Member Area
Member Area
Menu
Unitas Wholesale initiatives
Corporate, Social and Environmental Responsibility plays and important role in our day-to-day operations, from the measures we take to ensure we provide the right environment for our staff, through to the initiatives that affect our trading and own brand strategy. Here you’ll find an overview of the measures we take to ensure our everyday business practices are in line with our CSER strategy.
Supporting employees & members
Unitas supports employees with a variety of measures including flexible working, a full and half-year review, personal development plans, training support, quarterly staff meetings, monthly huddles and a generous holiday allowance.
Health and Safety is a key priority for us, and we are committed to upholding the health and safety of our staff, and those of our members at all times. In addition to ensuring it is a safe place to work, we are also committed to providing appropriate information, training, instruction and supervision for staff to carry out their work safely and efficiently. We also promote mental health support and counselling for staff, and actively encourage a culture of openness.
Finally, we support our members through a number of key initiatives such as providing allergen data via free access to Erudus and Brandbank.
Supporting charities
Unitas actively supports a variety of charities, including Grocery Aid and Bluebell Wood. Since 2014 we’ve raised over £250,000 for several well deserving charities, both locally and across the world. Read more on the charities we are currently supporting here >
Recycling
Unitas operates an in-office recycling policy for paper, cardboard and plastics with collection points throughout the office, internally and externally.
Our Today’s and Lifestyle flexiloop carrier bags are now 50 microns thick, which means they are suitable for re-use, and they are now made with 100% recycled material. Our Today’s and Lifestyle vest carrier bags are now also 50 microns thick, and therefore suitable for re-use, and they are made with 50% recycled material.
Emission pledges
Unitas is committed to improving its environmental performance, use of resources and commitment to reducing waste. It aims to reduce waste landfill through use of recycling. At central office, Unitas has reduced energy consumption and looked to reduce its carbon footprint in a series of measures, including installing LED and timed lighting. It is currently investigating electric car points and lower-emission company vehicles.
Food waste pledges
Following our annual Trade Show and Conference, Unitas donates any leftover stock to local foodbanks.
Own brand initiatives
Since 2020 our Lifestyle Cotton Buds have had biodegradable card stems as an alternative to plastic to reduce single use plastic. Our family of Lifestyle refuse bags, heavy duty refuse bags and new garden sacks are all made with 100% recycled material.
Unitas is currently working with all own label suppliers to eradicate black plastic from all own label products. In order to reduce plastic waste further, we are moving all our LSV and Sun Spring bottled drinks into rPET bottles, which means the bottles contain up to 51% recycled plastic.
Working with suppliers
Unitas works closely with its supplier partners to establish strong, mutually beneficial relationships that are based on respect and high standards.
We maintain an effective level of communication with our supply chain to facilitate key CSER communication through the use of multiple digital platforms and a series of physical events throughout the year. Regular events include our annual Supplier Briefing, Conference, Trade Show and Meet the Member events; all of which provide a platform for suppliers and members alike to share best CSER practice within the wholesale channel.
We work together with suppliers in a variety of ways, including a supplier council which advises and supports our central office team. We also hold a series of events to inform supplier partners on the key initiatives we and our members are working on, including our Senior Supplier Annual Briefing.
CSER best practice signposting
Here you’ll find a series of useful links to the key CSER resources for the wholesale sector:
