Ensuring environmental responsibility in the supply of Outdoor Furniture and Conservatory Furniture.

Rattan and Teak, trading in the style of Furn4 Ltd, is committed to leading the industry in environmental responsibility through minimising the impact of its activities on the environment. The key points of our Environmental Responsibility Strategy are: MINIMISE WASTE BY EVALUATING OPERATIONS AND ENSURING THEY ARE AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE We run a tight ship here at Rattan and Teak. There is no room for waste. Here’s an example: Our products are packaged in cardboard. But once a product has been delivered to the customer, it doesn’t get thrown away. We don’t even send it to be recycled until its full service life has been fully utilised. We use it in our warehouse for storage and packing to protect new furniture products that are awaiting delivery. Our target: To re-use, recycle or safely dispose of every piece of waste packaging purchased and used by the company. Now, not in the future.

MINIMISE TOXIC EMISSIONS

Rattan and Teak chooses its suppliers carefully and environmental considerations are important. We have lovely communal office space in Alcester but we share resources such as kitchens, break out spaces and even meeting rooms with other businesses. It means that resources are used efficiently. It also means we benefit from modern environmental advances such as a lighting system that only turns the lights on when we’re in the spaces. 

We have our heating switched down low and no air conditioning. We’re pushing for our working spaces to be carbon neutral. We also encourage working from as much as is reasonable possible.

With regard to our vehicles, we choose to run vehicles that provide the best mix of utility and emissions and boy do we focus on keeping them maintained!   We do this knowing it is really in our interest, a days delivery impacted by a vehicle failure is a day where a customer has also been impacted and a vehicle that is not running at its peak capability will be emitting emissions and impacting the environment.  So, a poorly maintained vehicles is lose / lose / lose situation and we just won't tolerate that. 

Our target: To review our vehicles and also our list of suppliers annually, asking each one of them about their own environmental policies before signing and renewing contracts. Now, not in the future.

PROMOTE RECYCLING BOTH INTERNALLY AND AMONGST OUR CUSTOMERS AND SUPPLIERS.

Our kitchens and breakout spaces have different bins for sorting away our litter and recycling is always encouraged and acted upon. We use suppliers that score highly in environmental ratings with regard to recycling and we actively promote recycling with our customers for product packaging.  

Our target: To maintain our ‘recycle everything’ philosophy and not slack off. To re-use, recycle or safely dispose of all paper, printer ink/cartridges and other materials and packaging used by the company. Now, not in the future.

MEET OR EXCEED ALL THE ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION THAT RELATES TO THE COMPANY.

We’re a small company that retails beautiful garden furniture products. There’s not a great deal of legislation that we have to comply with, but we try to do our bit.

Our target: To already be complying with and exceeding new legislation by the time it comes into force.

ENCOURAGE ALL STAFF TO WALK OR USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO GET TO WORK.

How about this? Not one of our staff drives to work! We all either work from home, cycle to work or use public transport.  Of course, we deliver furniture, but that's unavoidable as its our main business focus.  However, when we are out delivering furniture our drivers will drive their vehicles in as safe and frugal way as possible.  This maximises the miles per gallon, minimises the wear and tear on our vehicles and also minimises the pollutants being released into the environment.  We really want to feel we are doing our bit, not just on Walk To Work Day, but on every working day of the year. 

Our target: To maintain a rate of at least 90% of staff walking to work or using public transport and minimise the vehicle pollutants produced by our delivery vehicles. 

Environmental Responsibility Officer 

Rattan and Teak's nominated person with responsibility for environmental impact is our co-founder, Helen Yeomans.