Tanners Wines is dedicated to providing quality, value and service; safeguarding the wellbeing of employees; being an integral part of the community; and reducing its impact on the environment at all stages from vine to customer. We will abide by, and exceed where practicable, all relevant legislation, rules and codes of practice. We commit to:

• Engage fully with the local community
• Work with suppliers to ensure that they are using best practices
• Ensure that the welfare of our sta  is considered and that opportunities exist for them
• Minimise the impact on the environment at all stages of our activities
• Tanners Action Group for Sustainability will review this policy annually, report on its performance and set goals

As a shipper of wine from around the world our largest environmental impacts are transport and the energy use within our buildings. Once the wine reaches Tanners warehouses it is imperative it is stored in ideal conditions which involves energy – heating, lighting and cooling are all required at various points. Along with the energy required to maintain the condition of the wine in the warehouses it might first have been transported around the world, and then onwards to our customers, involving large amounts of CO2. We must act now to minimise our impacts. To aid us on our journey we have started working with The Clean Tech Business Group to become Net Zero Leaders for Shropshire by developing and implementing our Net Zero Carbon Strategy.

• A 30kw Solar PV system has been added the Shrewsbury warehouse
• New roofs and external wall improvements provide additional insulation to reduce the need for external heating and cooling
• LED lighting and timed lights are fitted throughout
• Fleet has Euro 6 engines in all vehicles
• Cardboard, paper, poly wrap, glass and pallets are recycled
• Water butts are used to catch rainwater, which is then converted to screen wash for the feet
• Wine boxes are reused to repack orders
• Drivers are trained to drive in a fuel-effcient manner using vehicle tracking
• Software is used to ensure goods are delivered in an efficient way by route planning and load scheduling
• Vehicles carry only as much fuel as required to reduce weight and prevent unnecessary fuel burn
• All sites have been re-wired to reduce IT infrastructure hardware by 50%. The remaining hardware has been replaced with energy efficientcient options and has been spec’d to only need to run at half capacity

Stock is ordered in amounts which make transport viable and e cient and so reduce unnecessary journeys thereby cutting emissions.

• Work with forwarders and transporters to operate in an environmentally responsible way for example by using rail freight where possible
• Combine orders from specific areas to reduce unnecessary journeys

• Paper, plastic, glass, cardboard and cans are all recycled or reused
• In turn, we use recycled goods where possible
• Paper usage is discouraged as much as possible with invoices and statements being emailed
• Where paper mailings are sent, these are 100% recyclable and printed on FSC certified paper
• Old office equipment is disposed of in a responsible way and given to charity.
• Solar panels provide energy to run the offices
• Computers and electrical equipment are turned off overnight to reduce energy usage
• Customers are engaged in sustainable practices such as carrier bag use, and recycling of card and bottles. Plastic bag usage has reduced by 70% over the past 24 months
• Plastic courier box sealing tape has been replaced with recyclable paper tape

• In Shrewsbury, we contribute to the hanging basket scheme, have our own courtyard garden with bee-encouraging owers and have a wildlife reserve on the bank above our warehouse
• In Hereford, we have a large bluebell and vegetable bed at the rear of our premises
• In Welshpool, we have a grove of rowan trees and expansive lawns outside our warehouses
• In Bridgnorth, we grow  flowers and creepers in the passageway between our shop and car park
• We are longstanding supporters of Shropshire Wildlife Trust
• In the Shropshire countryside, we have replanted seven acres of mixed deciduous and Scotch pines
• A cork composting scheme runs across the company, collecting natural corks for the local Street Allotment Project charity to compost down for use in growing initiatives

We take great pride in the longevity of our team. We have five team members who have worked for Tanners 40 years or more; 12 for 30 years or more; 24 for 20 years or more; and 40% of our workforce have been with Tanners for 10 years or more. Average tenure across the company is above average at 11.6 years. The longest serving employee has 47 years service.

• Ensure that the health and well-being needs of our staff are always considered
• An Employee Assistance Programme is available for all employees
• Tanners has three qualified Mental Health First Aiders
• Employees can take part in a lunchtime yoga session to encourage wellbeing
• Flexible working is available where the role allows it
• Training opportunities are available to improve abilities and performance
• Tanners is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, as stated in our handbook
• Modern Slavery & Tracking Statement is available on request
• We have funded and fitted a defibrillator to the external wall in Wyle Cop is available to the public 24/7

Many of our suppliers are at the forefront of the organic and biodynamic movement, furthermore we actively encourage wine growers to use sustainable practices where possible and support those that do.

For example, long standing grower Churton Wines have led the way in promoting organic and biodynamic practices in New Zealand. They are even the first NZ winery to use horsepower to work the vineyards. Tanners have worked with Churton since their first vintage in 1994.

• We support smaller family-owned concerns who actively engage and give back to their local communities

For example, Journey’s End winery in South Africa is fully solar-powered and Fairtrade certified, as well as recently receiveing recognition for its commitment to this with an Ethical Company of the Year Award. In 2020 The Journey’s End Foundation was set up to provide meals to, and support, the local community.

• Ensure that suppliers are using accepted labour practices, adhering to our Modern Slavery and Trafficking Statement
• Suppliers and brand owners are encouraged to use lighter glass and reduce excess packaging
• Some of our suppliers are Certitified B Corporations, such as Symington Family Estates, Madeira Wine Company, Felton Road, Ridgeview, DBR Lafite, Stoller Family Estate, Chehalem, Bollinger and Concha y Toro

Each year we contribute around £30,000 to charitable undertakings, supporting in excess of 200 causes annually ranging up from raffle prizes at village fêtes to large arts festivals and sporting events. In addition to this, we make donations to charities operating in the UK and overseas supporting hospitals, hospices, the homeless and humanitarian emergencies. The proceeds of selling leftover wooden wine boxes are given annually to a charity of the staff’s choice. We enjoy building relationships with many of these charities and have even supported one particular event consistently since 1961!

• Plastic bag usage has fallen so low we still have stock of the bags left! Once they are used up no others will be purchased
• Cork recycling stations are now in place across all of our branches
• As we have come to understand the process of becoming carbon neutral better, we have realised that buying carbon credits is not a meaningful act. Instead, we have started working with The Clean Tech Business Group to develop and implement our Net Zero Carbon Strategy. We have also actively replanted 7 acres of woodland in the Shropshire countryside
• We have investigated more sustainable ways to package and transport wine, working with the University of Birmingham on their ARLI (Alternative Raw Material with Low Impact) project. For wines to be drunk in the very immediate future, bulk containers with bottling in the UK is an option, as are Bag-in-Box containers. Both of which we have now started to offer, whilst continuing to analyse the quality of the wine
• Rather than build a new warehouse from scratch, we are planning to redevelop our existing site

• Develop Net Zero Action Plan Carbon footprints to be independently audited
• Continual redevelopment of existing buildings to improve energy efficiency including Solar PV on our main distribution depot in Welshpool
• Begin to replace some of the current fleet with electric vehicles
• Work with supply chain to develop a responsible sourcing strategy
• Continue to investigate alternative packaging and reduce glass bottle weight
• Team members to undertake Climate Fresk training

• Sustainability and Environmental Policy to be reviewed by the Board on an annual basis
• Progress report to be issued by the Director in charge annually
• New targets to be set annually