Sustainability audits

Talk to us about our sustainability audit services…
Lead partner: Josiah Meldrum
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Policy, legislation, consumer demand and an increasing environmental imperative all make it essential for the food sector to consider its social and environmental impacts. Unpredictable energy and input costs, and the increasing uncertainty that climate change brings, make change an economic necessity. But understanding which changes will deliver the biggest economic, social and environmental benefits can be far from straightforward.

Working closely with our clients and employing a triple bottom line approach to sustainability we consider the interplay of social, environmental and economic factors in order to analyse current activities and develop realistic sustainability plans. Our plans reference relevant strategies (such as Defra’s Food Industry Sustainability Strategy and the DECCs UK Low Carbon Transition Plan), current consumer trends, policy and legislation.

Provenance uses audit data to identify a hierarchy of priorities for clients – from easily implemented quick wins to more complex longer term projects. Importantly, we are also able to offer help implementing those plans and advice on communicating the outcomes. The details of our sustainability audits and plans are tailored to individual requirements but include the following categories:

• Energy – more sustainable energy use and procurement
• Waste – opportunities for reduction, reuse and recycling
• Carbon – baseline audits and ongoing monitoring of carbon; direct and embodied and including PAS2050 product footprinting
• Water - identifying opportunities for more efficient water use
• Ethical Trade – developing procurement policies and identifying potential improvements in employment practice
• Community Engagement – communicating positive change, creating allies

In addition we can provide supply chain specific sustainability information on UK and EU policy, consumer trends and current academic research.

Provenance has joined the 10:10 campaign – we’d like to encourage you to do the same.

By committing to cut your emissions by 10% in 2010, you will join thousands of individuals, schools, hospitals, businesses and organisations all actively helping to combat climate change by making simple changes to their lifestyles, homes and workplaces. More importantly, your voice will help to put pressure on the politicians to cut Britain’s emissions as quickly as the science demands. If we in the UK can prove that fast, deep cuts can be made at a national level, then we may just inspire all the other big polluting countries to follow suit.