Sustainability targets see Creed Foodservice set the standard

Creed Foodservice has announced plans to achieve net zero by 2035 as part of a raft of new sustainability targets

The Country Range Group member is aiming to champion more robust action in the sector while making a positive impact on their own carbon footprint.

As well as being net zero by 2035, Creed Foodservice has pledged to become carbon neutral by 2025.

With the wholesaler’s net zero target being as many as 10 years earlier than other key foodservice providers, Creed is moving at pace and is already implementing schemes to drive down its carbon emissions – the latest being an installation of 1,650 solar panels at its Ilkeston depot.

With the installation due to be completed by the end of May 2022, it’s estimated 30% of the power used at the site will come from sunlight, while 181,000 kwh’s of renewable energy will be fed back into the grid to provide green energy to other users.

In addition to the solar-panel installation, Creed continues to invest in technology across its sites to reduce emissions. This includes using LED lighting systems across all warehouses, offices and yards, with voltage optimisation installed where it makes operational sense; a commitment to using suppliers of renewable energy where energy isn’t coming from solar panels installed on site; electric charging points at all sites for electric vehicles and use of Euro 6 lorries, which feature the highest standard and cleanest engines on the market today.

What’s more, the business continues to tackle its waste management – maintaining a landfill-free status across all sites, with waste being collected and used for energy, or recycled.

Creed also works with Olleco to provide food and oil waste collection services to its customers, and continues to partner with Too Good to Go to sell short-dated stock, alongside providing ongoing donations to local charity partners.

“We’ve stuck our neck out with these targets, something the entire team unequivocally agrees is essential if we’re serious about continuing with what we have already started, and to set a clear example for others in the industry,” explained Creed’s Sustainability Director, Phillip Creed.

“We’d be remiss to deny the huge challenges that reducing emissions so significantly presents, but with the support of ClimatePartner – who are part of the international CCS+ Initiative, championing technologies that are in line with the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) guidance – we are absolutely committed to delivering what we’ve set out to.

“With this being our 50^th year in business, we’ve seen a multitude of challenges face this sector over the years, but never have we been confronted with one so pressing which requires such rigorous and determined action.

“Not only will we continue to evolve the way we operate in line with these targets, but we’ll be working hard with our 380-plus suppliers and thousands of customers to achieve this endeavour and support them in their own too.”