It has been a period in all our lives, a shared experience each and everyone one of us will remember for as long as we are lucky to be here.

What have we learnt? What will change, anything?

Well, for one, we have learnt we aren’t as untouchable as we may have thought and nature is perhaps taking its due cause, it’s way of giving us a rather significant wake up call. Between the Blendsmiths team, we have shared many a conversation of opinionated theories over recent months as to what notable changes we might see going forward, it’s a fiercely debated topic across all medias and I’m quite sure you have your own thoughts on the matter. Sanitiser here to stay, for sure. Health passports to be a mandatory travel requirement, quite possibly. Working in the office 9-5 no more, why not?

But how much will really change? I mean really, how much. What is today’s news, or the last 18 months news can and will be replaced ‘just as long as we can get on with our lives, right? Because everything was just fine before, let’s just get back to it. We hear this kind of statement frequently, but for every family consciously making changes, is there ten more that are not?

INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES WHO HAVE THE PLATFORM AND THE ABILITY TO ACTIVELY CHANGE BEHAVIOURS ARE THE ONES WITH THE KEY TO ANY KIND OF MONUMENTAL SHIFT

Ultimately, vast and significant changes initiated by individuals and companies who have the platform and the ability to actively change behaviours are the ones with the key to any kind of monumental shift. We are creatures of habit and naturally humans are followers of the herd, our world as we know it is controlled through an intricate matrix greater than we can ever understand.

If that is the case, which it is, let's be controlled by people, companies and Governments that care about what the future looks like on a deeper humanitarian3 level. In 2019, I was pleased to see Amazon create ‘The Climate Pledge’ – their own commitment to becoming net zero carbon across their entire business whatever we may think of their previous federal tax evasions. Understanding the negative effects their type of business could be having on the planet, they are making positive changes to carry on doing what they do pretty so well, in a manner that is simply better for the environment.

And do you know what happens when Amazon do it, the others do it and before you know it, putting the environment first becomes a pre-requisite for all. Now that’s progress.

Our industry is full of small businesses championing sustainable projects and adopting ways of doing business better, it makes us incredibly proud to be a part of this family and drives us to continue to improve our own practices.

Blendsmiths has always been a conscious company, it’s in the makeup of the people who work here but as any small business will tell you, when starting out, financial stipulations can be a frustrating limitation and hinder desired practices, or minimise the options available.

As the years have quickly passed by and we have grown, Blendsmiths is continuing to learn, adapt and shape into a strong small business with more capabilities to offer than ever before and more importantly, better environmental practices of our very own.

We have committed ourselves to creating shared values with our suppliers, ensuring the ingredients we source are produced without both human and animal suffering. With a strong emphasis of being cultivated and produced with minimum impact to the environment.

What are we doing for the environment?

In 2019, we have signed up multiple partnership agreements with suppliers under the global UN Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. The success of our business lies in our ability to contribute to the thousands of people around the world making our business possible in the first place.

This means our suppliers incorporate and execute the principles of the UN Global Compact into business strategies, policies and procedures, as well as establishing a culture of integrity and responsibility to uphold basic responsibilities towards people and the planet.

We have committed to working with our partners and suppliers to find practical solutions and improvements in all aspects of our business.

This has led to standardising our purchasing plans, committing to supply of larger ingredient volumes from existing and prospective partners, enabling us to grow and develop relationships and better support farmers. In addition, we have further improved our relationships with UK importers through our ability to offer more sustainable buying forecasts and we have consolidated our supplier list, reducing our carbon footprint in return.

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At the beginning of 2020, we took on the mammoth task of overhauling our entire product packaging with a view of being more environmentally friendly.

Every year, millions of pounds of barrier film scrap is generated globally, with most being sent to landfills or sold for very little value. Why? Because without something called a compatibilizer, barrier film scrap containing nasty polymers will not finely disperse enough for recycle or reuse.

The innovative recycle compatibilizer technology used on our new packaging allow converters to recycle barrier film trim, back into film production without sacrificing optical or physical properties.

The benefits are many, including:

- Sustainability and considerable cost savings
- Better use of recycle streams (versus selling for low value or landfilling)
- Meets our own and your company or industry sustainability goals (e.g., “Zero-Landfill” objectives)
- Allows us to make post-industrial recycle content claims

Our fulfilment facility has its very own green, enviro-friendly processes in place, with all packaging used for sending items via courier being recyclable and sustainable – this includes all boxes, filling material and tape.

The cardboard we use is made from 70% recycled materials and we use a compact baler for breaking down all cardboard to ensure it is recycled correctly, no plastic is used on site which we are incredible proud of.

In addition to the above, our production facility is one of only a few vegan manufacturing sites in the UK registered BRC , food safety certified.

How much will change? Only time will tell of course but we fully intend to do our bit and contribute the best way we can to be as green and environmentally friendly and look after this wonderful planet of ours.