4 blog articles for ‘Certification’

The London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) has been honoured with a King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development, recognising its groundbreaking approach to Early Years Education and Care through the lens of social enterprise and sustainability. LEYF is one of only 197 organisations nationally to be recognised with the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise. Announced on Tuesday 6th May, the accolade celebrates LEYF’s long-standing commitment to delivering high-quality, affordable Early Years Education and Care that prioritises access, inclusion, community and environmental impact. At the core of LEYF’s approach is the belief that education for young children can be a powerful force for building a more equitable, inclusive, and environmentally responsible society. Sustainability is fully embedded into every aspect of nursery life – from social enterprise business, our seasonal menus and using green energy across the sites, to designing a pedagogy that gives children a voice and nurtures their love for nature and their role as future changemakers. LEYF teachers are actively empowered to become sustainability informed and lead sustainability initiatives, making every team member a champion for long-term impact. This whole-system approach is driven by the London Institute of Early Years, LEYF’s dedicated research and training hub, and its: Action for Sustainability in Education, Community of Practice a vibrant network focused on embedding the three pillars of sustainability – economic, social, and environmental sustainability into daily practice. As pioneers in the sector, LEYF created the UK’s first Early Years Sustainability Strategy, aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. It was also the first childcare organisation to achieve ISO 14001 certification and ongoing carbon footprint measurement and reduction through Planet Mark. With sustainability threaded through its governance, leadership, operations, and pedagogy, LEYF is actively working towards achieving net-zero by 2030. Its sector-first Level 4 Qualification in Sustainability in Early Years has already empowered 68 professionals, with many more set to follow. Founded in 1903, LEYF is the UK’s largest charitable social enterprise in Early Years education, employing over 1,000 staff and running a network of 43 nurseries across 13 London boroughs. Serving more than 4,000 children each year, LEYF combines business excellence with a powerful social purpose – reinvesting profits to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds and embedding sustainability into every aspect of its work. Dr June O’Sullivan OBE, CEO of LEYF, said: "We are thrilled to receive the King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development. This is a powerful endorsement of our belief that Early Years Education and Care must be a force for social justice and environmental good. At LEYF, sustainability runs through everything we do – from how we run our nurseries, to how we teach and support our children, families and staff. From evidence-based pedagogy to sustainable practice, and from apprenticeships to leadership pathways, everything we do is about creating real, lasting impact. We hope this recognition inspires others across the sector to embed sustainable thinking from the ground up.” Nick Corlett, Sustainability Manager at London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) says:  "At LEYF, sustainability isn’t an afterthought – it’s at the heart of everything we do and shapes our pedagogy and practice, fuels our values, and guides our daily decisions. Powered by the London Institute of Early Years, LEYF’s pioneering research and training hub, and strengthened through our Action for Sustainability in Education community of practice, we embed the three pillars of sustainability: economic, social, and environmental into everyday activity across all of our nurseries. "We are therefore honoured to receive the King’s Award and proud that our deep-rooted commitment to sustainability has been recognised at this level. This achievement is a testament to the dedication, energy, and teamwork of everyone across LEYF. We hope it sparks a wider ambition to reimagine Early Years Education and Care, where sustainability is a force for social good, builds community resilience, and a fairer future for every child." The King’s Awards for Enterprise, previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, were renamed in 2023 to reflect His Majesty the King’s desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II by recognising outstanding UK businesses. Now in its 59th year, the Award remains the most prestigious business accolade in the country, with successful organisations able to use the esteemed King’s Awards Emblem for the next five years. About LEYF The London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) is the UK’s largest charitable social enterprise for Early Years Education and Care (EYEC) operating 43 nurseries across 13 London boroughs. For over 120 years, LEYF has successfully combined business excellence with social purpose to deliver high-quality, affordable early education to over 4,000 children each year with a focus on children from disadvantaged backgrounds. 