Meeting consumer desire for sustainable and thoughtful fulfilment

Fullers fulfilment achieves ISO 14001 certification to support its sustainability goals

The United Kingdom has the most advanced ecommerce market in Europe. The value of online retail is estimated to be approaching £120 billion GBP and it’s forecast to grow by 35% in 2023, according to Statista.

New ecommerce retailers are springing up left, right and centre, across sectors as diverse as fashion, health & beauty, food & drink, home & lifestyle and pet care. Established brands are moving away from the high street and expanding their presence in the online retail space.

Balancing ecommerce success with environmental impact

Millions of online purchases take place every day. Whilst this is positive news for the economy, consideration does need to be given to the impact that such prolific ecommerce activity can have on the environment and communities.

Every online order involves a dizzying array of activity behind the scenes. Processes use energy, each item of packaging creates waste and every courier mile leaves a carbon footprint. The fulfilment industry has a duty to minimise and offset these outputs.

But it’s not just an obligation, it’s fast becoming a requirement…

Consumer demand for ethical goods and services is on the rise

An Ethical Consumerism Report published by The Co-op and Ethical Consumer in 2021 shows that ethical consumer spending and finance in the UK in 2020 reached record levels of £122bn at the end of 2020. Back in 1999, the total size of ethical consumer markets in the UK was just £11.2bn.

These figures illustrate the growing consumer desire for products and services that don’t harm the environment, people or animals. Steve Murrells, CEO of The Co-op Group, elaborates:

“Our Ethical Consumerism Report is a barometer on consumer behaviour – and shoppers are turning up the heat by boycotting businesses which fail to act on ethical or social concerns. The report is a warning to brands that they must do business a better way for workers, communities and the planet.”

Ecommerce retail brands must meet shoppers’ expectations for an ethical customer journey – and that includes sustainable fulfilment processes.

Fullers Fulfilment’s environmental management system is certified to ISO 14001

As a multichannel fulfilment service in The Midlands, Hampshire and Berkshire, we store, pick, pack and dispatch thousands of orders every year for clients such as BMW, Mars Wrigley and ecommerce SMEs from a diverse range of industries.

We see it as our responsibility to do so with consideration for the planet, wherever we can. If you work with us, you can be assured our processes are certified to the requirements of ISO 14001, the world's most recognized environmental management system.

How our ISO 14001 environmental management certification benefits your ecommerce business

To achieve ISO14001, Fullers Fulfilment has to demonstrate how we manage processes carefully, use our resources wisely, and deal with waste. As part of our commitment towards our sustainability goals, all our packaging is environmentally friendly, FSC accredited. We also work to recycling targets set by official auditing bodies. Energy efficient lighting is being rolled out in our warehouses.

Although our ISO 14001 certification can’t be ‘shared’ with your business (you would have to undergo the stringent audits yourself), it does allow your business to benefit as follows:

• the environmental impact of your business is reduced due to greener fulfilment
• your fulfilment processes will be in line with regulatory compliance
• it could help to sell your brand to an eco-conscious audience, by proving you use an ISO-accredited fulfilment supplier

The major couriers we work with are also accredited to environmental standards and many are investing in electric vehicles.

We are audited on a regular basis and ISO 14001 demands continuous improvements in the way we work in order for us to meet its strict requirements.

Using ecommerce business for good by giving back

Are you familiar with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals? World leaders have set 17 objectives with a view towards tackling climate change, as well as ending all forms of poverty and fighting inequalities, by 2030.

Business for Good is helping 2500+ companies around the world to help achieve these development goals with their B1G1 (Buy One, Give One) initiative – and Fullers Fulfilment is proud to be one of them.

Every time we celebrate a milestone, we give to causes that nurture and protect the environment and all its species, give food, shelter and healthcare to people in need, tackle human rights issues, provide education, and build skills that support local entrepreneurship.

A more thoughtful approach to fulfilment

Fullers Fulfilment will not only be supporting causes that align with the UN Global Goals but with the sectors we serve, such as food, health, fashion, and pet care.

Some examples include providing grain for families to grow crops, health education services for children, business training for disadvantaged groups, and as well vaccination programmes for animals and conservation projects to protect wildlife habitats.

So, if you work with Fullers Fulfilment, you’ll know that not only does your business benefit from high-quality and environmentally-aware outsourced fulfilment – but that something wonderful happens in the world, too.

Are your customers influenced by ethics and sustainability? Make kinder warehousing and fulfilment services part of your brand with Fullers Fulfilment. Contact us today to learn more.