Sustainability highlights 2016

People, plants and planet Being the change we want

to see in the world

Sustainability at Pukka

Through the incredible power of plants we inspire you to lead a more conscious life. We will strive every day to help create a Pukka planet benefi tting people, plants and planet. ‘Pukka’ means authentic and it’s at the heart of everything we do. We only use the fi nest grade organic herbs, sustainably sourced and fairly traded.

We strive every day to help create a Pukka Planet benefi ting people, plants and planet. Our sustainability vision supports this mission: ‘Pukka is universally recognised as a pioneer in supporting healthy living of individuals, society and the environment. Pukka has a demonstrable net-positive impact on people, plants and planet.’ Net-positive is a way of doing business which puts back more into society, the environment and the global economy than it takes out.

colourful cups of organic tea

this year

386million

100%certifi ed

carbon neutral

£400,000donated to

environmental charities

11,500,000 doses of organic

herbal wellbeing

through our

supplements

Our products are never tested on animals

0Zero waste to landfi ll,

helping to keep our operational

footprint light

100% certifi ed organic herbs, protecting

people, plants and planet

£89,000invested into community

fair premium funds benefi ting our producers and

community life

100%biodegradable

teabags, staple-free for animal-friendly

compost

Fair for Life certifi ed

teas

2739

FairWild teas

Renewable electricity from British sunshine,

wind and rain

690 students enrolled onto our

online course, ‘Discover

the way of Herbs’

The year in brief…

1 year of 1% for the Planet – £400,000 donated to environmental charities In 2015 we joined 1% for the Planet, a global movement of companies donating at least 1% of their turnover to environmental organisations worldwide. With the Eden Project, we created a new installation all about the wonders of herbs. We’ve also been supporting Sustrans to increase the number journeys people make by bicycle. On one of the busiest parts of the 14,000 mile cycle network we worked with a local artist and school children to create a mural to celebrate the community and the plants and animals surrounding it. We’ve also been conserving forests in The Western Ghats of India – one of the world’s ‘biodiversity hotspots’, and closer to home, protecting local woodland with the Forest of Avon Trust.

Being the change – Pukka becomes a certifi ed B Corp This year we became a certifi ed B Corp, giving us a powerful platform, alongside over 1,800 other ethical and environmentally focussed businesses globally, to work together to accelerate the change we need to see in the world. How we support our own health and the planet’s needs an urgent rethink. It’s only by joining together with other like-minded communities that we can create the shift we so desperately need. Being a B Corp is also a commitment to serve society and the planet; this gives all of us at Pukka the inspiration and courage to grow knowing that we will always be a force for good.

100% organic through and through – right down to the string in our teabags Our commitment to organic cultivation is a central part of Pukka’s DNA. All of our products are certifi ed organic by the Soil Association to UK/EU standards and compliant with the US National Organic Programme. We even use certifi ed organic cotton string on our teabags. No system of farming has lower pesticide use, is more natural, better for our health and the health of farmers, better for wildlife, biodiversity and animal welfare. Organic farming is also more climate friendly than conventional farming.

Carbon neutral for the 2nd year running In 2016 we celebrated being certifi ed carbon neutral in our operations for the second year running. Where we control our energy supply, our business is run on 100% renewable electricity from Good Energy (GE). Our UK sourcing partners and co-packers also signed up with GE creating a unique supply chain powered by sunshine, wind and rain. We off set our carbon footprint this year through an inspiring Gold Standard project in India called The Breathing Space Improved Cooking Stoves Programme. This project reduces exposure to smoke from household use of solid fuels and reduces GHG emissions by replacing traditional ineffi cient stoves with cleaner and greener stoves.

A giant fair leap – 100% of teas achieved Fair for Life certifi cation in 2016 Fair for Life certifi cation is much more than a logo on a pack. It’s the result of a huge amount of eff ort from many partners, and represents many inspiring stories of social change. Fair for Life includes every link in the supply chain from the herb growers, to the partners who help blend the herbs, right through to all of us at Pukka’s Bristol HQ. Certifi cation means that everyone in the supply chain now has access to benefi ts such as health insurance, maternity cover and clear working hours. The result is an increasingly healthy and empowered community of people involved in the production of Pukka teas and supplements – fantastic news for everyone.

Events that tread lightlyPukka has worked hard this year to bring the incredible power of plants to life at music festivals and other events. We take a sustainable event management approach to planning, organising and delivering all the events we go to. Our Pukka creations are made from sustainably sourced materials. Wherever possible we re-use materials for as long as we can. At events, we aim to ensure no waste goes to landfi ll and reduce single-use plastic wherever we can – from the compostable paper cups we provide our tea in through to our use of string instead of single-use plastic cable ties.

The search for a recyclable tea envelope We often get asked why our tea bags are individually packaged in envelopes. The envelopes protect from heat, light and moisture, ensuring the best quality and healthiest herbs in every cup, full of essential oils. It’s also another reason why our teas taste so great. Finding the right material for our envelopes that will keep the tea fresh and is recyclable has been a key technical challenge for several years. We are however getting very close to a solution and we continue our search for new plant-based options. We are always open to new ideas and innovations so please get in contact if you think you can help.

The year ahead

Our targets & challenges for next yearDeveloping our ‘Net-positive’ strategy expect a focus on wellbeing, new sustainable health paradigms and sustainable sourcing

Setting science-based carbon reduction targets as part of our long term commitment to be carbon neutral from crop to cup by 2030

‘B the change’ by making Pukka a ‘Do Nation’ getting carbon savvy and saving 500,000 cups of tea worth of carbon as a Pukka team through pledges to make small, sustainable changes to our daily lives with www.WeAreDoNation.com

A big Pukka thanks to…Everyone at Pukka, our committed suppliers and our customers around the world for supporting our vision to create a ‘Pukka Planet’ benefiting people, plants and planet.

You can read our full report, including achievements, key data and priorities at: www.pukkaherbs.com

If you are a health practitioner or Pukka trade customer contact education@pukkaherbs.com to sign up for our free online course, ‘Discover the way of herbs’.

Cover image: Pukka people making their Do Nation pledges. Picture credit: Jules Barford