ESG commitments
Here at GLS we are committed to doing great things to support your schools and our planet. Our plans are here to help you make sustainable swaps to be part of our environmental and social governance (ESG) policy.
At GLS we are dedicated in motivating and empowering consumers, communities, employees, and one another. We believe we can make a difference in the environment, education, and future generations. We are passionate about putting sustainability and people's overall health—both physical and mental—at the core of all that we do - starting with our goods and services.
To help make the world a better place by 2025 and beyond, we have set goals at GLS for our Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) commitments. We've already started taking positive action. However, more has to be done. Follow our journey as part of the Findel family.
We’re now leading the change by taking something away, and as of April 2024 we’ll no longer be producing big, printed catalogues in our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint. Find out more here
gls, doing good things
1. Giving children the right start
Our commitment
For several years, gls has partnered with Greggs to provide Breakfast Clubs to 5 schools and growing. This year gls will support further schools in 5 areas across the United Kingdom
Our progress so far
We currently support one Greggs Breakfast Club local to our Greater Manchester headquarters and we are in the process of signing up an additional four clubs.
2. Zero landfill waste
Our commitment
We continue to ensure none of the waste from our two UK sites, as well as the packaging waste we have direct control over, goes to landfill. Our waste streams are audited annually as part of our ISO14001 integrated management system audit and our packaging waste is controlled under ‘The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations’ act.
Our progress so far
Our waste streams are audited annually as part of our ISO14001 integrated management system audit. For the packaging waste we produce, this is controlled under “The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations” for which we do an annual submission via Valpak.
3. Embracing equality, diversity and inclusion
Our commitment
By 2025, gls will have a well-established culture of diversity and inclusion, so our team have a strong sense of belonging in our organisation to thrive.
Our progress so far
Our mental health and well-being provision is now an established part of our offer to colleagues. We have developed a diversity and inclusion roadmap, which takes us one step further by enabling better business outcomes through a more diverse workforce that reflects the communities and customers we serve.
4. Improving our UK parcel distribution emissions
Our commitment
Our products are already being delivered to UK mainland schools with our green parcel carrier service, DPD and by 2025, we will be monitoring and reducing our Scope3 emissions in our supply chain.
Our progress so far
We are currently partnered with DPD for outbound logistics, who are the leading green parcel carrier for UK deliveries.
5. Supporting sustainable education
Our commitment
We are proud to have launched in 2022 a sustainable range of products to support your schools, and through to 2025 we will continue to develop resources and content to support your schools sustainability journey.
Our progress so far
Our buying and curricular teams have started to explore new resources and engaging content to support teaching about sustainability.
6. Charitable support
Our commitment
Providing charitable support that benefits children and education in the United Kingdom will be central to our environmental social governance policy, and we are already doing great work in Greater Manchester.
Our progress so far
We have supported Derian House Children’s Hospice by organising colleague fundraising activities, providing sponsorships of schools sports teams and donated goods and vouchers to schools close to our main locations in Greater Manchester and Nottingham.
7. Supporting local communities
Our commitment
We launched our volunteering policy in January 2022 and we are proud to have positively impacted over 2,400 young people’s lives so far including holding mock interviews and attending career fairs. Through to 2028, we pledge to continue volunteering to support children, their education and their environment.
Our progress so far
Since launching our volunteering policy in January 2022, 24% of our colleagues have taken part in community volunteering activities, which has positively impacted over 2400 young persons’ lives.
8. Reducing carbon footprint
Our commitment
We have taken big steps (with more to take) towards being a carbon-neutral business by 2030; including converting all our warehouse lighting to LED and using 100% of renewable electricity across our entire operations, having made the switch in 2020.
Our progress so far
In 2020 we switched the energy supply for our two UK sites to a renewable supply. In October 2022, the gas supply was also switched to green gas, supporting significant reductions across both our Scope1 and Scope2 emissions and our Science Based Targets initiative pathway. All external lighting at our UK distribution centre has been converted to LED and projects are well underway to extend this across the entire site, in parallel with other energy-saving initiatives.
Completed at the end of 2023, we extended our LED lighting conversion across the rest of our distribution centre.
9. Sustainable sourcing
Our commitment
Offering sustainable products is in important part of our environmental social governance policy, and we have already improved 7% of of our CLASSMATES product packaging to be more sustainable. By 2028 we will have switched 45% of our Classmates product range for sustainable alternatives, or sustainably improved them with a focus on removing single-use plastics.
Our progress so far
We have focused on improving the product packaging of our Classmates range in 2022, with 7% of the range already improved.
10. Sourcing responsibly
Our commitment
We are now proud members of SEDEX and are undergoing training on the SEDEX platform to enable our suppliers to complete SEDEX SAQ and upload SMETA audits in high risk factories. By 2028 we will ensure that 100% of our tier 1 suppliers in higher-risk markets, defined by the Global Slavery Index top 10 and the Corruption Index top 10, have a full ethical audit with credible and recent sector-specific assessments recognised by SEDEX.
Our progress so far
We are now members of SEDEX and we are currently undergoing training on the SEDEX platform, to enable our suppliers to complete SEDEX SAQ and upload SMETA audits for high risk factories.
Feeling inspired to shop more sustainable? Browse our range…
