- Wells & Co. have received three stars in the Food Made Good Standard from The Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA)
- The three-star rating, which is the highest rating given, recognises the significant work improving both the organisation’s people and planet impact
- Work in the society pillar was heavily praised, with a commitment to having a positive impact on staff, consumers and the wider community
- The Food Made Good Standard is the world’s largest sustainability certification for the hospitality sector
Wells & Co. has received a three-star rating in the Food Made Good Standard from The Sustainable Restaurant Association (The SRA), the world’s leading and largest sustainability certification for the hospitality sector.
The three-star rating, the highest rating presented by The SRA, recognises the significant work that the organisation has undertaken to better understand and improve their impact on people and the planet.
Assessed across three core pillars – sourcing, society and the environment – the report particularly praised the work that Wells & Co. have done in the society agenda, demonstrating a commitment to having a positive impact on staff, consumers and the wider community. The Charlie’s Charity Fund, named in honour of original founder Charles Wells, was noted for match funding, with both local and national charities benefiting from the fantastic fundraising efforts of colleagues and customers.
The Food Made Good Standard measures the sustainability of a business by assessing performance against the 10 key impact areas of the Food Made Good Framework. Across all 10 areas, Wells & Co. have made significant progress, with highlights including:
- Partnering with global environmental action group WRAP to conduct food waste audits across UK managed pub estate
- The installation of 54 super-fast electric charging points across the pub estate, resulting in 8,880TCO2e savings since launch
- Introducing energy optimising technology to reduce unnecessary energy use in the storage and production of beer, reducing consumption by 5.4%, saving, or 14.7TCO2e
- Sourcing seafood which has been caught or farmed in a manner that protects marine and freshwater ecosystems and seafood stocks
- Investing in staff, improving working conditions, promoting staff wellbeing and creating inclusive workplaces
Ed Robinson, Sustainability Manager at Wells & Co., said: “We are absolutely delighted to be recognised by The Sustainable Restaurant Association with a three-star Food Made Good accreditation. As a family-owned business, sustainability has always been at the heart of everything that we do and we are committed to ensuring that we act as a net force for good in the communities we operate in.
“The recognition of the three-star award is testament to the significant work and efforts from colleagues across our business, our supply chain and our wider community. We know that there is more that we can do and this is another important step forward as we continue to build momentum towards our net zero future.”
Juliane Caillouette Noble, Managing Director of The Sustainable Restaurant Association, said: “It’s been incredible to see the team at Wells & Co. use the Food Made Good Standard to shape their policies and drive lasting change. Their approach is clear at every level-, from board decisions to daily operations in their pubs. Their strongest performance was in the Society pillar, with initiatives like Charlie’s Charity and strong support for their employees, while their environmental work – such as 100% renewable electricity, food waste reduction, and smart energy monitoring – sets a great example. As a direct result of taking the Standard, they created new Environmental and Food Standards policies, which have already led to their first-ever food waste audit and a move to serving only MSC 1-3 rated fish. We love seeing Wells & Co. actively involved in our quarterly Working Groups, where they exchange ideas, share best practices and connect with other hospitality businesses focused on making a lasting impact.”
The Food Made Good certification is valid for two years, with the aim of ensuring that hospitality businesses continue to innovate, develop their offering and identify ways to reduce their impact. Recommendations from their Food Made Good report will form part of a wider action plan for Wells & Co., helping to drive further positive changes over the coming months and years.
To find out more about Wells & Co. and their sustainability work, visit www.wellsandco.com
For more information about The Sustainable Restaurant Association Food Made Good Standard, visit: thesra.org/the-food-made-good-standard/
Notes to editors:
Wells & Co. was founded in 1876 and is an independent, fifth generation, family-owned business with an estate of 180 pubs in the UK and 19 in France. In 2020, Wells & Co opened Brewpoint on Cut Throat Lane, Bedford. Much more than just a state-of-the-art brewery facility, Brewpoint is a £14m investment into the long-standing business’ future with a shop, office, pub and EV chargers – a statement of intent built on five generations of craft beer.
Media contacts:
Jacob Prichard, Communications Lead at Wells & Co. – Jacob.Prichard@wellsandco.com / 07801 593639
Storm Communications – wellsandco@stormcom.co.uk
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