We are delighted to announce that Shepherds Friendly has achieved the Silver level accreditation from Investors in the Environment.
As part of our commitment to becoming more sustainable, we started working with Investors in the Environment (iiE), who measure environmental impact and how organisations can manage their footprint. In February 2022, we were audited for the first time and received a Bronze accreditation for a score of 73%, based on the measures we had in place to manage and reduce our impact.
During our latest audit in March 2023 we improved this to a score of 80%, earning a Silver level accreditation. Over the past year, our Green Team worked towards implementing an environmental management system (EMS) that built on the suggestions that were made during our first audit. This included the implementation of a waste action plan at our head office, and various sustainability, environmental, and community projects throughout the year. Overall, we also saw a reduction in our gas and paper use, and waste production at our head office in Cheadle.
In their report, iiE noted:
“Shepherds Friendly has submitted an excellent EMS and continued to review their emissions in many key areas.
“Shepherds Friendly has a good EMS, tailored to the specific target areas of the organisation and available resources.”
Our Culture Director, Nasrin Hossain, commented on the accreditation:
“As a mutual, we are committed to doing the right thing and making a difference. We have worked hard over the past few years to become more sustainable and reduce our impact as an organisation. Realising these goals with a new Investors in the Environment accreditation is a testament to all of our people living the values that we aim to uphold every day.”
