A CHIPPING Sodbury bakery has received royal recognition for its work to make its business environmentally sustainable.
Hobbs House Bakery has been announced today as one of this year’s winners of the King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development.
The family-run bakery employs 170 people at its headquarters in Hatters Lane, cookery school and shop in the High Street and other shops in Nailsworth, Tetbury, and Bristol.
It is one of only 27 businesses to receive the award – the highest business accolade for British companies – in the category, and one of three in the region.
The King’s Award recognises the bakery’s sustainability work in every area of the business, from sourcing its ingredients to logistics and reducing waste.
Its “sustainable approach” includes work to source 100% of its grain from organic or ‘regeneratively farmed’ land by 2032, apprenticeship programmes and sending surplus bread to local community initiatives including Fare Share, The Matthew Tree Project and Family Food for Free.
It has a zero-landfill policy which means surplus bread that is not donated is turned into animal feed or beer.
Managing director George Herbert said: “Our team is delighted that the business has been granted the King’s Award.
“We are all on a journey to improve how we use resources responsibly, to produce good, tasty food sustainably and reduce the impact we make on our environment.
“We’re really proud to source our supplies as locally as possible, and the majority of the companies we work with are within a 20-mile radius.
‘On the right path’
“Over the last decade we have significantly reduced our emissions by 22.9%, meaning we are over halfway towards meeting our ten-year 42% reduction target.
“Our electric delivery vehicles, solar panels, green energy and zero bread to landfill policy have all helped the business on its journey to become more sustainable.
“In the past year alone, we have removed almost a quarter of a tonne of plastic by changing how we package our products.
“The King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development has given us the confidence to know that Hobbs House Bakery has been on the right path.
“Our business will continue to invest in and develop our processes to ensure our work is as sustainable as possible.
“The journey does not really have an end goal – as the business’ circumstances and our environment change, we will have to innovate to be the best for our people, community and environment.”
The business was founded in 1920 in Gloucestershire by Thomas and Mabel Herbert, and is now in its fifth generation, having opened the first Hobbs House shop in 1985.
Minister for small businesses Gareth Thomas said: “There are some exceptional businesses from the South West recognised in this year’s King’s Awards for Enterprise.
“I wish the winners every success as they continue to grow, innovate and prosper, and commend the invaluable contributions they have already made to communities at home in the South West and abroad, helping to boost the UK economy.”