the recent past, and more natural materials can be used to reach the same ends without the same negative consequences for the planet. Allbirds has taken this philosophical position to make use of natural materials such as:
- Wool – Superfine hair fibers from merino sheep are great for temperature regulation and are breathable, too.
- Tree – While wooden clogs have been around for centuries, Allbirds uses tree fibres sourced from South Africa which use 95% less water than cotton and halves the relative carbon footprint.
- Sugarcane – A prime example of a virtuous circle, biomass from the sugarcane is also used to power the mill and fertilize the next year’s crop. And the soles are created with sugarcane contours to the wearer’s feet for extra comfort.
- Trino® – A combination of merino wool and tree, Trino® is a soft, breathable fibre.
- Recycled Plastic – A single recycled plastic bottle can be reborn as a pair of laces.
British businesses are responding well to public support for green policies, cutting plastic and waste to focus on recycling, natural materials, and renewable energy. But there is still a long way to go, and the efforts to become less environmentally damaging are ongoing.
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