At Goupie, we believe that sustainability is more than just a buzzword—it’s a way of life. We’re committed to making positive changes within our business, and are constantly striving to improve. As part of this, we're making a concerted effort to measure and reassess our sustainability efforts. We know there's no such thing as perfect, and we'll definitely not always get it right, so we're determined to keep trying new ways to hold ourselves to account.
We wanted to use this post as a way to demonstrate to ourselves, how our efforts have aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We believe these to be a good measure of our success, and a great way to highlight where our weaker areas may be.
Here’s how we’re taking action so far, as we see it:
Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being
As a confectionery brand, we are acutely aware of the importance of responsible consumption, and our place in promoting that. That’s why we’ve reduced the sugar content in our products to one-third of its original value. Don't get us wrong, Goupie is still very much a 'sweet treat', but we've always felt it's important to do as much as we can to reduce the sugar content, however possible. It's also why we will only every use natural ingredients such as fruits, nuts and essential oils to flavour our chocs.
At the moment, it doesn't look as if we can reduce our sugar content any further, without compromising the core of our family recipe, but we do endeavour to continue looking for solutions and ways to make our products healthier to enjoy. To mitigate the potential health impacts of our product, we endeavour to advocate for a balanced lifestyle, encouraging our customers to enjoy Goupie as an occasional indulgence rather than a dietary staple.
Goals 5 & 10: Gender Equality & Reduced Inequalities
We take pride in being a female-led team, fostering a workplace that champions gender equality and inclusivity. By providing equal opportunities and leadership roles for women, we contribute to breaking down barriers and setting a standard for diversity within the food industry. We are aware that this is a fairly easy task at our size, but we are committed to making sure this remains a core part of our hiring process if/when we decide to grow.
Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Creating a positive work environment is at the core of our business values. We are a Living Wage employer, ensuring fair compensation for all employees. Our team benefits from flexible working hours, a maximum of a 30-hour workweek (though most of our employees are actually part time), and opportunities for training and development in any area of business that interests them.
We think it should be a standard across every organisation. Not only is it the 'right' thing to do, but a happy workforce has been proven to bolster productivity and thus growth in a company. It's a no-brainer!
Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Sustainable production is a key focus at Goupie. We use compostable, or completely recyclable, packaging at all times. We also have been building our refill options for our products to minimise waste, and encourage reduced packaging consumption.
Our ingredient sourcing is equally responsible, with RSPO segregated palm oil, UTZ-certified chocolate, and Fairtrade cocoa to name a few ingredients.
Inside our factory, we strive for zero waste by reusing materials such as boxes and plastic tubs, ensuring that our impact on the environment is as minimal as possible. We also purchase recycling boxes for hard-to-recycle waste such as our PPE. Currently, we get through no more than one bag of 'general waste' a week.
Goal 13: Climate Action
One of our biggest sustainability milestones has been converting all our products to be 100% vegan a few years back. This not only aligns with ethical food choices but also significantly reduces our carbon footprint. Plant-based food production is known to be more environmentally friendly than animal-based alternatives, making this transition an important step in our fight against climate change.
More recently, we've undergone the Net Zero Now accreditation, in the hopes that this will make us more accountable to our carbon footprint, and identify potential areas where we might be able to improve. This has been in collaboration with Amplifi TW, who have become one of our resources in improving our sustainability alongside a number of like-minded business partners. It is our hope that this will increase the potential impact of our efforts.
Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Rather than cherry-picking sustainability initiatives, we take a holistic approach, ensuring that all our efforts work together cohesively. From ethical sourcing to waste reduction, employee well-being, and gender equality, we aim to create a well-rounded, sustainable business model that supports long-term change.
Looking Ahead
Sustainability isn’t a destination—it’s a journey. At Goupie, we remain committed to evolving our practices, staying informed, and working towards a future that benefits both people and the planet.
What's next for Goupie:
- Continue to examine how we can make our treats healthier to consume. Ensure that we are clear in our messaging regarding balanced consumption of treats such as our own.
- Ensure that any new hires are provided unbiased application processes, offering concessions, if required, to achieve equity amongst candidates.
- Continue to respond to feedback from our employees in their annual reviews as to how we can better serve them as employers.
- Provide all new suppliers with a new supplier form to ensure that they adhere to our ethical and sustainable standards.
- Explore new waste management options - specifically focusing on the proper recycling of label release liners.
- Continue to work with Amplifi to learn and improve our sustainable goals.
- Act upon the suggestions from our Net Zero Now certification to reduce our carbon footprint.
- Try to find examples of similar small businesses who have been able to achieve a more circular business model, and build upon this model in our own business.
- Improve our website's green credentials. We are currently scoring 65/100 on the Ecograder, and will be looking to use their advice to improve the website.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on sustainability in the confectionery industry. Share your ideas with us in the comments or connect with us on social media. We will only improve by all working together!
