For a significant number of years, Wild Thang has shown its commitment to sustainability with a CLEAR ETHICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL GREEN TRADING POLICY, as a member of SEDEX and holding ISO14001 environmental certification since 2015 we have already been recycling as much waste as possible across every department, but also reducing our energy, transport, water use and other business usage wherever possible to reduce our carbon footprint and environmental impact. We believe we have created good sustainable foundations to be built on, but we now know we need to go even further for our families, our team, our community, and the rest of the world to help create a more long-term sustainable future for planet Earth and all the people living on it, this is exactly why we have created this new long-term sustainability pledge. This pledge was officially launched in March 2023 and this blog now acts as the central resource where we will update all our ongoing sustainability progress.
Wild Thang Long Term Sustainability Pledge & Central Resource For All Ongoing Company Wide Sustainability Progress.
Pledge 1. Aiming To Become Carbon Net Zero By 2030
Understanding our carbon impact is critical to understanding how we can reduce it in the future, in 2023 we partnered with Greenly who helped us undertake our very first audit so we could understand our full carbon impact, we were advised by Greenly on creating a reduction plan and they also helped engage our team, clients and supply chain. We made significant progress through 2023 and into 2024 in reducing our impact and have now partnered with the 2030 HUB to undertake our second carbon audit so we can continue to work towards achieving our goal of aiming to become Carbon Net Zero by 2030.
Pledge 2. Partnering And Supporting Other Sustainability Initiatives As Part Of Our ESG
We have partnered with The Good Small Business Awards. This new and innovative event is the first of its kind to take place in the UK to highlight the most innovative and sustainable SMEs that are committed to ‘Progress Not Perfection’. So we thought it would be the perfect moment on the evening of the awards gala dinner to officially announce our own long-term sustainability pledge which was the 22nd March 2023. We will continue to support this event in the years to come and others that align with our own sustainability values.
23/03/23 - We are delighted to announce that Wild Thang has had the privilege of sponsoring the first-ever Good Small Business Awards held in the UK.
03/07/23 - We have recently joined forces with Pennine events to support their Liverpool Chester Liverpool Bike Ride! Our world class screen printing team helped produce the T-shirts for the event, it was a perfect way to promote one the the most sustainable alternative modes of transport so, why not 'Get On Your Bike & Ride'. Take a look at our dedicated blog for more details on the event:
02/08/23 - At Wild Thang, we have always been committed to operating ethically and responsibly, ensuring that our supply chain adheres to the highest standards of social responsibility and ethical trade practices. We are thrilled to have passed the criteria to be accepted onto the Global SMETA Database!
26/10/23 - We are delighted to have won the Sustainable Business of the Year award at the Liverpool Chamber Innovation in Business Awards 2023! This was the award we were seeking as it highlights our progression towards our sustainability goals.
06/12/23 We're thrilled to announce that we will be working with 2030Hub on the commencement of our journey towards becoming a B Corp certified company!
03/06/24 - Discover how Wild Thang’s partnership with Builder Book is educating children about sustainability through fun and creative activities. Join us in making a difference!
22/07/24 - Wild Thang proudly sponsored the Good Small Business Awards 2024 for the second time which celebrates micro and small businesses from across the UK for sustainability and ethical business practices.
21/10/24 - Wild Thang had the pleasure to attend and sponsor the Builder Book Planet Pack Awards at the Shakespeare North Playhouse!
Pledge 3. Engaging, Encouraging And Educating Our Team, Clients And Supply Chain To Become More Sustainable For The Long Term
We want our team, clients and supply chain to understand the positive impact they will have by making more sustainable choices. In 2023 we undertook a staff survey with the help of Greenly to understand everyone’s collective company carbon footprint impact receiving an amazing 96% response rate which is another sign our team are both engaged and committed to a sustainable future. In 2024 with the support of 2030 HUB, we have now surveyed all our supply chain and our clients so we can encourage those partners to make more sustainable decisions for the long term and help us on our journey towards Carbon Net Zero.
26/06/23 - Wild Thang attended the BPMA sustainability conference and we signed up to the BPMA step forward pledge! Take a look at how we got on at the event:
21/06/24 - Wild Thang attended the BPMA Sustainability Conference 2024, highlighting our commitment to sustainability and our journey towards B-Corp status. Read more about our experience!
