As a premium furniture retailer, we acknowledge our social responsibility towards the environment and understand the importance of implementing and sustaining long-term 'green' business practices. Having completed a thorough assessment of our business, we have identified those areas which have the biggest impact on our carbon footprint, and created a plan to achieve net zero by 2030.
Sourcing & Sustainability
The starting point of Ponsford's sustainability mission is with the furniture we sell. The majority of our brand partners continue to develop and improve the sustainable business practices, which they have built into their design and manufacturing processes, with exciting results. So whether you're looking to invest in pieces by ERCOL (made from regulated timbers in their award-winning, energy-saving factory in Buckinghamshire) or explore the latest eco ranges with upholstery fabrics derived from ocean plastic waste (check out Alston's Oceana and Harlech's Petra), you can rest assured that we do our very best to source furniture from makers whose products are made from sustainable materials and transported in a sustainable way.
It's worth noting that while eco-friendly furniture is fast-becoming an industry trend, Ponsford has always stood for quality design and premium craftsmanship; retailing pieces that will provide years of service before needing to replaced. (And should your furniture need repairing, our aftercare service is unbeaten.) What could be greener than that?
Buildings & Premises
As a business, most of our carbon emissions are caused by our heating methods. Our aim is to replace oil and gas central heating with more efficient climate control units where feasible. Ventilation draught prevention analysis throughout all our properties has informed our programme to upgrade windows with secondary glazing, make improvements in flooring and increase insulation. And let's not forget all the lighting it takes to illuminate our showrooms: we're working on ensuring that all fittings are low energy or LED in order to minimise energy usage.
A significant step forward in our plan is the recent completion of a 200kw array of solar panels on the roof of our Dronfield Warehouse (pictured below). As you can see, the winter sun has already started to work its magic...
Offsetting Carbon
It is our intention to collaborate with third party providers (including the Woodland Trust) to embark on an initiative to replace local hedgerows and re-introduce natural habitats where possible. Using the calculation that 40 trees per year are required per tonne of carbon offset, we aim to plant 16,000 trees per year for 10 years. Using optimum planting density it should be possible to plant 19,600 trees over 70 acres helping us to achieve our net zero target.
Delivery & Transportation
Our fleet of delivery vans has been replaced with cleaner, low-emission vehicles meaning that our current fleet complies with Clean Air Zone regulations. Our delivery drivers also plan routes that minimise unnecessary mileage. Sometimes, it's the little things...
Waste Management
We aim to recycle as much of our packaging materials as possible, including polystyrene. We utilise a compactor for card and plastic.
Here, at Ponsford, we consistently strive to review and implement ongoing change wherever possible. Please don't hesitate to contact us or visit us in store if you need any more information.