75% of LEYF nurseries are situated in areas identified as having high levels of deprivation. 46% of LEYF nurseries are rated Outstanding by Ofsted, far exceeding the national average of 14%. The LEYF Pedagogy focuses on a placing the child at the centre of all business and pedagogical decisions so it can drive a consistent pedagogical approach, lead an ambitious curriculum underpinned by harmonious relationships and community engagement which together enhance the cultural capital of the children, families and staff and build resilient, curious and confident global citizens. LEYF’s business model is built on strategic oversight, operational efficiency, researched -based practice and strong purpose-led leadership. By blending business rigour with social ambition, LEYF offers a consistent, scalable model for delivering excellence in Early Years – one that is financially sound, socially responsible, and always child-focused. leyf.org.uk Photo Credit - LEYF Marsham Street Nursery and Pre-School - Francoise Facella

We’re proud to officially publish our 2021/2022 Social and Environmental Impact Report! Every day we see the impact our teams have on behalf of their patients, one another and within their local communities, genuinely making a difference to those who need us most. We are therefore thrilled to publish our Social and Environmental Impact Report for 2021/2022 – another truly remarkable year for all of us at Smile Together. The national challenges facing dentistry are well documented and demand for our emergency, referral and private dental care across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly remains at an all-time high. We can’t thank our colleagues, commissioners and other partners enough for their commitment, resilience and support as we continue to navigate our way through the ever-changing dental landscape. This report demonstrates how we’ve continued to innovate our impact and patient care and respond positively to those changes. This is our sixth year as an employee-owned CIC and what an impact we have together through our breadth of patient care and health inclusion initiatives, with such exciting plans for the future. As our report shows, 2021/2022 was another successful year crowned with our achievement of B Corporation certification – independent verification that we meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability in balancing profit and purpose. We hope you enjoy reading our annual Social and Environmental Impact Report. Our thanks as always to Fuel Communications for their creative support and to St Austell Printing Company for ensuring we print in the most environmentally friendly way. Do let us know if you’d like to join us in tackling oral health inequality and improving oral health outcomes. We’d love to have a conversation! Click here to download your digital version of our Social and Environmental Impact Report 2021/2022 and happy reading!

Popular British ethical pioneer coffee brand Cafédirect launches the second season of its podcast today, Building Better Business.  Featuring straight talking conversations with global thought leaders and professionals, the podcast asks: ‘What are businesses doing to protect our future and what more can be done?’ Following the success of the first podcast series which secured a spot within the top 25% of global podcasts**, series two will again be hosted by Cafédirect’s CEO John Steel.  One episode will be released every Wednesday to examine businesses’ efforts in tackling sustainability issues including deforestation, carbon reduction, plastic and big agriculture, and featuring a panel of guests who provide challenge and insight from differing perspectives. Guests on series two include (among others) Jane Aldridge (Managing Director of Coffee, Nestle UK & Ireland), Dorothy Shaver (Global Food Sustainability Director, Unilever),  Lucy Reynolds (VP Communications and CSR, Boots plc.), Mike Berners-Lee (researcher, consultant, professor and writer on sustainability; acclaimed books include ‘There is No Planet B’ and ‘How Bad Are Bananas?’ and ‘The Carbon Footprint of Everything’), Lee Man (Head of Community Fairtrade and Regenerative Sourcing, The Body Shop), Sam Fulton (Director of Corporate Affairs, Nomad Foods (Birds Eye)), Steven Ripley (Group Responsible Sourcing Manager (Forests), Tesco), Mike Barry (former Director of Sustainable Business at Marks & Spencer (led on Plan A), now founder of sustainability consultancy Mike Barry Eco), Zack Polanski, (Deputy Leader of the Green Party), Sahil Kher (Senior public law and regulatory solicitor, Good Law Project). Cafédirect’s CEO John Steel explains the purpose of the podcast: “We all want a healthier planet and fairer future to look forward to.  