Our Pledge - United Nations Projects and becoming Carbon Neutral

Our Pledge:

After a few seasons it seems like the perfect opportunity to evaluate ourselves, ready to move forwards in the most sustainable, environmentally and socially conscious way.

Our fruit supplier Haygrove Farm became carbon neutral in 2020, and we wanted to follow in their footsteps and become carbon neutral ourselves, measuring against the triple bottom line (planet, people, profit). Therefore, we worked with Chris Milson the Sustainability Manager who helped us with the process.

Founder Ariana Davison signed the UN Climate Neutral Now Pledge and we have identified UN-backed emission offset projects we wish to support.

Below is a brief summary of each project, and why we chose them.

Clean Cookstoves Project - Ghana

Over 3 billion people cook over open fires (National Geographic, 2017), causing deforestation and damaging their health; “having an open fire in your kitchen is like burning 400 cigarettes an hour” (Kirk Smith, professor of environmental health at the University of California).

Burning sustainably harvested wood directly in a cook stove, like the ones by CookClean in Ghana, can decrease the wood demand by up to 95% (Global Hearth Works, 2021). They also improve standard of living by reducing household air pollution and so incur less damage to people’s health, particularly women and children. Additionally, Ghanian women are empowered through the CookClean value chain and distribution network, creating jobs and increasing disposable incomes.

As a young woman in a family business, Ariana has become aware of both the challenges which come with the opportunities presented to her, but more so her privilege. By supporting this project, we are trying to make a valuable improvement in the lives of ‘people’, particularly women and children, while also delivering on our ‘planet’ bottom line.

Composting Facility Project - Delhi, India

This plant is part of the Integrated Scientific Waste Management Scheme of Delhi, and processes over 200 tonnes of waste every day. The compost produced in the plant is used by local farmers and rejuvenates soil affected by the overuse of chemical fertilisers, a big problem in the area. Not only does this project support farming industries, but it also improves the health, environmental and social conditions within the community.

As a business with its roots in farming, we understand the advantages of well-managed soil, which is why we wish to support this project. It plays a crucial role in supporting farmers and the horticultural industry in Delhi, and in improving waste management.

Solar Power Project - Madhya Pradesh, India

The purpose of this project is to utilise solar energy for electricity, and to actively contribute to the demand-supply gap in the region, while motivating investment in similar projects.

The project provided and continues providing job opportunities to local population through construction, commissioning and maintenance of the site, and therefore positively impacts the economy in the nearby area, both directly and indirectly.

In our journey to becoming carbon neutral, we were eager to select a solar power project to support, as solar is one of the cleanest sources of renewable energy available; it does not involve the burning of any fossil fuels, there are no greenhouse gas emissions, and the impact on land, water, air and soil are negligible - this project was a no brainer for us!