Sustainability

Vitacress’ sustainability development is underpinned by four main policies: –

• Environment which encompasses water, waste, energy and biodiversity
• Social responsibility which encompasses people and community engagement
• Health and safety
• Food safety and quality

By adopting these policies we continually review and focus upon any emerging threats and opportunities within the wider global sustainability agenda to ensure our impact is positive and that our current developments are not compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
What this means for Vitacress is that we are continually challenging ourselves:–

• to minimise our environmental footprint
• to meet all of our obligations to Human Rights, the Modern Slavery Act, the Ethical Trading Initiative and local labour legislation and regulation
• to educate and develop our employees
• to engage with local communities in cultural, social and educational areas
• to minimise any occupational health and safety risks
• to ensure the safety and quality of our products

Vitacress’ Certification Standards

• BRC Global Standard Food Safety 
• Conservation Grade
• Red Tractor Fresh Produce Standards
• GlobalG.A.P.
• ISO 14001
• LEAF Marque Standard – Linking Environment And Farming
• National Farmers’ Union Watercress Association Code of Practice
• OHSAS 18001
• Defra Approved Trader Status
• Soil Association Organic Standard 
• IGD
• International Plant Propagators Society
• Royal Horticultural Society
• ETI Base Code
• Customer accreditations

Current Sponsorship

• Basingstoke Consortium Skillstree
• Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE – Hampshire Countryside Awards)
• Food for Good (Farm Africa)
• The Haven  - a national charity providing personalised care and support for people with breast cancer
• Vitacress Conservation Trust
• Vitacress Community Fund
• Vitacress/Royal Horticultural Society Herb Young Photographer of the Year
• Wildlife Trusts

Recent Initiatives

Vitacress leads in conservation, ensuring our farms in the UK and Europe enhance the natural environment. This includes the identification of locally important species and habitats. Our dossier includes:-

• Supporting work on preserving white-clawed crayfish populations in the UK
• Habitat restoration for spur-thighed tortoises on our Spanish leaf farms
• Riverbank preservation for water voles in Chichester
• Built an otter holt at Abbots Ann farm
• Barn owl boxes installed across serveral of our sites