Ethical Trading, Environmental and Sustainability Policy

Russums is a supplier of catering equipment and clothing to the hospitality industry.

Leading clothing and equipment brands are complemented by our own products to offer a comprehensive selection of quality goods.  We manufacture items of clothing at our premises in Rotherham and have an in-house embroidery department.  Most of our business would be classed as mail order, with orders being placed online, by telephone, and by e-mail.  Goods are dispatched by parcel carrier or locally by our own transport.  We produce a product catalogue and have a fully functioning website on which customers can place orders.

Russums is committed to trading relationships which are both commercially viable and ethical.

We seek to ensure that our products are manufactured to the highest technical and ethical standards by developing long-term trading relationships with our suppliers and customers.

We support fair trade and seek to operate with customers, manufacturers and subcontractors who comply with our ethical trading policy.

The minimum labour standards we set to exceed and expect our own suppliers to comply with or exceed are as follows:

• Employment should be freely chosen
• Working conditions are safe and hygienic
• Child labour is not used
• Wages and Benefits meet the minimum national legal standards
• Working hours comply with national laws
• No discrimination is practised, and human and civil rights are respected

Russums acts in an ethical manner above and beyond basic legal requirements.

As a Company we take our environmental responsibilities very seriously and are fully committed to complying with or exceeding current legislation.  We have studied the legislative guidelines issued by the Department of the Environment and confirm that all the relevant standards are being met or exceeded.

The Company also wishes to incorporate the Government definition of sustainable development into its practices, namely the maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment; prudent use of natural resources; social progress which recognises the needs of all people, and effective protection of the environment, whilst meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

As best policy, it is our stated intention to reduce and prevent pollution wherever possible.  We have taken measures to reduce waste in all areas of the business.  For example: material waste is recycled where possible; toilets have been fitted with water reducing flushing systems; low voltage lighting has been fitted where practical; power usage is kept to a minimum during and outside working hours; off-cuts in material produced in the manufacturing process are recycled and re-used to produce other items such as child aprons and storage bags; packaging received from suppliers is utilised for our own deliveries and what cannot be re-used is collected weekly by a specialist-recycling firm, a heating monitoring control system has also been installed to offer both greater control and more efficient use of the current heating hardware.
We continue to invest in machinery, updating embroidery and sewing machines to support our own production with new models as required.  Even our paper usage has been reviewed, dual used where possible, and a change to a lighter-weight, off-white, recycled product for internal printing where paper is still needed to be used.  Once the relevant storage period has passed, retained paper is professionally shredded and 100% recycled by a fully certified local company.

Recent initiatives include replacing our office lighting with the latest LED panels and all warehouse lighting to LED battens (with an improvement in lighting quality, reduction in energy and heat output); further reduction in plastic use and increased recycled plastic element in bags, and use of brown paper tape (rather than plastic) for sealing dispatch boxes.

As part of our ongoing commitment to reducing our environmental impact, in 2026 Russums has invested in a new electric delivery vehicle to support local distribution.  This transition enables us to significantly reduce emissions associated with short-distance deliveries while maintaining a high level of service for our customers.  By integrating low-emission transport into our operations, we are actively lowering our carbon footprint and contributing to cleaner air in the communities we serve.  

Our primary delivery partner is DPD.  We are delighted that DPD has a clean, green strategy and vision, particularly through its development of deliveries with electric vehicles.  All-electric vehicle delivery is provided to a growing number of UK towns, and their 2026 dashboard confirmed a fleet percentage of 38.29% (3900 electric vehicles).

What is this impact on Russums?  In 2025, 31.3% (12,249) of our DPD parcels were delivered using all-electric vehicles, meaning we saved 3,380kg of CO2.

From 2022 to 2026, DPD’s fleet of diesel HGVs will be switched to Gd+ HVO, an advanced hydrotreated vegetable oil fuel, with 95% now using HVO fuel.  They have consistently won awards for their work on reducing carbon emissions. In 2025, DPD won the Sustainable Transport Award at the National Sustainability Awards and pledged to continue innovation through trials of new all-electric delivery solutions in 2026. 

Our own employees are encouraged to share transport to and from work and for journeys undertaken during the working day.  Company vehicles are properly maintained to achieve maximum efficiency and minimum emissions.

Aside from our own in-house production, our primary Russums own-brand manufacturing partner is Portwest, a global manufacturer and innovator of workwear, safety wear and PPE. Portwest production is through ultra-modern factories offering full control over quality, lead times and ethical sourcing. 85% of garments carry the OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 label, garments are packed in recyclable packaging and use FSC cartons.  Their fully owned factories are audited using the Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA), certified to the WRAP gold Standard (the Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production programme), and ISO 14001 environmentally accredited.

