In an era when so many businesses shout about their social and environmental impact how do you know who to trust? Organisations across the facilities management sector are keen to build sustainable supply chains but struggle to identify partners who share their vision and values. At Calabash we believe in complete transparency and go above and beyond to ensure our claims are evidence based. We are putting sustainable practice at the heart of our strategy and as a trusted partner help our clients make more responsible choices that secure competitive advantage whilst serving the needs of people and planet.
At Calabash we are very proud of the progress we have made in addressing our impacts in December we set out our achievements and action plan in our Sustainability Report 2024. The document highlights the significant steps we have taken to embed sustainability into our operations, guided by a clear commitment to environmental and social responsibility.
In partnership with our consultancy partner Wylde Connections, we have developed a comprehensive strategy to assess impacts and embed best practice. Using tools such as a materiality assessment and value chain analysis, we have prioritised action areas and created a robust action plan.
We want to challenge the status quo and made the decision to calculate greenhouse gas emissions across all three scopes, demonstrating leadership in tackling Scope 3 impacts and driving decarbonisation. In terms of social impact, we are a Living Wage employer that champions fair employment practices and staff wellbeing. With over 90% of clients also paying the real Living Wage, our business is setting a benchmark for ethical employment in a sector facing recruitment challenges.
It can be challenges for facilities managers to identify suppliers who are truly committed to the sustainability agenda. Greenwashing has become a growing concern as organisations face increasing pressure to demonstrate their environmental and social credentials. In a bid to appeal to customers and stakeholders, some companies have overstated or misrepresented their sustainability efforts.
To address this, the government and regulators have introduced tighter measures to curb misleading claims. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched the Green Claims Code to provide clear guidance on how to communicate environmental claims accurately and transparently. Under this code, businesses must ensure that claims are truthful, clear, substantiated with evidence, and do not omit key information.
The regulation places the onus firmly on businesses to back up their ESG claims with credible, verifiable data. To manage supply chain risks and ensure companies are making meaningful changes rather than empty promises, facilities managers and procurement professionals need to do their due diligence. It is important to interrogate the rhetoric, scrutinise claims and examine the evidence.
At Calabash, we have always believed that credibility must be earned through transparency and accountability. That is why we are committed to backing every sustainability claim with hard evidence and independently verified data. Over the past year, we have strengthened our reporting practices by measuring baseline greenhouse gas emissions across all three scopes in line with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and producing a detailed Materiality Assessment to focus our efforts where they matter most.
While improved data collection has revealed areas where we need to do more, it has also given us a clearer picture of our impact and a more robust foundation from which to reduce it. We publish these findings openly in our annual sustainability report, and we welcome scrutiny from our stakeholders as part of our commitment to honest, progressive change.
As we look ahead, our focus is on deepening this approach through ongoing engagement with clients, staff, and partners. are investing further in data systems, expanding our sustainability training across teams, and refining the way we communicate our progress. Achieving B Corp certification remains a key target, alongside strengthening our performance against the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In the months ahead, our priority is to ensure that verified ESG performance not only drives our internal improvements but helps our clients achieve theirs, making sustainability something we deliver together, with evidence at the core.
Talk to our team today about how we can work together for better outcomes for all. Call 0203 011 4799, visit www.calabashgroup.co.uk or email [email protected].
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