Sustainability
What cast and craft is doing to reduce the impact on the planet
Cast and Craft Ltd has always been focused on sustainability here and update on our progress
In March 2024 we introduced sustainability development plan aimed at reducing out environmental impact for 2024-225 period. Since then we’ve update our plan annually highlight out achievements so far and outline our evolving future goals
Our environment strategy is focused on four sectors
Environmental sustainability
Aligning to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – a collection of 17 global goals intended to be a “plan to achieve a better and more sustainable future for the rest of people with in the globe” – we have established an ESG committee with the aim to drive our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) activities.
The committee is comprised of an ESG group head, an ESG manager, a community and engagement partner and 15 ESG ambassadors from across the business. The team hold monthly meetings, to drive progress on our activities, increase engagement across the business and discuss further ideas & actions.
Ensuring we focus on the right development areas, we carried out an exercise engaging with our customers, colleagues, local communities, suppliers, other business partners and other small businesses to understand what was important to them. This formed a Materiality Matrix which was reviewed against the business impact of these items and the interest from our stakeholders.
At the end of this review, we established our 5 key focuses:
Packaging
Energy use
Customer energy saving
Information security
Product quality reliability and reparability
Sustainability plan
packaging reduction
We’ve been working with all of our supplier partners to remove polystyrene from our packaging. 16 ranges now have no polystyrene on new orders.
In our warehouse, we’ve moved transit packing from plastic to paper on our automated pick lines and we use cardboard for most of our packaging
Energy saving and climate impact
Increase on-site solar power production with energy storage at our warehouse
Increase collection rates of used products from customers when they replace with new.
We have helped improve recycling from 84% in 2024 to 87% in 2025
99% of our warehouse lighting is now LED and sensor-based, we’re renewing lights as they come to end of life with more efficient units.
100% of energy for warehouses, offices and stores comes from renewable sources
NEW: Moving to paperless invoicing from our suppliers and to our customers.
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) are the leader in sustainable forest management. We are working with The Soil Association reviewing our internal and external controls so that we will be FSC accredited in the UK and Ireland in 2025.
Customer Energy Saving
Energy saving on electric appliances products have helped save our customers over 4MWh’s of energy based on annual sales.
New products and innovations focused on energy saving.
NEW: Any new products in our refrigeration range will take energy efficiency into account.
Information and Technical resilience
Standardized the firewalls across the group.
Product quality, reliability and reparability
The new spares grading process has improved spares availability.
Further developed our engineering and service offering to improve our product support for customers
Spare parts are available for 7 years after the discontinuation of a product to increase its lifetime.
We continue to improve our First Time Fix Rate to support customers.
2025-2026 Goals
Packaging reduction
In the first half of 2025, new home-compostable potato starch carrier bags will replace the plastic carrier bags. (where applicable)
Agreed plans to remove polystyrene from product packaging by the end of 2026
Continuing with our strategy of removing plastic from our packaging and looking to trial reusable and new materials in the future.
Energy saving and climate impact
Solar panel installation planned for future expansion
Our target for recycling rate is 88% and we are focusing on improving our systems to achieve this.
Our external lighting improvement project continues on from 2024 to reduce office and warehouse energy usage. Work is being completed in the first half of 2025.
Working to move sister companies within the group to renewable energy when their energy contracts come up for renewal.
Extend paperless invoicing into other regions of the Nisbets group.
Customer Energy Saving
Our continuation process of product improvements support customers in energy saving.
We’ve updated our marketing on our website giving customer targeted information when they search for energy saving products.
Continuing product innovation including A+ and A-rated refrigeration products and applications of products to the ETL (government scheme to promote energy efficient products). Products being launched are up to 60% more energy efficient than previous models. In addition to our electric appliances, we are developing A-rated deli counters and display counters. All lighting will be switched to LED’s with changing components as products are being refreshed to more energy efficient models. This is an ongoing process.
Information and Technical resilience
Progressing towards ISO standards Information Security Management Systems to support both our and our customers’ information.
Continue to improve security.
Product quality, reliability and reparability
We are reviewing the high demand and critical spares carried by our teams of engineers so that we continue to improve our First Time Fix Rate.
Improved reporting allowing us to focus on customer needs & create KPI’s for our teams.
Supported with service manuals, spares availability and improved pre call out diagnostics with better training of our engineering team. Reviewing the returns rates and repair statistics.