Making Social Responsibility a Business Advantage

We all know it’s been a tough year for most small business owners… keeping and winning new customers, reducing overhead costs, maintaining profit margins without dropping quality or service… the list is both endless and often daunting, especially when considered against a backdrop of increasing statutory and regulatory requirements.

As an SME, it's often difficult to understand how we can balance these critical operational tasks whilst facing head-on the very real challenges of a market driven “green agenda”. Whilst it may be true that marketing opportunities do exist to leverage brand through a commitment to the environment, most small organisations are at the very beginning of their quest in starting to consider the impact of their commercial activities in the community in which they live and work.

“Sustainability, Carbon Footprint, Travel Plans, Waste Reduction, Energy Consumption, Green House Gasses,” For most of us this list can also be overwhelming part of today’s “business mix” and whilst much expertise is on hand via regional groups such as Environmental Population and national resources such as the Carbon Trust and The Environment Agency knowing where to start with practical, informed solutions that can deliver meaningful and measurable benefits to your business and community, needs perhaps to go beyond our individual perceptions and to consider the bigger picture of changing work places as well as environments… how do we go beyond switching off unwanted lights?, cycling to work or recycling office waste, albeit great ways in themselves to make a small contribution to a global problem?

At “eatpure” we have been wrestling with these issues for some time now… how to change our culture… how to effect change and make a difference across our business, that in turn will make a difference to our customers and in the end combined with everyone else’s contribution may make a
whole lot of difference to the welfare of our environment?

We have talked to other small business owners, listened to our clients about their needs and gleaned valuable information from our local partners such as Environmental Population. From this we have set some simple, yet we hope realistic policies and targets to help drive our environmental management systems and as with any good business model, it ends up being in the detail “planning the work and working the plan” understand what you want from your policies and what it needs to deliver back to the business, so as it becomes another process and another management tool.

For more information on please visit the environment section of our website at www.eatlunch.co.uk, alternatively you can call us on 01707 331751.

Tastier lunches for healthier business meetings

Food waste... not just a load of rubbish

With an aging population, vast amounts of edible retail food products going to landfill and a sharp increase in obesity  rates-through higher individual food consumption of processed foods, (with all of their resulting health issues), it is no wonder that food security in the UK represents a very real long term threat to the stability of our economy. 

When going out to client meetings, business presentations or even networking events, where catering may be provided,  it is worth giving a thought to the quality, freshness and seasonality of the produce and in particular where it is sourced.

You may at some stage have organised business catering for yourself...how many times have you thrown away a turned up sandwich, juggled with limp quiche or even worse not bothered to try anything from the uninviting selections thrown together in front of you?

Is price the only consideration or do you weigh up other critical factors in making sure that your clients, guests or colleagues feel replete and satisfied at the end of what is normally a busy working lunch period so how do you know what you are going to receive is going to be any good?

Given the demands for greater transparency and environmental responsibilities to reducing waste and the carbon foot print, how do you know that the company supplying you will have the right approach to social, corporate and community responsibilities?

If you or one of your colleagues is responsible for the purchasing of catering services delivered to your workplace or you want to influence the decision making process with the client catering that you are experiencing, then here are a few things to consider that will not only help the event go smoothly, but ensure that you have total peace of mind.

Policies & Procedures:

> Does the supplier publish and make available their working practices, do they actively promote healthier eating and work with local partners to reduce food miles.

> Do they have robust recycling schemes and a commitment to reducing waste to landfill?

Health & Safety:

> Is your supplier HACCP accredited or registered with the local EHO, do they follow stringent health & safety procedures e.g. does your food arrive in sign-written refrigerated vehicles? 

> Are the drivers knowledgeable about the company and it’s products, are they proud to wear a company logo? 

> Have you inspected their premises to ensure that foods are produced within a safe hygienic environment and prepared by qualified chefs who care about what they do?

Ease of Ordering:

> How easy is it to place your order, is the phone or fax always busy, can you order directly on line for example? 

> Is the service provided, friendly, polite and efficient, do you receive confirmation that your requirements can be met and are you always offered flexibility and choice?

Quality, Presentation & Value for Money:

> Are the foods delivered freshly made and prepared from real ingredients and not the normal selection frozen and fried products purchased from large national wholesalers?

> Does the food arrive properly presented and wrapped, with clear labelling and information about contents? 

> If ordering on a regular basis are you offered variety and can you mix and match from the available menus.

