Sarah Raven is certified B Corp

 
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Sarah Raven is certified B Corp

Being responsible and caring is at the heart of everything we do. From the seeds, bulbs and plants we sell, to the relationships we nurture and the values we hold.

 
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“Nothing matters more to me than taking care of the people who work with us and of the natural world we all depend on. Being certified as a B Corporation is a gold medal sign that making beautiful gardens is part of a larger picture, in which the wellbeing both of people and of nature can go hand in hand.”

what is B Corp?

The B Corp certification – the B stands for Benefit – is given to companies by B Lab, an American nonprofit organisation, founded in 2006 to celebrate modern businesses that take their social and environmental responsibilities seriously. Not every company can qualify. The testing is rigorous and can take years.

 

The certificate means that when you see the B Corp logo here, you know that Sarah Raven has been carefully vetted and assessed by objective outsiders. We are proud of what we do and that is why we have made the effort to achieve this certification. It only lasts 3 years before the next test, and the standards are tightening all the time, so by design it is something that keeps us up to the mark. There is a lot of greenwashing around and inevitably a lot of ‘green fatigue’. The B Corp badge is a way of allaying those fears. We have always been on the track of environmental and social responsibility but the certification is a way of displaying our values to those customers who believe in the best of environmental and social standards.

 

We’re the first to achieve B Corp certification within the online retail gardening industry.

why it matters

We grow plants sustainably, manage energy responsibly, deliver parcels with care and support our employees and suppliers in long term relationships. It is those commitments that underlie the award of B Corp certification.   

 

Sarah Raven is a values-led business and all our policies are rooted in doing what’s right for the environment, biodiversity, and our people. By choosing us, you can know you're supporting a brand that prioritises the planet and its communities.

 

We’re excited that we have got this far, but this certification isn’t the end goal; it’s the beginning of a continuing process of improvement and accountability in how we work and the impact we make.


what makes us B Corp

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biodiversity

It’s vital that we support and develop greater biodiversity. This means eliminating the use of harmful practices that have a negative impact on the populations of insects, birds and bees. In our nursery and at Perch Hill we don’t use neonicotinoids or other toxic chemicals. To manage pests we are single-minded about good hygiene, using organic ingredients such as potato starch, baking powder and a form of natural powdered fungus that discourages aphids and other predatory insects. We aim for a natural balance within the garden ecosystem allowing the birds to prey on slugs and snails.

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sustainability

Sustainability is central to everything we do – we want to have a positive impact on our environment. In 2023, we earned Planet Mark accreditation, recognising that we’re actively reducing our carbon footprint. We’re no longer dependent on fossil fuel at our nursery, with four biomass boilers providing all the heat we need. We are working towards becoming completely self-sufficient through renewable energy, using solar panels on the roof of our pack house and harvesting 20 million litres of water annually for irrigation. 

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quality

We want to make sure that everything we sell is good for you, and good for the planet. 97% of our plants are grown in the UK, and everything grown at our nursery and at Perch Hill is 100% peat free. Plant passports are used to guarantee the health of any seeds, bulbs of plants that we do import in order to meet demand. Our garden kit and tools are selected for durability and materials are always sourced from managed forests. Right now 98% of our packaging is plastic-free; the bionets for our wallflowers and trays for our seedlings are all compostable, and we’re committed to eliminating the final 2% of plastic with sustainable alternatives as soon as we find them.


a better future for everyone

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caring for our people

We’re proud to be a female-founded company, and we continue to be female led with women holding the most senior positions within the business. We have an age-diverse workforce, which brings experience and fresh ideas to create an environment where creativity blooms. As the business has grown, we’ve made decisions that help and bolster local communities – the investment in our nursery has increased employment opportunities in a traditionally low-income area. We are a certified Living Wage Employer – a step we took to ensure every person here feels valued. We’ve created a workplace where wellness is a priority, offering mental health support and access to apps such as Headspace, to ensure our team thrives, both at work and at home.

Community projects

supporting others

We really want to inspire as many people as possible to discover their passion for gardening, and the work we do with charities enables us to do just that. We provide funding and volunteers for both national and local charities, including Maggie’s, ‘Something to Look Forward To’, and TWIGS. We also donate stock, including seeds, plants and gardening tools to local schools and communities to encourage everyone to start growing their dream garden.

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nurturing relationships that last

When it comes to our suppliers, we're focused on building long-lasting partnerships, not just quick transactions. We will always choose to work with people who share our vision for sustainability and meaningful impact. In collaboration with our growing partners we’re breeding more pollinator-friendly plants and flowers to add to our collection, and with suppliers we’ve created compostable packaging and peat-free plug plants. Together, with everyone we work with, we know that we can raise environmental standards across the gardening industry, it’s an exciting future ahead of us. 


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Is there a question missing, or want to ask us more questions?

If there's anything you'd like to learn more about, please get in touch with our team at sustainability@sarahraven.com

 
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