Country Range collaborates to improve carbon footprint

Working with ClimatePartner to identify targets and initiatives is to help the Group and its members operate in a more environmentally sustainable way.

ClimatePartner, a leading climate action solutions provider, currently works with more than 6,000 companies across 60 countries with all efforts geared towards the United Nations 17 Sustainability Development Goals.

ClimatePartner will combine individual consultation with a leading cloud-based software to help the foodservice buying group’s members calculate and reduce their carbon emissions, as well as to offset any residual emissions. This unique methodology enables both products and companies to become carbon neutral, and transparently communicate these through the ClimatePartner label.

The Country Range Group’s climate journey has so far involved measuring the operational carbon footprint of all members to see where improvements could be made. Since 2019, the Group’s members have implemented measures such as installing solar panels on offices and facilities, investing in electric vehicles, reviewing delivery routes, optimising refrigeration for chilled produce, and improving waste management processes and energy efficiency.

In the last 12 months, the Group has also significantly reduced packaging with 57 tonnes of non-recyclable black packaging materials already removed from the supply chain, with white cardboard currently being switched to brown to provide further savings this year.

Country Range Group Chief Executive Martin Ward said: “It’s imperative that as a company we all look at ways we can reduce our global footprint and operate in a more environmental and sustainable way. ClimatePartner is the leader in this field and after hearing the impressive success stories of their existing partners including Aldi, Nestlé and LEON, all of which operate in the food sector, it has made us confident that ClimatePartner would understand the impact of both the Group and our members’ operations.”

Thibault Guenat of ClimatePartner commented: “ClimatePartner is proud to support Country Range Group as they take Climate Action seriously. We’ve seen first-hand how members collaborate to trial technologies and innovate faster. The carbon measurements we do together provide insights into existing carbon hotspots, and inform where reductions efforts will be most impactful.”