Corporate Responsibility at A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd
A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd is committed to responsible business practice. This commitment is demonstrated through the company’s corporate responsibility programme and purpose, as outlined in the organisation’s values statement – The Blakemore Way:
“To grow a family business in ways that are profitable and sustainable for the benefit of our staff, customers and the community.”
A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd’s corporate responsibility programme has been recognised for a number of prestigious awards for its marketplace, workplace, community and environmental initiatives.
In 2007, 2008 & 2009 the company was awarded the prestigious Business in the Community Big Tick award for its Schools Partnership programme,
In 2009 the Food & Drink Federation awarded A.F. Blakemore a Community Partnership Award for the company’s investment in its workplace activity programme and a Walsall NHS Healthy Workplace award for the creation of a staff health and well-being programme.
In addition to this the company’s Heart Distribution operation picked up the Food Industry ECR UK Award in 2009 for sustainable distribution. The Heart operation was singled out for this award for its reduction in food miles by enabling small food producers and effective route to market.
A.F. Blakemore has also demonstrated its commitment to reducing the impact it has on the environment with the opening of its own state of the art recycling centre and summer 2009 saw the company successfully achieving ISO 14001 status for its environmental management system
Our Workplace Objectives:
“We will maximise staff potential and their contribution to the company’s success.”
- Monitor key workplace indicators such as staff absenteeism, turnover and satisfaction.
- Fully induct, appraise and develop our staff and measure the value of our training.
- Create a working environment that supports and promotes the health, safety and well-being of staff.
- Establish two-way communication channels with our staff such as consultation groups and surveys.
- Promote diversity and equality in the workplace via recruitment, staff development and work practices.
Our Marketplace Objectives:
“We will give great service to all our customers and add value to our trade partners.”
- Engage with suppliers and customers to generate positive environmental, social and business outcomes.
- Provide a great service to our customers by responding to their needs and measuring our service levels.
- Diversify our products and services to support new and underserved markets.
- Support local and small suppliers.
Our Community Objectives:
“We will make a significant, positive contribution to the community”
- Use the skills of our staff to support education, employability and economic renewal in the communities we serve.
- Promote community engagement across our workforce and listen to the views of staff in relation to the good causes that they want to support.
- Maximise the resources of the Blakemore Foundation to help us achieve our community objectives.
- Measure, evaluate and report upon the inputs, outputs and impacts of our community activity.
- Use community activity to engage and inspire our customers, suppliers and other external stakeholders.
Our Environment Objectives:
“We will acknowledge, measure and minimise our environmental impact”
- Undertake activity to minimise waste in our operation.
- Minimise our impact upon climate change by improving efficiencies in fuel and energy usage.
- Help suppliers and customers minimise their environmental impact.
- Measure and minimise the carbon footprint of our organisation.