Gather & Gather, Mitie's catering business, has achieved a Two Star Sustainability Champion rating in its first audit by the Sustainable Restaurant Association (‘SRA’).
Following a detailed assessment across 14 key areas of sustainability, the SRA commended Gather & Gather on its overall sustainability initiatives and “serious commitment to ethical practices”. In particular the SRA noted “an excellent score in the areas of Local and Seasonal” and “commendable actions throughout the areas of Healthy Eating and Community Engagement”. 1
With the belief that a sustainable business is a commercially viable business, in 2012 Gather & Gather created a Sustainability Working Group to underline the company’s values and its commitment to integrating a sustainable culture.
The Sustainability Working Group has focused on a range of areas, including local and sustainable sourcing of produce, optimising the use of packaging, raising general awareness on how to make sustainable purchasing decisions and reduce waste.
This rating is a testament to the impact the group has had over the last two years, with the team committed to working towards the maximum Three Star Rating, with particular focus on areas such as direct sourcing and reducing waste.
Allister Richards, managing director of Gather & Gather said:
“This recognition is testament to the fact that sustainability for Gather & Gather is not about bland corporate statements or loose pledges, but a real and ingrained way of doing things that makes a difference for our customers. I’m delighted that we’re making such good progress.”
Managing director of the SRA, Mark Linehan, said:
“With more than one billion meals served in the B&I sector, businesses like Gather & Gather have an increasing responsibility to serve well sourced food, to operate efficiently and fulfill their role as fair employers and contributors to society.
“By achieving a Two Star SRA rating, Gather & Gather has demonstrated an excellent level of sustainability across its operation, evidenced by sourcing the vast majority of its ingredients from the UK, providing its customers with a host of healthy eating options, taking a positive approach to waste reduction and supporting a number of charitable initiatives. We applaud Gather & Gather for its positive approach to business and look forward to working with them to achieve a third star.”
-Ends-
1 Quoted from the Sustainable Restaurant Association sustainability rating report for Gather & Gather – August, 2014
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For further information, contact:
Helen Greenwood, Investor and Public Relations Manager, Mitie Group plc
T: +44 (0) 203 123 8731 E: helen.greenwood@mitie.com