This podcast explores how business can have a huge impact - and how, as informed customers, we can encourage better practice.” The podcast responds to Cafédirect’s recent survey* which discovered that 96% of people think that businesses should be responsible for their environmental impact and 92% view companies as entirely or largely responsible for the welfare of people who produce their products. The survey also found that corporate greenwashing made it difficult for people to understand key sustainability issues and identify genuinely ethical and sustainable products.  To address this, the podcast aims to inform and inspire its listeners through a better understanding of the issues at stake. In the episode ‘Why is coffee heading for extinction?’  Erinch Sahan from Doughnut Economics Action Lab questions the Managing Director of coffee at Nestlé (UK & Ireland), Jane Aldridge, on the morality of the company: “What are we celebrating? We pat ourselves on the back, they're (coffee farmers) still poor, they are growing the product we sell, they are stuck in poverty. And every year, the giants of the industry declare a big dividend, and have grown that dividend. That just feels like a juxtaposition, that feels like a moral contradiction.” Similarly, Alex Maitland from Oxfam International challenges James Ghaffari of B Lab on Nespresso becoming certified as a B Corp in the episode ‘Why better business governance matters to us all’. Alex states, “I’m not sure it’s particularly helpful for a consumer [because] to get [B Corp] certification requires a change to the constitution, which puts profit and social purpose on an equal footing. But how can it be the case that Nespresso is doing that, while its parent company, Nestlé are very much a profit maximising business, with the main mission of maximising profit for shareholders.” In the episode ‘What’s farming got to do with climate change?’ Guy Singh-Watson founder of Riverford has a heated discussion with Sam Fulton of frozen food company Nomad Foods, where he questions the company’s use of sustainability certifications and claims, stating: “I am sceptical about claims about sustainability, but they are fundamentally carrying on with the business-as-usual model of food and farming….I wouldn't even call my own farming sustainable.” The podcast is available from 18 January on all major streaming platforms and www.cafedirect.co.uk/podcasts.  The season contains nine episodes with one episode released every Wednesday. cafedirect.co.uk NOTES TO EDITORS For press release enquiries, episode previews and interview requests please contact Lauren Morris on lmorris@cafedirect.co.uk John Steel is also available to write op-eds on any of the topics covered by this series.  *The 2022 Cafédirect survey results of 300 people: 40% are very concerned or extremely concerned about climate change.   96% stated that companies should be responsible for their impact on the environment. 92% think that companies are entirely or largely responsible for the people who produce their products, in terms of living wages and safe working conditions.  40% find that it is quite or very hard to identify which products are genuinely ethical and sustainable. For example, our survey found  93% see the term ‘sustainable’ to mean that a product is good for people and environment or good for the environment and 80% think that ‘carbon neutral’ means that it has a positive impact on climate or that it no impact on the climate (when it has a negative impact on climate). 84% believing that everyone in the supply chain is paid fairly before dividends are paid to shareholders **Source: Buzzsprout, 10 October 2022

By Tom Cracknell - Co-Founder Origin Africa Problem 1: Historically, in manufacturing, the value-added activity has been prioritised to the Global North. Hence the wealth gap increases. This leaves individuals and communities in places like Kikambala, Kenya, with very little control over their own economic path. Problem 2: The textile industry has a responsibility to clean up its act. Enormous swathes of polyester and energy consuming materials are produced to satisfy an increasingly fickle market of consumption in the global north. All this production takes energy, resources and often denatures water and fertile land (let's not forget recycling clothing takes energy too). Fashion Revolution Kenya worked with the British Council in 2020 to investigate what materials really are the most efficacious and least environmentally damaging to produce apparel. They looked to establish the pros and cons of each fibre and where improvements still needed to be made. The fibres were nettle, flax, pineapple, banana, hemp, water hyacinth, sisal, cotton, silk and fish leather and wool. A lot of these do not produce suitable fabric for garments but it's worth having a look at this paper because the options are exciting! The latest evidence points to the use of cotton but not in its traditional sense of landscape changing vast production that harms environments and livelihoods. However, the Report does highlight, along with other cutting edge non biased research such as the Transformers Foundation's Cotton Myths Debunked, that a sustainable solution is to overcome the issue of water consumption (an oft-quoted criticism of cotton) by ensuring production is catalysed by rain water rather than mass hectares of irrigated land: 'A shift to mainly or solely using rain-fed cotton is a