Our Sustainability Targets

But we know that being a responsible business is more than certificates. We always aim to be transparent about the goals we want to reach and realistic timelines for those goals. For starters, a huge overall goal for us is to halve our scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030. We’ve hit our target to be a carbon-neutral company and will reach Net Zero by 2045 (5 years before the Paris Agreement deadline).

Targets Achieved Last Year

It was our goal to use carbon-neutral road hauliers in the UK by 2025 but we’ve already achieved this. We’re proud to be using carbon-neutral road hauliers, in the somewhat unlikely instance we can't find one but it's an urgent shipment, we offset the emissions. We also wanted to install renewable energy sources for our UK buildings by 2030 but we did this in 2023. We installed electric car sources on site and power these with solar energy.

Lastly, we on-shored production of one product range 2 years earlier than expected. We thought this was important both to support our economy and reduce the length of supply chains. Our metal display stands are fully manufactured in the UK. But this isn’t the end for this target!

Targets: For Planet

Let’s start with our goals that we hope can greatly improve the planet. First, eliminate plastic packaging! We pride ourselves on using materials we know are naturally sustainable and good for the planet. Where we can make improvements is with our secondary packaging. We'll remove all secondary plastic packaging from our imported stock and replace it with sustainable alternatives by 2026.

As mentioned, we have already installed solar panels, but our network gas and electricity supplies need to be 100% from renewable sources. We’ll move to a supplier that offers this, this year. And lastly, we want to reduce our air freight. Sample shipment is a big part of our footprint. We’ll invest in UK prototyping machinery, in-house product design and factory photography studios to reduce our air freight emissions by 20% every year. This is an ongoing target that we’re already making improvements with.

Targets: For People

Some of our production is carried out by groups that are not directly employed. We will make sure that by 2026 all workers have formal contracts in place to ensure employment is protected. We want everyone who works for Gadsby to feel secure within their role. Before that, by 2025 we will set up a formal framework for educating and training. This will pass on key craft skills that need to be protected and offer both a skill for life and increased earnings.

Lastly, we already love sharing success but by 2028 we will set up a profit-sharing system. A fixed percentage will be passed directly to producers. We believe our workforce must be supported wherever they are.

Targets: For Product

We’ve already worked hard to ensure most of our products are sustainable. Wicker is naturally a sustainable raw product and the woods we use (such as Paulownia and Acacia) are fast-growing making them more eco-friendly. Our cardboard ranges are made from recycled cardboard and can be recycled. By 2025 at least 85% of our range will be made from sustainable materials.

As well as producing more sustainable items, we need to know the full extent of our product footprints. In the same year, we will complete Lifetime Cycle Assessments for our top 5 material types. This data will be independently verified and publicly available. Lastly, we've already on-shored production for one product range, next year we will on-shore production of two product ranges. Again, it's important to us to support our economy and reduce the length of supply chains.

A Sustainable Future

Our targets don’t stop there, we’re continuously improving our sustainability output (even daily). Through certification, our entire team - from sales to logistics - has become more aware of the impact our business has on our three pillars. Because of this, each team member is pivotal in the changes we achieve.

Find out more about our achievements and targets by heading to our Responsible Business page.