Packaging initiatives also include using recycled LDPE polybags (which are GRS certified, sourced from LDPE films, a material created from post-consumer plastic waste, and fully recyclable) bamboo swing tickets (short growth cycle, better for soils, recyclable and a reduced card size) and development of sugarcane poly bags (a plant based by-product of sugar production, making zero waste, certified, environmentally friendly ink, strong as plastic and also 1005 recyclable).
In 2023, Portwest achieved a Gold Ecovadis sustainability assessment, a globally recognised platform assessing environmental and social performance. 

This award signifies:
• Environmental Practices - demonstrating excellence in improving an environmental footprint through responsible resource management, energy efficiency, and waste production
• Social Responsibility - high standards of ethical labour practices, employee well-being, and community engagement
• Sustainable Procurement - ethical sourcing practices within the supply chain, ensuring products are produced in an environment observing the highest ethical standards

In addition to increased sourcing of more sustainable fabrics (such as organic and fairtrade cotton, recycled polyester content), Russums' own initiatives include our 'Ocean range' of more sustainable workwear.  Manufactured by us in our own sewing rooms in Rotherham and sporting the 'Russums Ocean' tag, these aprons and hats utilise responsibly sourced cotton and a recycled polyester which is treated with 'Ciclo', enabling it to break down in a more environmentally friendly way, much like natural fibres, instead of ending up in micro particles in the ocean and landfill.  Domestic production also reduces airmiles and the garments' carbon footprint.

In 2021, we joined Forest Carbon’s ‘Carbon Club’, a programme enabling organisations to take long‑term, credible action to mitigate their carbon footprint.  While we recognise that carbon offsets are not a standalone solution, they play an important role in financing the creation and restoration of carbon‑sequestering ecosystems.  These projects support national and international efforts to reduce atmospheric carbon and improve resilience to climate change.

Forest Carbon delivers certified nature‑based climate solutions, including Woodland Creation and Peatland Restoration projects, such as the woodland at Swinside Mill in the Scottish Borders. Woodland projects are accredited under the UK Government‑backed Woodland Carbon Code, recognised internationally by ICROA, while peatland projects are certified under the IUCN‑supported Peatland Code.  These standards ensure the additionality, permanence, and integrity of every tonne of carbon stored.

Through the Carbon Club, we also support Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) international projects, including rainforest protection, agroforestry initiatives in developing countries, and peatland conservation.  These programmes deliver measurable carbon savings alongside community benefits such as employment, improved land management, and enhanced biodiversity.

We have chosen a balanced approach, contributing to both UK‑based and international projects to maximise climate, environmental, and social impact across our value chain. 

To date (02/26), we have supported 223 tCO2e: 133 tCO2e through UK woodland creation and peatland restoration, and 90 tCO2e through high‑quality international afforestation, reforestation, and forest protection projects.

In addition to long‑term carbon sequestration, these initiatives deliver a wide range of co‑benefits, including flood alleviation, improved water quality, habitat creation, employment opportunities, enhanced public access, sustainable timber production, and improved air quality. By investing in accredited projects certified to standards such as the Woodland Carbon Code and Peatland Code, we are contributing to meaningful, verifiable improvements for climate, biodiversity, and local communities in the UK and globally.

Please follow this link to see the current total of trees planted and carbon captured through our membership, targeted at capturing in excess of our calculated CO2 footprint:   https://www.forestcarbon.co.uk/clubs-public/carbon-club/russums

The Company is fully committed to continuous improvement and undertakes to review its environmental policy on an annual basis with a view to continual improvement.

Employees are encouraged to follow best practices regarding environmental issues.  We welcome feedback on how we can continue to cut down on and recycle waste, reduce energy use and maintain a good working environment within the workplace (for example, a simple policy supporting houseplants in the offices).

As a Company, Russums is fully committed to implementing the above policies and continually adding to them, with a view to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040 or before.  Our methodology involves reviewing energy consumption, transportation, packaging and supplier activities, aiming to identify further opportunities to lessen environmental impact while maintaining high service and product standards for our partners.

Overall, we have chosen an approach of practical actions over complicated recording and administration.  Our background research into addressing a carbon footprint covered the concerns of simply ‘greenwashing’ without change - we hope that making step-by-step improvements in sustainability and minimising resource use will deliver a more positive environmental impact.

Sally Russum
Quality Manager