Tweet

Airedale Group, leaders in the design, build and ongoing maintenance of commercial kitchens, have transformed their business and become one of the top ESG performers within their sector in just two years. Hosting the largest body of professional engineers specialising in supporting the UK hospitality industry, the organisation have dedicated a significant portion of their business strategy to focus on environment, social and governance initiatives.

ESG is a set of standards measuring a business’s impact on the environment and society, and its approach to best practice and accountability. In their journey to net zero, Airedale Group has identified 3 areas to focus on, which includes emissions direct from the organisation, from their energy usage, and from their own supply chain.

It was important to Airedale to engage with an objective, third-party specialist when examining their ESG performance, and so they partnered with ESG experts, Apex. Apex were able to provide comprehensive benchmarking that is helping Airedale monitor progress. Following the development of a comprehensive roadmap to advance their performance, Airedale Group raised their score to 62/100  in 2024, positioning them significantly ahead of most companies in their sector, and in the top 25% of all companies currently assessed by Apex.

One key element of the initiative included the electrification of their company cars, a task which proved both challenging, but integral. The organisation plans to install electric vehicle charging stations across all its branches, with 6 locations already kitted out, and a seventh already in progress. So far, the organisation now has a fleet of 55 electric cars, with solutions already being tested for the vans driven by their engineers.

ESG values are now fully integrated into Airedale’s vision and mission statements, ensuring that the company is committed to delivering real, impactful change. The findings from the Apex assessment have identified further opportunities and helped establish the roadmap for continual improvement. To further promote the strategy, the organisation has begun hiring for a new role, with specific ESG responsibilities.

Adnan Velic, Airedale Group’s Chief Financial Officer who has led the ESG transformation, shared his thoughts on the organisation’s progression: “Airedale’s commitment to ESG is entirely in line with our company vision to create better futures for the communities we serve. Our team have worked hard to implement our ESG roadmap, and we’re delighted to see the resulting uptick in our audit score. We are confident that Airedale can and will continue to make improvements in our ESG performance and the contribution we make.”

With this approach, Airedale Group is demonstrating their determination to play a positive role in their industry and in the wider community.