When choosing a new catering supplier-make sure you:

> Inspect premises.

> Meet staff and management teams... do they understand you and your business needs?

> Ask to look at health and safety manuals and certificates.

> Make sure they have an environmental policy and are acting upon it.

> Try samples and ask for evidence of credentials.

> Ask for references and recommendations.

> Ensure that the caterer is flexible.

> Set up a trading account.

> Enjoy the food!

> Give Feedback.

It appears that changes on the world stage and specifically those that are making us look at the social and more traditional values around the food that we eat are returning us to a simpler view on fresh ingredients, healthier eating, and more consideration for where our produce comes from and where it ends up.

For more information on please visit the environment section of our website at www.eatlunch.co.uk, alternatively you can call us on 01707 331751.

eatlunch kitchens achieve top hygiene rating

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) regularly inspects our business.

The food hygiene rating or inspection result given to a business reflects the standards of food hygiene found on the date of inspection or visit by the local authority.

The information provided on businesses is held on behalf of local authorities participating in the national Food Hygiene Rating Scheme in England, Northern Ireland and Wales or the Food Hygiene Information Scheme in Scotland.

At the end of each inspection, we are given one of the six ratings. 

The top rating of ‘5’ means that the business was found to have ‘very good’ hygiene standards. 

eatpure has a top FSA hygiene rating of 5.

eatlunch launches 'office catering supplies' range

eatlunch is now proud to to bring you a diverse range of office sundries and kitchen supplies, which we can deliver free of charge with your food order and which further build on our delivery of quality service, reliability and value for money.

Over the coming months we will be expanding on our product lists to include more fair trade items as well as recyclables and environmentally friendly consumables.

more information >

RECRUITING: Cafe Surpervisor wanted

eatlunch is currently looking for a Supervisor to work within its Cafe at the BTC Centre in Stevenage.

Previous experience in a Cafe is essential as well as a good skill base in food preparation and production.

Reporting directly to our Cafe Manager, this is a very hands on role and covers all aspects of hospitality duties from cleaning to client liaison.

20 to 25 hours per week, Mon to Fri at £7.00 per hour.

Please email your CV with a covering letter to chris@eatlunch.co.uk

New eatlunch menus to launch in March

It has been announced today that the new 2011 lunchtime buffet menus will launch from the kitchens of eatlunch on Monday 21st March 2011.

With some tasty new options, including 2 new BUSINESS BASICS menus and the launch of a new VALUE range of FINGER FOOD PLATTERS, eatlunch is better placed than ever to deliver amazing value, tasty lunchtime buffets to businesses throughout Hertfordshire.

Accompanying an updated website with its popular online ordering facility (live on Monday 21 March), eatlunch has produced a neat and convenient 'DESK-TALKER' menu to help busy professionals to select and order their business buffet lunches.

For an advanced preview of the new menu and to ensure that you receive your FREE DESK-TALKER MENUS, call Ian White on 01707 331751.

EATLUNCH JOINS THE FISHFIGHT

DOING OUR LITTLE BIT TO HELP END DISCARDS AT SEA

As Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall, Jamie Oliver & Gordon Ramsey have highlighted in their recent TV programmes, around half of the fish caught by fishermen in the North Sea are unnecessarily thrown back into the ocean dead.

The problem is that in a mixed fishery where many different fish live together, fishermen cannot control the species that they catch.

Fishing for one species often means catching another, and if people don’t want them or fishermen are not allowed to land them, the only option is to throw them overboard. The vast majority of these discarded fish will die.
Because discards are not monitored, it is difficult to know exactly how many fish are being thrown away. The EU estimates that in the North Sea, discards are between 40% and 60% of the total catch. Many of these fish are species that have fallen out of fashion: we can help to prevent their discard just by rediscovering our taste for them.
Others are prime cod, haddock, plaice and other popular food species that are “over-quota”. The quota system is intended to protect fish stocks by setting limits on how many fish of a certain species should be caught.

Fishermen are not allowed to land any over-quota fish; if they accidentally catch them – which they can’t help but do - there is no choice but to throw them overboard before they reach the docks.

Please Sign up to the campaign on the FISHFIGHT.net sign up page. You will be writing directly to policy makers in Europe to let them know that the unnecessary and unethical discarding of perfectly good fish must stop. We can make a difference. If enough people sign up to the campaign, they have to listen to us. They aim to get 250,000 signatures by summer 2011.