GUEST COLUMN:
Mark Grant
Associate Director
Levercliff
When I talk about sustainability, I always start by saying it’s as broad as it is wide. It’s about how you treat your staff, how you reward them, how you work with your customers, and how you interact with your local community. It’s about responsibility in every sense – financial, environmental, and social. Carbon reduction is part of it, but it’s only one piece of a much bigger picture.
For food and drink producers, that breadth can make the topic daunting. There’s so much to think about that it’s easy to feel unsure where to start. Businesses understand the importance of sustainability, but sometimes they fear it’s too complex or time-consuming. The truth is, it’s a journey that can be broken down into manageable steps.
Retailers and wholesalers are already on that journey. They’re making commitments to their customers around sustainability, carbon footprint, packaging, and ethical sourcing. Those commitments are filtering through the supply chain, meaning producers need to demonstrate progress too. That might sound like pressure, but it’s actually a huge opportunity. Businesses that can show they are adapting, improving, and acting responsibly will be better placed to secure listings and build long-term partnerships.
The good news is that there’s a lot of support out there to help producers make that shift. In Wales, the Welsh Government has invested heavily in programmes that simplify the process, from fully funded training to specialist guidance for different stages of a business’ development.
We lead the Sustainability Cluster and so I’ve seen at close quarters how much difference that support can make. It gives producers the time and space to think, plan, and act with confidence.
The cluster offers a network that’s collaborative, accessible, and focused on real progress. We have around 100 producer members and about 30 academic and support partners. What makes the cluster so effective is the sense of shared learning. It’s not about lecturing businesses on what to do; it’s about bringing them together to solve problems, share experiences, and see what’s working for others.
That peer support is invaluable. Hearing another producer explain how they’ve reduced waste, switched to renewable energy, or achieved B Corp certification can be far more motivating than hearing it from a consultant. It makes the goal feel real and achievable. Over the past few years, we’ve supported many businesses through initiatives like the Carbon Reduction Pilot and helped several to become certified B Corps. When Scott James at Coaltown Coffee became Wales’ first food and drink producer to achieve that accreditation, it set a benchmark. There are now 12 B Corps across the food and drink production sector, and I’ve no doubt that number will continue to grow.
B Corp isn’t for everyone – it’s demanding by design – but it does represent a rounded approach. It looks at governance, workers, community, environment, and customers, giving a full picture of what it means to run a sustainable business.
What matters most, though, is that producers find the right framework for them and start somewhere.
That first conversation is often the hardest step to take, but it’s also the most important. The Sustainability Cluster is open to any supplier, whether they’re already well advanced or just beginning to explore the subject. By talking through a business’s goals and challenges, we can point them towards the right programmes, from carbon reduction planning to leadership training, and help them align with the growing expectations of the market.
Mark Grant talks about this and more in the Food and Drink podcast. Listen here.