Pledge 4. Create A LONG TERM Carbon Offsetting Plan
We have already partnered with Ecologi who are a groundbreaking organisation helping companies, individuals and organisations to fund climate projects to help offset their carbon impact. We are now purchasing and planting trees for verified global reforestation projects and funding verified avoidance projects on behalf of every staff member and for every order received from our clients. Since February 2023 we've planted 58,964 trees and supported eighteen verified carbon avoidance projects, preventing the emission of over 2,493.92 tCO2e. – that is equivalent to 1,914 long haul flights, 7,482 m2 of sea ice saved and 6,187,416 miles driven. Each month we plan to publish an update of our impact, we will also be encouraging our clients and supply chain to buy even more. We will even inform our clients about the individual impact their order has made in terms of the reforestation and carbon offsetting.
Take a look at our ecologi page here:
13/9/23- Take a look at our dedicated blog on the global offsetting and Eco Projects we are involved in around the world thanks to our partnership with ecologi.
Pledge 5. Offering As Many Sustainable Product Alternatives As Possible
This year our catalogue will feature more Lower-Eco Impact products than ever before and we will offer many more sustainable alternatives to all clients wherever possible to encourage them to make more sustainable choices from our product range for the long term. This will of course be a step-by-step process, but by 2030 the aim will be to make sure all the products we supply will have a Lower-Eco Impact. We will also highlight that we are funding verified avoidance projects, that we will be planting trees with every order received and inform them of the impact that order has made which will hopefully further educate and encourage others to do more of the same in the long term. We will also prioritise and encourage customers to choose more sustainable products that have a Lower-Eco Impact across our social media platforms.
08/12/23- Take a look at our Christmas Showcase blog in which we feature a whole range of world class Lower-Eco Impact branded merchandise separated into a selection of fantastic merchandise gift packs for our clients as a thank you for such an amazing year!
19/01/24- Wild Thang's January 2024 Lower-Eco Impact product campaign. We explored our top Lower Eco Impact branded merchandise and clothing options to help create a more sustainable future!
Pledge 6. Making Our Own Building And Environment More Sustainable
Solar install goes Live, we are thrilled! As part of our £2 million investment in the redevelopment of our building, we have invested in every area to make sure it is more sustainable, our facilities now have state of the art insulation, a double-lined insulated roof, is equipped with multiple electric car charging points, LED auto switch-off lights, shower and changing facilities to encourage biking to work and designated recycling facilities throughout the building, meaning we are now a B+ energy rating as a building. Late in 2023 we installed 290 solar panels on the roof of Wild Thang HQ, meaning will eventually be producing more electricity than we use so will be contributing more green energy into the grid, being energy positive will again help further offset our own carbon footprint. In 2024 we will be investing further in more electric vehicles meaning we will be using even less fossil fuels.
15/09/23 - We are thrilled to share during Global Goals Week that our commitment to sustainability has reached new heights as we have completed the installation of our Solar Panels at our headquarters!
Pledge 7. Continue To Support The Sustainability We Already Have In Place
We have been on a journey towards becoming sustainable prior to adding further commitment and pledges. It is important to confirm we will continue to be guided by our CLEAR ETHICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL GREEN TRADING POLICY and continue to embed our commitment to ISO 14001 environment certification, SEDEX membership and its renewal each year. We will build on the positive sustainable foundations we already have in place and continue to attempt to minimise environmental impact in any way possible across every area of Wild Thang.
Pledge 8. We Have officially Started Our Journey To Become B-Corp Certified In 2024
We know B-Corp aligns with our values and aspiration to become Carbon Net Zero by 2030 perfectly, their focus on transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities and the planet. We love our local community, it really is in our heart, soul and DNA of everything we do at Wild Thang which is exactly why we go above and beyond to support events and charities on both a local and national level and we 100% know they will want us to be more committed to creating a more sustainable future for those very communities. This is why we have now officially started our journey to become B-Corp certified in 2024.
06/12/23 - We're thrilled to announce that we will be working with 2030Hub on the commencement of our journey towards becoming a B Corp certified company!
01/07/24 - We are delighted to announce that we have submitted our B-Corp application! A huge milestone on our B-Corp journey!
Andrew Dwerryhouse And Garth Dallas With The Good Small Business of the Year Award
It's great to be sharing our bigger, longer term journey toward net zero and a more sustainable future, we also know this may need to change and be adapted over the years to come which is simply all aimed at creating a better future for our team, community & the wider world. We are now literally on a mission “To Deliver one world class solution that elevates branded clothing, merchandise and print through sustainable practices and ethical production ‘The Wild Thang Way’.”
See below some helpful links to our green partners and for further info about our ESG, as always if you have any further questions or queries about our sustainability pledge simple get in touch!
BLOG DISCLAIMER
While many of the images shown highlight merchandise produced by Wild Thang a number of images we are sharing purely to provide branding inspiration & optimum effect of personalisation.
Wild Thang DO NOT imply that all these products have been supplied to, or endorsed by the individuals owners or companies of these said names or trademarks.