tangible solution when looking to create a more sustainable industry.' When looking to establish our own supply chain from the get-go, it took time. We had to make sure we were making the right choices. This included country of origin, textile of the garment, materials consumed, methods employed, dyes used, pesticide consumption, quality of garments, nature of factory and finally, conditions in which the garment workers worked. Let's come back to that in a moment. So, having done our research, we settled on rain-fed cotton, using an absolute minimum of pesticides along with natural water-based dyes that would not denature water, and we would go to establish the ethics of production ourselves as cottage industries in Kenya have yet been unable to establish the expensive 'Organic' certification, albeit in planning. Environmentally satisfied we were doing everything possible to tackle problem 2, back to Problem 1! We needed to find a way to ensure clothing was being produced in a way that was respectful and even beneficial to those working in the supply chain. This needed to include ensuring basic employment rights such as maternity leave, secure contracts and protection from unlawful loss of employment. It also meant looking at working conditions to make sure that harmful materials were not being used, that working hours were not exploitative and that the factory was at a temperature which was not detrimental to health. Finally we also needed to ensure that workers had the opportunity to progress and develop. According to a 2019 Oxfam Australia report, 9 out of 10 garment workers felt that their income is not sufficient or partially sufficient to meet their needs and, as a result, 87% of workers take loans from the local shop to fill their income expenditure gap. Fashion companies are forcing this to happen and consumers, all too often, don’t pay attention to the detail enough to see the harm caused in the production of their new garments. In the fiscal year 2021-22, Next Plc (the UK’s largest fast fashion brand) reported a profit of £823 million, up 140% from the previous year. With some years of experience under our belt, we have come to a certain conclusion in fashion: If an organisation is not talking about the good things they are doing, they aren’t doing them. Basically, as consumers, we should be asking the hard questions. So, in researching our new supply chain, when we approached factories and organisations who could not explain to us their employment methods, their conditions of working or whether their employees were paid above the living wage, it was obvious to us that the organisation does not align with the ethics of Origin. We simply did not work with them. However, after lengthy research and really at a point when we felt ethical production in Africa may well not be possible for Origin clothing, opportunities began to spring up that offered hope. We began to see this may be possible and may actually happen. Working with garment factory SOKO Kenya in Kikambala and farm-to-fabric business Tosheka Textiles in Wote (both female-led businesses that emphasise female opportunity every day) one can see the unquestionable opportunity generated by good employment. Women are paid above the living wage, given appropriate training for personal and entrepreneurial development and are respected to pursue their own path for establishing themselves and ensuring a bright future for their families. With such an empowering culture for women, we decided we had to work with them. When profits are generated from this clothing, we share the profits equally with each step of the production process. This means that garment workers and their communities directly benefit from a greater proportion of value-added activity in the production process of the garments they actually made, thus fighting the enormous inequalities that have historically come from large companies keeping the poor down by extracting low-cost goods and adding all that value in the Global North. It is proven that for every woman that is lifted above thefinancial poverty line, she brings 7 people with her. Now, why? Well, as Sven Beckert explains in 'The Empire of Cotton', it is curious that after millennia of equal development in the Global South and North, what academics refer to as the 'great divergence' occurred at a time when cotton's properties were being fully discovered and utilised to propel clothing into a massive world changing engine. The previously Southern industry of cotton was usurped by an increasingly Europe-centric business class and the seeds were ironically sown for this 'great divergence' to create a rich Global North at the cost of the Global South. Our supply chain methods directly combat this damaging skew. We believe fashion has a responsibility to reverse the deleterious effects it has had on the Global South. The opportunities generated within our ethical and responsible supply chain are the weapon we can use to pursue that change and, as long as brands stick to the principles that make a social enterprise (or truly ethical brand), we can fight that battle together for as long as Origin keeps trading originafrica.co.uk