Sustainability
A History of Industry Firsts
Sustainability in a commercial kitchen is a shared responsibility, but it shouldn't be a financial burden. With running costs accounting for 60% of a restaurant’s total refrigeration expense, choosing highly efficient equipment allows you to lower your carbon footprint and take control of your utility bills at the same time.
At Foster and Gamko, we have always endeavoured to achieve environmental best practice across our manufacturing and supply operations. We are committed to developing products that meet current best practices, boasting excellent environmental characteristics that actively reduce your overheads.
We don't just talk about sustainability; we have a long track record of engineering it. Foster holds a number of significant industry firsts:
- Hydrocarbon refrigerants: We were the first commercial refrigeration manufacturer to use environmentally friendly hydrocarbon refrigerants as standard, replacing harmful hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
- Carbon Trust Standard: We were the first commercial refrigeration manufacturer to be awarded the Carbon Trust Standard.
- ISO 14001: We were the first UK refrigeration manufacturer to obtain ISO 14001, the internationally recognised standard for environmental management systems. Granted by one of the most respected bodies in the world, this signifies to our customers that they are buying from a company that is environmentally responsible and fully compliant with environmental law.
Our Science-Based Targets (SBTi)
To ensure we are making a genuine impact, we use Science Based Targets (SBTi). These provide a defined way to assess our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and allow us to set rigorous targets to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Targets are considered ‘science-based’ when they align with the latest climate science and meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. These targets are independently verified by a third party.
Understanding our GHG emissions To tackle our emissions, we first break them down into three scopes:
- Scope 1: Emissions produced directly by our company, such as heating and company vehicles.
- Scope 2: Indirect emissions resulting from the production of the energy we purchase and use, such as the electricity generated to power our buildings.
- Scope 3: Emissions resulting from the use of our products—for example, the energy consumed when a chef uses our refrigeration during service.
Our emission reduction targets Foster and Gamko, as a division of [ITW Ltd], have committed to the following reductions:
- Reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% by FY 2030, from an FY 2021 base year.
- Reduce Scope 3 emissions by 52% per unit produced by FY 2030, from an FY 2021 base year.
What Have We Done So Far?
We operate a continuous improvement programme that scrutinises how we work to ensure our processes and products are as environmentally friendly as possible.
We spent a year working alongside South Pole, a globally recognised climate consultancy, undertaking a thorough GHG scoping exercise to map our emissions and ensure the feasibility of our science-based targets. These targets were then submitted to the SBTi team, who validated our data and commended us on our ambitious goals.
We are actively making changes to our everyday processes to improve our carbon footprint. To monitor our progress and hold ourselves accountable, we have established a European Sustainability Committee.
Cut Your Running Costs
Free energy saving toolkit
The impact of high energy costs continues to affect independent restaurants and global chains alike. Foster and Gamko are here to help with a free, dedicated toolkit packed with practical energy-saving hints, tips, and hacks for professional kitchens and bars.
Request your free energy audit
What if you could cut your refrigeration energy bill by 46%? With running costs making up such a huge portion of your kitchen's expenses, it has never been more important to look at what your current equipment is costing you, and how much you could be saving. Simply book an appointment with us, and our experts will visit your site to run a comprehensive test.