Lockhart provide update on Sustainable Futures progress

Lockhart Catering Equipment’s recent conference provided the company with an opportunity to give an update to customers and suppliers alike on the significant progress that has already been made on their Sustainable Futures programme and the three pillars of People, Customers, and Suppliers. The conference itself is a key part of the programme with Lockhart committed to sharing what they know about sustainability and providing sustainable business solutions, expert and impartial advice with clients and highlighting more sustainable products.

From a packaging perspective, 50% of exclusive brands have removed single use plastic from their packaging entirely. Two out of three exclusive cutlery brands now wrap product in tissue paper and banded paper, whilst plastic sleeves from Artisan and Crème crockery ranges have been replaced with cardboard, which alone is estimated to reduce 109Kg of plastic each year. 100% recyclable honeycomb protection has replaced plastic bubble wrap in many products, whilst plastic tape has been swapped for paper carton sealing tape. Combined, this is predicted to reduce a further 2,600Kg of plastic each year. Furthermore, plastic ‘documents enclosed’ envelopes have been replaced by paper alternatives, saving an additional 400Kg per year.

Beyond packaging, of Lockhart’s 202 employees in the UK, 80% are recruited from the local area, thereby helping to reduce travel pollution, with 100% of these paid at least the living wage. In addition, Lockhart is championing the level of diversity programmes such as Inspiring Women in Bunzl and Inspiring Ethnicity in Bunzl with 630 hours of unconscious bias training being delivered throughout 2024.

Simon Britten, Head of Marketing at Lockhart explains why sustainability is so high on the agenda:
“We have a deep understanding of the role that Lockhart play in providing sustainable products and delivering a sustainable supply chain. We are in the enviable position of being able to provide knowledge and expertise to our customers and guidance for our suppliers. As such, what we do as a company has far reaching impacts across the industry. Our 2050 net zero target can only be achieved by a combined approach that has everybody on board.”

To find out more about the large leaps that the company is making, Lockhart has a dedicated sustainability portal for customers and suppliers at www.lockhart.co.uk/sustainability along with quarterly newsletters and dedicated Q&A areas.