0%
Committed to the greater good
Today, we have shops across three counties, employing over 100 people, supporting a variety of suppliers, and serving thousands of customers. The way we operate affects a great many people so being a good business is more important than ever.
We’ve chosen to concentrate our efforts on the challenges where we think we can make the most difference: building stronger, healthier communities; making our planet safer; and being a better business.
Ethical Business Practices
We feel strongly that it is essential for a socially responsible local business to conduct its operations ethically and transparently. For us, this involves adhering to all relevant laws and regulations, treating employees and customers fairly, and being honest in our advertising and marketing practices.
Reducing food waste
We are a business built on freshness. To manage this ‘daily fresh’ approach we use a sophisticated forecasting and ordering system which calculates, shop by shop, what we expect our customers to buy each day.
Anything unsold at the end of a day is surplus. We have three channels for giving this food a second chance; we donate it to charities who can make use of it, we offer it to our customers at a discount, and we re-use products back at our bakery such as using surplus loaves to make breadcrumbs for other products.
We support a network of charities through our 12 shops, which take our surplus food and pass it on to people in need. These range from community fridge initiatives to charity volunteers supplying food to the homeless.
Every day, 45 minutes before we close a shop, we make up bags containing around £12 worth of unsold products.
These Magic Bags are then offered on the app for just £4 and customers visit the shop to collect them just before closing time.
We have sold over 6,500 Magic Bags since we started our partnership in February 2023, saving food that would otherwise have gone to waste.
Employee welfare
We know that our people are our most valuable asset, so we make sure that our colleagues are paid fairly, treated well, and given the training and opportunities they deserve.
We pride ourselves on our culture, creating an environment which is inclusive of everyone and recognise that difference is good. We want all of our colleagues to feel welcome and able to be themselves at work, whatever their background, preferences, or beliefs.
Environmental Stewardship
The planet is facing a climate emergency and we acknowledge our responsibility to do everything we can to reduce our environmental impact. We want to make Reeve’s a carbon neutral, zero waste business. We actively support the British Retail Consortium’s Climate Action Roadmap which aims to make the UK’s retail industry net zero.
We recognise the impact a business can have on the environment and as such have taken steps to minimise our ecological footprint. We have adopted various sustainable practice such as, reducing waste, conserving energy, and sourcing materials responsibly.
In December 2022 our bakery in Wilton was fitted with solar panels to support the energy needed to maintain our food production. In May 2023 a borehole was dug to provide the bakery with a sustainable, natural source of water, allowing us to have greater control over the quality of water we use in our products.
We haven’t forgotten about the wildlife either; we also supply fondant to the Salisbury Beekeepers Association to help sustain their beehives over the colder months.
We continually review our packaging to reduce the amount being used and look at new sustainable materials and products.
Where possible we hang flowering baskets outside our shops planted with bee and wildlife friendly plants and flowers.
Since December 2022 we already saved 14,000 tons of CO2 emissions which is the equivalent of 839 trees.
Charitable Giving
Reeve the Baker has a proud reputation of giving back. Since Harold Reeve founded the business in 1952, we have always tried to do the right thing and support our communities. We support various local schools, charities, and organisations with their own fundraising by contributing prizes.
We have a Charitable Partnership with the Salisbury Hospice Charity and have supported them through financial donations and support for their events for over a decade.
To find out more about their amazing work visit www.salisburyhospicecharity.org.uk
Thank you
Reeve the Baker understands that by embracing social responsibility, it not only benefits the community and the environment but can also lead to stronger relationships with our customers. By acting as a responsible local business, we can play a vital role in promoting sustainable growth and making a positive difference to our immediate surroundings.
We are grateful for our community's support and look forward to continuing our commitment to serving the community’s interests.
