2 min readBristol's much-loved pie purveyors, Pieminister, are all about Pies, Planet and People. We asked them to tell us more about their ethos and the steps they've taken to become a more sustainable organisation.
Pieminister is a B Corp (score: 101.2), a Living Wage Employer, and is a member of the UN’s Race to Zero.
How important is sustainability to your business operation?
It is integral to everything that we do, from powering our Bristol bakery, offices and restaurants with green energy, to only using ethical deforestation-free ingredients, to our zero waste to landfill targets, to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 50%. We have a series of commitments to stick to, to keep us on track, called Pies, Planet, People.
How do you communicate your sustainability work internally?
All teams across the business meet every quarter to check in on the progress they’re making towards the business hitting Pies, Planet, People targets as a whole.
We also have two company updates a year where staff get together for an update on how we’re measuring against our sustainability targets, and what the next steps are.
How important are local supply chains?
Local supply chains are really important in terms of keeping things simple and building good relationships with suppliers who share our values.
How do you communicate this sustainability work with visitors?
As well as publishing and sharing annual impact reports, we use our social channels to highlight key elements of our Pies, Planet, People commitments and raise awareness of key sustainability issues.
What are the benefits of striving to be a sustainable business?
We have built strong teams across the business because we attract new team members who care as much about our business’s ethical and sustainable values as their colleagues. Striving to get better and better in terms of sustainability gives staff a shared sense of purpose.
What are you most proud of in terms of your sustainability journey?
We’re most proud of the fact that we were the first pie company to only use free-range British meat. And more generally, that even though we have faced huge challenges in recent years (soaring energy and ingredients costs, NI contribution rises, the cost of living crisis, and the effect the pandemic has had on hospitality), we’ve never compromised on our sustainable values.
Any words of wisdom to motivate others on their own sustainability journey?
Stick to your principles! When we set up Pieminister as a family business back in 2003, we knew we wanted to be as responsible a business as we could be. So when times are tough, knowing this is how we do business keeps us going and makes all the hard work worthwhile!
