Our Suppliers Due diligence and supply chain controls are in place to ensure that we only engage with reputable suppliers who share our commitment to our business values, legal and regulatory requirements. During pre-screening and on boarding processes, all potential suppliers are required to confirm their compliance with applicable and relevant criteria, including business, labour and employment laws, such as Anti-bribery and Anti-slavery / human trafficking. We manage our key suppliers closely and have a dedicated Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) programme. Our Customers We work closely with our customers to assist them to act in an environmentally friendly way, offering services and tools that effectively reduce their footprint on the planet. Our purpose is to help our customers achieve their business goals by providing a high standard of products and services that meet their needs. • We minimise the impact on the natural environment and communities by raising awareness of our ESG with our customers and the market • We operate openly and disclose performance information and data when requested by customers • For a number of customers we provide carbon reporting for CDP (formerly the ‘Carbon Disclosure Project’) which discloses our impact within the supply chain alongside proof of other accreditations such as EcoVadis Our customers can contribute through Ethical Superstore (part of the Whistl Group) by making charitable donations at the checkout stage and offset their carbon footprint by donating to ‘Trees for life’. Ethical Superstore also run a ‘Black Friday’ deal to support a food bank, donating an item for every order placed.
Internal engagement We have begun an ESG education and promotion campaign across the business including a dedicated section on the intranet; celebration of key dates such as Earth Day and Water Saving Week; training modules both face to face and digital. Moving forward In 2023 we will further explore low emission technologies such as solar panels and renewable energy across our sites, explore innovations such as grass-based packaging, review our water consumption assets and the feasibility of low emission HGVs. The company has established a strategy to transition its van fleet to electric power, whilst practically meeting operational needs, cost effectively. Our Community We are passionate about supporting our local communities and charities through volunteering opportunities, fundraising campaigns and activities. There are also other ways employees can engage with communities. Whistl is supportive of employees wishing to work within the local communities on a volunteer basis and they are also able to contribute by a Just Giving (Give as you earn) facility to support a charity of their choice. Over £2,500 was raised by sites for the following charities, which was matched by a donation from the company:
In 2021 we launched the Whistl Apprenticeship Fund inviting small businesses in the areas where we have sites to apply for funding for their own Level 2 to 5 apprenticeship schemes with a focus on early years learning, digital and engineering focused apprenticeships. During the year we allocated £0.4m to fund 251 apprenticeships in 76 different organisations. Employees began an internal appeal in late February for items that could be sent to Ukraine to help with the humanitarian crisis developing within the country. Since the launch, sites from across the Whistl Group have collated pallet loads of items and sent them to the London Ukrainian Appeal in London. Whistl helped 200 Year 8 students from St. James’ Church of England High School in Bolton to kick start their thinking about future careers. As part of the company’s Whistl Stop Tour Careers programme a team of colleagues from the Bolton depot met with pupils to discuss career planning. Topics covered were career plans at school; employability skills; career path so far; all about Whistl; and current jobs available. We also sponsored Marlow Swans Football Club as its first shirt sponsor under our local marketing brand, Leafletdrop.
• Sweet William’s Legacy Foundation
• Cots for Tots, Wallace & Gromit Appeal
• MIND BLMK
Whistl helped 200 Year 8 students from St. James’ Church of England High School in Bolton to kick start their thinking about future careers.
• Bolton Animal Shelter
• NI Children’s Hospice
• Trussell Trust Food Banks
• Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day
• Macmillan Coffee Morning.
Whistl Annual Report 2022
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