Highlights

• From a small catering business to a big hospitality company.
• Achieved high scores in social and environmental performance.
• Innovative waste management and ethical business practices.
• Employment and training opportunities for ex-offenders.

In 2011, Social Pantry, a sustainable caterer in the UK, was born with a vision to serve great food in a sustainable and meaningful way.

What started as a small catering operation from a home kitchen has grown into a big business, from a kitchen in a house to hosting big events across three exclusive City of London venues. Every step of theirs has been to create something special.

They are now a B Corp. This means they have met the highest standards of social and environmental performance with a score of 104.4, one of the highest in hospitality in the UK.

The B Corp assessment looks at impact across five areas – governance, workers, community, environment and customers – using a detailed scoring system. To become a B Corp, businesses need to score at least 80 and agree to transparency, accountability and continuous improvement. Re-certification is every three years.

Being a B Corp means Social Pantry is part of a global movement that uses business for good. Their commitment to people, planet and ex-offenders is now part of that movement.

During the B Corp certification process, Social Pantry worked with sustainability consultant Nash Gierak, Director of Bold Green Strategies. Gierak said: “Social Pantry’s unique approach and investment in sustainability was what helped them achieve their high B Corp score. Their hard work and dedication to their mission was key to this recognition.”

Social Pantry tackles environmental issues by focusing on food-related emissions and waste. They innovate with waste repurposing – making vinegar from spent lemons and using leftover sparkling wine in jellies. Their zero-to-landfill waste management includes an on-site biodigester, separate waste streams and First Mile gold-certified recycling rates.

Outside of the kitchen, Social Pantry has also adopted other sustainable practices – removing global plastic polluters from their drink menus, investing in renewable energy and electric vehicles and choosing a fossil fuel-free ethical pension fund for their employees.

Since 2015, Social Pantry has been an employer of prison leavers, providing training and employment opportunities. They have opened a café and training facility inside HMP/YOI Feltham and are on the Employment Board at HMP Wandsworth. These initiatives create a more direct pathway for young people leaving prison to employment at Social Pantry.

B Corp certification recognises the social and environmental impact of their work. Next, they say they are looking to go further, with plans to reach new and bigger goals, including Net Zero.

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Source: Social Pantry