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Why Airedale

ESG at Airedale

Supporting sustainable growth through accountability, action and independent ESG assessment.
Pub Kitchen with Busy Chefs in Motion

A practical approach to responsible growth

Our ESG strategy helps us create long-term value for the customers, colleagues, suppliers, shareholders and communities connected to our business.

ESG is an important part of how we run and grow Airedale Group. It gives us a clear framework for looking at our environmental impact, the value we create for people and communities, and the way we govern our business.

It's more than just meeting expectations. Our customers increasingly need partners who can evidence responsible business practice.  Our colleagues want to be part of a business with clear values, and our suppliers play an important role in helping us raise standards across the wider commercial kitchen sector.

That is why ESG is embedded at board level, and supported by independent assessment. It helps us keep building a business that grows responsibly, acts transparently and delivers positive outcomes across our key communities.

The Airedale Approach:

  •  Using independent assessment to benchmark progress and guide improvement 
  • Investing in technology and product development that empowers ESG decision-making
  • Supporting customers with their own ESG and supply chain priorities
  •  Creating better outcomes for colleagues, suppliers, shareholders and communities 
  •  Reducing environmental impact through practical, measurable action 
  •  Strengthening governance, accountability and long-term decision making 

What our ESG strategy covers

Environment
Reducing the impact of how we operate

We are working to reduce the environmental impact of our business across the areas we can influence most directly. That includes our vehicle fleet and energy use across our locations, for example. By understanding our impacts more clearly, we can prioritise practical action and make more informed decisions.

Social
Creating better outcomes for people and communities

Our social priorities focus on the people and communities connected to Airedale. That includes supporting colleagues through engagement, development and long-term career opportunities, while strengthening the relationships we have with customers, suppliers and the wider communities around our business. As we continue to grow, we want that growth to create positive outcomes for all our key stakeholders.

Governance
Building accountability into the way we work

Good governance ensures ESG is managed with the structure, visibility and discipline it needs. Our approach includes board-level oversight, independent assessment, operational risk management and supplier processes that help us make better decisions. This gives our ESG strategy proper accountability and keeps improvement connected to the way the business is actually run.

Reducing our environmental impact

From fleet emissions to energy use and supplier engagement, we are focusing on the areas where our operations can make the greatest difference.

an airedale vehicle

Fleet and vehicle emissions

Our fleet is one of the most significant areas of direct environmental impact. We have already moved the majority of company cars to electric, with 55 electric company cars introduced and EV charging installed across six Airedale locations.

a welder working on bespoke catering equipment

Energy use across our locations

We are reviewing energy suppliers and exploring opportunities to use green energy products across our offices, operational sites and manufacturing activity, helping us identify practical routes to reduce our Scope 2 impact.

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Supply chain engagement

We are increasing CSR audits across our supply chain, so environmental considerations can become a stronger part of supplier management and procurement decisions.

Turn kitchen data into measurable ESG action

Lighthouse helps multi-site operators reduce avoidable waste, improve compliance visibility and strengthen estate-wide control. By translating live kitchen performance into actionable insight, it supports better decisions across energy use, food safety, asset lifecycle and operational governance.

Investing in people and communities

Our social priorities focus on creating better outcomes for the people who work with us, partner with us and are connected to the communities we serve.

two colleagues collaborating

Supporting our colleagues

We are continuing to develop our employee proposition so Airedale remains a place where people can build rewarding, long term careers. That includes listening to colleagues, improving engagement and using better data to understand how we can support retention, development and wellbeing.

two trainees are learning catering engineering

Building skills for the future

Through investment in training, technical development and the Airedale Academy, we are helping to build the skills our business and sector need for the future. This supports our own teams while contributing to a stronger pipeline of engineering and technical capability across the industry.

Smiling Residents Dining at Care Home Servery

Creating value across our communities

Our stakeholder model looks beyond shareholders alone. We consider the impact we have on customers, colleagues, suppliers and wider communities, helping us make decisions that support more sustainable and inclusive growth.

Accountability built into how we operate

Good governance gives our ESG strategy the structure, visibility and discipline needed to drive meaningful progress.

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Board-level oversight

ESG is a permanent strategic topic at board level, helping ensure environmental, social and governance priorities are considered as part of long-term business planning.

a welder working on bespoke catering equipment

Risk management

ESG considerations are being embedded into our operational risk matrix, so relevant risks can be identified, assessed, prioritised and managed through the right ownership structures.

Handshake in Commercial Kitchen

Supplier and stakeholder accountability

We are strengthening supplier management processes and using independent assessment to keep our ESG roadmap focused, transparent and connected to the expectations of customers, colleagues, suppliers and wider stakeholders.

Independently assessed 

We aim for true accountability. ESG progress should be evidenced, challenged and benchmarked against external standards.

Interior design by Airedale in a dining environment

Independent scrutiny

Our ESG maturity is assessed by an independent ESG specialist, giving customers and stakeholders confidence that our progress is being reviewed objectively.

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Strong external benchmark

Our latest assessment gave Airedale Group a rating of 'Excellent.'

Gantt Chart in Stylish Depth of Field Shot-1

Gap analysis

The findings from our assessment and working with our independent specialist helps us identify gaps, prioritise action and keep improving across environmental, social and governance priorities.

Continuing to raise our standards

Our ESG approach gives us the opportunity to build ongoing improvements across our business, operations and supply chain.

Our ESG progress so far gives us a strong foundation, but we know there is more to do. We will continue to use independent assessment, external benchmarking and internal governance to guide the next stage of improvement.

That means building on the progress already made, strengthening the way we measure impact and continuing to embed ESG thinking into everyday decisions across Airedale Group. This includes:

  • Continuing to review and reduce environmental impact
  • Strengthening supplier engagement
  • Further enhancing our social value around people, skills and communities
  • Keeping ESG visible through board-level oversight and risk management
  • Maintain independent assessment to measure progress over time
a classroom of kids is taught by an Airedale Group employee about the work in their school kitchen

Are ESG credentials important to you?

Our independently assessed ESG performance helps us demonstrate our commitment to customers who need responsible, transparent and accountable supply chain partners.