15.10.07
Sustainability manager for expanding business

As part of the drive to become even more ethical and environmentally sustainable, Cornwall-based clothing company Seasalt has taken on a Sustainability Manager.

Sarah Hawkley has been employed under Unlocking Cornish Potential, a Combined Universities in Cornwall project that has received Objective One investment and places graduates with businesses and provides support for up to one year.

Part of her job is to ensure Seasalt meets international environmental standards and competes for top environmental awards.

Sarah, who is originally from Bristol, graduated in Environmental Sustainability from the University of Glamorgan and then took an MSC in Environmental Conservation Management. She moved to Porthleven and carried out some freelance environmental research writing before taking the position with Seasalt.

Seasalt (formerly Wildlife) was set up by the Chadwick family and began in 1981 as one shop in Penzance. Eight other shops, employing more than 50, have since been opened – in Falmouth, Truro, St Ives, Fowey, Padstow, Totnes, St Mary's and Penryn. In 2005 Seasalt became the first clothing brand to have clothing certified to Soil Association standards. The shops sell a mixture of Seasalt and other brands including Oska, White Stuff, Keen and Camper. Seasalt clothes are also distributed nationally.

Sarah said: "A lot of environmental policies are already in place at Seasalt and part of my role is to formalise these, so I am carrying out an initial environmental review and compiling an environmental manual. The business is ahead in many ways such as recycling commercial waste; offering paper and jute bags rather than plastic and we are currently appointing an environmental champion in each of our stores.

"We are applying for ISO 14001 – an internationally recognised standard of environmental sustainability in business – and the review is an integral part of that process. The starting point is acknowledging that our business activities have an affect on the wider environment, such as the carbon emissions produced from importing goods or staff travelling to work. Essentially, I am assessing Seasalt's significant environmental impacts. For instance, I am looking at how much electricity and gas is used in each store to identify where savings can be made and encouraging staff to take part in these tasks."

Once the environmental manual is completed, Sarah plans to schedule regular meetings with staff to discuss how Seasalt's carbon footprint can be reduced and the effects of any changes to environmental legislation on Seasalt's business activities.

Leigh Chadwick said: "Seasalt is committed to being an environmentally and socially responsible business and Sarah's appointment as Sustainability Manager is a major step forward for us, particularly in helping us to reduce our environmental impact. The support provided by Unlocking Cornish Potential in helping us to recruit and develop Sarah has been invaluable."

Ben Leonard, from Unlocking Cornish Potential, said: "We have worked with Seasalt a number of times before running projects on both clothing and graphic design. Whilst Seasalt has always had a strong environmental ethic it is great to now be able to support a project to formalise and develop their procedures. With a specialised mentor to support her and project management training underway we are sure that her project will be a great success."

For further information please contact Clare Morgan, Partnership Office, on 01872 223439/07973 813647 or email cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk.

The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has invested in the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) project, both Phase 1 and Phase 2, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF). Unlocking Cornish Potential is managed by CornwallCollege, a partner of CUC.

Editor's notes:

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439

cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

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