Ethical Supply Chains

The number one way to avoid products associated with deforestation and human rights abuses is to source products locally. You’ll be providing much needed local support and also reduce your carbon footprint too by minimising the transportation of goods. Find local food producers at the Produced in Kent website.

Put in place policies around procurement. Ask questions of your suppliers and demand answers. If you don’t get answers that satisfy you, shop elsewhere.

Land is cleared particularly for beef but also to grow soyabeans to feed pigs and chickens. Try reducing the amount of meat on your menus and offering plant-based alternatives. When you do buy meat, look for local grass fed, regenerative farming options. Ask questions about sources of animal feed, most local farmers are happy to answer. Similar care needs to be taken on imported / processed meat alternatives.

80% of soyabeans are used to feed animals - mainly chickens and pigs - so again, cutting down on meat use can make a difference. Other soya products such as tofu, soya beans and soya sauce will also have an impact.

An essential item in any tourism business, yet rife with unfairness with the average coffee farmer living on £1.37 a day. Choose fairtrade coffee to ensure farmers are paid a fair price. Also look out for the Rainforest Alliance seal which aims to ensure the conservation of forest biodiversity. Seek out local roasters who take care to source and pay responsibly, an example is & Bloss.

Cocoa farmers are not always paid fairly for their beans and climate change is making it even harder to grow the crops. Buy fairtrade chocolate whenever possible and also look out for the Rainforest Alliance seal. Local or Vegan chocolate manufacturers include Vegan Chocolat and Plamil Foods.

Rainforests are being cut down and habitats destroyed, in order to produce unsustainable palm oil, particularly in Malaysia and Indonesia. A type of vegetable oil, palm oil is found in nearly 50% of supermarket pre-packaged food including pizza and croissants as well as lipsticks and shampoos. Use Ethical Consumer’s guide to find out which products include palm oil in their ingredients and how to source ethical alternatives. WWF’s Palm Oil Buyers scorecard is useful too.

Always try and buy second hand furniture or use ‘upcycled’ items if possible. Look for local craftspeople using locally sourced or reclaimed wood. You’ll be benefitting local businesses and reduce the carbon emissions generated through transportation too.

If you need to buy brand new furniture then look to ensure the wood is from sustainably managed forests. Look for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification when buying both wood as well as paper products - it ensures forests are being managed in a way that preserves biological diversity and benefits local people.

Lastly, ask questions of the furniture retailer to find out the country of origin, species information and their timber sourcing policy.

Consider fairtrade and biodiversity friendly tea, flowers and bananas too. Find out more at the Fairtrade Foundation and Rainforest Alliance. And businesses such as Flower from the Farm who represent local, seasonal flower farmers nationwide.

It is not always straightforward to know what’s in our food or whether it has been associated with deforestation. The UK government is considering new laws as part of the Environment Bill which will help end the sale of products that cause deforestation but it needs to happen sooner rather than later. Add your voice to WWF’s #OffOurPlates campaign as well as their EU campaign #Together4Forests.