Our Environmental Policy
Last Reviewed: August 2022
At Planted we are devoted to creating a business that leaves the world in a better place than where when we started. We take a holistic approach, understanding the importance of our impact on the environment, as well any impact on people’s mood or mindset, and our customers’ overall health. Ethical practices shape our business model and brand identity, which we are very proud of.
PRODUCT
* We will only ever use earth and skin friendly ingredients, never synthetic ingredients, which can impact water sources if they’re partially washed of, as well as impacting our customers’ health.
* We aim to source as many of the ingredients and raw materials as locally as possible. The honey in our cleanser for example is sourced from our local elderly beekeeper who loves his bees.
* We will never test on, or buy supplies from those who test on animals. We are certified Cruelty-Free.
* All packaging will be readily recyclable, from the containers that hold the products to the tape wrapped around the boxes they’re delivered in!
* We are working on a refill service to deliver a closed loop system. Our glass packaging will be able to be returned to us for reuse. More information about our sustainable packaging choices can be read here.
* We only ever buy supplies from companies that share our values.
* We chose a highly renewable bamboo spoon to accompany our Coffee Scrub.
* GMO free policy - All ingredients used in Planted products are certified free of genetic modification. This is a factor in our high awarded score by the Ethical Company Organisation.
* The muslin cloth we stock (that comes with our Oil Cleanser) will only ever be made from organic cotton, as the pesticides used to farm non-organic cotton often pollute surrounding water sources and threaten our ecosystems. You can read more about this on our blog post.
MANUFACTURE
* We pledge that nothing that isn't readily biodegradable ends up in landfill. This means every item of waste that is not readily recyclable is disposed of sustainably by specialist facilities, and of course anything recyclable is taken to the necessary collection points.
* Our electricity is supplied with renewal energy only, by Octopus Energy.
* With only one employee (myself) and all the products being made by hand, we have minimal gas and electricity use, and plan to keep it that way.
* We will continue to ensure our manufacturing process is plastic free, using mostly glass. * We will always opt for reusable rather than disposable equipment (piping bags, pipettes, stirrers, utensils etc) with the only disposable item being gloves for sanitary manufacture. * We will only ever use biodegradable gloves.
* The only electric equipment we use are hand held electric blenders, and my laptop. We favour old fashioned elbow grease over electrical equipment.
* We opt for reuse over recycle – box filler / bubble wrap and empty containers are listed on local groups for collection to be reused.
GENERAL
* We aim to fulfil our online orders carbon neutrally by walking or cycling to post offices.
* We aim to only support like-minded companies, who detail their actions taken to reduce their impact on the environment. So the sourcing of our ingredients and raw materials, where we choose to stock our products, and the platforms we choose to advertise on all support the environmentally conscious.
* Much of our market stands are hand made, second hand or upcycled.
* We will ensure all files are processed digitally, and are only printed if absolutely necessary.
* Any professional prints, such as labels and information cards, will be printed using recycled paper.
* We prioritise our marketing efforts locally, including events we attend and ad campaigns we set up, to encourage less carbon emission during travel for us and our products.
* We are committed to continually monitoring our environmental performance and working to keep our practices up to date.
Melissa Chartan
Position Founder and Formulator
