SUSTAINABILITY POLICY
Chef Works Commitment to a Greener World
Vision Statement
Chef Works recognizes its responsibility to conduct our business in a way that helps the environment and the communities we serve. Through our “Commitment to a Greener World” we are dedicated to continuously improve our performance.
Policy Objectives
- To put the 4 “R”s – Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle – at the forefront of everything we do.
- Promote sensible environmental management policies and practices throughout the company.
- Develop a collaborative approach to our environmental practice by inviting employee recommendations,comments and actions.
- Create and regularly review our processes in order to continuously improve our environmental performance.
- Implement goals for improving environmental performance.
- Consider environmental impacts in our manufacturing and purchasing decisions.
- Reward individuals for their efforts in practicing sustainability.
- Implement and participate in the updated REV Sustainability Program.
Activities
Products
Chef Works Lightweight Garments
One of Chef Works’ international partners recently conducted a study and demonstrated to a global hotel chain that our lightweight fabric garments resulted in a 30% cost savings compared with the heavyweight fabric garments of their incumbent supplier.
- Most of the cost savings resulted from a reduction in the laundering costs.
- Laundries charge per kilo and the lightweight fabric garments are seen as more environmentally friendly thanks to significant savings on electricity, water and chemicals during the laundering process.
Suppliers
We monitor our sub-contracted mills and factories for compliance with local and national environmental laws.
Chef Works Cares
Chef Works has designated protecting the environment as one of three components in our charitable giving strategy.
- One of four grant recipients each year will be focused on preserving the environment.
- We foster employee activities, such as: supporting our environmental initiatives, a beach clean-up and employee education.
Saving Energy
Chef Works makes every effort to reduce the amount of energy consumption in our offices:
- All light bulbs are energy saving, which includes motion sensitive lighting, located throughout our distribution center, offices and conference rooms.
- All lights are switched off when not needed.
- All computers are switched off at sockets when not in use.
Transportation
We support the use of public transportation, carpooling and cycling for business and commuter travel. Other activities include:
- We reward carpoolers for their efforts.
- We encourage conducting business online rather than actual travel, whenever possible.
- We ask delivery trucks not to be idle when unloading.
Raw Materials and Suppliers
- Our offices are cleaned with environmentally friendly cleaning agents.
- Where possible, we use recycled or environmentally friendly paper in our printers.
- We encourage employees to reduce unneccessary paper usage – including double-sided printing and photo-reduction when appropriate.
- The majority of non-telephone communication is via email – memos and messages are issued electronically.
- We have implemented a corporate Intranet to foster communication electronically, rather than with a hard copy newsletter.
- Use of “natural” pesticides, such as cider vinegar and borox for office pest control.
Reducing Waste
Chef Works is committed to reducing waste by streamlining processes and looking for opportunities to go paperless/reduce waste/recycle.
- Directing clients to online catalogs to reduce printed catalog copies.
- Recycling office paper, cardboard, print/toner cartridges, aluminum cans, plastic & glass bottles and other items.
- Recycling plastic bags destroyed during embroidery process.
- Seeking out opportunities to use recycled office products.
- Periodically creating a “Red Tag Zone” in which employees place all unneeded office supplies, office furniture or other items into a central location, which are then reused, given to employees or donated to a local school.
- Encouraging the return of sample products, which are then re-used or donated.
- Donating or recycling discontinued products.
- Using recycled paper for business cards.
- Paperless calendaring, timekeeping, absence reporting, benefit enrollment and tracking system.
- Limiting the amount of paper goods used for daily employee use.
- Encouraged employees to bring plates, cutlery, cups, etc that can be reused.
- Encouraging our customers to limit their use of hard copy invoices by adding: “Go Paperless! For ‘Electronic Delivery’ please send your e-mail address to AR@chefworks.com.”
- Donating used Toner Cartridges to Kujira Gakuen School – to help with their school supply costs.