Planet Mark | Our Commitment to Change
It's no secret that our planet is in crisis. It's already impacting people's health; drought and less fresh water mean it's harder to grow food. Some people say the climate has always changed and there is some truth in that. Yet, it's the rate of change that's the problem here. If we don't act now our quality of life and health are at risk.
Our commitment to change
Here at Axminster Tools, we’re always looking for new ways to support a sustainable environment and have a positive impact. It’s our vision to create a global woodworking community so we all have a place to share our passion for making and creating. With that comes a responsibility to ensure that building our community doesn't come at the expense of the environment. As a retailer delivering worldwide, it can be hard to measure our impact. So it's challenging to know where we can make the most positive change. That said, we do choose change and we want to be part of the solution, not the problem. To help us on our journey we've partnered with Planet Mark, a sustainability certification that works passionately with organisations to empower their people to build a brighter future.
What's happening now?
Planet Mark is helping us measure some of the positive changes we've already made. We manufacture an increasing number of own branded products in our Devon based engineering facility. In many cases, this has brought manufacturing back from overseas. We're working to eliminate single use plastics from our packaging and our headquarters have been operating on a zero to landfill basis since 2014. Furthermore, we switched our energy supplier so that the energy we use is 100% renewable.
We know that our customers want to make informed decisions about what they buy. Likewise, they’re interested in the origin and sustainability of products. As a British retailer, we're proud to support British design and quality. We're also conscious of the environmental benefits of manufacturing here in the UK. Labelling our British made products with a Made In Britain badge has made it easier for customers to make responsible choices.
What happens next?
We strive to always put our customers first, ensuring that they get the most from their experience with us. That includes sharing what we learn. Teaming up with organisations such as The Sylva Wood Foundation and Grown in Britain is helping us to consider our use of sustainable timber. We're hopeful that we can use this knowledge to help with carbon removal. We will, of course, share what we learn with our customers, suppliers and communities to support them in making their own choices.
Once our measurements have been certified, working together with Planet Mark, we'll create a plan to reduce our carbon emissions. We'll share that too - because we can't do it alone.
We're thrilled to be joining the Planet Mark community, furthering our commitment to sustainability by creating a plan that has a positive impact on society and the environment. We will be measuring and reducing our carbon footprint to ensure that we are embedding sustainability at every stage of our product's lifecycle. We're keen to share what we learn so that we can all move towards a brighter future.
Alan Styles (Managing Director, Axminster Tools)
It is our belief we must work together to embrace change and protect the environment; to build a future for our people and for the planet. What changes will you make?
To learn more about Planet Mark and how they work with businesses to plan for the future visit: planetmark.com
