Highlights

Business in The Community Corporate Responsibility Index (CRI) 2012

Stephen Howard, Chief Executive at Business in the Community said: “I congratulate Brakes Group on achieving Gold in the 2012 BITC Corporate Responsibility Index.  

“Achieving Gold means that Brakes Group is able to demonstrate openness and transparency through effective public reporting of its environmental and social issues, programmes and performance.  It also means its CSER strategy includes clear and measurable targets, which are articulated in an effective manner.

Donating surplus food to good causes – Over 1million meal equivalents donated and 420 tonnes of landfill prevented in 2011

Our day-to-day business activity generates surplus food that is fit for human consumption. We are committed to divert this food to good causes rather than sending it to landfill. Our strategic partner FareShare is a UK wide charity that delivers quality surplus food to local charities supporting disadvantaged people. By 2013 we aim to donate 70% of all food waste that is fit for human consumption to charity diverting it from landfill.

Packaging – Over 569 tonnes saved

We are proud to have saved over 569 tonnes of packaging material since 2008.  As a business that moves well over a million boxes a day for our customers, packaging is a major cost to our business. Our CSER strategy includes introducing systems and processes to minimise the amount of packaging we use. This not only saves cost and protects limited resources but it also has the benefit of reducing the packaging our customers need to dispose of. We work closely with our suppliers to develop and produce environmentally friendly and efficient packaging.

Over 3.1 million food kilometres saved since 2009

We work closely with major customers to consolidate the number of deliveries we make and the routes we take. By constantly seeking small improvements in our distribution network we are able to save millions of food miles. We have taken 60 vehicles off the road and saved 2,329 tonnes of C02 through route optimisation.

Public Health Responsibility Deal – Department of Health working party members

Since the publication of the Public Health Responsibility Deal in March 2011 our Health and Nutrition team have engaged with the Department of Health as part of our commitment to support Government public health initiatives.

Having led the foodservice industry and already removed artificial transfats from our own label products in 2008, we signed the transfats pledge in a clear demonstration of our commitment to the overall Responsibility Deal objectives for improving people’s health.

As active members of the Department of Health working party we are helping to form and advise further food network pledges, with specific reference to the needs of foodservice.

Hollis Sponsorship Award 2011

Brakes Group has won the Charity, Community and Environment category at the Hollis Sponsorship Awards. The award, which Brakes Group shares with charity partner FareShare, recognised our work in reducing food waste by redistributing any surplus food to the homeless and vulnerable people in Britain.

Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon – millions raised for charity

Brakes Group has been a proud sponsor of the Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon since its inaugural race in 2008. We have helped raise millions of pounds for charity. The 2010 race attracted an estimated 50,000 people with 12,500 crossing the finish line in the largest event to date. The Brakes Food & Fitness Village was also a great success with tens of thousands of visitors enjoying the family friendly activities designed to ensure everyone had a great day out.