Vertas Group Drive Net Zero Ambitions with Sustainable Supply Chain Partnerships

At Vertas Group, we understand the importance of preserving the environment and are committed to continuous improvement in our environmental performance.

We believe businesses like ours must play a key role in enabling society’s transition to a Net Zero economy to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change.

That’s why we’ve set a target to achieve Net Zero Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions across our entire supply chain by 2050, using 2022 as our baseline year. This long-term ambition is underpinned by a near-term target to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 90% by 2030. Net Zero will be reached through a 90% reduction in absolute Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions.

Our environmental efforts are guided by certified management systems, and we are proud to hold:

• ISO 14001 for Environmental Management
• ISO 50001 for Energy Management
• Carbon Charter Silver status
• Planet Mark Business certification

We know achieving the 2025 King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development was possible because of our extended network of responsible partners who mirror our values and push for positive change. Two such organisations, Accent Fresh and Disposables & Catering Supplies (DCS), have demonstrated how meaningful supplier relationships can lead to measurable environmental and social impact.

Accent Fresh: Carbon-Conscious Local Produce

Working with Accent Fresh, a local fresh produce supplier, supports our ambition to cut food miles, strengthen regional food systems, and reduce Scope 3 emissions. Accent Fresh began its carbon reduction journey in 2019 and was awarded Carbon Charter Silver Status in 2024, with a verified 5% drop in greenhouse gas emissions in 2022/23.

“Our carbon journey started because we knew sustainability wasn’t optional, it’s essential,” said Accent Fresh. “We’ve made continual investments to reduce our emissions, including installing solar panels in 2022 that now power our cold storage units. Any excess energy goes straight back into the grid.”

By prioritising local sourcing, they help Vertas reduce transport-related emissions, with delivery routes optimised to utilise vehicles returning from other deliveries. “Our route planning isn’t just efficient, it’s environmental. We minimise empty miles wherever possible,” they added.

Accent Fresh also employs a zero-to-landfill strategy, with cling film and pallet wrap recycled and a compactor reducing general waste collections to just four times a year. “We’re proud to say almost nothing goes to landfill from our site,” they said. “We recycle all our cardboard and paper waste in addition to the plastic. Our green waste is also separated and goes to a local animal farmer where it is used for cattle and pig feed. It’s all about treating waste as a resource.”

Their paperless picking system will soon remove paper entirely from order to delivery, an innovation that supports our own digital transformation. “Going paperless is about more than efficiency, it’s about creating a cleaner process from start to finish,” they explained.

“We’ve helped Vertas cut packaging-related carbon by 80% since introducing returnable plastic crates in 2019,” they continued. “And we work almost exclusively with LEAF-registered growers (an independent, global environmental assurance system that recognises sustainably farmed products) because traceability and environmental stewardship go hand in hand. In 2025, we purchased a crate washer which has seen our water usage drop and our journey continues.”

Disposables & Catering Supplies (DCS): Innovating Out of Single-Use Plastics

As a key supplier of catering disposables and hygiene products, DCS has been pivotal in helping Vertas eliminate single-use plastics and embrace sustainable alternatives. Since 2019, DCS has removed polystyrene containers, plastic cutlery, straws, and other single-use plastic items from our supply chain, in line with UK legislation and internal targets.

“Over a 12-month period, we’ve helped Vertas replace 600,000 plastic cutlery items with birchwood alternatives and avoid more than 400,000 polystyrene items by switching to bagasse,” said DCS.

“Today, 90% of the catering disposables we supply to Vertas are recyclable, biodegradable or compostable.” Innovative products like Pure Paper Cups, lined with an aqueous coating instead of plastic, are now a standard part of our offer. These cups are not only 100% recyclable and compostable, but also marine safe, which is a critical step in preventing microplastic pollution.

Their partnership with Selden’s Jeyes Professional chemical range has supported us in dramatically reducing plastic waste and carbon output.

“Just by switching Vertas to 1-litre Vmix concentrates, we’ve eliminated the need for 1.7 million single-use plastic bottles,” DCS added. “All the products in the range are biodegradable, phosphate-free, and UK-made, with recycled plastic packaging wherever possible.”

DCS also champions waste prevention and circularity. They reuse incoming packaging for outbound deliveries, operate an on-site compactor and baler for plastics, and maintain a 70% recycling rate. Even pallets are repaired and reused wherever possible, keeping waste to an absolute minimum.

Shared Social Values and Local Economic Impact

Both Accent Fresh and DCS operate as local employers, meaning shorter commutes for staff, less traffic congestion, and reduced transport emissions. All of which support our broader social and environmental goals.

Through Accent Fresh’s monthly community fund and DCS’s commitment to the local economy, we benefit from suppliers who are embedded in and give back to the communities we also serve.

Why These Partnerships Matter to Vertas

Dom Warren, Group Head of Procurement at Vertas Group, said: “Reaching Net Zero is something we are extremely passionate about. Our suppliers are an extension of our sustainability team. Our clients can be confident that every sandwich, paper cup and cleaning spray supplied through Vertas carries a significantly smaller environmental footprint and that we’re still pushing for better. Accent Fresh and Disposables & Catering Supplies prove that carbon reduction, waste avoidance and social value can go together with great service and innovation.”

Sustainable procurement is not just about ticking boxes, it’s about working with businesses that innovate, evolve, and take real action. Accent Fresh and DCS are perfect examples of suppliers who go beyond compliance and drive forward ambitious, tangible environmental initiatives.

Their contributions directly impact Vertas’ Scope 3 emissions, packaging footprint, resource efficiency, and social value delivery. This is the kind of supply chain collaboration that underpins our King’s Award recognition and is vital to delivering our Net Zero and ESG commitments in the years ahead.

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