Concerns over the world we live in are gaining momentum and have been for some time. With signs of global warming already showing its effects and countless socio-political causes coming to light, it's never been more important for all those in the developed world to do whatever they can to help! The Co-operative Society has always taken world environmental issues extremely seriously and has been playing its part for many years now. Please read below to find out more about the initiatives that we have put in place:
The society uses 100% biodegradable carrier bags that start to decompose after 18 months and will disintegrate after 3 years. All of the society stores use these bags.
Carrier Bag Environmental Fund
In 2008 the Society introduced a 5p charge for the one trip carrier bag, in an attempt to reduce the number of bags used. During the first year of introduction we saw a reduction of 90% in the use of these bags.
The funds raised through a combination of the 5p charge and the actual reduction in the amount of bags used, has been put into an environmental fund which the Society distribute each year to local environmental initiatives.
A Bag for Life
This is a long life reinforced plastic bag, suited to re-use on multiple occasions. They are on sale for 10p and once worn out, the Society replaces them free of charge.
Jute Eco Friendly Carrier Bags
Jute carrier bags provide a long life, natural fibre alternative. These ethically sourced bags are produced under safe working conditions, with ethnic and religious tolerance, no child, forced or bond labour, is worker union respected, use responsible waste management and are "Zero Carbon"; offsetting the carbon emission from the producers by planting trees in heritage forests under the auspices of the Woodland Trust.
The Society recycles cardboard and high grade polythene from all our retail outlets and we also recycle waste office paper. Our waste cardboard is collected by a local company that has the technology to convert it into animal bedding.
In the Society food stores we have recycle bins for carrier bags, where customers can return all unwanted bags.
In addition (and where space permits) our stores have recycling facilities for tin cans, glass, clothing and batteries.
Recycling Bins
The Society backs community recycling programs by providing collection points at our Grand Marché stores in St Peter, Jersey and St Martin, Guernsey. We currently collect aluminium cans and old clothes at St Peter and glass, aluminium and high-grade paper at St Martin. All Grand Marche's also offer battery disposal points.
Telecom Directories
We provide annual collection facilities for out-of-date Telecom Directories at St Peter and St Helier Grand Marché stores.
White Goods
When we install new products, we offer a recycling service on the old white goods.
Lighting
The Society has undertaken a programme of replacing all premises conventional light bulbs with low energy long life lamps, which have provided a significant saving in energy uses, and will reduce replacements. Emission reductions to date are averaging 15%.
Main Voltage Optimisation
This is something that is relatively new, and is based around a system that actually controls the amount of energy coming into a premise. This has a number of direct benefits; firstly it actually reduces the amount of energy used and secondly it prolongs the life of electrical equipment. Energy savings will be up to 14%.
Renewable Energy
Renewable energy is a key part of the Society's carbon reduction policy going forward. We have already installed Photovoltaic panels (Solar Panels), at one of our new developments, and more installations are planned. We are in the process of obtainning permission to install a wind turbine at our St Helier Grand Marche store, and if this proves effective, other sites will be explored. The Society is also trialling "Sunpipes" which is a system that collects natural light via a lens which in turn reflects the light via a polished aluminium tube to wherever the light is needed.
Heat Pumps & Heat Recovery
The Society uses advanced heat which reuses heat produce by refrigeration units for heating and hot water.
Building Controls
All new buildings are installed with a control system to monitor temperature, electrical equipment and lighting to optimise the energy used.
Bio-Diesel
The Society is using a bio- diesel made from waste cooking oil in its fleet of delivery vehicles. Trials have shown the MPG obtained has actually increased.
The benefits of bio-fuel are two fold; firstly saving a natural resource, and secondly by helping to recycle a product that otherwise would be shipped of the Islands.
Food Miles
We love local food, by buying locally produced products we all help to save the costs associated to bring goods into the Islands. The Society actively seeks out any local producer that can supply products to our stores, and reduce the energy cost of shipping it to the Islands. The Society currently buys locally from over 70 local suppliers.
Carbon off setting
The Society Travelmaker stores offer a carbon off setting service for all flights booked off the Islands, we plant trees to off set your carbon omissions.
Refrigeration
As plants become redundant they're replaced with new, highly efficient, CFC-free components and controls. Display case blinds are used to minimise energy consumed when the stores are closed.
Click here to download our Environment leaflet
At The Channel Islands Co-operative Society we are committed to support the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and improve conditions in our supply chains. In line with this, we will continue to promote Fairtrade and develop long term, sustainable relationships and offer the widest range and availability of Fairtrade products. Through this, we hope to help in securing progress in developing countries in relation to living wages, trades union recognition (where lawful), the end of child labour, and reasonable working hours and overtime.
The Fairtrade Foundation was formed in 1992 to support producers working in the third world and does this by:
We do our best to inform, educate and motivate our customers to buy Fairtrade products, hoping to help make a difference to producers in the developing world. All our own-brand hot beverages are now Fairtrade, even our iconic Co-op 99 tea. Each of our Fairtrade wines tells a story; about struggling communities revived and renewed, about schools built, clean water supplied and hope restored. So, for example, when you're sipping our Argentine Pinto Grigio (Winner of Best Fairtrade Argentine White at the Fairtrade wine Committee tasting event 2008.) you can be sure it means a fairer price is paid to the producer and you're not paying over the odds yourself. So it's fair for everyone.
To see a full list of Fairtrade products please click here
The Co-operative is against the unnecessary suffering of animals and animal testing of cosmetic and household products and ingredients in particular.
Where safety testing is needed, we believe alternative methods of testing should be used. To avoid further testing on animals products and ingredients with a history of safe use should be chosen.
Food
Most consumers are concerned about the safety of the food they eat. We accept that human safety must be of prime importance and that the testing programmes required to ascertain this safety for ingredients and additives are dictated by regulatory bodies, and therefore are outside our control. However, we do seek to minimise the use of additives (which are responsible for much of this testing) in Co-operative brand food products where practical.
The safety of our finished products can be established by other techniques and we do not, therefore, conduct, commission, or expect our suppliers to commission safety tests on animals for this purpose.
Non-Food
We have worked with the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV), firstly in applying their Humane Cosmetics Standard for cruelty-free products to Co-operative brand toiletry products, and secondly in the development and application of a similar Humane Household Standard for household products. As a result, The Co-operative has had for many years, one of the most stringent non-animal testing policies of all grocery retailers covering its non-food (toiletry and household cleaning) products.
We operate a fixed cut-off date (i.e. a date beyond which The Co-operative and its suppliers must not have conducted or commissioned animal testing on any product or ingredient) of 1985 for toiletries and 1997 for household products. Most other retailers operate using later or rolling dates, which means that they can only state that their products have not been tested in the last 5 years.
Pet Food
As with food products we do not believe it is necessary to carry out invasive tests on animals to evaluate pet foods, nor to conduct preference and palatability testing on captive animals. We believe this can be achieved satisfactorily with domestic pets under the supervision of the owner, and so Co-operative brand pet foods are only tested in this way.
